walkhighlands

This forum is for general discussion about walking and scrambling... If writing a report or sharing your experiences from a route, please use the other boards.

Lowland overnight routes?

Lowland overnight routes?


Postby cruachan06 » Thu Jun 30, 2022 7:59 pm

Having got to stage 4 of the Clyde Walkway last week, a couple of things became apparent to me. Firstly, I need more experience wild camping before taking on a longer trip (the WHW being the goal) so that I actually get a decent night's sleep, and secondly I need more multi-day experience as well, again before taking on a multi-day trip.

Been looking around at the walk options and don't see a huge amount of choice in the lowlands though (I'm in Hamilton) and don't really want to have to travel hours and hours for an overnighter if I can help it. My current thought is part of the Ayrshire Coastal Path, it's easy enough to get a train to Ardrossan and then do the end stages of the walk finishing at Wemyss Bay and getting the train back from there.

Any other suggestions welcomed though, I think some of the usual suggestions (E.g. Fort William / Corrour area) are a bit far away at the moment for what I want to do. Doesn't need to be a linear route, a circular one is fine too but ideally looking for around 40km across the 2 days with a wild camp at night. Driving is fine too if it's a circular route or there is parking and then public transport back the next day, but obviously don't want to travel miles and miles with the current cost of fuel!
cruachan06
Walker
 
Posts: 274
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:2   
Wainwrights:1   Islands:2
Joined: Jun 22, 2021
Location: South Lanarkshire

Re: Lowland overnight routes?

Postby davekeiller » Thu Jun 30, 2022 9:09 pm

Why do you need to wildcamp if doing the WHW? it's perfectly possible to do without any wild camping as there are plenty of campsites along the way.

The Three Lochs way could be an option.
davekeiller
 
Posts: 984
Munros:154   Corbetts:31
Fionas:4   Donalds:3
Sub 2000:11   Hewitts:19
Wainwrights:20   
Joined: Oct 25, 2013

Re: Lowland overnight routes?

Postby cruachan06 » Thu Jun 30, 2022 10:04 pm

It's more for the freedom aspect, I'd rather set my own itinerary and plough on through the duller sections but take my time if I feel like it or spend a bit of time in some of the places along the way that I've never been to before.

Thanks, the Three Lochs Way looks like a great option to do some or all of.
cruachan06
Walker
 
Posts: 274
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:2   
Wainwrights:1   Islands:2
Joined: Jun 22, 2021
Location: South Lanarkshire

Re: Lowland overnight routes?

Postby WalkWithWallace » Fri Jul 01, 2022 9:25 am

What about a multi Donald bagging trip over a weekend or section hike parts of the Southern Upland Way?
User avatar
WalkWithWallace
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 1077
Munros:119   Corbetts:192
Fionas:57   Donalds:36+0
Hewitts:41
Wainwrights:29   Islands:25
Joined: Jan 27, 2019
Location: www.youtube.com/c/walkwithwallace
Walk wish-list

Re: Lowland overnight routes?

Postby AyrshireAlps » Fri Jul 01, 2022 10:23 am

3 Lochs way
Arran Coastal path
SNT (plenty sections to take in near where you live)
SUW (ditto)

Loads of options around Moffat that ain't waymarked as such too. Ayrshire coastal path is pretty dull tbh, and the section from Ardrossan to Wemyss bay is a bit too close to the road really.
User avatar
AyrshireAlps
Stravaiging
 
Posts: 809
Joined: Nov 10, 2020

Re: Lowland overnight routes?

Postby cruachan06 » Fri Jul 01, 2022 4:06 pm

AyrshireAlps wrote:Ayrshire coastal path is pretty dull tbh, and the section from Ardrossan to Wemyss bay is a bit too close to the road really.


Suspected it might be, was kind of counting on the nostalgia factor for that one having spent many a summer on Cumbrae as a kid and seen that coastline from the other side.

Think I'm set on the 3 Lochs Way though, with Loch Lomond on one side and the Clyde on the other looks like great views and broadly similar terrain to the WHW. I'll check out the SUW and SNT as well though, don't think I'm ready for multiple Donalds in one trip although Culter Fell Horseshoe is on my list for a day hike.
cruachan06
Walker
 
Posts: 274
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:2   
Wainwrights:1   Islands:2
Joined: Jun 22, 2021
Location: South Lanarkshire

Re: Lowland overnight routes?

Postby AyrshireAlps » Fri Jul 01, 2022 4:37 pm

Hartfell horseshoe is lovely too, bloody steep start though if you do it clockwise!.
User avatar
AyrshireAlps
Stravaiging
 
Posts: 809
Joined: Nov 10, 2020

Re: Lowland overnight routes?

Postby cruachan06 » Fri Jul 01, 2022 8:19 pm

AyrshireAlps wrote:Hartfell horseshoe is lovely too, bloody steep start though if you do it clockwise!.


Thanks, added it to the ever growing wish list!
cruachan06
Walker
 
Posts: 274
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:2   
Wainwrights:1   Islands:2
Joined: Jun 22, 2021
Location: South Lanarkshire

Re: Lowland overnight routes?

Postby Booga » Sat Jul 02, 2022 10:05 am

WalkWithWallace wrote:What about a multi Donald bagging trip over a weekend or section hike parts of the Southern Upland Way?


I also came here to suggest parts of the Southern Upland Way. Not sure what your ideal distance from home is but there are other paths such as the Cross Borders Drove Road or Borders Abbeys Way that you could do part or all of, or find a route that takes in part of them.

Galloway would be worth looking at too maybe?
User avatar
Booga
Ambler
 
Posts: 213
Hewitts:10
Wainwrights:5   Islands:12
Joined: Jul 6, 2020
Location: Too far South!

Re: Lowland overnight routes?

Postby cruachan06 » Sat Jul 02, 2022 2:30 pm

Booga wrote:
WalkWithWallace wrote:What about a multi Donald bagging trip over a weekend or section hike parts of the Southern Upland Way?


I also came here to suggest parts of the Southern Upland Way. Not sure what your ideal distance from home is but there are other paths such as the Cross Borders Drove Road or Borders Abbeys Way that you could do part or all of, or find a route that takes in part of them.

Galloway would be worth looking at too maybe?


It's really just about keeping the cost down at the moment, so not travelling 100 miles via car or to places that are hard to get to via public transport, which unfortunately for me means much of the Borders and Galloway. There might be some convoluted bus routes but trains are a non-starter for the Borders. Also looked at the River Ayr Way as an option but again getting to the start is tricky.

Once I'm a bit fitter and a bit more confident then taking on longer routes is the goal, one of the other reasons I'd like to get more experience wild camping is I'd eventually like to do the Affric-Kintail Way which is much more off the beaten path than the WHW.
cruachan06
Walker
 
Posts: 274
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:2   
Wainwrights:1   Islands:2
Joined: Jun 22, 2021
Location: South Lanarkshire




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to General discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests