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Fergal MacErlean
By Fergal MacErlean

I've hiked all over the world, but for walking, I find Scotland hard to beat. A walking holiday in Scotland, possibly more so than in the rest of the UK, offers a great variety of terrain from delightful coastal routes to long trails that traverse a big chunk of the country with character-filled overnight stops.

Relatively speaking, Scotland isn’t a big country; transposed over a map of the US it’d be considered a small state, roughly the same size as South Carolina. But when you’re actually here, in the midst of its gargantuan landscapes and with not another human for miles around, it certainly doesn’t feel small. On a human scale—and what else really matters?—this place is vast.

And despite being just 25 miles wide at its narrowest point (and only 154 miles at its widest!) Scotland’s diversity of scenery and landscapes can be astounding. From tranquil lochs to towering munros (Scottish mountains over 3,000 feet), forested glens and yawning moors, from craggy coastlines to fertile farmland to great cities and what remains of a proud industrial history; Scotland provides a backdrop for every flavour of hiking and walking holiday.

The drama of the scenery is matched by the unpredictability of the elements, but that only adds to the ultimate reward. There are no rain days in Scotland. Come prepared to experience four seasons in a day and you’ll be fine—especially with the lure of a good meal and a dram of whisky to warm you at the end of a long day’s walk.

Ready to go? Here are some of my top recommended walking holidays in Scotland.

Scotland West Highland Way 2

The West Highland Way, possibly Scotland's most popular walking trail

The best walking holidays in Scotland

Popular routes & hidden gems

Outer Hebrides

The Hebridean Way

Taylor St. John
Taylor St. John

In the westernmost reaches of Scotland, embrace Gaelic culture, archaeological wonders, and remote and wild landscapes. The Outer Hebrides island chain stretches from Barra in the south past North and South Uist, to Harris and Lewis in the North, with smaller islands dotted throughout. This is Scotland at its wildest, and The Hebridean Way makes for an excellent long-distance walking holiday, island hopping over no fewer than ten islands over around 12 days. If you feel an urge to go further west still, take a boat to the island of St. Kilda where a 3.5 mile loop walk takes you to the highest point on the Hebrides – 1,410-foot Conachair – passing abandoned villages, and surrounded by Europe’s largest seabird colony. You can also visit the Callanish Stones in Lewis, dating back to 2900 BC, and don’t leave without sampling Stornoway Black Pudding, so coveted it now has its own protected status. Calmac ferries depart from Oban, Mallaig, Ullapool, and also from Uig on Skye. You can then travel the 130-mile length of the islands by connecting ferries and causeways. An easy way to island-hop is with Calmac’s Island Hopscotch ferry ticket, running from Oban up through the islands and back to Ullapool. Like the Inner Hebrides, island accommodation and car spaces on ferries books up extremely quickly, so it’s best to make your plans well in advance. Travellers can fly with Loganair to Benbecula, Stornoway or Barra (the only airport in the world where scheduled flights use the beach as a runway.)

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The Lowlands & Central Belt

The John Muir Way

Taylor St. John
Taylor St. John

For a less-trodden slice of Scotland, I can highly recommend the 134-mile John Muir Way which traces the emigration route of the famous Scottish-American naturalist. The moderate coast-to-coast walk is normally done from Helensburgh in the west to Dunbar in the east. The well-waymarked route takes roughly ten days to complete and cuts through the rolling landscape of the Central Belt, following part of the Forth and Clyde Canal, touching the banks of Loch Lomond, and hugging the coast along the Firth of Forth.

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The Highlands

Knoydart Peninsula

Taylor St. John
Taylor St. John

Towards the west coast, the wild Knoydart Peninsula is for true backpacking expeditions, largely accessible only by foot or by boat to the village of Inverie. Guided hiking is advisable for all but the most competent navigators. A good challenge for experienced hillwalkers is climbing the three munros of Luinne Bheinn, Meall Buidhe and Ladhar Bheinn.

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The Highlands

The Great Glen Way

Fergal MacErlean
Fergal MacErlean

The Great Glen fault line bisects the Scottish highlands to create an epic backdrop for this spectacular hike. The largely low-level Great Glen Way has beautiful and varied scenery throughout as you follow canal towpaths, pass forests, moorland and mountains on a well-marked path. The Great Glen Way is well served by various walking holiday companies and services. You can book your own accommodation and baggage transfer, or let a specialist organise your entire trip.

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The Highlands

The East Highland Way

David Battle
David Battle

I love the East Highland Way as a much quieter alternative to the famous (and heavily marketed) West Highland Way. This trail follows the valleys eastwards through forests and loch side tracks, and into some remote mountain glens. It's not waymarked and is much less well known, so I recommend it for visitors looking for something a little different but not too difficult in the Highlands.

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The Highlands

The West Highland Way

Fergal MacErlean
Fergal MacErlean

Scotland's oldest and most popular long-distance walking route – the West Highland Way – appeals to serious walkers, strolling day trippers and even runners who race the 96 miles in under 35 hours! Walkers take around a week to complete the distance, travelling from the outskirts of Glasgow, past Loch Lomond’s wooded banks, via Tyndrum and across the wilds of Rannoch Moor before a final stretch to finish in the Highland town of Fort William.

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The Northern Isles

The Northern Isles

Taylor St. John
Taylor St. John

The Northern Isles feel a world away from the mainland UK—both Orkney and Shetland are closer to the Arctic circle than to London—yet these rugged archipelagos at the collision of North Sea and Atlantic Ocean are surprisingly accessible. Most walkers here come for centre-based holidays, although there are some 'official' long distance footpaths even up here, such as St Magnus Way and the island-hopping Shetland Walks. There are a handful of walking companies that offer both guided and self-guided holidays on Orkney and Shetland. Keep in mind that longer walks from most rural locations will require a car. On Hoy, the ‘High Isle’, walk from Moaness to Rackwick Bay through Orcadian novelist George Mackay Browne’s “hidden valley of light.” Continue along a cliff path toward the towering sandstone sea stack, the Old Man of Hoy. The newly developed St Magnus Way pilgrimage route follows the 55-mile journey of the martyred Earl of Orkney as it crosses Egilsay, then zig-zags across the Orkney mainland. On Shetland, ferry to the Island of Noss National Nature Reserve for a challenging 5-mile coastal loop and some of the best birdwatching in the Northern Isles.

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The Highlands

Cairngorms National Park

Taylor St. John
Taylor St. John

In the Cairngorms National Park you’ll find 1,748 square miles of protected heather-covered moorland and mountains cut by meandering burns (small streams). Long-distance walks like the 65-mile Speyside Way and 64-mile Cateran Trail run through the park, and its challenging terrain makes it a popular base for centre-based walking holidays.

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The Highlands

The Rob Roy Way

Fergal MacErlean
Fergal MacErlean

Named in honour of the 17th-century folk hero, the Rob Roy Way passes through rugged country closely associated with the irrepressible Scot and follows tracks he would have taken on his many adventures. Expect quiet pine forests, scenic lochshores, and wilder upland sections where the adventure is tangible. The first four days lead northwards through the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park – a gem among Scotland’s landscapes.

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The Highlands

The Speyside Way

Fergal MacErlean
Fergal MacErlean

The Speyside Way is one of four official Long Distance Routes in Scotland (the others are the West Highland Way, the Southern Upland Way and the Great Glen Way). It largely follows the course of the majestic River Spey from the Moray coast to the Cairngorms National Park gateway town of Aviemore. Along the route one passes myriad whisky distilleries and stands of ancient pine and birch woods.

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The Borders

St Ninian's Way

Fergal MacErlean
Fergal MacErlean

The Carlisle to Whithorn section is the most scenic stretch of the Way, a second leg (adding a further ten days' walking and 124 miles/ 198km) continues through Ayrshire and across densely-populated central Scotland and ends on the east coast at South Queensferry, by Edinburgh. St Ninian’s Way isn’t widely offered as an organised walking holiday, although you might find a specialist operator who can help. Most walkers book their accommodation independently, and you might find B&Bs who can arrange luggage transfer on an ad-hoc basis.

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The Highlands

Loch Lomond & the Trossachs

Taylor St. John
Taylor St. John

Within Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, 3,196-foot Ben Lomond is a good start to any Munro-bagging mission. Slightly to the east is 3,547-foot Schiehallian, easily-scalable on a fine day and where scientists first attempted to weigh the world. With their proximity to the cities of Scotland’s Central Belt, both of these areas are fairly easy-to-reach making them great for a shorter Highland escape.

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The Lowlands & Central Belt

Fife Coastal Path

Fergal MacErlean
Fergal MacErlean

Tamer than most Scottish walking routes, this 188km well-signed route passes through picturesque seaside villages, old smuggling caves, and fabulous beaches. In summer it is very beautiful. There are many historical castles and sites too in addition to the stunning sea views; Fife is bounded by the Firths (estuaries) of the Forth and Tay, to the south and north respectively, and juts east into the North Sea. You can even take a boat trip to one of the islands. The route really lends itself to walking in multiple sections if that takes your fancy rather than one big undertaking. Its character changes a lot from the low-lying easy first half to include some rougher but straightforward parts on the easternmost section, the East Neuk.

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Inner Hebrides

Arran Coastal Way

Fergal MacErlean
Fergal MacErlean

This challenging trail gives a rewarding circuit around the beautiful, accessible, Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde, west of Glasgow. The route leads around the coastal fringe of Arran’s mountainous north down its west coast to the sandy beaches, rocky shores and gentler landscapes of the south. The return leg up the east coast leads through forests and woodland, passing Iron Age hill forts and burial cairns.

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Inner Hebrides

West Island Way

Fergal MacErlean
Fergal MacErlean

This delightful long distance walk takes in many of the finest sights on the Isle of Bute in the Firth of Clyde. This lesser-known trail boasts secluded beaches, a range of wildlife, and a generally flat profile. The route crosses diverse landscapes from rocky headlands, seashore and sandy beaches to moorland, farmland and forest. Most of it is level though there is a high moorland section on Day three between Rhubodach to Port Bannatyne which can be boggy, especially in the winter and after long periods of heavy rain. For that reason, as for all west Scotland walks, the optimum months are May, early June and September when the days are warmer, the climate more stable and also when the biting midges are scarcer than in the main summer period.

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Inner Hebrides

The Kintyre Way

Fergal MacErlean
Fergal MacErlean

Less well known than the West Highland Way, this 100-mile (161km) trail zig-zags down through the peaceful and energising Kintyre Peninsula. Along the way you'll pass numerous historical sites on this largely unspoilt landmass ending by the spectacular Machrihanish Bay. The well-marked Kintyre Way has something for all nature lovers with, on the whole, straightforward walking. Although the route is generally considered as starting in Tarbert in the north to Machrihanish in the south, the route can also be walked south to north and is fully waymarked in both directions.

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The Highlands

The Cape Wrath Trail

David Battle
David Battle

If you want something truly different, I can highly recommend the Cape Wrath Trail: the UK's most challenging long-distance trekking route and probably my favourite place to trek in Scotland. With many pathless sections through rough terrain, across rivers and mountain passes, it really lives up to its reputation. The route starts in Fort William, finishes at the Cape Wrath lighthouse, and takes in many of northwest Scotland's best mountain landscapes. There are a number of variations on this route. For our guests we break the route into three stages, the Knoydart Expedition (57 miles), Cape Wrath Trail South (81 miles), and Cape Wrath Trail North (101 miles). Each section is between six and eight nights, including several nights wild camping, or they can be combined into one single mega expedition!

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  • The Hebridean Way

    The Hebridean Way

  • The John Muir Way

    The John Muir Way

  • Knoydart Peninsula

    Knoydart Peninsula

  • The Great Glen Way

    The Great Glen Way

  • The East Highland Way

    The East Highland Way

  • The West Highland Way

    The West Highland Way

  • The Northern Isles

    The Northern Isles

  • Cairngorms National Park

    Cairngorms National Park

  • The Rob Roy Way

    The Rob Roy Way

  • The Speyside Way

    The Speyside Way

  • St Ninian's Way

    St Ninian's Way

  • Loch Lomond & the Trossachs

    Loch Lomond & the Trossachs

  • Fife Coastal Path

    Fife Coastal Path

  • Arran Coastal Way

    Arran Coastal Way

  • West Island Way

    West Island Way

  • The Kintyre Way

    The Kintyre Way

  • The Cape Wrath Trail

    The Cape Wrath Trail

Scotland cairngorms Beautiful native purple heather

Heather-clad hills in Cairngorms National Park, one of Scotland's top walking destinations

featured walking holidays

Walking holidays in Scotland: Need to know

Everything you wish you'd known before you booked

If you started with a blank sheet and listed all the things you’d want in an ideal walking holiday destination, you’d end up with a list that sounds very much like Scotland. Varied scenery? Check. Accessible? Check. Top-notch hospitality? Double check. From expeditions in the Highland wilderness to relaxed island hopping & whisky tasting trips down the west coast, there is truly a walking holiday for everyone in Scotland.

Okay, it’s not all unalloyed positives. The weather can flit from Jekyll and Hyde and back again in the space of hours, and the midges can be a torment depending on location and time of year. Scotland’s many charms make it popular in summer and places can easily book up, although walking trails are rarely truly crowded. But come prepared and it’ll all be part of the fun. After all, too perfect would be boring! Scotland is just close enough.

Weather & conditions

Fair-weather walkers look away now! It is in the raw, wild elements that the character of the Scottish landscape truly reveals itself. The scenery can be more dramatic in the wind and rain, but it can of course make the hiking more challenging. Approach a walking holiday prepared for a dreich (Scots for damp and bleak) forecast, and the dry, sunny days will become a pleasant surprise rather than a make-or-break.

Despite its small size, Scotland’s weather varies wildly from one area to another. Rainfall is generally heaviest on the west coast where places like Arrochar, wedged between the banks of Loch Long and the Arrochar Alps, average 1360 mm of rain a year—about double that of St. Andrews on the east coast.

Yes, it does rain a lot—and snow too, in the hills—but Scotland’s is a temperate climate, with average temperatures ranging from 4 degrees Celsius in winter to 20 degrees in summer. While temperatures fluctuate mildly, the jump in daylight is head-spinning: from just six hours of daylight in December to 18 hours in June at the country’s most northerly latitudes.

When to go walking in Scotland

Like the rest of the UK, the main tourism season runs March to October. The high summer months is your best bet for sunnier weather, though this is generally when the midge (a small, biting fly) is most prevalent in the west of Scotland. They often come out on still, overcast days, and bother you most while you’re at rest.

Partly because of the midges’ reputation and partly in avoidance of peak summer crowds, May and September are good walking months in Scotland. This can mean booked-up accommodation and busy trails on some of the most popular routes.

The shoulder seasons of March/April and October can be wonderful times to walk in Scotland, though keep in mind that the weather will be colder with more chance of rain. Those walking long distances will also need to factor in limited daylight hours.

If you go anywhere near Edinburgh in August, prepare to be swept up in the spirit and the crowds of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the world’s largest arts festival. Accommodation books out far in advance and can be quite expensive.

You’ll find Highland games events in rural towns, villages and estates from May to September. They’re typically weekend-long events and you can pay a small entrance fee on arrival. Popular fixtures include the caber toss, tug-o-war, hammer throw and plenty of kilts.

Can you walk anywhere in Scotland?

Scotland’s “freedom to roam” is an ancient right that has been underpinned in law. Unlike in England where access must be specifically granted, the Scottish law grants access to most rural land, privately-owned or not, for recreational purposes including walking and camping. Some important exceptions include farmland in cultivation, private gardens, sports fields and other common sense exclusions like military sites and paid visitor attractions.

It’s important to take note of signs on gates or stiles that may give important instructions, especially when livestock are grazing or in hunting season. Read more about the Outdoor Access Code.

Walking accommodation in Scotland

Scottish hospitality is legendary and there are many excellent independently-owned accommodations: B&Bs, self-catering cottages, walkers’ hotels, hostels, huts and bothies. In walking areas accommodations are generally well equipped for walkers, offering unbeatable local knowledge, baggage transfer services, along with drying rooms, packed lunches, and hearty cooked breakfasts to fuel your mileage the following day.

More venturesome hikers might consider a self-supported trek between some of the UK’s ninety bothies; very basic but free-to-use mountain shelters run by the Mountain Bothies Association (MBA). Bothies are marked on Ordnance Survey (OS) maps and their locations are listed on the MBA website

Getting around Scotland

Scotland has a good public transport network, and, with a few exceptions, most regions of the country can be accessed by train (Scotrail) and/or bus (Citylink). The main hubs of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and Aberdeen each have an airport servicing national and international flights, with car rentals or train and bus connections available to transport you easily from city to countryside.

For access to the islands, Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) and Northlink (Shetland and Orkney) are Scotland’s main ferry operators, and tickets should be purchased in advance if you plan to take a car on board.

LoganAir provides access to many remote areas of the Highlands and Islands from departure points throughout the UK.

Driving is by far the easiest way to reach the country’s more remote regions. Many rural roads are single-track, and understanding the etiquette of passing is both considerate and a safety essential. Take care to share the road with the many cyclists.

Scotland walker's packing essentials

For any walking trip in Scotland, you’ll need decent waterproofs (trousers, jacket, backpack cover), durable and worn-in walking boots (walking shoes can be used on gentler-gradient, well-distinguished coastal paths), hats and gloves. Also recommended is a midge net for your head, bug spray, and, for the damp shoulder seasons, a few pairs of good-quality wool socks to protect your toes from chilblains.

Further reading

For more information see the Scotland’s Great Trails website.

About the authors

The best walking holidays in Scotland

Taylor St. John

Taylor is a freelance travel journalist based between Glasgow and the east coast of the U.S. She writes for publications like HuffPost UK, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Country Walking, easyJet Traveller and Orkney.com.

The best walking holidays in Scotland

Fergal MacErlean

Dublin-born Fergal fell in love with Scotland as a student, settling there to become a journalist and cycle guidebook writer. In addition to his guides covering Scotland, he has written for the BBC, New Scientist, BBC Countryfile Magazine and many travel publications. Andalusia is a second home.

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