Distance: 338 km Grade: 3 (Moderate)
With Heritage Path! (GPX)
Southern Upland Way in Watermeetings Forest
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © wrobison - geograph.org.uk/p/5384089
Description:
The Southern Upland Way is a 12-stage moderate walk. This trail is waymarked throughout but the moorland crossings could be tricky to navigate in mist. The main difficulty is the length of some of the stages and the lack of regular facilities.
It is Britain’s first official coast to coast long distance footpath and runs a hefty 344 km from Portpatrick to Cockburnspath. Superb walking country, still undiscovered by many enthusiasts.
The Way, crossing the Galloway Forest Park, provides a real challenge for the experienced walker. There are no summits above 3000ft (914m), but over 80 rise above 2000ft (610m), offering some fine hill walking.
This trail crosses the Mull of Galloway Trail near Stranrear, the Annandale Way in Moffat, the Borders Abbeys Way and the Scottish National Trail in Galashiels and also connects with the John Muir Way at Dunbar and the Berwickshire Coastal Path at WMH9+CH8 Cockburnspath, just SE of Cocksburnpath.
Stages:
- Portpatrick - Castle Kennedy 21,25 km (Easy)
- Castle Kennedy - Bargrennan 43 km (Slightly harder)
- Bargrennan - Dalry 39,75 km (Slightly harder)
- Dalry - Sanquhar 41,5 km (Slightly harder)
- Sanquhar - Wanlockhead 12,5 km (Slightly harder)
- Wanlockhead - Beattock 31,25 km (Moderate)
- Beattock - St Mary's Loch 33,5 km (Slightly harder)
- St Mary's Loch - Traquair 18,75 km (Slightly harder)
- Traquair - Melrose 28 km (Slightly harder)
- Melrose - Lauder 15,75 km (Slightly harder)
- Lauder - Longformacus 24,25 km (Slightly harder)
- Longformacus - Cocksburnpath 28,75 km (Slightly harder)
Heritage Path (on the map):
Link up with the River Ayr Way here
- From Wanlockhead here you might take the old Drove Road (32 km) to Muirkirk.