Cicerone The Southern Upland Way (NT)

Cicerone - The Southern Uplands Way

Guidebook to the Southern Upland Way, Scotland's Coast-to-Coast Walk. It runs for 215 miles (347km) from picturesque Portpatrick on the west coast across the Galloway and Border Hills to Cockburnspath on the east. The route passes through remote and romantic country and would fill a two-week walking holiday.

The best long distance walking trails have two characteristics that make them great: a succession of dramatic landscapes coupled with a broad selection of interesting places to visit along the way. The Southern Upland Way, Scotland’s Coast to Coast walk and the longest of the National Trails north of the Border scores highly on both.

The guidebook divides the walk into thirteen stages of varying length that will fill a two-week walking holiday. This long distance walk is at times a somewhat strenuous one, but advice is given on how all the longer stages may be broken down into shorter, more manageable sections.

Possibilities for shorter walking holidays along the Southern Upland Way are also fully described. The guide is packed with information on the many places of interest passed en route and the historical connections are thoroughly discussed.

•  The Way is described in thirteen stages – suitable for a two-week walking holiday
•  West to east route description

• Seasons
  April to September, with May and June the best months of all.
• Centres
  Portpatrick, Castle Kennedy, New Luce, Bargrennan, St John's Town of Dalry, Sanquhar, Wanlockhead, Beattock/Moffat, Traquair, Galashiels, Melrose, Lauder, Longformacus, Abbey St Bathans, Cockburnspath.
• Difficulty
  The route is waymarked throughout, and paths are mostly good, but much of the hill country is remote and little frequented and in places the path is faint. Self-reliance and some navigation skills are required. For backpackers, the route has 5 bothies and unlimited wild camping possibilities. For walkers, maximum daily stages of up to 19 miles (30km) are assured by using vehicle pick-up services, as detailed in the book.
• Must See
  Portpatrick coast path; Loch Trool; Lowther Hills; Minch Moor drove road; Lammermuir Hills; new official high-level route through the Ettrick Hills; Castle Kennedy Gardens; Wanlockhead Lead Mines; Melrose Abbey; Thirlstane Castle.