Guidebook to the Southern Upland Way, a coast to coast walk through Galloway and the Scottish Borders. One of Scotland's Great Trails, the 347km (215 mile) route links Portpatrick on the west coast to Cockburnspath on the east, through diverse landscapes and rich natural and historical interest. It can be completed in around a fortnight.
Seasons
April to September, with May and June the best months of all
Centres
Portpatrick, Castle Kennedy, New Luce, Bargrennan, St John's Town of Dalry, Sanquhar, Wanlockhead, Beattock/Moffat, Traquair, Galashiels, Melrose, Lauder, Longformacus, Abbey St Bathans, Cockburnspath
Difficulty
The route is waymarked throughout, and paths are mostly good, but much of the hill country is remote and little frequented and in places the path is faint. Self-reliance and some navigation skills are required. For backpackers, the route has 5 bothies and unlimited wild camping possibilities. For walkers, maximum daily stages of up to 19 miles (30km) are assured by using vehicle pick-up services, as detailed in the book.
Must See
Portpatrick coast path; Loch Trool; Lowther Hills; Minch Moor drove road; Lammermuir Hills; new official high-level route through the Ettrick Hills; Castle Kennedy Gardens; Wanlockhead Lead Mines; Melrose Abbey; Thirlstane Castle
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Overview
The Southern Upland Way is Scotland's coast-to-coast walk and the longest of the nation's Great Trails. 215 miles long, it links the pretty harbour village of Portpatrick on the west coast with Cockburnspath, a little south of Dunbar, in the east. The walk is at times a strenuous one, crossing the remote high moorland of the Galloway Hills, Carsphairn range, Lowthers, Ettrick Hills and Lammermuirs, calling for competence, fitness and self-reliance.
This guide presents advice on how best to plan and tackle this challenging but highly rewarding journey. The waymarked trail is presented in fourteen stages of 9–19 miles and suggestions for a rest day exploring Moffat and its environs are also included. It is possible either to backpack, taking advantage of five bothies and unlimited wild camping possibilities, or to stay in towns and hill villages, B&Bs and inns (facilitated by vehicle pick-up to avoid excessively long walking days).
The guide covers all the practicalities, with tips on planning, transport, accommodation, luggage transfer and vehicle support services. Clear step-by-step route description is provided for each stage, accompanied by 1:50,000 OS mapping and notes on local history and points of interest. A trek planner and useful contacts can be found in the appendices.
The Southern Upland Way showcases the wild beauty of southern Scotland, taking in rugged moorland, rolling hills, wooded river valleys, lochsides and coast, as well as some of the attractive border towns that scatter the region. There are also numerous historical sites, offering an insight into a fascinating past – from ancient cairns to bastles, Covenanters' memorials and literary connections – plus opportunities to visit local attractions, including Castle Kennedy Gardens, Wanlockhead Lead Mining Museum, Traquair House, Melrose Abbey and Thirlestane Castle. -
Contents
Contents
Introduction
The Southern Upland Way
West to east or east to west?
When to go
Ways of tackling the SUW
Luggage transfer and drop-off/pick-up services
Accommodation
Getting to and from the SUW
Planning and preparation
Equipment
Maps
Waymarking and navigation
Access in Scotland
Ticks
Completion certificates and SUW badges
A high-level alternative coast-to-coast route
Using this guide
The route
Stage 1 Portpatrick to Castle Kennedy
Stage 2 Castle Kennedy to New Luce
Stage 3 New Luce to Bargrennan
Stage 4 Bargrennan to the Glenkens
Stage 5 Across the Glenkens
Stage 6 The Glenkens to Sanquhar
Stage 7 Sanquhar to Dalveen Pass
Stage 8 Dalveen Pass to Beattock (Moffat)
Rest day – Moffat and environs
Stage 9 Beattock (Moffat) to Ettrick
Stage 10 Ettrick to Traquair (Innerleithen)
Stage 11 Traquair (Innerleithen) to Melrose
Stage 12 Melrose to Lauder
Stage 13 Lauder across the Lammermuir Hills to Longformacus
Stage 14 Longformacus to Cockburnspath
Appendix A Itinerary planner
Appendix B Bothies along the SUW
Appendix C Bibliography
Appendix D Useful contacts -
Updates
Receive updates by email
Be notified by email when this book receives an update or correctionJan 2019
Appendix D, accommodation providers offering luggage transfer:
New for 2019, a string of B&Bs / hotels offer piecemeal baggage transfer covering the entire route (provided you stay at their places) – see the official website at www.southernuplandway.gov.uk.Dec 2018
Some updates to the accommodation listing column in Appendix A: but please refer to www.southernuplandway.gov.uk for the most current information.
184km Brattleburn bothy (near): Bunkhouse (Rivox)
220km Scabcleuch: B&B (Cossarshill) – see previous update!
247km Traquair: no accomm (but Innerleithen does have)
251km Minch Moor: B&B at Yarrowford
322.5km B6355 Lodge Wood: B&B (Greenhope)Aug 2018
Page 122 The unofficial high-level line above Ettrick glen, Stage 9 'Alternatives', is covered in full on the Harvey Maps route map of the Southern Upland Way.
June 2018
Accommodation update: the 2018 revisions to the official website at www.southernuplandway.gov.uk have uncovered lonely B&Bs at New Luce (end Stage 2), at the foot of Ettrick glen (end Stage 10) and Longformacus (end Stage 11). The second of these in partricular will make it possible for energetic walkers to complete the Way without needing vehicle pick-ups and drop-offs. Please check the official website for details.
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Alan Castle
Alan Castle has trekked and cycled in over 30 countries within Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa and Australasia. A member of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild, he has written 18 guidebooks, several on long-distance mountain routes in France. An erstwhile national secretary and long-distance path information officer of the Long Distance Walkers Association, Alan now lives at the foot of the Moffat Hills in Scotland.
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Ronald Turnbull
Ronald Turnbull writes regularly for TGO, Lakeland Walker, Trail and Cumbria magazines. His previous books include Across Scotland on Foot, Long Days in Lakeland and Welsh 3000ft Challenges. He has written many other Cicerone guides, including Walking in the Lowther Hills, The Book of the Bivvy and Not the West Highland Way.
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