Callander Crags
The town of Callander, around 15 miles west of Stirling, is busy all year round, full of people from near and far. The best way to escape the crowds is heading above it. The line of crags is a circular walk, but the best views come from the falls – it’s only a short walk but the best place to view the spot. On the Crags, on a clear day, you can see all the way to the Pentland Hills behind Edinburgh. Regardless of the route you take, the walk is well worth it to take in some of the stunning views Stirling has to offer. Can be steep in parts.
East Lothian Riverbank
East Lothian is often referred to as the garden of Scotland – and with its productive countryside it is no wonder. The East Lothian Riverbank offers a pleasant riverside stroll, uncovering a hidden castle as your reward at the end of the walk. Starting from the historic village of East Linton, the beginning of the walk is just a short way from the railway bridge on Station Road. The riverside along the walk is all calm, lapping water, where even the distant rumbles of the A1 shouldn’t prove much of a disturbance.
St Ninian’s Cave
This walk, near the Isle of Whithorn in Galloway, starts down a wooded lane named Physigill Glen and then along to a pebbly-shored cave that is associated with St Ninian – who is associated with a church he built at Whithorn, which is sometimes described as Scotland’s earliest Christian building. Although there is no historical evidence placing St Ninian’s hermitage in the particular cave, it is likely to have been a place of retreat from the monks at Whithorn. The cave is also a heavy feature in cult movie The Wicker Man.
Torlum Hill
The town of Crieff’s position on the edge of the Highlands makes for some interesting views. Although there are plenty of walks to enjoy, starting at Torlum Hill is great for an easy walk with great views. It’s a straightforward one, giving plenty of time to enjoy the panoramic view that the walk provides. The foreground of trees and farms and houses helps intensify the essence of cosy, scenic Perthshire.
The Whangie
The Whangie is one of the longer walks on this list and is ideal if you have a few hours to spare for a view of the landscape north of Glasgow. The walk takes you up towards Auchineden Hill over some unproblematic moorland. The Whangie itself is a wall of rock, detached from a cliff meaning there is a corridor between said wall and the cliff face that you can walk through. Although presumably caused by glacial plucking, most prefer the local tale that the corridor was made by the Devil passing through for a coven meeting and whacking his tail against the rock and slicing it. I’ll let you decide which answer you prefer.
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