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Scottish Wild Country Backpacking
30 weekend and multi-day routes in the Highlands and Islands
ISBN
9781852849047
Availability
Published
Published
30 Sept 2022
Reprinted
24 Jan 2024
Edition
First
Pages
208
Size
24.00 x 22.00 x 1.70cm
Weight
890g
Delivery & Returns
Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
More information...
30 wild and challenging backpacking routes in Scotland. Aimed at experienced and self-reliant backpackers, routes are between 2 and 4 days long and traverse the remotest, wildest and most spectacular landscapes the Highlands and Islands have to offer. The book also covers equipment, access, weather, safety and first aid.
Seasons
Most of these routes are great for walking year-round, though of course seasonal adjustments need to be made in terms of equipment and difficulties encountered. Snow, ice, very wet ground and high winds can be issues in winter, autumn and early spring, while midges, deer ticks and dense bracken feature from late-spring through to autumn.Centres
Centres include Fort William, Kingussie, Achnashellach, Dalwhinnie, Amhuinnsuidhe, Kinlochbervie, Kylesku, Killilan, Tomintoul, Blair Atholl, Brèinis, Kinuachdrachd, Kinloch, Sligachan, Morvich and Crask.Difficulty
The routes included here are best-suited to seasoned walkers with some experience of walking in the Scottish Highlands. A good degree of fitness, navigational competence and self-reliance are required. Many of the routes traverse high mountains and otherwise rugged, often pathless terrain. Walkers should be suitably equipped for the terrain and Highland weather. A few of the routes include small amounts of grade 1 scrambling.Must See
Ben Alder, Ben Avon, Mòine Mhòr, Harris Hills, Ardgour, Glen Etive, Killilan, Glen Sligachan and Loch Coruisk, west coast of Jura, Glen Coul and Gleann Dubh, Coulin Forest, Fisherfield Six, Ben Klibreck and Ben Armine, Streap, Ben Mhòr and Hecla, Affric Haute Route, Rùm, Uig HillsISBN
9781852849047
Availability
Published
Published
30 Sept 2022
Reprinted
24 Jan 2024
Edition
First
Pages
208
Size
24.00 x 22.00 x 1.70cm
Weight
890g
Delivery & Returns
Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
More information...
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Overview
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A large-format guidebook to 29 short backpacking excursions of 2–4 days, plus one single-day route, in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Perfect for a long weekend or short break, the routes cross rugged remote terrain, calling for good fitness, navigational skill and self-reliance.
Covering the Inner and Outer Hebrides and the northern half of Scotland, the routes range from 13 to 94km (8–58 miles). Many offer the option to stay in a bothy, although the majority require at least one night’s wild camping.
- Clear route description illustrated with 1:100,000 mapping
- GPX files available for download
- Practical information for planning your trip, plus notes on history, geology, plants and wildlife
- A list of the Munros and Corbetts visited on the routes
- Inspirational colour photography
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Table of Contents
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Map key
Overview map
Route summary table
Introduction
The Scottish Highlands
Wildness and wilderness in a Scottish context
Wildlife
Plants and flowers
Geology
Backpacking in the Highlands
Getting there
Getting around
Equipping for Scotland’s backcountry
Using bothies
Backpacking with dogs
Environmental impact and Leave No Trace
Maps and route-finding
Safety and emergencies
Using this guide
Western Highlands and Inner Hebrides
Route 1 The Glen Etive Five
Route 2 Fort William to Glenfinnan via north Ardgour
Route 3 Streap and Braigh nan Uamhachan
Route 4 The west coast of Jura
Route 5 Around the coast of Rùm
Route 6 Isle of Skye: Glen Sligachan, Loch Coruisk and Camasunary
Central and Eastern Highlands
Route 7 Ben Alder: Tour of the ridges
Route 8 Blair Atholl to Kingussie
Route 9 The Mòine Mhòr Munros
Route 10 Ben Avon and Beinn a’ Bhuird
Route 11 Northeast Cairngorms
Northwest Highlands
Route 12 Inverinate Forest and the Gates of Affric
Route 13 Affric Haute Route
Route 14 Killilan Forest: Sgùman Còinntich, Faochaig, and Aonach Buidhe
Route 15 The Applecross Peninsula: Sgùrr a’ Chaorachain and Beinn Bhàn
Route 16 Achnashellach, Bendronaig and West Monar
Route 17 Coulin Forest
Route 18 The Fannichs
Route 19 Fisherfield and Letterewe
Route 20 Flowerdale Three: Beinn Eoin, Beinn Dearg and Baosbheinn
The Far North
Route 21 The Postie’s Path and the Coigach group
Route 22 Glencoul, Gleann Dubh and Beinn Leòid
Route 23 Ben Klibreck and the Ben Armine Forest
Route 24 Around Strath Dionard
Route 25 Cape Wrath, Sandwood Bay and the Parph
Outer Hebrides
Route 26 A circuit of Mingulay
Route 27 Hecla, Beinn Mhòr and South Uist’s wild east coast
Route 28 Harris Hills, Loch Rèasort and Cravadale
Route 29 Isle of Lewis: Uig Hills and coast
Route 30 Isle of Lewis: Pairc Peninsula
Appendix A Table of Munros and Corbetts
Appendix B Glossary
Appendix C Further reading
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Updates
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May 2023
Map, page 79
The black house symbol (the one with the words 'Ben Alder' underneath) should not be on the map and it should read 'Ben Alder Lodge'. The other bothy marked – 'Culra' – is correct.
Ben Alder bothy itself does not feature on this route or on the map.
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Downloads
By Peter Edwards
Since moving to Scotland from the south of England in 2006, Peter has developed a passion for the Hebrides. He lives at Rhenigidale on the Isle of Harris with his wife, Fiona, and their Labradors, Dougal and Mara.
View author profileBy David Lintern
David Lintern is an award-winning photographer and writer, an average mountaineer and a below average runner. He has previously been a cinema projectionist, a sound engineer, a youth music worker and a university lecturer, founded a small refugee charity and fundraised for the John Muir Trust. After a lifetime spent in cities he now lives in the Cairngorms, writes about the uplands, and both guides and teaches outdoor photography. The Big Rounds is his first book and his website is www.davidlintern.com.
View author profile
By Stefan Durkacz
Stefan Durkacz cut his backpacking teeth at a young age in the Cairngorms. He continues to explore far and wide throughout the Scottish hills north and south of the central belt and has a special fascination with old hill tracks. He lives in Edinburgh with his wife, Gwenda, two daughters and a West Highland terrier.
View author profile
