Hiking and Backpacking in Scotland

Hikers that want to point their boots in the direction of a long distance path for the first time, will often start their backpacking with a popular and official one. My own first long distance walk was the Pennine Way, followed soon after by the West Highland Way (a very wet week) and then the Southern Upland Way.

There are a few waymarked long distance paths in Scotland, the most well known of these being:

• The West Highland Way
• The Southern Upland Way
• The Speyside Way
• The Great Glen Way

There are some less well-known ones too that have been waymarked, so be sure to check them out. The ones listed have information on length, location and maps required.

Unofficial Long Distance Paths

It was during my Southern Upland Way walk that I found myself having to wild camp for the first time, and this is when I was fully converted to doing it wild! This in turn, led me to wanting to find my own routes and create my own long distance paths.

The official paths can become very popular at certain times of the year, so if you prefer to really get away from it all, then my walks may be just what you’re looking for.

Use the ‘Long Walks’ menu above to find information on these. All the important stuff has been included and any awkward points to be aware of.

My favourite maps to use are the OS Landranger 1:50000 series. I find that there’s enough route detail and the scale allows you to read the terrain perfectly. Don’t forget to check out the survival tips (but hopefully you won’t need to use them) and the other pages that you may find helpful for planning your trip.

GPX Files:

GPX files are being added. The first one can be found on the Loch Monar route.