Long Distance Routes
Encyclopedia
Long Distance Route is an official term for maintained long-distance footpaths in Scotland
that require several days to walk. Legislation to create them was passed in 1967, but the first one was not opened officially until 1980.
There are currently four in total:
Each of the routes is waymarked with a hexagonal thistle symbol.
The six miles (10 km) of the Pennine Way
terminating at Kirk Yetholm
are in Scottish Borders
, Scotland
, but in the care of the Countryside Agency
, and designated a National Trail.
Proposals for new LDRs originate from Scottish Natural Heritage
, who make proposals to the Scottish Executive
. Responsibility for creating and maintaining each LDR lies with each local authority through which a route passes, but Scottish Natural Heritage provides some of the finance and publicity.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
that require several days to walk. Legislation to create them was passed in 1967, but the first one was not opened officially until 1980.
Routes
- West Highland WayWest Highland WayThe West Highland Way is a linear long distance footpath in Scotland, with the official status of Long Distance Route. It is 154.5km long, running from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, with an element of hill walking in the route...
, 95 miles (152.9 km), opened in 1980 - Speyside WaySpeyside WayThe Speyside Way is a Long Distance Route that follows the River Spey through some of Banffshire, Morayshire and Inverness-shire's most beautiful scenery. It is one of four Long Distance Routes in Scotland. It begins in Aviemore and ends at Buckpool harbour in Buckie, some 65 miles away...
, 84 miles (135.2 km) of route including spurs; first part opened 1981; completed in 2000 - Southern Upland WaySouthern Upland WayOpened in 1984, the Southern Upland Way is a coast to coast walk in Scotland between Portpatrick in the west and Cockburnspath in the east....
, 212 miles (341.2 km), opened 1984 - Great Glen WayGreat Glen WayThe Great Glen Way is a long distance footpath in Scotland. It follows the Great Glen, running from Fort William in the west to Inverness in the east, covering 73 miles . It was opened in 2002 and is one of Scotland's four long distance routes. The Great Glen Way is generally walked from west to...
, 73 miles (117.5 km), opened 2002
Each of the routes is waymarked with a hexagonal thistle symbol.
The six miles (10 km) of the Pennine Way
Pennine Way
The Pennine Way is a National Trail in England. The trail runs from Edale, in the northern Derbyshire Peak District, north through the Yorkshire Dales and the Northumberland National Park and ends at Kirk Yetholm, just inside the Scottish border. The path runs along the Pennine hills, sometimes...
terminating at Kirk Yetholm
Kirk Yetholm
Kirk Yetholm is a village in the Scottish Borders region of Scotland, south east of Kelso and less than west of the border. The first mention is of its church in the 13th century. Its sister town is Town Yetholm which lies half a mile across the Bowmont Water...
are in Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, but in the care of the Countryside Agency
Countryside Agency
The Countryside Agency in England was a statutory body set up in 1999 with the task of improving the quality of the rural environment and the lives of those living in it. The Agency was formed by merging the Countryside Commission and the Rural Development Commission...
, and designated a National Trail.
Proposals for new LDRs originate from Scottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Natural Heritage is a Scottish public body. It is responsible for Scotland's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e...
, who make proposals to the Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
. Responsibility for creating and maintaining each LDR lies with each local authority through which a route passes, but Scottish Natural Heritage provides some of the finance and publicity.
External links
- Scottish Natural Heritage webpage on Long Distance Routes
- Ramblers Association website
- Scottish Youth Hostels Association route descriptions
- Great Glen Way accepts donations
See also
- Long-distance footpaths in the UK
- John Muir WayJohn Muir WayThe John Muir Way is a continuous coastal path in East Lothian, Scotland, UK. It is named in honour of the Scottish 19th-century conservationist John Muir, who was born at Dunbar, East Lothian, in 1838 and became a founder of America's national park system...
- National Trail (English and Welsh equivalent)