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Greetings From Louisville

Greetings From Louisville


Postby Phillybluesfan » Thu Sep 21, 2017 1:40 pm

Hello to all .... from Louisville, Kentucky!

Our next visit to Scotland will be our first.
Our next hike near home will be to Charit Creek Lodge on the Tennessee border
My wife and I have been considering a trough walk on The John Muir Way.
But we have just about decided to visit his birthplace and then walk only a potion or another path.
I'd appreciate suggestions, especially for a walk that could be combined with a scenic train ride.
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Re: Greetings From Louisville

Postby jmarkb » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:40 pm

Welcome to WH!

When are you planning to visit Scotland and how long for?

The John Muir Way is pleasant enough, but it passes through a fair bit of urban/semi-urban areas and the scenery is really a bit third rate compared to the Highlands, so I probably wouldn't really recommend it to visitors.

The classic train ride in Scotland is the West Highland Line from Glasgow to Mallaig via Fort William. It is certainly possible to combine this with the West Highland Way, East Highland Way (both first rate scenery) or Great Glen Way (a bit second rate scenery wise, but flatter!).
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Re: Greetings From Louisville

Postby Arthurs Eat » Fri Sep 22, 2017 3:36 pm

Sorry to disagree jmark. The section of the John Muir Way from Cockburnspath past his birthplace in Dunbar to North Berwick is very scenic. The next section From North Berwick to Aberlady is very nice too. That's around two days worth of walking. All on easy countryside passing through pretty villages like East Linton and along the coast past some beautiful beaches. There is a good guidebook I bought when I did it a couple of years ago.

Not the drama of the places you mention, but a superb walk none the less. And, the full route ends in Musselburgh where a train or bus can be caught connecting with the rest of Scotland.
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Re: Greetings From Louisville

Postby jmarkb » Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:42 pm

Ah OK, I was thinking about the "new" John Muir Way (Helensburgh to Dunbar). https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/john-muir-way.shtml

Arthurs Eat wrote:The section of the John Muir Way from Cockburnspath past his birthplace in Dunbar to North Berwick is very scenic.


Fair enough. (I haven't done it, but I guess if you look out to sea you can ignore the nuclear power station and cement works! :wink: ).

Arthurs Eat wrote:The next section From North Berwick to Aberlady is very nice too


Except that the official route, bizarrely, misses out pretty much all the coastline, which is indeed a fine walk and surely the main attraction hereabouts?

I mean, it's a good resource for locals, but to travel half way round the world for????
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Re: Greetings From Louisville

Postby jmarkb » Fri Sep 22, 2017 7:17 pm

Sorry, I just re-read my last post and it sounds a bit rude - it wasn't meant that way!
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Re: Greetings From Louisville

Postby Phillybluesfan » Fri Sep 22, 2017 10:29 pm

Interesting replies. Thanks.

Beyond admiring all things Muir, we are mostly attracted to the possibility of a medium range trek where our travel packs and a good brew will be waiting for us at the end of each day. We're in good shape, but the days when we ran marathons together are in the rear view mirror. So ... the concept of a week long hike through some of the best of Scotland appealed to us.

Allow me to start at the beginning. This will be a 2019 trip. We expect to fly into Edinburg or Glasgow. Power hiking is not our goal. Our hope is to pace our time so that we experience what we do see. This means traveling on foot and by rail ... rather than motor car. Walking 3 or 4 days to get to a rail head ... where a pleasant day on the train would transport us to another extended path ... etc ... over 12 - 14 span ... would be fabulous .... could we plan it.

Rain gear ... low top hiking boots ... sunscreen ... and just in case clothing layers are about as technical as we want to take it.

I know this probably sound mild to members of this web group, but we've evolved to the point of preferring a contemplative walk to a power walk. Don't want to miss something because we went by to fast.

So I'm all ears. Suggest and describe away.

Thanks again.

Mark - aka phillybluesfan
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Re: Greetings From Louisville

Postby Arthurs Eat » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:59 am

jmarkb wrote:Sorry, I just re-read my last post and it sounds a bit rude - it wasn't meant that way!

No probs Jmark. I did the Original JMW in a series of day walks. Yes Torness is an eyesore, but the beautiful bay and beach of Skateraw is behind it. Also the JMW is not all beach. The stretch between North Berwick and Dunbar is inland and really is a beautiful low level walk. I would recommend this stretch as my favourite. It ends up passing through John Muir Country Park. We finished the day by visiting the John Muir Birthplace museum. Bus back to North Berwick, apparently the best place to live in Scotland if a recent survey is to be believed, finished of a great day out.
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Re: Greetings From Louisville

Postby Arthurs Eat » Sat Sep 23, 2017 8:15 am

Phillybluesfan wrote:Interesting replies. Thanks.

Beyond admiring all things Muir, we are mostly attracted to the possibility of a medium range trek where our travel packs and a good brew will be waiting for us at the end of each day. We're in good shape, but the days when we ran marathons together are in the rear view mirror. So ... the concept of a week long hike through some of the best of Scotland appealed to us.

Allow me to start at the beginning. This will be a 2019 trip. We expect to fly into Edinburg or Glasgow. Power hiking is not our goal. Our hope is to pace our time so that we experience what we do see. This means traveling on foot and by rail ... rather than motor car. Walking 3 or 4 days to get to a rail head ... where a pleasant day on the train would transport us to another extended path ... etc ... over 12 - 14 span ... would be fabulous .... could we plan it.

Rain gear ... low top hiking boots ... sunscreen ... and just in case clothing layers are about as technical as we want to take it.

I know this probably sound mild to members of this web group, but we've evolved to the point of preferring a contemplative walk to a power walk. Don't want to miss something because we went by to fast.

So I'm all ears. Suggest and describe away.

Thanks again.

Mark - aka phillybluesfan


Hi Mark,

Firstly and most importantly, who are the phillyblues?

Secondly, if your a big John Muir Fan, then I would recommend the John Muir Way from Cockburnspath to Musselburgh just outside Edinburgh. Three days would do it or four, if as you say you want to take your time. Another low level path would be the Fife Costal Trail. Starting in North Queensferry and finishing in St Andrew's. Something a bit different might be the Skye Trail? But book accommodation well in advance whatever you choose.

Good luck

Calum
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Re: Greetings From Louisville

Postby Phillybluesfan » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:58 pm

Calum,

I slowly become a fan of blues music while living in Philadelphia for 15 years .... hence the handle. The first time we heard of THE JOHN MUIR WAY or thought about visiting Scotland was when read Following John Muir's Trail In Scotland in the national Sierra Club magazine. That article suggested including Trossachs National Park. 2019 gives us time to learn from folks like you and work out a nice trip.

Mark
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Re: Greetings From Louisville

Postby purplebird7 » Tue Nov 28, 2017 10:55 pm

Hello, other American. I'm from Nebraska.
If you stay in Glasgow, take ScotRail on the West Highlands route from Glasgow Queen Street Station to Lochailort Station and then walk a short way to Inverailort. (Look on street view of Google Maps.) Find the road that leads to Rois-Bheinn (prononce Rosh Ven). Climb Rois-Bheinn.
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