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I have a milestone birthday next year (cough50cough) and I like hiking so I've decided I'd like to do some hiking in or around the west of Scotland.
I'll be driving up from Stoke and I'll have 2 weekends either side of 5 days off work, so 2 days lost to motorway travel and I’ll have 6 nights to play with.
Will likely be the first week of April to avoid the midges.
Ideally for a bit of a challenge I'd like to leave the car in one place and travel in a big loop. I'd like to stay at hostels (YHA or independent) or cheapo accommodations or someone’s house *grin*
I can walk between hostels every day and let’s say no more than 15 miles a day (24kms). I can also stay at one hostel for a couple of nights to hike up a mountain or for something scenic.
I've no issue navigating in terrible conditions or at high altitude and I have plenty of wild travel experience. I can also fill in gaps with buses and so on.
At first I was thinking of hiking the Great Glen way and although no doubt very beautiful it's all gravel and I thought maybe it might be a wee bit dull for hiking, probs better for cycling I thought.
Please school me if I'm wrong.
Anyway, I've never travelled much in Scotland so I want to see the best that there is to see. Rivers, waterfalls, mountains & forests, educate me.
Plan my route, suggest places to stay, things to see or means of travel. Please.
When you say Island Hopping is this essential? Controversially, I'm going to suggest that you won't get the most varied experience crossing off the islands at walking pace. Even cycling the Outer Hebrides I was aware of getting beach fatigue 🙂 However, mixing in some public transport, a loop from, say, Fort William could take you into Ardgour (relatively quiet), Knoydart, over to Skye, North Uist and Harris.
Not much in the way of Island hopping but neither is the GGW.... This is screaming West Highland Way to me. You could add in some Munro days on route if you want to stretch it out for the full time you have available. Leave the car at Milngavie, walk the route, train or bus back to Glasgow, train back to your car in Milngavie.
As ever listen to scotroutes;
Ardgour (relatively quiet), Knoydart, over to Skye, North Uist and Harris.
..was to be my suggestion too.