It's been six months since our last post and alas no progress to report on our epic walk from SW to NE Scotland. Following a troublesome Achilles injury sustained on the Clyde Coastal Path I then had an actual accident at the start of May where I managed to severely tear my left calf (gastrocnemius muscle?). I would like to say this was a result of some misadventure scaling the mountain tops, however no: I fell down two steps (1 1/2 steps to be precise) while moseying around the grounds of Elgin Cathedral. Cue ambulance and being carried through the cathedral ruins wrapped in foil like a giant Crunchie bar with other visitors staring at my misfortune. It took almost five months before I could finally discard both crutches, a healing time far beyond what I initially imagined. I am, at long last, in a position to start building some strength back in both legs and with encouragement from friends and family have recently started to try and walk 5000 steps a day, including a tentative approach to the Couch to 5k running plan (I look like I am jogging in slow motion). I'm still a little unsure on my feet and its going to take more time still to get back to a place where I have the fitness to do long distance walking. It hasn't all been bad though. While having to sleep on the sofa for a few weeks as I couldn't negotiate the stairs, Matt decided I needed a fluffy companion to cheer me up. Enter (T.S.) Eliot Knights.
There has also been time for painting and drawing, including renovating a sad looking selection of garden ornaments which we discovered dotted about the garden of our new house. I am hoping that we shall be able to pick up where we left off (Glasgow city centre) and start our walk again next year. Certainly sustaining an injury and being immobile for a period has only made me more grateful to be able to return to being outside more and gain the benefits of some exercise. Nan Shepherd emphasized the importance of just being in nature, to visit nature like one visits an old friend. The point not being to conquer the mountain by chasing it's peak but to experience the mountain, to walk about its lower slopes and habitats. I am going to focus upon her philosophy as I rehabilitate in the coming months.
Jennie “To aim for the highest point is not the only way to climb a mountain.” ― Nan Shepherd, The Living Mountain
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"A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving." - Lao TzuWe were planning a hiatus to our walk over Christmas 2021, however we were hoping for this to be quite short and were planning to do the West Highland Way in the spring. Alas, Jennie has incurred a troublesome foot injury which is limiting her to walks of about 30 minutes. We have therefore had to postpone the next major leg of our trip whilst she recovers. To allay some of the frustration Jennie has joined an art group in Dundee! For the past couple of months she has completed a triptych based on the Clyde section of our walk. Where rambling may have faltered, art has triumphed! The canvas is now complete, with the title "The Clyde A Cloud", taken from a poem by Hugh MacDiarmid. Hopefully we'll be able to pick up the West Highland Way in the autumn, but in the meantime we are going to take a trip to Orkney in May where we can visit no less than 12 RSPB bird reserves! Whilst this is not technically part of our walk, it might be considered a diversion from it, seeing as we will actually go beyond mainland Scotland when we get the ferry from Scrabster. Jennie will no doubt have chance to develop some more bird sketches like those below and I might get around to contributing to the RSPB's blog about our walk so far. We hope you are enjoying the spring and getting out and about on your own wanders!
All the best Words by Matthew Drawings by Jennie |
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