Author Topic: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020  (Read 5040 times)

WILDWALKINGUK

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 139
The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« on: 11:54:02, 01/12/19 »
I'm currently planning my Scottish National Trail walk for an early April 2020 start. If you wish to follow me, I've included some links below if needed.
I'm also looking for any ideas and interests on what you would like to read about as I walk it. I'll be wild camping most nights and carrying as much British gear to testing and review as I can.
Also any feedback from people who have walked it would be very much appreciated.


My blog https://wildwalkinguk.com/2019/12/01/my-scottish-national-trail-walk/


My twitter page https://twitter.com/wildwalkinguk  
Many thanks.
Mark

Owen

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1760
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #1 on: 19:35:56, 01/12/19 »
Not done the National trail but I have done the Cape Wrath bit. I didn't follow the guide book route as it looked quite boring, too much walking on estate roads. I just made up my own route which took in a lot more summits and high camping. As I could only get two weeks off at any one time I did it in three sections a 9 day section a fifteen day section and a ten day section. I carried all my food and fuel for each section.

gunwharfman

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10255
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #2 on: 20:06:47, 01/12/19 »
You may have already written it and I may have missed it but where are you starting from? In April 2019 I walked from Keswick to Carlisle, along Hadrians Wall to Housesteads, then up the Pennine Way to Kirk Yetholm. I then joined the St Cuthberts Way and walked on to Edinburgh via Peebles. Part of the church at Morebattle was being converted into a coffee and cake shop, I met the lady Vicar, very nice. I loved Melrose, I stayed on a campsite there, a small place but for a hiker like me, just right! I had a great meal in the cafe in West Linton, I arrived there at lunchtime and after I left I strolled to a bench and had a welcome snooze. A really excellent hike and I enjoyed every day of it. I followed the route from the Scottish National Trail website, every inch seems to be well documented into daily sections. The countryside en route was very green and was mostly rich farming land, easy to walk as well, the people in the small villages and towns en route were very welcoming. For example, if you decide to stroll into to Ancrim, I went to the pub there (very much a local one and all very friendly) and camped about 200 yards up the street on an area of lawn beside the village hall, no one bothered me at all. I know you have a trowel (I do too) and I also own a Uriwell, I hate having to get out of my tent in the middle of the night.

snoopdawg

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 468
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #3 on: 17:37:45, 02/12/19 »
Funny I have also been planning to do the SNT April 2020. I did attempt in April 2017 but abandoned it at West Linton on day 4 after a severe stomach bug left me desperate to get home and when I did I had to spend 2 days in bed! So the planning has been started and is by no means set in stone but I intend to follow the SNT in the main, but make my own route in 3 areas. By doing this I have got the mileage down to 462 miles and more important to me to complete in 27 days plus travel.
The change of route I intend to follow is:
1)  From West Linton I intend to follow the drove route over by Harperrig reservoir, over Corston Hill and down to Mid Calder and through the Almondell country park to the canal path. This follows a discussion on this forum a couple of years back.
2) From Blair Atholl rather than going Tilt, Geldie, Feshie, Kingussie I intend going via The Minigaig to Kingussie and save 18 miles and 1 day. ( I have done the Tilt, Feshie, Geldie , Kingussie loads of times).
3) From Fort Augustus it doesn't seem logical to me to go backover to Invergarry and along Glen Garry, Poulary, Claunie and eventually Morvich so I intend to go from Fort Augustus  over the old Military road to Glen Moriston, then to Cannich, Glen Strathfarrar and onto Pollan Bhuidhe/ Craig area to pick up the SNT/ CWT to Kinlochewe.( I have done the bits of the SNT that I propose missing in various backpacking trips on the CWT/ TGO/ GGW ).
Best laid plans and all that but I want to do this and hate being defeated as I was in 2017

WILDWALKINGUK

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 139
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #4 on: 19:56:41, 02/12/19 »
Very interesting, thank you.
I will be starting from Kirk Yetholm with my wife and 2 youngest children, walking to Milngarvie with them. I will then continue on, on my own to Cape Wrath. If I've time, if all goes well, I will then be walking the Skye Trail. It's a long way for me to get from Norfolk to Scotland and I don't get let out very often, so I tend to make the most of it. I walked the Cape Wrath Trail in 2017, North to South and loved it. I intended walking the Scottish National Trail as it is but the deviations you are doing look interesting, no telling what I do when I get going. On my LEJOG earlier this year, I totally changed my route through Wales when I got there.
I always carry an MSR Guardian water pump and everybody who reads my kit lists tells me it's too heavy and find a lighter weight filter. It's heavier than my lightest tent but I just cannot change, it's so quick and easy to use, especially when filtering water for my family. Maybe I've just been lucky that I've not been caught with stomach bugs, but I just don't feel safe without it.  
It's funny that after doing long distance walks, how attached I've got to some pieces of gear that I trust.        

Jac

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3553
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #5 on: 08:55:43, 03/12/19 »
To answer you questions, I enjoy hearing about things that go wrong or are funny, people you meet and all the aspects of nature that you encounter.
Also, enough details of the route which allow it to be followed on such as Bing OS maps without a long list of turn left/right etc  .
And pics - plenty of pics.
Thoroughly enjoyed your LeJOG.
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

Owl

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #6 on: 14:39:38, 20/12/19 »
Hi, I did this walk from mid May to mid June this year.

You can see my report on the Scottishhills website, under their 'on the level' forum with a title of Scottish national trail

Rather than starting at Kirk Yetholm, I started at Lindisfarne so that I could take in the whole of the St Cuthbert's way.

richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12710
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #7 on: 17:18:23, 20/12/19 »
Welcome to the forum, Owl. Enjoyed reading your trip report of the National Trail - some lovely photos - the sight of Suilven is enough to quicken the pulse! Seems that you had a bit of a problem getting people to serve you food!

Here's the link to your report so others can find it easily:
http://www.scottishhills.com/html/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=24610
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

WILDWALKINGUK

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 139
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #8 on: 10:05:26, 18/03/20 »
I'm having to postpone my Scottish National Trail and Skye Trail walks, that were planned for April and May.
I have included a link to the reasoning behind this here: https://wildwalkinguk.com/2020/03/18/hiking-and-covid-19/  
Sorry to all the people that were planning on following these walks. I hope to do them during the Autumn or early next year.
Many thanks.
Mark

watershed

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 449
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #9 on: 10:32:24, 18/03/20 »
I'm having to postpone my Scottish National Trail and Skye Trail walks, that were planned for April and May.
I have included a link to the reasoning behind this here: https://wildwalkinguk.com/2020/03/18/hiking-and-covid-19/  
Sorry to all the people that were planning on following these walks. I hope to do them during the Autumn or early next year.
Many thanks.
Mark

Mark, very sorry to hear this. But under the circumstances probably the wisest decision.
I will be doing the same, just staying in Shetland, until the worst blows over.
That way I wont spread any thing and can be close to home to assist anyone that needs help

snoopdawg

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 468
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #10 on: 11:31:43, 18/03/20 »
Done the same myself,cancelled the SNT that was due to start 4th April

WILDWALKINGUK

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 139
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #11 on: 22:21:49, 28/06/20 »
I've had too much time sitting around and have re-planned my Scottish National Trail walk to start at Dover instead of Kirk Yetholm. Am now wondering if that was a good idea. I will be starting the walk soon and have included a link to my blog if you wish to follow it: https://wildwalkinguk.com/2020/06/28/dover-to-cape-wrath-walk/

Dread

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 208
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #12 on: 21:54:02, 29/06/20 »
That looks like a real adventure, you're a lucky man. I wish my wife was as supportive and happy to be rid of me for months on end! Are you sticking to the Pennine Way,. West Highland Way and Cape Wrath Trail? Some serious hiking there, more so than your LEJOG maybe. I will look forward to your blog, I really enjoyed the last one. Best of luck!

WILDWALKINGUK

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 139
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #13 on: 21:48:37, 14/08/20 »
Mark has now started the Scottish National Trail. I've just posted the first blog, from Kirk Yetholm to Traquair. It's here, if you would like to follow his progress: https://wildwalkinguk.com/2020/08/14/dover-to-cape-wrath-chapter-10-the-scottish-national-trail-part-1/
Thanks for all of the support and comments! Best wishes, Emma (Mark's wife and resupply crew)

WILDWALKINGUK

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 139
Re: The Scottish National Trail walk April 2020
« Reply #14 on: 08:38:25, 31/08/20 »
We've finished writing and just posted Part 4 of the Scottish National Trail: https://wildwalkinguk.com/2020/08/30/dover-to-cape-wrath-chapter-13-the-scottish-national-trail-part-4/ but don't click on the link if you don't like midges...

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy