Southern Upland Way
Running across the bottom of Scotland, the Southern Upland Way traverses 212 of one of the least populated areas of Britain. It's also Britain's only official coast to coast walking route.
Opened in 1984 the Southern Upland Way is a great challenge for walkers and is especially ideal for the walker who wants to wild camp or stay in remote bothies.
And in the summer of 2011, that's exactly how I did it.
You can read about my journey below, or get 'The Secret Coast to Coast' to get extra bonus content!
The Secret Coast to Coast: Walking Scotland’s Southern Upland Way
Read about my journey in book format. Available in paperback, and for Kindle, iPhone, iPad, Kobo, Nook, Google Play and more.
Southern Upland Way Introduction
Published 9 January 2012
It’s probably fair to say that more people have a Great Aunt Mabel then have heard of Scotland’s official Coast to Coast walking route.
Southern Upland Way Day 1: Portpatrick to Stranraer
Published 12 January 2012
Setting off on the first day for coastal walks, tarmac and a deer.
Southern Upland Way Day 2: Stranraer to New Luce
Published 16 January 2012
Ruined castles, sinister cows and homemade haggis all in abundance as the journey continues.
Southern Upland Way Day 3: New Luce to Bargrennan
Published 19 January 2012
A good plan quickly falls apart when a bothy is reached at lunchtime, and no wild camping spots can be found as the Southern Upland Way heads in to the forest.
Southern Upland Way Day 4: Bargrennan to Loch Dee
Published 23 January 2012
A trip through the largest forest park in Britain leads to a remote bothy with an alcohol problem.
Southern Upland Way Days 5 and 6: Loch Dee to St John’s Town of Dalry (and a day off)
Published 26 January 2012
The rain it does come down as I struggle on from White Laggan bothy to St John’s Town of Dalry.
Southern Upland Way Day 7: St John’s Town of Dalry to Poleskeoch
Published 30 January 2012
A wet and boggy traipse across the moors and through forests where I actually see other people walking the Southern Upland Way (gasp!)
Southern Upland Way Day 8: Poleskeoch to Sanquhar
Published 2 February 2012
Setting off from a remote bothy, I head to the town of Sanquhar and its closed museum.
Southern Upland Way Day 9: Sanquhar to Wanlockhead
Published 6 February 2012
The Southern Upland Way arrives at the highest village in Scotland; the former lead mining centre of Wanlockhead.
Southern Upland Way Day 10: Wanlockhead to Brattleburn Bothy
Published 9 February 2012
The Southern Upland Way takes me to both its highest point, and the half way point as it heads out of Wanlockhead.
Southern Upland Way Day 11: Brattleburn Bothy to Over Phawhope Bothy, via Moffatt
Published 13 February 2012
From one remote bothy to another, via the town of Moffat.
Southern Upland Way Day 12: Over Phawhope Bothy to St Mary’s Loch
Published 16 February 2012
Oh my goodness, there’s actually someone else who walks in this part of the world!
Southern Upland Way Day 13: St Mary’s Loch to Innerleithen
Published 20 February 2012
Around the mist covered loch, up a tower and off in to town. It’s just another day on the Southern Upland Way.
Southern Upland Way Day 14: Innerleithen to Galashiels
Published 23 February 2012
It was after nine when I set off, but I still managed to leave before a bickering French family of cyclists who’d been packing up since before seven. The lady at reception had told me that the path running near the river, conveniently accessible by a handy gate in the tent field, would allow me […]
Southern Upland Way Day 15: Galashiels to Melrose (backwards)
Published 27 February 2012
The route gets rather urban as I complete the short stretch between the towns of Galashiels and Melrose.
Southern Upland Way Day 16: Melrose to Watch Water
Published 1 March 2012
The route now leaves civilisation behind and heads into another section past the Southern Upland Way’s last pub.
Southern Upland Way Day 17: Watch Water to Abbey St Bathans
Published 5 March 2012
Through tiny villages and past wind farms, the Southern Upland Way even has time for a cup of tea and some cake on the penultimate day.
Southern Upland Way Day 18: Abbey St Bathans to Cockburnspath
Published 8 March 2012
On the final day of walking I head to the coast and the end of the trail.
Planning your Southern Upland Way walk
Published 19 March 2012
The Southern Upland Way is a hugely rewarding adventure but it planning your trip can be very complicated. In one of our most detailed guides, we’ll help you get on your way.
Southern Upland Way - the trail highlights
Video: The Southern Upland Way in Video
Published 13 December 2011
If you saw the launch of my book about the Southern Upland Way last week and wondered, “Hey, what’s all that about?”, well this is the video for you.
Video: Bothies of the Southern Upland Way
Published 21 January 2012
The Southern Upland Way, a 212 mile walking route across the Scottish Lowlands, has six such bothies and in the summer of 2011 I visited each one. This video is about them.
Southern Upland Way Gallery
Published 12 March 2012
Another coast to coast adventure – this one in the Scottish Borders.
Southern Upland Way Cartoons
Published 13 March 2012
A series of postcards drawn and sent from the Southern Upland Way.
Video: Southern Upland Way and the Waymerks
Published 26 March 2013
Finding hidden treasure in the hills of Scotland.
13 amazing things you’ll never forget about Walking the Southern Upland Way
Published 1 April 2018
These are some of the reasons you’ll remember the Southern Upland Way when you’ve walked it.
At the start of the Southern Upland Way
Published 23 August 2020
A wooden shelter in an attractive little harbour.
Boots by the loch
Published 11 December 2022
A pair of walking boots take a rest in lovely surroundings on the Southern Upland Way.
Brewing up in a bothy
Published 13 August 2023
When it’s raining, and there’s a choice between a nice warm fire, or walking eight more miles to get a curry.
Also about Southern Upland Way
National Trails – from old to new
Published 25 June 2023
In 2025 we’ll be getting a new National Trail. But how long have the others been around?
Dreaming of a night in the tent
Published 24 May 2020
Who wouldn’t like a night under canvas right now?
At the end of the Southern Upland Way
Published 25 March 2018
What will you find at the end of the Southern Upland Way when you get there?
Surprising things you see on a walk #4: a scary stone monster
Published 22 March 2015
What’s that scary stone monster on the hillside?
Exclusive: the original Southern Upland Way book cover
Published 9 October 2013
What the Secret Coast to Coast book cover could have been.
Cove Harbour
Published 11 March 2012
This photograph is of the delightful Cove Harbour, about a mile or so before the end of the Southern Upland Way.
Heading over the hill
Published 4 March 2012
I can remember exactly how many walkers I passed on the Southern Upland Way.
Loch, loch, glorious loch
Published 26 February 2012
As a walker I rather dislike mist and fog for it makes gloomy walking. But as an amateur photographer I love it to bits as you can take moody, atmospheric photographs like this one.
Brattleburn Bothy
Published 12 February 2012
Today a photo of Brattleburn bothy, about six miles away from the town of Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway and (you guessed it), it’s on the Southern Upland Way.
Loch Dee
Published 22 January 2012
A Sunday Picture is, once more, showing some of the many great photos I took on my Southern Upland Way trip last summer.
Black Loch
Published 15 January 2012
Black Loch is a lake which sits in the stunningly laid out formal gardens of Castle Kennedy, which I visited on my second day of walking on the Southern Upland Way.
A Nice Place to Set Off From
Published 8 January 2012
Tomorrow sees the publication of the first instalment of my series on the Southern Upland Way, and what better way to celebrate than for the Sunday Picture to show you some of the highlights of that walk.
Southern Upland Wordle
Published 23 August 2011
I’m half way through writing up my Southern Upland Way posts, so I’m celebrating with a Wordle on the text so far.