Walking is the simplest and oldest way of travel,
and the only one which allows man to go virtually anywhere on the land without
being dependent on technological vehicles. It is also a healthy exercise.
All you need is a good pair of shoes, for which purpose I definitely prefer
sturdy, military style boots rather than fashionable "sport" footwear. Sport
shoes are designed for the stadium, the running track or the tennis court,
rather than for the big outdoors. Furthermore, their multi-coloured and
multi-material finish makes them difficult to maintain, while black leather
boots can be shined to perfection (an art in itself!) |
 (*)
My favourite shoe: the "Lundhags Militär", made by
Lundhags
AB, Sweden.
|
Arrival of Belgian Navy group at the
European March of Memory and Friendship in Vielsalm, Belgium (1998)
(**)
|
With the Marching
Team of the Belgian
Navy, I take part in a number of marches organised by the Belgian Army:
the "European
March of Memory and Friendship" , to remember the battle of the Ardennes,
and the "Four
days of the Yser" to remember the First World War in Flanders, as well
as on the yearly march of the Luxembourg army. |
 (***) |
Walking long distances is a real challenge
on its own. In 2002, 2003 and 2004 I participated in one of the most famous of all long
distance walks: the 100 km Dodentocht
(Death March) in Bornem, Belgium |
| Furthermore, I also like long solitary marches, particularly
along disused railroad lines. Not the ones turned into fashionable trails,
but the ones where rails are rusting away and overgrown. |
A disused station in the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse Region, Province
of Namur, Belgium (1998)
(Black and white photo)
|
On top of Ben More, the Isle of Mull's only "Munro".
In the background, the famous "Scottish Mist" (1999)
|
Walking in areas of natural beauty, like
the Scottish Highlands and Islands, gives one the chance to discover them
in a way which is never attained by using motorised transport. |
| Weather conditions may vary, but these are part of
the game! |
Sail Mhor, Dundonell, Wester Ross, Scotland (2000)
|