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Walkabout Scotland

Top Places For A Walking Holiday In Scotland

When it comes to enjoying a holiday that allows you to get close to nature, stretch your legs, and fill your lungs with fresh air, there is no better place than Scotland.

When it comes to enjoying a holiday that allows you to get close to nature, stretch your legs, and fill your lungs with fresh air, there is no better place than Scotland.

Its magnificent landscape of thunderous mountains, abundant forests, rugged coastlines, and peaceful lochs makes it one of the most idyllic places in the world, let alone the UK.

With so many beautiful places to explore north of the border, it can be difficult deciding where to visit. So if you’re interested in a walking holiday in Scotland, here are our suggestions on top places to go.

  1. Ben Nevis

Scotland’s tallest peak Ben Nevis is the most famous mountain to climb in the country, and also one of the best.

Therefore, it is not surprising that 125,000 walkers attempt to scale the peak every year. If you are an avid hiker, it is likely climbing Ben Nevis is a challenge you have set yourself to do one day.

While some of the treks are for more experienced walkers, requiring scrambling across boulders and a skill for navigation, this doesn’t mean you can’t reach the summit if you’re a beginner.

The Mountain Track is the easiest for amateurs, beginning 2 km from the town centre of Fort William and meandering up the mountain to the top.

  • Berwickshire Coastal Path

Hikers who prefer to get close to Scotland’s jagged coastline might consider embarking on a walk along Berwickshire Coastal Path. This expedition lasts between two and four days, stretching 28.5 miles from Cockburnspath on the Scottish Borders to Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland.

You will see some of the country’s most spectacular cliffs and rocky shoreline, making it an ideal choice for a summer hike.

  • Coast-to-coast

Alternatively, if you would like to get a taste of the varying landscapes of Scotland, you could consider a coast-to-coast trek, such as the John Muir Way.

This 215 km walk stretches between Helensburgh to Dunbar, allowing hikers to see the country’s coasts and cliff-tops, country parks, farmland, canal towpaths, and upland paths.

It typically takes between nine and 11 days and its highlights include being able to take in the breathtaking sight of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.

Trekkers will also learn more about Scotland’s Roman history at the Antonine Wall and its surrounding forts. Blackness Castle, which is recognisable from the TV series Outlander, is also situated on the John Muir Way trail, while you could spot the world’s only rotating boat lift, the Falkirk Wheel.

They will also scale East Lothian’s dramatic coastline, as well as see the three Forth Bridges and be able to explore Scotland’s thriving capital city, Edinburgh.

Of course, this trek would not be complete without a visit to John Muir’s Birthplace museum in Dunbar. Here, hikers can learn more about the writer and explorer, who was also known for his belief in protecting the environment. The house where he was born in 1838 has since been turned into a museum, where visitors can discover the story of his life, his legacy, and the hiking trail named after him.