John Muir Way

The John Muir Way crosses Scotland from Helensburgh to Dunbar, linking the west and east coasts through a changing mixture of lochs, farmland, canals, woodland, towns and shoreline. The route takes its name from John Muir, who was born in Dunbar in 1838 before emigrating with his family to America as a child. He later became a writer, explorer and influential campaigner for the protection of wild places.

The walk is less about following places associated with Muir than travelling through the landscapes of his native Scotland. Along the way you pass through Loch Lomond & The Trossachs, cross the central belt, walk through Edinburgh and finish beside the North Sea in the town where his story began.

Choose the John Muir Way if you want the satisfaction of crossing Scotland on foot without several days of sustained mountain walking. Much of the route is relatively low-level, using tracks, canal towpaths, cycleways, pavements and minor roads, with a handful of hillier sections along the way.

That variety is part of its character. One day may take you through woodland above Loch Lomond, another beside a canal or into Edinburgh, before the final stages open out onto the East Lothian coast.

It is worth knowing that this is not a wilderness trail throughout. There are urban stretches, road walking and sections shared with cyclists. If you enjoy seeing how landscapes and communities join together over a long journey, that mix is one of the route’s strengths.