- Nordic Walking in Scotland (midge fever)- published on 'Nordic Walking News Weekly' (USA) issue 19 now 'Nordic Walking Magazine' <click here for the photo gallery> In the summer of 2008 attracted by the mists, the breathless landscapes and ‘Nessie’ (the fabled “Loch Ness Monster”) I walked a long trail with a friend following various routes in Scotland. The plan was to tie together two famous local paths and a mountain in the middle: the West Highland Way, the Great Glen Way and Ben Nevis (about 300 km in total). The West Highland Way (WHW) runs, officially, from a granite obelisk in Douglas Street of Milngavie, a town near Glasgow, and ends in Fort William. The walking gives a lot of atmospheric moments: from dark conifer forests where Rob Roy lived, to mountain scenery with magical names like the “Devil Staircase”. Looming above everything are the endless Highlands, with ancient stone ruins covered by grass. The worst thing we faced in the entire trail had to be the midges. These nasty, angry and hungry insects spread all over the Highlands from early June to September and can be so numerous and aggressive. It’s absolutely essential to have deterrent lotions and a face net to be safe. At the end of the WHW, in Fort William there’s Ben Nevis, the highest mountain of Scotland. The walk to the top is like a sacred rite for every Scot (and it’s the same even for us…Italians!!). The Great Glen Way (GGW) starts from Fort William and finishes in Inverness, a very attractive city. It runs along the famous Caledonian Canal touching the mysterious mists of Loch Ness and the Neptune Staircase. Sometime the path goes along the old Jacobites rail line and splits Scotland in two. The official end of the Great Glen Way is at Inverness Castle (once destroyed by the Jacobites then rebuilt as a court). Scots are very special, gentle people and walkers are always more than welcome there. The whole trail is well signed and has facilities every 15/20 km apart. Nordic Walking is best in the Great Glen Way where the path is more even, easy, and without too much ascent and descent. Poles are not a problem like they could be on the WHW where you need your hands free for rocky sections of the paths. |
 From Glasgow to Inverness along 330 km <click here for the photo gallery> cl  Nordic Walking News Weekly Issue 19 Nordic Walking Magazine (new) |
| <other articles/shots published on 'NORDIC WALKING NEWS WEEKLY' / 'NORDIC WALKING MAGAZINE - Sculptures on Viareggio's Beach - published on 'Nordic Walking News Weekly' issue 14 - Dragonfly By the River - published on 'Nordic Walking News Weekly' Issue 16 - Da Piazza a Piazza - published on 'Nordic Walking News Weekly' Issue 22 - A perfect Wood for Quiet Steps - published on 'Nordic Walking Magazine' Issue 25 |
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