Walking Holidays in Scotland – Big Landscapes, Quiet Corners and Coastal Paths
Scotland has an almost magnetic pull for walkers. Few places offer such a striking sense of space and contrast: quiet lowland farmland and coastal paths sit just hours from vast Highland glens; Roman roads and medieval abbeys lie under the same skies as some of Britain’s most dramatic mountains. At Mickledore, we’ve spent decades helping walkers explore Scotland on foot, and time and again we’ve seen just how rewarding this landscape can be. It’s a place that reveals itself slowly and generously, with each day adding another layer of scenery, history and atmosphere. From gentle, characterful routes to more dramatic long-distance trails, Scotland lends itself particularly well to self-guided walking holidays, offering the freedom to walk at your own pace, with everything carefully arranged behind the scenes. As a Scot myself, I take an immense pleasure from seeing our walkers enjoying my homeland. Three Distinct Regions, One Remarkable Country Broadly speaking, Scotland’s walking routes fall naturally into three regions: the rugged Highlands, the rolling hills of the Southern Uplands, and the often-overlooked Central Belt. Each offers a different perspective, and together they create one of the most varied walking destinations in Britain. The Highlands – Iconic Trails and Expansive Views…
Roaming the Rob Roy Way
This article was written by Megan Cowper during her time with Mickledore and reflects her first-hand experience of the route. I work in the sales team here at Mickledore, which gives me the great job of being able to book clients on to the beautiful walking routes which we offer all over the UK. Since starting my role here I have been very eager to try out one of the routes for myself and I was delighted to be given the opportunity to walk the Rob Roy Way this summer. For many different reasons Scotland has always been a special place to me, I have very cherished memories of visiting the highlands not only as a child but over the last couple of years and so the chance to reminisce these memories walking through the southern highlands of Scotland was too good of an opportunity to miss. One of the best parts about this experience was that my boyfriend Liam was able to join me on this holiday and although we are both keen walkers, this was something new for us and our first walking holiday together. Day 1: The Journey up North We started our journey up north to…
Top 6 Walking Holidays in Scotland
Here’s a thought for you. At just over 30,000 square miles, Scotland accounts for over 30% of the total area of the United Kingdom, yet it is home to less than 10% of the UK population. Which leads me to suggest, if your idea of a perfect holiday is to escape the crowds, then maybe Scotland is the place for you. With a blend of magnificent mountains, moorland, enchanting lochs and miles of rivers along with dramatic coastline and gentle countryside, Scotland really does have something for everyone, while interestingly, keeping you pretty much away from everyone. Let’s look at what we believe are six of the very best walking holidays in Scotland. Borders Abbeys Way Round Trip from Melrose | 68 miles | 5-8 nights The ruined medieval abbeys of Melrose, Dryburgh, Kelso and Jedburgh, along with a host of historical sites tell the story of the battles that raged between the kingdoms of Scotland and England from the mid-12th to early 17th centuries. For four centuries the abbeys fell victim to the lawlessness that engulfed the region. The most violent of times came during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century, when the Scots, led by…
Uncovering UK History on Walking Holidays
There is Nothing Like Being There There are some beautiful history books out there, some stunning documentaries and artwork that can evoke a sense of wonder, terror or nostalgia, but there is nothing that exhilarates the history buff quite as vividly as actually setting foot on the places where historical events actually happened. Walking is perhaps the best way to take in historical landscapes and sites because, for most of history, that is the way most people would have experienced them, up close and personal. If you want to ponder the world of Stone Age migrants; imagine what it would have been like to be a Roman soldier from the far south, posted on a cold wall at the Scottish borders; or plod the regular route of a towpath worker along the Thames, the best way to experience it is on foot. Area, or Era? There are a lot of walks based on particular areas of natural beauty, and beautiful scenery is often the main consideration for people choosing where to walk. Many routes have a variety of historical points of interest which span wide-ranging periods of time. The walks that are right for you are best chosen with a…