Some good walking spots in Scotland?

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Allie

Need to contact Admin...
May 4, 2008
159
0
South west
Hi all,
I haven't posted on here for a while, but I'd love some help! I have my whole summer stretched in front of me with very little to do before university (except for some mildly traumatic orthodontic procedures :p), and I was thinking of getting up to Scotland to do some walking/bushcrafting. I was having a look at some of the long distance footpaths like the West Highland Way but I'm guessing they'll be terribly busy at this time of year. I really want to get away from it all for a week or so, wild camping. From some threads I've seen here Knoydart looks fantastic, but I really have no knowledge at all, to be honest! Loch Etive also really appeals to me, but I don't know if I should leave that for a more purely bushcraft based trip..
Any recommendations would be fantastic - I'm looking for somewhere that can be accessed by train but still remote, preferably with some pretty spectacular views for my first Scottish excursion!
Thanks,
Allie
 

Ryecroft

Need to contact Admin...
Mar 26, 2007
98
1
51
North Shropshire
Go to Achnasheen station. Turn Left, and head for the hills!

Gorgeous area, with either Loch Maree or Loch Fannich to aim for, great place to be, and shops at Achnasheen and Poolewe for you to re-stock up if required (apologies if you have no desire to hit the shops for food etc, but nice to know just in case).

Also head for An Teallach if you like hill-walking.

Fannichs will be quiet if solitude is the key.

Sorry, but I may join you at some point, need a break! :)
 

Retired Member southey

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jun 4, 2006
11,098
13
your house!
You could have a look around my neck of the woods, train to Forres, Nip in to the Benromach distillery, head south along the Dava trail from Forres to Grantown on spey, across the Dava moor, open, quiet and great panoramas, from Grantown to Avimore, have a poke around Glenmore (it will be busy there though), mabey rent a canoe for the day. there's a station at Avimoor for the trip back.

Southey.
 

pango

Nomad
Feb 10, 2009
380
6
69
Fife
Hi Allie,
There are loads of walking sites on the web, Scottish Gov sites among them. They're not something I use but I'm sure are of great value to folk unfamiliar with the country. There also seem to be a wealth of info in European sites, blogs etc. and I'm sure the ones already provided by others are of good value.
http://www.walkscotland.com/infocentre_frame.html
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/

Here is a dual, OS and Satellite image map I use regularly and find to be very useful and a sinful time waster. But I love it!
http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm

As for long distance routes... not really my thing. I've probably walked all of the West Highland Way at some point or other as a means of getting from A to B (usually focusing on a pub) but can't really say slogging for 90 odd miles on made roads, however ancient or beautiful, is a prospect I'd relish, while thinking nothing of the same distances on mountain and moor and the perversity of peat-hags. Although I have to say that some who do these routes have big hearts, persevering through swarms of midges, covered in lumps and their feet hanging in strips, brown as tomatoes when the sun's shining. There's also the route to Inverness from Perth, but it follows the A9 and gets busy with bicycles, et al.

You don't even have to travel all that far north, there are the beautiful woodlands of The Borders (watch the Reivers, they're now river bailiffs) or the Galloway Hills and forests. The train will take you either up the west or east coasts, or up the middle to Inverness and the far north.

Etive is a place close to my heart with a pub at one end and the loch at the other, or through Glen Kinglass, with a pub at one end and the loch at the other, or into ancient Appin to the west. The heartland of the Gaelic epic "Dierdre of the Sorrows", beautiful mountains, a loch the locals say is 10% water and 90% fish, great camp-spots, woodlands and wood to burn! The only problem is getting there, as the closest train stations are at Bridge of Orchy NN 3003 3945 (SW through Glen Kinglass to L Etive), Connel Bridge NM 9162 3405, over Connel Bridge, first right and 14 miles along the old coast road and through Bonawe Quarry NN 0115 3336. Sadly, the Post Office discontinued the post buses which ran services all over rural Scotland and which many people, but not enough, depended upon. I find it curious that the same mail runs are still made on the same roads.

The Mountain Bothies Association have "Mountain Bothy Locations" of all their 100+ bothies available on their website. They are safe places in a tight spot, a storm, or just to take an easy day off. Read The Bothy Code and abide by it! Respect your surroundings, the bothy and other bothy users.
http://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/locationmap.asp

Let me suggest a tent rather than a basha/tarp at this time of year unless, of course, you want to be eaten alive!

My advice would be to plan your route before-hand and keep it simple... but step off the narrow way and there is a whole wonderful world that's been waiting just over that hill or through the coire... but you have to find it on your own!

Hope you have a great trip. Enjoy it and welcome.
 

Allie

Need to contact Admin...
May 4, 2008
159
0
South west
Fantastic! Thanks so much everyone for all the help - a lot to contemplate now, and some really great links.
EDIT - One thought - do you think I'd be less restricted if I used buses as well as the train? Although it does look like I have some good options regardless..
 

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