From: Kilsyth to Strathblane
Distance: 12.5m / 20km
Cumulated distance: 887m / 1427km
Percentage completed: 75
I was confused when I started walking this morning. The sun was shining, the vivid greens of spring were idyllic and the path I was following was steady, well-marked and level. Why then did I feel under par.
Forth and Clyde Canal looking splendid
The more I tried to fathom it out the less clear it became. I didn’t feel sad or miserable or homesick or worried .. I just felt kind of flat. Despite the high contrast vistas in front of me, everything was ‘vanilla’. I tried blaming it on my feet. The left one has developed a tender patch on the heel which even Compede’s are failing to deal with. With every step there’s a niggle. But it really wasn’t that. Nor was it the dull ache that I now get in my back when I’m wearing my pack .. I’d been able to leave the bulk of its contents behind today. In fact it wasn’t any of the aches and pains that are too boring to mention.
An entire pallet of greens
I began to recall what other walkers have said at this stage in the journey. In the last few days of walking The Pennine Way, one blogger said he felt he was on a travellator, in which the scenery never changed. He said he felt trapped and is if it would never end. Another walker talked about Groundhog Day, how she felt she was waking up to the identical routine day after day .. making little progress. She talked of feeling ‘depleted’ for a while on her journey.
It came to me that while I’d welcomed the canal with open arms a few days ago .. it promised easy walking after lots of climbing .. it had become my version of the same repetition fatigue. Every step was virtually identical, the exact same muscle group was being pounded with every stride on the same surface and despite the beauty of the surroundings, the path was straight and relentless. For someone who loves variety and is poor at incorporating routine into their lives, this had subconsciously got under my skin.
Looking beneath the surface
I decided to chuck off the pack and sit on the bank, close to the water. It was quiet and peaceful. One of the tools I used when I had depression a few years ago was mindfulness meditation. Along with medication, help from a psychologist and exercise it was one of the keys to getting myself better. The woman who taught me mindfulness in Sydney gave me some of her recorded led-meditations. Among them was one called, ‘The Lake Meditation’, which was a great refuge for me at times. What resonated most deeply was the way she described how in the depths of the lake, there will always remain stillness, even when on the surface there may be storms or rain or wind or sun, all affecting the outward appearance. The meditation encourages you to find this serenity and stillness within yourself .. become like a lake. Over the years it has been a great comfort to me and today, sitting beside the river, it helped to dislodge some of my lacklustre feelings and gather positive thoughts, before continuing my walk.
Fishing meditation
I met a couple of anglers along the canal today. They were fishing for roach, perch and pike. I got chatting to one who agreed that for him fishing was less about what he caught and more about how reverted to living slowly. He suggested that it was becoming one of the obsessions of our age, starting trends like slow cooking, craftwork and mindfulness .. a quiet protest against the ever-hastening pace of technological change.
Shirva stables
One of the few buildings along the way today was an old derelict stable block. Of course, when the canals were in their heyday, horses would have been much in demand, pulling up to ten times their weight on the barges. The stables housed fresh horses to replace those who had completed their shift. Upstairs there were rooms for the canal workers to take a well-earned rest.
A solitary swan made an appearance along the Forth and Clyde Canal in the morning. It spent five minutes demonstrating what wonderful contortionists they are. And then swimming away, he left me with a heart in the water.
A long cool drink
Fishing
Casting hearts
At Hillhead the John Muir Way took its leave of the Forth and Clyde Canal and headed north over the River Kelvin to Milton of Campsie. A disused railway line replaced the canal towpath, with the old bridges and tunnels left as legacies of the line.
Disused railway
The signs for the John Muir Way were joined by signs for the Thomas Muir Way, which was a tad confusing. Was he a brother or a cousin, equally keen on the great outdoors? As I drank the tea from my flask I consulted the oracle, Mr Google. To my surprise the two men were totally unconnected, save for their surnames. Robert was a Scotsman, born locally, who became a political reformer. He ended up falling foul of the system and was eventually deported to Australia, to Kirribilli in New South Wales .. a suburb which just happens to neighbour ours in Sydney! I was delighted by the coincidence, if not about his fate.
Railway bridges still intact
It was lucky that the bridges and tunnels were wide on this path. Lucky because there was no way that Alfie the chocolate labrador would have been able to carry his log successfully through, otherwise. It was a party trick that our first yellow lab also loved to pull off, scraping many shins along the way. His name was Rover and he had just the same laid-back temperament as Alfie.
So proud of himself!
For the latter part of the day the trail followed Glazert Water, in and out of the woods. It also had the beautiful backdrop of the Campsie Fells to the north.
Wild garlic woods
Campsie Fells
Brave little lambs leaving their mother’s side to investigate the photographer
As the day’s walk came to a close at Strathblaine, I walked past the volcanic hillock of Dunglass. The horizontal columns of rock are made of basalt, which can also be found on the Giant’s Causeway.
Dunglass
At Strathblaine I said farewell to The John Muir Way. I was not totally convinced the Father of The Wilderness would have been honoured to have the chosen route named after him. In parts it was a little dull and in others, such as Kilsyth and Falkirk, it was anything but wilderness country .. instead . I was also glad that my route from now on will incorporate far more hills ..
Black Dog Tails
Dax the police dog, saved his handler’s life from an armed burglar who attempted an ambush in a darkened attic. Chris Alberini pays tribute to Dax in the story in the link.
As I have mentioned in earlier comments I have had low days on most of my long walks, and like you for no really identifiable reason, but they have always vanished by the next day. Your post gives a brave and honest description which sounds familiar relevant to what I have just written above. You have come a long way and I do hope your feelings will be improved by the morrow. I do wish you well – you still have some fabulous country ahead of you – bonne chance. I am off to start walking The Bronte Way on day walks on Saturday with my friend John who also comments here.
I do hope you enjoy the Bronte Way. As you’ll know I criss-crossed it when I was doing the Pennine Way. Needing to dig deep at the moment but the Highlands are very beautiful.
You will for sure enjoy the highs far more now that you have a had an albeit small, low!
Quite right .. all feeling a little tough at the moment with a complaining foot. I’ll get there in the end ..
That day had many uplifting moments for me, hope you are uplifted and ready to set off into the Highlands.
The Highlands are indeed magnificent .. although demanding on the feet! Hope you enjoy the Bronte Way with Conrad.
Jules, this grand adventure has given you the opportunity to view such beautiful scenery, to spend time walking with friends and family, to experience the kindness of strangers and so much more. Today, it offered you the reminder to also look inward from time to time for a sense of beauty and strength. Good stuff.
Thanks Silvia .. never a truer word said. x
By the way I love the lab. with the long stick; my springer Barney used to do just the same.
I love their sense of purpose when they do things like that.
I remember hitting Scotland and feeling good to have gone so far. After a few days it became apparent how big Scotland was and how far to JOG. You’ve achieved so much so far, were with you all the way.. the end it’s now within your grasp… reach for it and its yours… Phil
It’s weird how it feels much further away right at the moment .. probably something to do with how much my foot hurts. Thank you for your encouragement. Means a lot coming from someone who has made the journey.
75 per cent done! Time for a celebratory wine?
Horse has bolted on that score, Steen .. remember, your parents were walking with me last week! xx
Wow ! You are 3/4 of the way through now. You are such an inspiration to me. And lucky you has got me for a week from Saturday !!!!! Love you loads from your little sis xxxxx
So glad to have you with me, little sis! xx
At times it seems that these days of walking will never end, that your body will not be strong enough. Days of change are ahead though and the glens will make your spirit soar. You are doing so amazingly well Jules and when you walk down into JOG to meet that line that will mark the end, you will feel relief but also sadness. Emotion and elation. Quite amazing really. Makes me feel teary just thinking about it. xx
Frannie, you would do just the same .. and of course you are right about the Highlands. Thank you. xx
Jules ‘our intrepid heroin’ you have been on the move for 3 months my friend , 68 days of walking , blogging , drawing , living out of the same clothes , we are all in awe of you . You are Wonder Woman ! so today is the first time you feel down , low , morose, flat … You are really doing so well , and what you are feeling right now is totally normal and so understandable . Tomorrow will be another day , and anyone who has suffered from depression knows about all the tools you mentioned . They do work . Plus you are so close to finishing , we are all by your side !! See you soon xox
Thank you so much, my friend. Minor injuries and niggles seem to take on a disproportionate amount of pain at this stage. I hope they’re resolved by next week. xx
Dearest Jules – I know it has been said before, but what honesty you bring to to this journey. Your insights are so helpful and you an absolute star to lay yourself bare for the benefit of others. We are all behind you on all your days. Lots of love xx
Hi Jules
My neighbor who is on her way to Sydney mentioned that her friend Jill had joined you for part of your journey. What a small world!
I love your photo titled
„looking beneath the surface“. Xxx
Petra, I think she was the same friend who told Jill about having the ‘birthday flu’ from last November! Hope you’re having a wonderful time at the WWOM .. will be thinking of you all. xx
A very honest appraisal of your feelings, Jules. I know that feeling and I suspect you might like to think of your next big or little project to keep you inspired to do the things you love and nip those blue feelings in the bud. If I am correct you only have 3 weeks to go. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog and I have noted a few of your observations while on the Pennine Way which I have noted in my own travel notes. I leave Sydney in exactly 2 weeks to start the PW on Mon Jun 4. I am planning to walk 500km, a mere quarter of your mammoth walk. So jealous, in a good way, of your wonderful achievement. I know the effort, the training and all the preparatory work you have done with your fundraising, researching the walk and posting such interesting and informative daily blogs, not to mention your considerable artistic talent, that has gone into your LEJOG walk. A truly marvellous effort. I do so love Britain and would hope I could try this walk myself one day. No doubt, after consulting you. I look forward to hearing more on your return. Keep on going and enjoy beautiful Scotland with that divine weather. Kind regards, Katrina
How kind are you, Katrina. Thank you for your lovely comments. You are going to have a fabulous time in the Pennines .. my only advice would be to not make your days too long. Better to have more time to sit and appreciate the views along the way. Happy to consult at any stage! xx