The great trails

Huge helpings of high lands & low.

SCOTLAND HAS A LONG history of incredible journeys: the flight of Bonnie Prince Charlie; the wanderings of Dr Johnson and James Boswell; the glen-hopping of Rob Roy and the marches of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Some are fiction, some are fact, some are in between, but either way, these immense landscapes lend themselves to heroic journeys where great deeds are done, friendships are forged and much is learned along the way. For walkers, the best way to tap into that heritage is to explore the nation’s long-distance paths. There are 29 official Great Trails (find them at www.bit.ly/scottrails) and dozens of others on top. Some are easier than others; some are coastal, some are mountainous. Some focus on one specific region, bringing you to the richest possible understanding of that region and its people. Others link differing regions together, creating a compelling narrative across a vast spectrum of geology and character. Here we’ve selected six of the very best, showing off the full range of Scotland’s great journeys. Pick one and become a legend yourself. MOST OF THESE TRAILS HAVE THEIR OWN HARVEY SUPERWALKER MAP: WWW.HARVEYMAPS.CO.UK