Scotland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, with beautiful scenery and a rich history. Hiking through this country is one of the best ways to see Scotland, and here are a few hikes you may enjoy.
Ayrshire Coastal Path
This hike stretches across 148 km and sticks close to the coastline for most of the length that runs along sandy beaches. The walk has two halves, which are very different, with one part being more rural and remote, and is more challenging while the second part is more urban with industrial landscapes.
The walk has magnificent vistas out to sea and you can see the great rock of Ailsa Craig and the beautiful outline of the ridges of Arran.
Much like AFL Premiership betting, this is mostly a straightforward option, but there are a few sections that are more difficult with muddy parts and steep ascents and cliff top paths. It is important to note that if the tide is high some sections may be impassable.
The Dava Way
This walk stretches over 38 km and starts from Grantown-on-Spey, which is located in the Cairngorms National Park to the town of Forres in Moray. It follows the Highland Railway Line and is a traffic free walk.
The scenery varies as you walk through the moorlands around Dava and then continues through fertile pastures of Moray. This route is also a link between two other hikes; the one at Grantown that connects with Speyside Way and Forres is the beginning of the Moray Coast Trail.
These three routes make up a circular route, the Moray Way. Some sections can be muddy and accommodation is only at the start and end of the walk so you may want to try the walk in one day.
Three Lochs Way
This is a long hike which links Loch Lomond, Gare Loch and Loch Long and has four stages. You begin at Balloch, which is the gateway to the Loch Lomond National Park and then cross the moors to Helensburgh and Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Hill House. You then hike across to Glen Fruin into military training areas above Faslane, a nuclear weapons base. You then continue to Garelochhead and through to Loch Long.
The next stop is Arrochar after which you enter the final stretch that goes to Inveruglas. The route is mainly unmarked and the tracks are hard and the route undulates with some muddy sections along some of the footpaths.
West Island Way
This way can be walked in one day or you can do it over two or three days. It is Scotland’s first official long distance path and is well marked covering most of the island of Bute in about 45 km. The landscape is varied with coastline, beaches, farmland, moors and forests.
The views of Arran and Cowal peninsula are spectacular. Some sections of the route are rough with muddy parts. The route can be divided into 3 parts; the first and large stages are circuits with the middle stage connecting the two.
