A guide to
walking in Scotland.
Where in Scotland?
Choose a part of Scotland for its walks.
The West Highland Way runs the length of the loch, with a hill above it for every day.
The West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way both meet at Fort William.
Pinewood paths round Loch an Eilein and Glenmore, and the long way through the Lairig Ghru.
Big Tree Country: the Hermitage, the Birks of Aberfeldy and Schiehallion.
St Cuthbert’s Way, and the Eildon Hills above Melrose.
The Fife Coastal Path, harbour to harbour.
The coast path round the island, and Glen Rosa into the hills.
Cliff walks at Eshaness and round the island of Noss.
Walking, in two minutes.
Scotland’s access law lets anyone walk almost anywhere, on hill, moor, wood and shore, provided they act responsibly. That is why there are few signposts and fewer fences: the freedom is real, and so is the need to find the way.
There is walking for every kind of day. Waymarked long routes such as the West Highland Way and the Fife Coastal Path; a morning round a loch; a pinewood in the Cairngorms; or a full day on a Munro for those with the legs and the map.
Where to start.
The walks everyone asks about, each with what to know before going.
Fairy Pools.
Clear pools and falls under the Black Cuillin in Glen Brittle, 2.4 km there and back from the car park.
Isle of Skye
Steall Falls.
Scotland's second highest waterfall, at the head of Glen Nevis, beyond the gorge.
Fort William
Arthur’s Seat.
The 251-metre summit of an old volcano in Holyrood Park, a real hill walk in the middle of Edinburgh.
Edinburgh
Ben A'an.
A small rocky cone in the middle of the Trossachs, a short, steep climb to a great view down Loch Katrine.
Loch Lomond
Loch an Eilein.
A loch in the Rothiemurchus pinewoods, with a castle ruin on its island and a three-mile path round the shore.
Cairngorms
The Hermitage.
A wooded gorge on the River Braan by Dunkeld, looked after by the National Trust for Scotland, with Ossian's Hall of 1757 above the Black Linn Falls and some of Britain's tallest trees.
Perthshire
Three things to know.
Know the access code.
Leave gates as they are found, keep dogs under control near livestock, and take litter home. Wild camping is allowed in most places, away from houses and roads.
Dress for four seasons.
Waterproofs and a warm layer go in the bag even on a fine morning. Boots, not trainers, anywhere off a made path.
Midges and ticks.
Midges bite on still, damp evenings from June to August; a breeze or repellent sees them off. Check for ticks after long grass and bracken.
The Munros.
A Munro is a Scottish mountain over 3,000 feet, which is 914.4 metres. There are 282 of them. Sir Hugh Munro published the first list in 1891, and climbing them all has been a pursuit ever since: finishing is called compleating, spelled that way since his day.
For each there is where it is, how high it is, what its name means and where to look before going. They are gathered by area, so a trip can take in the hills round one glen, and by the kind of day they make.
The weather on top can be nothing like the weather at the car, so read the mountain forecast for the hills you mean to climb.
The Munros, by area.
Each area is the hills round one base, with a map of them.
The Munros, by kind of day.
The scrambles
Hands on rock somewhere on the way, and a head for it.
Remote and wild
A bothy, a bike, or a very long day.
By train
A station at the foot, and no car to go back for.
The four-thousanders
The ones over four thousand feet.
On the islands
The ones you take a boat or a bridge to.
In winter
The ones that stay a walk under snow, and the ones that do not.
CairngormsViewpoint Walk, Grantown-on-Spey
FifeFife Coastal Path
Scottish BordersBerwickshire Coastal PathShetland IslandsKnab coastal walk
PerthshireLady Mary's Walk
FifeElie Chain Walk
Scottish BordersThe Walk to Douglas Castle
Scottish BordersNeidpath Tunnel and CastleWhere to go.
Places of ours, each with what to know before you go.
See more on ExploreGlen Coe and Glen EtiveBidean nam Bian
Ben Lawers and Glen LyonSchiehallion
Glen Coe and Glen EtiveBuachaille Etive Mor - Stob Dearg
Ben Nevis, the Mamores and the Grey CorriesAn Gearanach
Glen Coe and Glen EtiveAonach Eagach - Sgorr nam Fiannaidh
Skye and MullBlabheinnMunros written up in full.
Each with what to know before going, where to check the conditions and where to read more.
See every Munro
A walk to Ryvoan Bothy by the Green Lochan
The Two Lochs Trail at Loch Garten, round to Loch Mallachie
A walk up Cockleroy from Beecraigs Country Park
The Creag Noran viewpoint walk above Loch Achray
A walk to the Fairy Pools in Glen Brittle
Glenashdale Falls and the Giants' Graves walk
A walk to Loch Langaig and Loch Hasco under the Quiraing
A walk up the Water of Trool to the Martyrs' TombDays worked out.
Each with its stops in order, the drive between and somewhere to eat.
See every day out
To readA Walking Guide to Dunkeld
To readNew Town Walking Tour
To readWalks, Wildlife & Nature in Edinburgh
To read10 Unmissable Walks on the Isle of Skye
To readScotland by Bike: 10 of the Best Trails to Ride
To readWalks, Wildlife & Nature in Skye
To readWalking Through Time in Culross
To readA Walking Guide to AberdourFrom the magazine and the Journal.
The people and the stories.
The Library
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