Hiking Scotland, but where?

[Joeri]

Hi folks,

I am planning on doing a 10 to 15 day hike. What I search for is a route or trail which gets me trhough areas where wild camping is no problem and where I could easily do some bushcraft. This means I probably want to stay on some places for 1 or 2 days. I want to avoid staying on a lot of official campgrounds.
From the info I find on this forum and the internet the west highland way seems a bit to much traveled and I get the idea this trail makes it necessary to camp on official campgrounds a lot. The Southern Upland Way seems to consist of planted forest for a big part, but a bit more remote. Also the only means of transport I have is public transport.

Can someone give me any advice on where to go? It would help me a lot…

thanks,
Joeri

 

[Angus Og]

You should know that a lot of these plantations are now being cut down a lot of maps will be out of date.

Look for a book called The Central Highlands Six LOng Distance Walks by Peter D. Koch-Osborne printed by Cicerone. And any of the glens series of books by him are a great help for planning routes.

http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/index.cfm?filter=18

 

[fred gordon]

Hi folks,

I am planning on doing a 10 to 15 day hike. What I search for is a route or trail which gets me trhough areas where wild camping is no problem and where I could easily do some bushcraft. This means I probably want to stay on some places for 1 or 2 days. I want to avoid staying on a lot of official campgrounds.
From the info I find on this forum and the internet the west highland way seems a bit to much traveled and I get the idea this trail makes it necessary to camp on official campgrounds a lot. The Southern Upland Way seems to consist of planted forest for a big part, but a bit more remote. Also the only means of transport I have is public transport.

Can someone give me any advice on where to go? It would help me a lot…

thanks,
Joeri

Joeri,
I have done several such trips walking from the west coast of Scotland to the east, or the other way round. You can plan to take in some very remote places and either stick to the glens or do a mixture of tops and glens. It can be as varied as you like and as difficult as you like. As far as camping is concerned the law in Scotland changed recently with the introduction of the Land Reform Act (Scotland) and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC). You can find details of this at www.outdooraccess-scotland.com. Basically you can camp most places as long as you do it responsibly. The code also allows you a small fire, again if it is done responsibly. Hope you get there.

 

[sxmolloy]

i have just been glancing throught the above link and was suprised. the laws regarding using the countryside are much more relaxed in scotland than they are in england and wales regarding camping and open fires. its a shame really, i know that the rules are there for a reason, and its probablly because certain people mistreat the great outdoors, it's a pity that it is spoiled for the responsible user. :twak: makes me angry!

 

[Doc]

As you will be using public transport, I would suggest either the Cairngorms (start at Aviemore, accessible by train or bus, will involve some road walking the first day) or walking from either Kinloch Rannoch or Corrour train stations. Corrour is very remote - no road access.

In both cases the 1:50 000 or, better still, the 1:25000 Ordnance Survey maps will show you lots of possibilities. The map will tell you where the land is wooded, and whether it is coniferous, broadleaf or mixed. Unfortunately it won't tell you if the coniferous woodland is dense, impenetrable and sterile sitka plantation, or open Scots pine remnants. Of course in both Aviemore and Rannoch areas much of the land is hill and moor without any trees.

 

[Doc]

Sorry, a third option is train to Mallaig and ferry to Knoydart. Look up Knoydart on the net.