Relaxing in Glen Nevis (Kat Nickola)
For the wilder side of Europe, one of my favorite places is The Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Not only are there dramatic lochs, coastlines, peaks and glens but those magical spaces are available to anyone with the tenacity to venture into them.
Yes, you can wild camp in your tent out in the woods, on a beach or by a loch. You may also kayak along any body of water, or mountain bike on any trail. Scotland is one of the least prohibitive, most outdoor-friendly countries I’ve ever been to.
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code establishes the legal right for people like you and I to enjoy the wildlands without being bogged down with permits and complex rules. Most importantly, it also outlines what our responsibilities are as outdoorsy people. If you are familiar with the leave-no-trace policy in the U.S., then you understand the basics. You must bring all you need into the wilderness and leave nothing when you pack up and go. In Scotland, where farm property is also accessible, you are also expected to be respectful of animals, croplands and privacy.
Understand your rights and responsibilities at www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot
Best Day Hike
Rivaling its popular and crowded neighbor to the south (Glen Coe) for beauty points, Glen Nevis is my choice for the best day hike in The Highlands. My family lucked into a sunny warm day for this 2.25-mile route tucked into the far end of the glen. We drove up the Glen Nevis road as far as it would take us and parked in the small dirt lot. From there, the trail leads east as the valley gets narrower and narrower until it forms a gorge, takes a 90-degree turn south and opens onto the upper glen. But we diverged.
After a picnic lunch by the river, not far from the car park, we crossed the Water of Nevis and followed the less-traveled route up and over the adjacent hill. This route was steep and rocky and a bit tough to navigate at points, but when we emerged above the glen we had open views of Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Britain, and Glen Nevis’s Steall Falls, the second-highest waterfall in the U.K. We lay in the grass on the hilltop for a long while soaking up the warm sun and marveling at the tranquility of the green valley below and the rocky hills above.
Eventually, our teenagers wanted to keep moving. They practically ran the downhill stretch to the river where they promptly got soaked and happily went barefoot the rest of the day. We explored an old rope bridge across the river and stopped to skip stones for a while. On the hike out, we used the primary trail as it hugged the steep sides of the glen. The trail is wide, but there was a precarious drop-off along the edge, and the heavily churning waters were loud as they carved their way along the gorge below. Barefoot and pleasantly tired, my son reached the car first after running the rest of the way.
Runner-Up: Coire Gabhail, the lost (or hidden) valley of Glen Coe. This four-mile out-and-back trail is another beautiful hike with a bit of a scramble into a historic and bucolic glen. Keep in mind that this trail can get very crowded.
Camping in Camasunary Bay, Skye (Kat Nickola)
Best Wild Camping
It is impossible to determine the best place to wild camp in Scotland. The choices are just too many. However, for a family outing with my teens, we tackled an overnight backpacking trip to Camasunary Bay on the Isle of Skye. This magical place has a beautiful natural sandy beach at the end of an open grassy glen. The rocky mountain peaks and ridges of Blabheinn and Sgurr na Stri bound the glen at the southern edge of The Cuillin, Skye’s impressive mountain range.
The trail begins in the hamlet of Kilmarie and is three miles in each direction. It is a moderately difficult trail with 644 feet of elevation gain and loss as it wanders up and over Am Mam pass.
Once we adjusted to the steepness and stopped stumbling over rocks, my family appreciated the incredible views from the trail. We first wandered through croft land full of grazing sheep with the dramatic scree slopes of The Cuillin in the distance. Complaints ceased after we heaved ourselves over the pass and had our first look at Camasunary Bay below us. The bright blue water, green slopes and rocky peaks wouldn’t have been out of place in Hawaii.
We set up our tent on the meadow above the beach and got down to the serious business of relaxation. My teenagers messed around in the water where the shallow tidal flat made for a warmish wade. We buried my son in the sand. We sat around and read to the sleepy sound of the waves and the wind. We napped in the tent. We watched deer wander by. Eventually, the sun set, and we slept like rocks.
Runner-Up: Strath na Sealga glen. For a longer backpacking trip, this glen has it all when it comes to scenery. It is roughly eight miles into the edge of the loch, which is surrounded by rocky peaks. The Shenevall bothy (camper cabin) can get full, so I recommend bringing a tent.
Best Resources
I found the Walkhighlands website, www.walkhighlands.co.uk, to be the best resource for good hikes in the area. It has detailed descriptions and various map formats to suit your navigation preferences. There is even a free app with downloadable Ordnance Survey (OS) trail maps.
A bothy is a basic camper cabin – typically an old croft home or repurposed barn - available for hikers to communally use overnight for simple sleeping and shelter. Visit the Mountain Bothies Association website at www.mountainbothies.org.uk, to find bothies throughout Scotland.
Both Glasgow and Inverness airports are useful. From Germany, a flight to Inverness will usually require a layover. However, it is a good option if you’d like to drive along the Great Glen to see Loch Ness or explore the history at Culloden. Glasgow has convenient direct flights from Frankfurt and is a great choice if you want to drive through the scenery of Loch Lomond and Glen Coe.
