Southern Upland Way: The Southern Upland Way is a walkway across Scotland. It stretches for 212 miles from coast to coast from Portpatrick in the West to Cocksburnpath in the East. It is the first official walking trail in Britain and was opened in 1984. You don't have to walk the entire trail. Some of it is designed for experienced walkers, but there are also many stretched which make the perfect walk for families or for someone who just wants a short stroll in the fresh air.
The geology of the Southern Upland Way shows the effects of how weather has sculpted the land. The Ice Age left this area with gently rolling hills and higher elevations. Although none of the peaks exceed 3000 feet, there are over 80 peaks that are higher than 2000 feet, which provide the ultimate challenge for climbers and serious hikers.
Distance:
341 kms - 212 miles
The Route:
Most walkers tackle the Southern Upland Way from west to east. This is because walking in this direction puts the sun to your back so you can easily see where you are going. Another advantage of walking in this direction is that the prevailing winds from the southwest will also be at your back. The weather is drier in the eastern part of the trail because of the winds coming off the Atlantic. As you walk along the Southern Upland Way, you will notice that the valleys are usually misty, but the view from the summits is absolutely breathtaking.
The best time of the year to walk the Southern Upland Way is between April and June because of the good weather at this time of the year. Make sure you bring insect repellent with you because of the "midges" – small biting insects that are common in hot humid weather. You can drop into the many towns and villages along the way for accommodations when you are on long stretches of the trail. There are bed and breakfast accommodations along the way, such as between Dalry and Sanquhar.
The authorities discourage taking your dog with you when walking the Southern Upland Way because many of the areas along the trail have grazing livestock. Cycling is not encouraged both because the trails are very delicate and repeated use of bikes will damage them. There are special mountain biking trails through forest areas of Galloway Forest Park to follow the route of the Southern Upland Way.
There are special areas for camping along the Southern Upland Way and there is an accommodation leaflet that you can avail of to find out where the best areas for camping are located. This leaflet will also give you a list of accommodations along the way, many of which have vehicle back up support for those with reservations.