What I’m learning from Robert Macfarlane’s reading group about Nan Shepherd’s The Living Mountain

What I’m learning from Robert Macfarlane’s reading group about Nan Shepherd’s The Living Mountain

As coronavirus lockdown takes hold, the nature writer Robert Macfarlane has started running a reading group on Twitter about Nan Shepherd’s classic nature book The Living Mountain. It was a no-brainer for me to join, and it’s helping me to see the world differently.

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Introduction to the Apennines — Part 3: Abruzzo National Park

Introduction to the Apennines — Part 3: Abruzzo National Park

Abruzzo National Park is the wildlife capital of the Apennines. Its peaks are slightly lower in altitude and are aproned in forest which are a sanctuary for bears, wolves, lynx, chamois and deer. It is particularly vibrant in autumn, when the peaks rise in a rainbow of colours.

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Monte Marsicano up the back side: 8 summits in one day

Monte Marsicano up the back side: 8 summits in one day

Since climbing Monte Marsicano from the south on one of our first visits to Abruzzo National Park, we’d had in mind to climb the mountain via a longer route from the more remote northern side. This route took in no fewer than 8 Apennine 2,000ers in a single day.

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Introduction to the Apennines — Part 2: Maiella

Introduction to the Apennines — Part 2: Maiella

Maiella is Italy’s equivalent of the Cairngorms, but at a much higher altitude. It’s a huge plateau of multiple summits linked by broad ridges, and divided by deep, mouth-watering gorges. You can walk for miles without dropping below 2,000m.

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