Hiking in the Highlands

An immense adventurer’s playground

The Highlands are home to two national parks, the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and the Cairngorms National Park, which is also the UK’s largest. However, the best hiking trails in the Highlands are not just in these two areas. Thanks in part to the Land Reform Act of 2003, much of the Highlands is open access land and hikers are free to explore at their leisure, if done responsibly. Though there are exceptions, as the vast majority is still privately owned and landowners may ask hikers to explore elsewhere at certain times during the year, such as during stalking season.

Britain’s last wilderness

Walks in the Highlands take you into Britain’s last true wilderness. This is partly the result of the travesty of the Highland Clearances, the forced eviction of the folk who used to live on the land by the ruling classes between 1750 and 1860. Entire villages were destroyed, their people emigrating to America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

What has been left behind is a vast and sparsely populated landscape, the dominion of wildlife such as red deer, golden eagles and the ptarmigan. A stay in a bothy – a strategically placed but simple shelter that’s free for all to use – in the wilds of the far northwest, far from the trappings of civilisation, is a special experience. Waking up to the sound of rutting deer reverberating off the mountainsides or walking out onto the sands of a deserted beach are memories that will stay with you forever.

Coping with the weather and the midges

The Western Highlands are right in the path of westerlies rolling in off the Atlantic Ocean and are prone to high levels of precipitation. The weather is more settled in the East Highlands but the mountains can witness extreme conditions nonetheless. It’s essential to pack for all eventualities, with waterproofs and plenty of layers. In winter, the higher mountains become the preserve of experienced and equipped mountaineers, while the lower trails bask in the glory of snow-capped peaks.

The shoulder seasons are probably the best time to set out for hikes in the Highlands, with April and May still witnessing the best of the fading winter and autumn experiencing beautiful colours. Summer is midge season and there’s no getting away from these nasty little insects, which love warm, wet and still conditions. Bring repellent and midge nets to fend them off the best you can.