Waaay OT - Walking in Scotland

I live in a very canal popular area (though it isn't Scotland). The towpaths (paths along the canal that used to be used by the heavy horses pulling the long narrow boats) are pedestrian only. So no problems with traffic. Even in the cities, traffic is well regulated and sidewalks will be everywhere (beware, they are often called 'pavements'). She might get called upon by a person in a boat to help with lock gates. If she has a heart problem, she should decline - those things are heavy. I presume she will travel to Scotland by train if she lands at one of the London Airports? Or she might be flying to Glasgow? The long-distance trains will be lovely.

There are usual pubs close to tow paths, the boat people use them a lot. There are resident boat people and holiday-maker boat people. It should be an interesting walk for her. The pubs would not be close together, and there may not be many houses along the way. She will have to plan her route to go between one village and another during the day. I don't think anyone would walk after dark along a canal - too much danger of slipping and falling in. It will be getting dark about 9 I'd say in Scotland at that time of year.

The people around will most be on the boats on the canal, or moored. Even moving they go slower than walking pace, so she would be able to chat and walk alongside.

Sorry I can't give you any detailed information. I prefer Edinburgh, but I understand Glasgow has changed a lot since I went there last and is not quite a 'cool' place to be around. Just in case your worry really gets to you - they both have excellent hospitals.

Jo in Scotland will be able to help you more, if she pops in and sees your post.

All the best to you and your daughter. . In message , Round Rocker writes

There aren't a lot of points where she can switch to public transport; Linlithgow and Falkirk for the train, but the bus service in that part of Scotland isn't great, and she'd have problems finding the right stop and a timetable if she came off the canal path at some random spot.

But it's a contour canal so it's flat. The path is reasonably good. There are people using it all the way (joggers, cyclists, dog walkers). With a mobile phone that works in the UK and either a GPS doohickey or the appropriate maps (three OS Landranger 1:50000 ones will do it) there shouldn't be much problem.

There aren't many pubs, shops or restaurants along the route, so she'll need to carry some food and water.

A wander along it via Google Earth will tell you more, though it's not high-res enough to show the dogshit.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------- e m a i l : j a c k @ c a m p i n . m e . u k Jack Campin, 11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4PU, Scotland mobile: 07800 739 557 Twitter: JackCampin

And at this time of year it's wise to book Bed & Breakfast stops ahead for a day or two at least.

Hiya,

I'm no expert, but what I would recommend would be to get some maps like Jack suggested. Then consider how far she can walk in one day without getting overtired. 5 miles? 10 miles? Be realistic and consider that it will probably rain at some point during the day, which is less fun to walk in. It might not, but it probably will, it is Scotland after all.

After figuring out how much she can walk in each day, it would be wise to book a Bed & Breakfast (let's say 10 miles) at each 10 mile stretch she wants to see. She needn't do the entire thing if you see what I mean, she could find several 10-mile stretches that go past interesting places (historical or natural) and just concentrate on those. Perhaps she could pick a nice 20-mile stretch that has good train links in the beginning and end, and a village or town with a Bed & Breakfast booking in the middle.

The thing that worries me isn't the personal safety or the transportation (though those are important considerations) as much as the lack of planning. The schools are all on holiday, and it is tourist season here in Scotland, and there is no guarantee that if she shows up in a nice village at the end of the day there will be anywhere for her to sleep, if you see what I mean. I'm sure she could get something to eat at a pub, but I think accomodation might be the tricky bit. We drove across Canada when I was 16, and had figured out how far we would be able to drive each day, and had booked a hotel in that city for the night. I can't imagine just walking or just driving and hoping for the best.....

-- Jo in Scotland

Particularly if the "nice village" is Edinburgh. The Edinburgh Festival is on for the whole of August. That's by far the biggest arts festival in the world, and all B&B or hotel accommodation has been booked up months ago. The only accommodation available is in backpacker hostels, and she can't be too fussy about which one. (Try the YHA in Leith Walk first as it's the biggest, but phone and book *right now*).

The Festival results in accommodation getting booked up far out of town. It's very unlikely there will be anything available in Linlithgow, lots of people are willing to commute that far to go to Festival events.

On the other hand if she *does* make it to Edinburgh there is a heck of a lot to do there.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------- e m a i l : j a c k @ c a m p i n . m e . u k Jack Campin, 11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4PU, Scotland mobile: 07800 739 557 Twitter: JackCampin

SO sorry - I mean Glasgow is NOW a cool place, typo for 'not' to appear. . In message , Pat S writes

Hi, Marion, Jack's partner here for details of buses, and connections and trains use the following website, the travel planer on it works well, >

There is also a train station at Polmont between Linlithgow and Falkirk, and a needlework shop , a fabric shop with quilt fabrics and a quilt shop in linlithgow, the higest denisity in any scottish town, and a palace as well.

THe Canal culture here is rather different from England and Wales as we only have this one canal and a couple of "shortcuts between bits of sea" so their isn't the pub/ cafe culture next to the canal, but it is away from it in villages and towns, some of which don,t see a lot of tourists, partly as the canal was not navigable end to end for about 60 yrs till restored about 10 yrs ago. I have walked some lengths and it was good, Edinburgh to Kingskowe is good (and train back to edinburgh is a possibility. In Linlithgow there are boat trips, so she may be able to ride a couple of miles, same at Ratho, where there is a narrowboat adapted to carry the disabled. several floating Resteraunts on this stretch to edinburgh as well.