In a similar spirit to my “Alternative Coast to Coast” notes, here are some notes on the Southern Upland Way, walking coast-to-coast across Scotland. We had a great time on this beautiful route. By “similar spirit” I principally mean that this is not meant to be a comprehensive guide. There is a lot of information about this walk available on the Internet. I’ll just note a few useful or interesting points, and how we split up the route and what we did for accommodation, as a group that eschewed beds (except on the two weekends). We began on a Wednesday, and walked every day until Wednesday two weeks later (inclusive) except on the two Sundays. This was primarily so as to be in towns (with those beds!) on the weekends/rest days.
A few notes:
- The first half particularly had plenty of the notch-horned cleg fly (horse fly), and the first two-thirds or so had lots of midges.
- For sleeping on the sleeping platforms in bothies, you might want something inflatable (I just had a thin roll-up sleeping mat – it was OK, but underneath remember there’s a hard platform, not the soft earth, unless you camp outside the bothy).
- Bothies, of course, may already be occupied by others when you arrive. For us, there was one other person at each of the first bothies, and two people turned up late at the fourth.
- Although all very well sign-posted, plenty of sections are remote, without access to any facilities even for days. For the two cafés on the route, you might want to ring ahead with your order, depending upon what time you expect to arrive. If walking unsupported you’ll have to plan where you are getting food very carefully, and carry enough dehydrated meals or emergency supplies.
- You’ll want a water purification solution, especially if it’s as warm as it was for us. Publicly available taps won’t suffice (though you might be able to survive if you knock on doors of farm houses to request access to their taps – assuming that they oblige you!).
- There’s mobile signal practically everywhere, we suppose due to the needs of the various unstaffed wind farms. (I had SIM cards on 2 different networks).
- Maps and satellite imagery aren’t enough to reliably indicate potential wild-camping spots – there may be wire fences enclosing, excessively high grass, livestock, etc.
- Where the information below mentions wild-camping, assume there’s no water source nearby unless it’s mentioned (i.e. you need to carry enough).
- Don’t forget the trowel!
Here is how we split the journey into days, together with the notes we took with us to guide us (after some edits based on our actual experience). Information about the walk is for the day preceding the given night.
Start: Portpatrick harbour, NW corner.
Night 1 – Wild camping
Camped after approximately 20.5 miles just before a railway line – there was a section of 2.5 before this with nowhere suitable. Supplies: Spar at the Esso garage at the east end of Castle Kennedy (A75), after 13.6 miles; top up water for the evening. (There was a river a short distance further on).
Night 2 – Wild camping
Camped after approximately 16.5 miles. Last chance for water was at Waterside around 1.5 miles before. We camped in a small lay-by-like intrusion into the forest (where locals told us that others had done so before). During morning at Cruise when the path branches east, you can take the road north into New Luce for supplies (and a public toilet and tap) and rejoin the path west of New Luce. Small shop in New Luce post office open 9-13 – very limited selection (the only fresh item was milk).
Night 3 – White Laggan Bothy, ~17.5 miles
466 775. 0.5km off-route. Small kitchen area, wood burning stove, 2 rooms with small sleeping platforms. By Black Laggan Burn which was flowing well; can also fill from Loch Dee just before turning off route. During day (after ~10 miles): Glentrool Visitor Centre (371 785) – 0.5km off route, 10.30-16.30 daily (last orders were 15.00). Toilets + café with good range, and a water tap. This was the longest day of walking. There was an unexpected, small honesty shop most of the way through the day with snacks and drinks.
Night 4, St. John’s Town of Dalry, ~14 miles
In Dalry: Wrights Village Shop, and Londis at Shell Service. Next provisions at the end of the next day.
Night 5: Polskeoch (Chalk Memorial) Bothy – ~17miles
NX 686 019 – Significant climbing during day; no provisions expected. Austere but of good size; some chairs (reclining armchair!), tables, sleeping platform, wood-burning stove. Remote valley in woods; flowing stream nearby.
Night 6: Wanlockhead Inn– ~17miles
873 132 – Camp, or camping pods (4 per pod, has electricity – no showers): www.wanlockheadinn.co.uk – has food. During day, you pass through Sanquhar after 9 miles (Hotel/pubs, Nisa, public toilet, pharmacy, bakery, newsagent, fruiterer; A76 + railway station). Morning descent then significant climb up to Wanlockhead.
Night 7 – Brattleburn (Bothy) – ~14 miles
016 069. 0.2m off-route. Small stone house: wood burning stove, chairs, a table, two rooms each with sleeping area, and a larger loft sleeping area. Water available from the burn outside.
Night 8 –Over Phawhope (Bothy)– ~17 miles
183 082 – Significant climbing/descent during the day. Fast-flowing Ettrick Water outside. Wood-burning stove, sofa, table, separate sleeping rooms, picnic benches. Flushing toilet (via refilling from the water butt) in the adjacent byre. After 6 miles, Moffat is 1.2 miles off-route, but is of substantial size (e.g. outdoors shop, accommodation, supplies). Take the right-hand (low) route after Moffatt for the drinking water tap. A route diversion at Rivox adds a mile to the non-diverted route.
Night 9: Blackhouse –~17miles (wild camping) – originally planned spot
282 273 -this makes an excellent and beautiful wild camping spot (it has a river); but in fact our group wanted to head on, and added another 5 miles to get almost to Traquair House before camping (there are many other good spots before, but possibly without water depending on recent rainfall). www.theglencafe.co.uk on A708 after 11 miles, a short detour to the west; hot food until 4pm; last provisions until the end of the next day. Two broad climb/descents.
Night 10 – Galashiels (town) – ~14 miles (19 on the original plan, see previous day’s notes)
1 or 6 miles into day, the route passes Traquair; Traquair House has a café (£6 to enter the grounds to get there). 1.3 miles north is Innerleithen (accommodation, co-op). No other supplies opportunities until the day’s end. A significant climb/descent.
Night 11 – Lauder (camping) – ~15.5 miles
537 471 www.thirlestanecaravanpark.co.uk (SE end – not “Lauder campsite”, which is a few miles away). Has Co-op (NW end), Premier (centre), bakery, pharmacy and take-away – last known shops of the walk. Less climbing/descent now than previous days. After 5.5 miles, Melrose (Co-op, Spar). This was easily the shortest day of walking (for time).
Night 12 – nr B6355/Ellemford – ~18 miles (wild camping)
732 597; or continue on the route a little and choose a spot up in the forest (there’s also a very good spot before reaching the road). To get water near the end of the day, you may need to go into Ellemford, which is a little (~1km) out of the way; otherwise, though water may look close on the map, unless we missed something, it is difficult to access. Other than Longformacus after 12.5 miles (houses only), the day is remote from civilisation.
End – Cockburnspath – ~ 15 miles
Careful when crossing the A1 during the day. Cockburnspath has a community shop and a bus stop. To get to Cove harbour (which is not officially on the route, but you visit it if you’re considering this a coast-to-coast walk), then instead of turning south (90° left) inland into Cockburnspath, carry on the coast to the car park/fisherman’s memorial, and take the path right of the memorial through the gate along the headland, and then turn right through the tunnel.
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