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Scottish National Trail (SNT)
Hiking Trail
Hard
540.48 mi
62,078 ft
A superb long distance trek from the Lowlands to the Highlands, across the country of Scotland.
The Scottish National Trail is a superb long-distance trek that spans the country from south to north, passing through both of its national parks and the capital city. In the Lowlands, it follows established paths and roads to link cities, but becomes progressively more difficult heading northward, requiring wilderness backpacking on a route through the Highlands that is marked in places and pathless in others.
The variety of terrain and access points along the trail allow walkers to choose sections based on length and difficulty, but there is, of course, the option to walk the full trail from end to end, a challenging journey that typically takes 1-2 months. The scenery includes age-old castles, abbeys, historic homesteads, and green pastures set among Scotland’s breathtaking landscape of hills, high mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, moors, bogs, sea cliffs, and islands.
Beginning at the Scottish Border in a small farm village, the trail rolls along verdant hills and flowing rivers on its way northward to Edinburgh, the capital. It follows a canal westward to leave the city, then connects more towns and farms on its way past Glasgow, into the land of lochs and mountains in the West Highlands. It works its way farther north into increasingly rugged and sparsely populated regions. Unbridged river crossings and backcountry camping are required along the path beyond Blair Atholl.
Moving northward, the mountains grow larger and the climate less hospitable. The trail passes within sight of the UK’s highest peak, Ben Nevis, and crosses the Great Glen, thus entering the wilds of the Northwest Highlands. There the climbs become steeper, the rivers more swift, and the navigation more difficult. An unmarked route across windswept ridgelines, through boggy valleys, and along steep cliffs leads eventually to the sea at Scotland’s most northwestern point, Cape Wrath.
Sources:
Written by Jesse Weber
The Scottish National Trail is a superb long-distance trek that spans the country from south to north, passing through both of its national parks and the capital city. In the Lowlands, it follows established paths and roads to link cities, but becomes progressively more difficult heading northward, requiring wilderness backpacking on a route through the Highlands that is marked in places and pathless in others.
The variety of terrain and access points along the trail allow walkers to choose sections based on length and difficulty, but there is, of course, the option to walk the full trail from end to end, a challenging journey that typically takes 1-2 months. The scenery includes age-old castles, abbeys, historic homesteads, and green pastures set among Scotland’s breathtaking landscape of hills, high mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, moors, bogs, sea cliffs, and islands.
Beginning at the Scottish Border in a small farm village, the trail rolls along verdant hills and flowing rivers on its way northward to Edinburgh, the capital. It follows a canal westward to leave the city, then connects more towns and farms on its way past Glasgow, into the land of lochs and mountains in the West Highlands. It works its way farther north into increasingly rugged and sparsely populated regions. Unbridged river crossings and backcountry camping are required along the path beyond Blair Atholl.
Moving northward, the mountains grow larger and the climate less hospitable. The trail passes within sight of the UK’s highest peak, Ben Nevis, and crosses the Great Glen, thus entering the wilds of the Northwest Highlands. There the climbs become steeper, the rivers more swift, and the navigation more difficult. An unmarked route across windswept ridgelines, through boggy valleys, and along steep cliffs leads eventually to the sea at Scotland’s most northwestern point, Cape Wrath.
Sources:
Written by Jesse Weber
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yair Farm Cottages Climb | 1.45 mi | 725 ft | 9.5% |
| Three Brethren March | 0.71 mi | 341 ft | 8.8% |
| Yair Farm Cottages Climb | 0.57 mi | 312 ft | 10.2% |
| A702 Climb | 0.38 mi | 131 ft | 6.5% |
| Waulkmill Loan to Currie Kirk | 0.63 mi | -26 ft | -0.5% |
| Falkirk Wheel Tunnel return | 0.15 mi | 7 ft | 0.6% |
| A81 Climb | 0.69 mi | 154 ft | 4.1% |
| A81 Climb | 0.32 mi | 141 ft | 8.4% |
| Ancaster Road | 0.57 mi | 577 ft | 19.0% |
| Car Park to the dam | 1.16 mi | 476 ft | 7.7% |
| Blairuachdair Climb | 0.45 mi | 141 ft | 5.9% |
| Loch side sprint | 0.88 mi | 36 ft | 0.1% |
| A87 Climb | 0.53 mi | 200 ft | 7.0% |
| Falls of glomach | 6.64 mi | 1,739 ft | 3.2% |
| Upper Morvich Climb | 0.59 mi | 167 ft | 5.4% |
| Glomach Climb | 1.85 mi | 1,161 ft | 11.8% |
| A832 Climb | 0.74 mi | 262 ft | 6.7% |
| A832 Climb | 0.98 mi | 367 ft | 7.0% |
| Knockdamph to Duag Bridge | 3.89 mi | -433 ft | -1.9% |
| Glencoul to Glendhu | 4.06 mi | -751 ft | -0.3% |
| Rhiconich to Badcall | 2.93 mi | 174 ft | 0.7% |