I didn't really feel that nudge at all, and I wish it had been stronger, or at least that it was less important to head out that way - I think the opening part of the game would have been much stronger if I had followed that path. Maybe it's my fault for wandering off too soon, but I really felt like I was done with Lookout Landing by the time I left. The only nudge I remember was a character saying the Rito village is probably closest.
So 30 hours in I had no way to upgrade either armor or weapons, hadn't met Impa for the geogylph quest line and it was a real pain in the ass. I actively felt like I had missed something. Especially finding the musicians at the Eldin stable and not being able to start the quest to get the fairy because I hadn't yet visited the newspaper - that was just BS punishment for not starting with Rito village.