The best hiking routes in Scotland

Scotland offers distinct walking landscapes that require different preparation. In the south and near the central belt, the Pentland Hills Regional Park provides grassy ridges and gravel paths that climb steeply but lack the rocky, jagged summits found further north. This is a landscape of sheep pastures and reservoirs, where the ground underfoot is mostly firm turf and established clay tracks.

Further north, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park combines deep freshwater lochs with wooded glens and steep, rocky peaks. Here, walkers encounter rougher stone paths and sections of wet peat. In contrast, the Cairngorms National Park and the adjacent Glenmore National Nature Reserve present a high, granite plateau with vast gravelly flats and ancient pine forests. The paths here are often wide forest tracks at lower elevations, turning into exposed, boulder-strewn routes higher up where vegetation is sparse.

In September, the heather across the Cairngorms National Park turns a deep purple, contrasting with the dark green of the native pines. While popular trailheads near Loch Lomond can be busy, the higher plateau routes in the north generally see fewer people. Walkers should expect rough, uneven ground and sustained climbs rather than flat, manicured parkland.