SCOTLAND
A country of extraordinary beauty, it was voted the most beautiful country in the world by the readers of the Rough Guide in 2017. The landscapes range from soft green hills, to rugged summits and the valleys that run between them. Walking has been a favorite pastime for centuries throughout the U.K. so Scotland has some of the best developed walking infrastructure in the world. While there are many ways to tackle this type of challenge, I am most comfortable with the ‘not-loaded and sleep in a bed’ variety, where your luggage is transferred between stops which are comfortable inns, lodges or B and B’s.
West Highland Way:
The West Highland Way is the most popular long distance walking route in Scotland, and justly so. At the beginning, leaving the city of Glasgow, you walk through a lovely bucolic landscape a sweet green in the spring. You are than taken along the shores of Loch Lomand, one of Scotlands landscape treasures. As you head further north, you are introduced to the spare and mountainous Highlands and understand their almost mythical status. Along the trail you pass some of Scotland’s most famous attractions, Kings House, the 17th century inn, the incomparable beauty of Glencoe and Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest peaks. (read more…)
Great Glen Way:
The Great Glen Way is a largely gentle walk along one of Scotland’s engineering marvels the Caledonian Canal. It is a natural transportation corridor and a popular recreational site which is traversed not just by foot, but by bicycle and canoe or kayak. Leaving Fort William, one discovers Neptunes Staircase, the series of 8 locks that begin the canal. One has great views of the hills that at times skirt the valley, the lovely village of Fort Augustus and the infamous Loch Ness. The walk ends in the town of Inverness, one of the newest, popular locations in all of Northern Europe. With only one or two major changes in elevation, it is the most accessible of the long distance walks. (read more...)
The Skye Trail
Although an unofficial (meaning non-signed) long distance walk, there are few others that combine the beauty and challenge of the Skye Trail. The trail begins the north western tip of the island, moves along the most breathtaking segment of the Trotternish ridge, than along the shore, until it you arrive at the Sligachan Valley. The walk between the Cullins, two imposing mountain ranges is breathtaking, and the final approach to the town of Broadford, on day 7 is both varied and rewarding. With it’s growing and deserved popularity, walking the Skye trail insures you spend your time on the Island immersed in it’s beautiful landscapes without having to fight the growing crowds. (read more...)
Fife Coastal Path
This is one of the major coastal paths in Scotland. It was recommended by a pilgrim I met on the Great Glen Way, as the most beautiful long-distance walk in all of Scotland. It is a lovely, seaside route that takes you through a softer, greener landscape than you would find in the highlands. This breakdown is just a suggestion; excellent public transit makes this easy to customise and very popular with day hikers (read more...)