John Muir Way Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Not to be confused with the John Muir Trail in California’s Sierra Nevada.

The John Muir Way is a 130 mi (210 km) hiking trail across the Central Belt of Scotland, from Dunbar to Helensburgh. It's named for the naturalist John Muir (1838-1914), who was born in Dunbar and emigrated from the Clyde to the United States, where he founded the US National Parks system. The trail can also be pedalled on a bike, following a slightly different route for some sections.

This is an easy lowland route that's seldom far from town, and much of it (or its variants) is suitable for bikes. Minimum fitness is needed. You never have to camp, but should book accommodation ahead. You can do the route any time of year but perhaps should avoid August, as the Edinburgh Festival books up not just the city but all accommodation within a 50-mile radius. Those living in the Central Belt might choose to walk it as a series of Sunday afternoon there-and-back day trips, and their only problem will be finding parking among hundreds of like-minded city dwellers.

Waymarking of the trail is spasmodic: its logo is a purple image of John Muir in his later years, bearded beneath a ranger hat, and scanning the landscape as if to size up an approaching bear.

Most hikers rely on apps or OpenStreetMap, but if you prefer paper maps, the best choice is the Ordnance Survey Landranger series (1:50,000):

• OS 75: Berwick - Covers the Northumberland coast from Beadnell to the Scottish border, so you only need it if arriving by the North Coast Trail.
• OS 67: Dunbar - Covers the Berwickshire coast from the border through Dunbar to North Berwick, plus the Southern Upland Way from Longformacus.
• OS 66: Edinburgh - Covers the East Lothian coast through Gullane and Musselburgh across the city to its west edge.
• OS 65: Falkirk - Covers West Lothian from the Forth bridges through Linlithgow and Falkirk.
• OS 64: Glasgow - Covers the Clyde and Kelvin catchments through Glasgow and Milngavie almost to Loch Lomond.
• OS 63: Largs - This map is centred on Ayrshire south of the Clyde, but covers the last stretch into Helensburgh.

You can also download maps from the official website, covering the Dunbar - Helensburgh route. Print these or save them (with a backup on a second device) as you may not have a signal on the whole route. Rucksack Readers publish a guidebook with some map extracts; there is also a 1:75,000 map of the way but it is hard to find.

56°0′0″N 3°30′0″W

Map of John Muir Way

All the towns marked on the map have good public transport and visitor amenities, and Edinburgh and Glasgow are international hubs.

The route originally began at Cockburnspath on the coast, but in 2014 this first part was re-designated, and JMW thereby lost its most scenic section. It's described here as a prelude to the main hike and as a link to other long-distance trails.

Distance

10 mi (16 km)

55.932889-2.3601941 Cockburnspath the original start point is the eastern terminus of the Southern Upland Way, stretching to the west coast near Stranraer. The terrain becomes lower-lying. Ahead, Torness Power Station looks like an obstacle but a path leads through it. The John Muir Link path follows the coast from here to Dunbar, crossing into East Lothian. This stretch of Scotland’s Golf Coast features sand dunes, pinewoods, and the ruins of crumbling castles on the way to 55.998333-2.5227782 Dunbar, the fishing port where John Muir grew up before moving to the US.

Distance

15 mi (24 km)

The coast and JMW now trend west. "The Bridge to Nowhere" crosses a creek and at high tide its approaches are submerged, so it's an odd sight. The recommended walking route then swings inland towards charming East Linton then north to North Berwick, with a cycle route via Whitekirk. At low tide you can stay on the shore and splosh across the outflow of the River Tyne, taking in Tantallon Castle, but there are some ratty sections where you have to join the busy A198 on your way to 56.058-2.7173 North Berwick, a harbour town. Volcanoes threw up North Berwick Law the crag behind town, the Bass Rock, and a chain of islets in the Firth of Forth.

Distance

17 mi (27 km)

In this section, the JMW is easy to follow along the coast, leading through 56.063-2.7741 Yellowcraig into 56.0371-2.82654 Gullane. The town is set among sand dunes and golf courses, but the main attraction three miles south is the Museum of Flight. Continue west via Aberlady, a bird reserve; you can't short-cut across this bay as it's muddy. The scenery becomes urban and post-industrial through Seton Sands and Cockenzie to 55.9597-2.9612 Prestonpans , scene of Bonnie Prince Charlie's first victory in 1745.

Distance

14 mi (23 km)

On your way, you'll pass 55.941944-3.0541675 Musselburgh, which is a commuter town just east of Edinburgh. It would be a foolhardy diner who sampled the local mussels nowadays. The thing to do here is head to the races, held year-round, whenever you’re not out on the golf course.

55.953333-3.1891676 Edinburgh, is the must-see capital of Scotland and needs several days to explore. A leash of possible routes pass through it. You could stay on the coast through Portobello, Leith, Muirhouse, and Silverknowes to Cramond; much of this is industrial and unkempt, though it improves around Silverknowes. From Leith, another option is to follow the Water of Leith footpath inland toward Dean Village or as far as the canal aqueduct at Slateford. However, the recommended route takes the old railway track bed known as the "Innocent Railway", a name coined to distract from its grim record of accidents.

Distance

15.5 mi (24.9 km)

The route passes charming Duddingston village and Arthur's seat, through a tunnel to disgorge you in St Leonards district. Head west to cross the Meadows, with the castle and Old Town in view a mile north. From Tollcross join the Union Canal as far as the Water of Leith, follow this river downstream to Balgreen, then zig and zag northwest eventually onto A90. This is the lowest crossing point on the River Almond, so if you go via Cramond you have to loop inland a couple of miles. JMW follows this river down to the coast then west towards 55.9875-3.47 South Queensferry. An alternative is to stay on the Union Canal, which takes a great loop across West Lothian towards Linlithgow. West Lothian is post-industrial, but both the coastal and canal routes command good views.

South Queensferry is dominated by its bridges: the iconic railway bridge and two roads. You can walk across the Forth Road Bridge and pick up the Fife coastal trail; no pedestrians are allowed on the new road bridge, the Queen's Crossing.

Distance

14 mi (23 km)

The trail continues west to Blackness Castle and Bo'ness, where you can visit the heritage railway, then turns inland to reach 55.975278-3.6105568 Linlithgow. Alternatively, you can cut inland at Blackness to visit the 17th century House of the Binns. Linlithgow's main sight is the ruined palace, birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots.

Distance

8.5 mi (13.7 km)

Join the Union Canal, navigable throughout and with a good towpath, which sweeps across the River Avon valley by a grand aqueduct. At Polmont the refinery chimneys of Grangemouth are in view. Near 56.000556-3.7844449 Falkirk the recommended route swings north but this misses a highlight, the spooky 2,088 ft (636 m) canal tunnel.

Falkirk is a market town with a few mementoes of the Roman Antonine Wall. 2½ miles west of town, the Union Canal ends at the ingenious Falkirk Wheel, which lifts boats down into the Forth and Clyde Canal without spilling a drop.

Distance

13 mi (21 km)

The recommended route sways north then south of this canal but you may just as well stay on it west, crossing the watershed to begin the descent towards Glasgow and the Clyde. The trail continues to 55.98-4.0610 Kilsyth, which has the best sections of the Antonine Wall, which was never much more than an earthwork.

Distance

13 mi (21 km)

Clydeside is the industrial area surrounding Glasgow, where the Clyde is not navigable but it powered mills for textiles and metal-bashing. 55.935833-4.15472211 Kirkintilloch has a surprising history of ship-building: the "Clyde Puffers" were originally canal boats, and were built here and at other points along the canal. You now branch north along the River Kelvin to Milton of Campsie, then on a railway track bed to Lennoxtown at the foot of the Campsie Fells and to 55.9865-4.3061312 Strathblane .

Staying on the canal brings you to 55.861111-4.2513 Glasgow. Glasgow city centre is reached by a spur canal from Wyndford to Cowcaddens, while the main canal descends to Dumbarton. It's a splendid Victorian metropolis and deserves at least a couple of days sight-seeing. 55.941667-4.31944414 Milngavie is 4 miles off JMW but is a transport head and has far more amenities than Strathblane. It's the start of the West Highland Way (WHW), so follow this north to rejoin JMW. Bikes thereafter should follow WHW to Dumgoyne and Gartness, while hikers on JMW strike out across the hills to Balloch.

Distance

18.5 mi (29.8 km)

The trail climbs out of Strathblane into the Kilpatrick Hills, the highest and wildest stretch of the trail. The route follows forestry tracks and rough moorland paths, with long views over Loch Lomond and the Campsies. After passing Burncrooks Reservoir, the trail descends steeply to Croftamie and crosses the Endrick Water by an old railway viaduct. The final stretch runs through Balloch Castle Country Park, ending near the southern shore of Loch Lomond at 56.002-4.5815 Balloch, a small industrial town. Ferries and cruises across the lake sail from here.

Distance

9 mi (14 km)

The best of the loch is further up its east bank, and WHW goes that way, while the last leg of JMW crosses 56.022637-4.6590683 Bannachra into 56.00701-4.731816 Helensburgh. Helensburgh is a seaside town with several notable buildings, some by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and views over the Firth of Clyde and "Argyll Alps". JMW goes past the door of The Hill House, and the official terminus is by the pier at the bottom of Colquhoun Street. No transatlantic ships to be seen here, as the Clyde estuary is shallow and modern boats grew faster than its channel could be expanded. So you'll have to make do with a distant view of cruise liners at Greenock on the far bank, and the upturned hull of a wrecked sugar freighter.

This is lowland terrain in a well-populated region, so natural hazards are minimal, and there is a mobile signal throughout. The main risk is from traffic, on sections where you have to use roads with no sidewalk.

• Fife Coastal Path follows the north shore of the Firth of Forth from its tidal limit at Alloa east through delightful Culross to the Forth bridges, then out to Kirkcaldy, the picturesque East Neuk and St Andrews.
• The West Highland Way starts from Milngavie and runs to Fort William: the toughest section is not its heights, but the rough scree along Loch Lomond. Once accomplished, obviously the next thing you'll want to do is climb Ben Nevis, then set out on the Great Glen Way via Loch Ness to Inverness.
• The Pennine Way runs from Edale in the Peak District via the Pennine hills to the Tyne Valley. There it joins the Hadrian's Wall path for 20 miles (easily the best part of the Wall) then strikes north through conifer forests. The last section is an arduous slog along the border ridge of the Cheviots to descent to Kirk Yetholm in Scotland. From there you could follow St Cuthbert's Way to the coast and North Sea Trail, or pick your own way through quiet lanes to Kelso then onto the Southern Upland Way.
• The Southern Upland Way runs from Portpatrick near Stranraer to the east coast at Cockburnspath. Its western parts are actually tougher than the other trails, with long slow boggy sections where you'll need to wild-camp.