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One of Scotland’s Great Trails, the John Muir Way offers a journey through Scotland’s landscapes, history and heritage. Traversing central Scotland, it links Helensburgh in the west with John Muir’s birth place Dunbar in the east and is fully way-marked for walking and cycling.
- Walking The Route
The John Muir Way provides a great opportunity to walk...
- Strathblane to Kilsyth
This leg is a 13-mile stretch, one of the longer sections,...
- Plan Your Trip
Find the best places to visit, eat, stay and shop on the...
- About
One of Scotland's Great Trails, the John Muir Way offers...
- Day Trips
Browse our day trip routes for some of the best walking and...
- Doing the Route
The John Muir Way is 134 miles or 215Km long over easy to...
- Gallery
The John Muir Way is a route of diverse landscapes and...
- Store
Our range of official branded John Muir Way merchandise is...
- 1 Helensburgh to Balloch
Take time out to look seawards and imagine sailing off to...
- 4 Kilsyth to Falkirk
By rail: the route can be accessed at the Kilsyth end from...
- Walking The Route
134 miles coast to coast. The John Muir Way traverses central Scotland from Helensburgh on the Firth of Clyde to John Muir's birthplace Dunbar on the Firth of Forth. We've divided the route into 10 sections, which you can view on the map above or click on each section below for detailed maps, route information and places to visit along the way. 1.
- Route Type/Direction
- Overview
- Highlights
- Be Aware
- The Challenge
- Accommodation
- Public Transport
Linear: coast-to-coast route across central Scotland from Helensburgh to Dunbar, with many branches (braids) that provide different routes suited to cyclists and walkers. The recommended direction for an end-to-end expedition is from Helensburgh to Dunbar, because prevailing winds are from the south-west, and because John Muir’s birthplace makes a ...
The John Muir Way traverses the heartland of Scotland – a unique journey through the country’s natural, cultural and industrial heritage. The route opened in April 2014, and is named after John Muir (1838-1914), the famous conservationist and founder of America’s National Parks. It runs from Helensburgh on the Firth of Clyde to Dunbar on the North ...
superb views over Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Parkthe Antonine Walland its forts, the north-west frontier of the Roman Empiretranquil towpaths and great wildlife along the canalsthe Falkirk Wheel, the world’s only rotating boat liftBalloch to Strathblane is 18.2 miles/29.3 km – a long day which some walkers may prefer to splitfor cyclists, a very sturdy bike (e.g. mountain or hybrid) is recommended, ideally with puncture-proof tyresconsider planning extra time to explore Edinburgh, the capital, and the historic town of LinlithgowDespite its length, the John Muir Way makes a good introduction to long-distance walking or cycling. Gradients are mostly fairly gentle and settlements along the Way are well-spaced, although sparser in the west. Good transport links make the route easy to tackle in sections. The cyclist options provide smoother, flatter options in places and can e...
There is a wide range of options – from camping under canvas to luxury stays in castles, towers and historic estates. Accommodation in B&Bs, hotels and inns is well distributed along the route, but there are no hostels or bunkhouses outside of Edinburgh. Visit the official websitefor accommodation listings.
Public transport is very good across Scotland’s central belt, although sparser in the western sections. Trains from Glasgow Queen Street serve Helensburgh and from Edinburgh Waverley serve Dunbar. Scotrail’s Glasgow/Edinburgh service is fast and frequent, and intermediate stations, particularly between Falkirk and Dunbar, help those who want to com...
The John Muir Way is a 215-kilometre (130 mi) continuous long-distance route in southern Scotland, running from Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute in the west to Dunbar, East Lothian in the east. It is named in honour of the Scottish conservationist John Muir , who was born in Dunbar in 1838 and became a founder of the United States National Park ...
- 215 kilometres (134 mi)
- Scotland's Great Trails
- 0 m (0 ft)
The John Muir Way is a coast to coast route across central Scotland, from Helensburgh to John Muir’s Birthplace in Dunbar. Traversing the country in 134 miles, this walk is as much about discovering Scotland’s history and culture as it is about walking through its diverse landscapes.
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Why is the Muir Trail so popular?
Discover this 131.7-mile point-to-point trail near Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 49 h 14 min to complete. This trail is great for backpacking, hiking, and walking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring.
