Scotland’s newest long-distance track set to be unveiled

The John Muir Way, a 134 mile trail spanning the coast of Scotland is set to open on 21 April 2014.

Covering coastal scenery, historic towns and national parks, the route echoes conservationist John Muirs’ journey from his home-town Dunbar to the West Coast, where he set sail for America in 1849.

Made up of ten sections, the walk takes between 7 and ten days, passing through Edinburgh and the Loch Lomand National Park.  The route is also suitable for cyclists, and is predicted to take 4 days to complete, though hybrid bikes are recommended for the bumpier sections.

The routes completion has been timed to coincide with the centenary of Muir’s death, and links exisiting paths trails and cycleways (including the original John Muir Way in East Lothian).

Ron McCraw of Scottish National Heritage, said: “We hope the John Muir Way will inspire people to both explore and protect Scotland’s countryside. John Muir was inspired by the wildlife and beautiful scenery in Scotland as a young boy, and as an adult in the U.S. he inspired people around the world with his writing.  We’re hoping plenty of other people – from both inside and outside of Scotland – will enjoy this new coast-to-coast route and learn more about Muir’s beliefs.”

Find out more at www.johnmuirway.org

OAG