Long distance
Southern Upland Way
Scotland's only coast-to-coast long-distance trail, crossing the Southern Uplands from the Rhinns of Galloway to Cockburnspath on the Berwickshire coast.
Quick facts
- Distance
- 341 km/ 212 mi
- Typical days
- 14
- Total ascent
- 9200 m
- Difficulty
- challenging
- Start → Finish
- Portpatrick → Cockburnspath
- Best direction
- West to East
✔ Waymarked throughout
Our take
The Southern Upland Way is Scotland's proper long-distance walk — genuinely remote, serious navigation, and the least busy of any Great Trail. Walkers outnumber hikers' beds in some sections, which means bothies and wild camps become part of the plan. Much tougher than the WHW despite the lower hills. Do not underestimate the Galloway Hills section.
Highlights
- Galloway Hills wilderness
- Merrick diversion (optional)
- Sanquhar and the Crawick Multiverse
- Tweedsmuir hills and Lammermuirs
- Coastal finish at Cockburnspath
Best months
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Accommodation
Accommodation is thin. Bothies, wild camps, and long taxi transfers to off-route B&Bs are all part of the plan. A serious undertaking.
Resupply
Resupply at Bargrennan, Sanquhar, Wanlockhead, Beattock, St Marys Loch, Traquair, Melrose, Lauder. Longest gap is ~35km.