UKC

Highlands trekking - ideal starting location?

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.

Hello, 25 years ago we made our last trip in Scotland. It's about time for a new trip. I have a week planned at the end of June, and am still orienting myself in an area in the highlands for a 4 or 5 day hike. I love dramatic and empty mountain scenery to walk through. I sleep in a tent. I will travel from the Netherlands to Edinburgh from where I want to take the train.

I have the following general question:
What would be an ideal city or town to start the trekking?

Below is my wish list. Maybe something pops into your head, I'd love to know
-The departure location has a railway station.
-Preferably not a big city, but rather a cozy village.
-The location has departure points for multiple routes.
-Is 'hiker friendly' with simple accommodation options, and information options about the surrounding area.
-The location has an outdoor shop, or other store where gas refills can be purchased. Because I can't take it with me on my flight.

I'd love to hear from you, thanks in advance, Willem
 

 DaveHK 23 May 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

Towns / villages with railway stations, walking close by and appropriate services:

East: Aviemore, Newtonmore, Kingussie, Blair Atholl

West: Tyndrum, Fort William.

 Ramblin dave 23 May 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

I'm slightly confused - are you looking for a suggestion for a 4-5 day walk with a nice starting / ending point? Or just a place where you can hang out for a bit and then decide which direction you want to go in?

When we've done that sort of thing, we've often gone via places like Inverness or Fort William, not because they're necessarily the place that we want to start walking from, but because you can sort out your shopping there and then get a bus or a train to somewhere more remote. But then if we're then heading on out to (say) Glenfinnan or Corrour or Kinlochewe or Achnashellach, it's because we've got a fairly firm idea of what we want to do, not because we're just going to have a look around and see what we fancy.

In reply to DaveHK:

Thanks Dave, I'll check them all out. Kindly Willem

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Yes I am looking for a nice starting/ending point, but because of my limited time it should be a practical place too.

It becomes something like: arriving, shopping, staying overnight, and already walking the next day. So ideally I would rather not get on a train or bus again to a starting point. I also like to finish back at the starting point, so that I can leave some gear at the hotel/guesthouse/campsite.

I will take a look at your suggestions, thanks

Kindly Willem

Post edited at 18:43
 DaveHK 23 May 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

> It becomes something like: arriving, shopping, staying overnight, and already walking the next day. So ideally I would rather not get on a train or bus again to a starting point. I also like to finish back at the starting point, so that I can leave some gear at the hotel/guesthouse/campsite.

You could open up further options by having a brief stop in Inverness, buying what you need there then getting the train to somewhere else like Achnasheen, Achnashellach, Strath Carron. Depending on the connections it wouldn't necessarily mean losing a day.

The same thing could also work with a stop in Fort William then travelling on to Glen Finnan, Spean Bridge, Corrour.

 Ramblin dave 23 May 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

Okay, for my money I'd say Fort William is a good bet. It's not a pretty town, but it's got character of a sort, and there's loads of food, accommodation and shops. In theory you can start walking from the High Street, but in practice you might want to get a bus, train or taxi a short distance to give yourself a bit of a start.

From Fort William you could go out to the South West, starting in Glen Nevis and spending a few days walking around before either getting back to your start or getting a bus back from Glencoe or a train from somewhere like Corrour (aka the station in the middle of nowhere from Trainspotting) or Rannoch.

Another great option would be to get out from Fort William to Glenfinnan to start and then walk via some choice of route to Inverie on the Knoydart peninsula. Inverie is sufficiently remote to not be on the road network (and it's a really memorable place to visit as a result) but you can get a boat and a train back to Fort William.

In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

If you fly into Edinburgh you'll need to get the tram into the centre of town to get on a train. There are several large outdoor shops in Rose Street which would be really convenient if you're going from the tram to Waverley station. You could get your camping gas before you got on the train which would open up getting off the train at a station like Corrour.

 BelleVedere 24 May 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

Worth noting that the weather in the North of Scotland can be very split, ususally West / East.  Worth having a few options in mind, then picking one when the weather forecast becomes clearer. 

I'd probably have a rough plan for the North (eg torridon), one for the cairngorms and one for the west coast, then check MWIS/Windy etc in the run up before committing to one. 

scotthldr 24 May 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

Aviemore has it all, on the main Edinburgh-Inverness line, several well stocked outdoor shops, major supermarkets to stock up in and walking distance into the Cairngorms. With Ft William, you’ll need to get over to Glasgow first in order to catch the train, which although not hard, it will eat into the first day time wise. 

In reply to BelleVedere:

> Worth noting that the weather in the North of Scotland can be very split, ususally West / East.  Worth having a few options in mind, then picking one when the weather forecast becomes clearer. 

> I'd probably have a rough plan for the North (eg torridon), one for the cairngorms and one for the west coast, then check MWIS/Windy etc in the run up before committing to one. 

That is a good idea. My previous experiences in terms of weather in your beautiful country were quite good actually... and not much worse than here in the Lowlands

 Trangia 24 May 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

Hi Willem

Knoydart would provide you with a superb trek through the wildest and remotest mountain area of Britain, and can take 4 or 5 days. There is no road connection into Knoydart which accounts for it's remoteness.

You need to catch the train to Malaig from Fort William - that train journey alone takes you along one of the most picturesque train journeys in Scotland. At Malaig you you catch a ferry to Inverie which is a tiny fishing hamlet on the south coast of Knoydart only accessible by boat. From Inverie you have various walking options. It is worth getting a 1/25,000 map to plan an itinerary to incorporate a number of bothies/ and or camping places. You can explore the peninsular from these and move on as you like, and then make your way south to eventually join the Malaig to Fort William railway line at Glenfinnan where you can catch the train back to Fort William. 

With the exception of a few jeep tracks in the Inverie/Barrisdale areas, most of the walking is very remote with very little evidence of well trodden or marked paths, so you will need good navigational skills. There are numerous stream/small river crossings with few bridges so be prepared to get wet feet!

Because the area is used for deer stalking you must notify the Estate Office +44 (0)1687 462242 well in advance, give them your plan and obtain permission to walk there. So long as there is no shooting they are amenable  and will give consent.

It is many years now since I spent a week one winter walking and climbing most of the mountains there, and it was by far one of the most amazing experiences I have had in the British hills, but some of my information above may now be out of date, another reason why I suggest contacting the Estate Office for up to date info if the trek appeals.

Good luck.

In reply to tom_in_edinburgh:

> If you fly into Edinburgh you'll need to get the tram into the centre of town to get on a train. There are several large outdoor shops in Rose Street which would be really convenient if you're going from the tram to Waverley station. You could get your camping gas before you got on the train which would open up getting off the train at a station like Corrour.

Great, I will do exactly that! Then I can probably buy some working anti-midget lotion too

In reply to Trangia:

Thanks for this tip. I've looked at it as far as I can of course, and the area looks really really interesting. I do feel that I need more time to really go for a walk here. Not sure yet. I’m going to look further into it. Your directions are very clear. Willem

In reply to scotthldr:

Top, thank you! I will take a closer look at this option, Willem

In reply to DaveHK:

> You could open up further options by having a brief stop in Inverness, buying what you need there then getting the train to somewhere else like Achnasheen, Achnashellach, Strath Carron. Depending on the connections it wouldn't necessarily mean losing a day.

> The same thing could also work with a stop in Fort William then travelling on to Glen Finnan, Spean Bridge, Corrour.

Hmmm Achnasheen, Achnashellach... lots of options from there I found out yesterday evening searching around, great thanks again!

In reply to Ramblin dave:

> Okay, for my money I'd say Fort William is a good bet. It's not a pretty town, but it's got character of a sort, and there's loads of food, accommodation and shops. In theory you can start walking from the High Street, but in practice you might want to get a bus, train or taxi a short distance to give yourself a bit of a start.

> From Fort William you could go out to the South West, starting in Glen Nevis and spending a few days walking around before either getting back to your start or getting a bus back from Glencoe or a train from somewhere like Corrour (aka the station in the middle of nowhere from Trainspotting) or Rannoch.

> Another great option would be to get out from Fort William to Glenfinnan to start and then walk via some choice of route to Inverie on the Knoydart peninsula. Inverie is sufficiently remote to not be on the road network (and it's a really memorable place to visit as a result) but you can get a boat and a train back to Fort William.

I also get the feeling that Fort William is a very realistic option for my time available. Achnasheen too, which you also mentioned. I've really got a lot to figure out already

Thank you all for your kind suggestions and tips. It is highly appreciated. In fact, I already have more than enough options to choose from.

Funny how I found it really hard to find online what I had in mind. Nice to notice that it suddenly starts flowing for me through this forum. As a result my only real problem is making the right choice now

I'll let you know how it turned out! 

Willem

 Harry Jarvis 24 May 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

> I also get the feeling that Fort William is a very realistic option for my time available. Achnasheen too, which you also mentioned. I've really got a lot to figure out already

Be warned that there is very little by way of services in Achnasheen - it's little more than a small hamlet of a few houses and a cafe. The nearest shops are some way away. 

In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

Thank you all again for your great suggestions. So many beautiful areas to choose from. I puzzled over it for a long time. I have to wait a few more weeks before I can start the trip, but I am heading for Knoydart! Thanks to @Trangia I have recently received the hiking maps... very beautiful and interesting area. But yeah, your country is full of it; really incredible.

I travel via Mallaig, the endpoint of the train. I make a stop in Fort William, and pitch my tent on the local campsite. Otherwise I would travel the last part in the dark, but I don't want to miss the scenery. From Mallaig I have booked the ferry to Inverie, where there is also a small camping site. Then I can get some last minute information about the area, and then I'm off.

I'll let you know how it was!

Willem

 Mike-W-99 09 Jun 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

It’s a great area, enjoy! 

And not to put a downer on your plans but make sure you’ve a plan b for your train journey as scotrail are on a reduced timetable and then there are separate national strikes planned for this month.

In reply to Mike-W-99:

Thanks Mike, I just found out the strike is exactly on one of my traveling days  

Not sure what I am going to do at this moment... Willem

Post edited at 10:42
 Nathan Adam 16 Jun 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

Citylink operate a good bus service throughout the West Coast as well so definitely look into that if you're struggling with trains. The buses are usually a bit quicker on average in my experience, although less comfortable. 

From Fort William, you could walk a great wild stretch of the Cape Wrath Trail over four days, finishing at Shiel Bridge and catching the bus back to FW or by hitching if the times didn't match up but there's usually around 4-6 per day in the summer season.

 Brev 16 Jun 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

If Knoydart is no longer an option, then I'd consider getting a bus to Aviemore instead. Walk towards Corrour bothy, either via Breariach, Cairn Toul etc or through the Lairig Ghru, then further south towards Derry Lodge, before turning back North, again the option of following Glen Derry, or travel via Derry Cairngorm or Beinn Bhrac. Camp somewhere near Loch Avon or Etcachan, and then back to the road by either going over or around Cairngorm. Gives lots of choice to either stick to the glens or head up higher, depending on weather conditions. This should take about 3-4 days, so gives you an extra day if progress is slower than expected, if the weather is horrible, or if you simply want to camp in one spot for 2 nights and do a day trip from your tent.

You could even start walking from Aviemore, but I'd personally catch the local bus from Aviemore to Cairngorm Ski Centre.

Veel plezier!

In reply to Nathan Adam:

Good tip, and actually Scotrail advised me to do the same thing... I booked a CityLink trip to Fort William in the meanwhile. Still with the idea in mind to travel further to Maillag next day. And otherwise take one of the many alternatives which were mentioned here, really great.

In reply to Brev:

Thanks for sharing this detailed option, highly appreciated. For the moment I am still focusing on Knoydart, but its feels very comfortable to have some alternatives like this. Thank you (Dank je

 Sean Kelly 17 Jun 2022
In reply to Trangia:

> Hi Willem

> Knoydart would provide you with a superb trek through the wildest and remotest mountain area of Britain, and can take 4 or 5 days. There is no road connection into Knoydart which accounts for it's remoteness.

> You need to catch the train to Malaig from Fort William - that train journey alone takes you along one of the most picturesque train journeys in Scotland. At Malaig you you catch a ferry to Inverie which is a tiny fishing hamlet on the south coast of Knoydart only accessible by boat. From Inverie you have various walking options. It is worth getting a 1/25,000 map to plan an itinerary to incorporate a number of bothies/ and or camping places. You can explore the peninsular from these and move on as you like, and then make your way south to eventually join the Malaig to Fort William railway line at Glenfinnan where you can catch the train back to Fort William. 

> With the exception of a few jeep tracks in the Inverie/Barrisdale areas, most of the walking is very remote with very little evidence of well trodden or marked paths, so you will need good navigational skills. There are numerous stream/small river crossings with few bridges so be prepared to get wet feet!

> Because the area is used for deer stalking you must notify the Estate Office +44 (0)1687 462242 well in advance, give them your plan and obtain permission to walk there. So long as there is no shooting they are amenable  and will give consent.

> It is many years now since I spent a week one winter walking and climbing most of the mountains there, and it was by far one of the most amazing experiences I have had in the British hills, but some of my information above may now be out of date, another reason why I suggest contacting the Estate Office for up to date info if the trek appeals.

> Good luck.

I parked up in Fort William and went to Knoydart via Mallaig with my pushbike. A great decision as it turned out. I was very lucky with the weather on that trip. I stayed at the private hostel a few miles from Inverie which was excellent. Also stayed at the Old Forge another time, which served great food.

In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

Hi all,

I would just like to let you know how this walk was: I had a fantastic trip in the beautiful area of ​​Knoyart. It was a bit tricky to get to Mallaig as I traveled in June, exactly on a railway strike day. Eventually I arrived in Mallaig just in time by bus and train, to catch the ferry to Inverie. There I spent one night on a small and beautifully situated campsite.

From Inverie I left for a 4 day walk in the area. I have chosen to walk a loop, and to come back to Inverie. That gave some certainty in relation to my available time. In addition, I was able to leave extra luggage in Inverie (such as clean clothes for the return trip to the Netherlands There was a part of the hiking trail missing on the map to be able to walk this loop, which I noticed on forehand. I took that risk and it worked out just fine. The first part of my route passed Loch an Dubh Lochain. the road to here was bigger than I thought, and it was paved at the moment. After this the paths changed to the kind I had in mind. 

Unfortunately I walked in mild rain for 4 days. at least for the most part. The trails were actually small streams. But that didn't spoil the fun. The sun sometimes broke through, creating dramatic skies in this fantastic environment. I enjoyed it very very much! The route I walked was very diverse, and highly recommended if your available time is limited. I left as light as possible for this trip and walked with 14.5 kilos of luggage in total including tent etc, and for 5 days of meals... This felt like a luxury, because I used to pack heavier. It was extremely quiet in the area, and I just met a few people on track. 

Back in Inverie you have the luxury of a nice local pub with 4 different beers on tap, which are definitely worth it I have had the pleasure of meeting many of you friendly and helpful Scottish.

A really beautiful, and impressive landscape you have! Thank you all for your great suggestions on this Forum, it helped me a lot. 

Kind regards, Willem

 Trangia 15 Aug 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

Thanks for your feedback Willem.

Really glad to hear that you went to Knoydart, and that you enjoyed your trip despite the mild rain! It really is one of the most scenic and remote areas in Britain. Magical!

 Mike-W-99 15 Aug 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

Great you had a good time. Also thanks for the pub update, not been since the takeover.

In reply to Mike-W-99:

With delicious fish & chips on the other side of the street, just 20 meters away  

In reply to Trangia:

Thanks again for your good advice Trangia, I really enjoyed it, and landscape wise it was exactly what I was hoping for.

I have also saved the other suggestions from this topic for a next trip!

 Wainers44 22 Aug 2022
In reply to Willem Adriaanse:

What a lovely write up. We are heading there next weekend, and your experiences make us look forward to that even more than we were already!!


New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...