1818 On of Take tour of Clydeside wonderful The Tour of Clydeside is five running races on consecutive days. The first event, a Tour Prologue 7k Trail Race, is on July 30 at 3pm at Bellahouston Park, . walking The following four races start at 7.30pm with Lochwinnoch 8k taking place on mixed terrain at Castle Semple Loch on July 31. Garscube 7k trail race is on August 1 at Dawsholm Park, also in Glasgow. adventure Clydebank is the location for step this way the fourth race, the Canal Bank 8k, on August 2. is latest addition to Walk this Way for everything you need to The Bella Belter 10k road race ’s Great finishes the series on August 3 at know about eight great walks in Scotland another Glasgow park, Pollok Country Park. Competitors can race the full A 65-mile circular Faultline, which divides the The Way series or take part in just one or route around the lowlands from the Highlands Distance: 100 miles. two events. is the of Scotland. Start: Tarbert, Argyll n For more details see www. latest walking path The route starts just north Finish: Machrihanish facebook.com/tourofclydeside to become one of of and passes through Why walk it? The route Scotland’s Great Trails. ever-changing landscapes heads south on the rugged Zip along to The Arran Coastal Way is of hills, lochs and mountains Kintyre Peninsula from the the 29th Long Distance Route to reach the town village of Tarbert on Loch to be awarded the accolade by of Fort William. Fyne to the sandy beach of new activity Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). Many people take a week Machrihanish. Foxlake Adventures in East Scotland’s Great Trails to enjoy walking the route Walkers pass through a wide Lothian is celebrating its fifth include world-famous paths FIONA RUSSELL or walk further each day to diversity of landscapes, taking anniversary with the launch of a such as the West Highland cover the miles in a four-day in coastline, fishing villages, fifth outdoor activity, the ZipTrail. Way and the Way. weekend. hills, moors and forestry. The dual zipwire course over a week or, if you have the Although it can be run in The route is split into seven features three zones up to 30ft To be included in the stamina, do it over a long Scotland’s Great Trails branded 13 hours 40 minutes if you walking days. high with eight obstacles that weekend. n network, the routes must fulfil are Rob Sinclair, the winner www.kintyreway.com span a combined length of 900m. To reach the start at Brodick, of the The The award-winning social certain criteria. you can travel by Calmac Race 2017. Distance: 64 miles enterprise created Scotland’s They must be at least 25 miles ferry from Ardrossan. long and largely off-road with a Start/finish: Blairgowrie, first cable wakeboarding park, in n www.coastalway.co.uk Distance: 79 miles , in 2012 with one overhead clearly defined path. Angus. Way Start: Fort William Why walk it? The scenic cable that pulls wakeboards over There must be waymarking Distance: 134 miles. the loch. A second wakeboarding or signposting and a range of Finish: circular route is located in cable was introduced, followed Start: Dunbar, . Why walk it? Another classic the heart of Scotland and it visitor services along the way. Finish: , Argyll. by an above-water harness-free Collectively, Scotland’s Great Scottish long-distance walk, takes around six days to obstacle ropes course, inflatable What walk it? This is another this is a superb trail that heads complete. Trails offer more than 1900 recent new entry to the ringo rides and segways. miles of well-managed paths through fabulous Highlands The route explores areas nSee www.foxlake.co.uk/ stable of Scotland’s Great scenery. such as Strathardle, Glen Shee from the Borders to the Trails. The John Muir Ways ziptrail/ Highlands. The trail follows the major and Glen Isla. heads coast to coast from natural faultline of the The route name comes They provide great east to west, or vice opportunities to explore the Great Glen, which from the bands of cattle gear of the versa. divides Scotland thieves known as Caterans, best of Scotland’s nature and John Muir was landscapes and to experience from coast who travelled the lands in the week born in Dunbar to coast. 15th to 17th centuries. our amazing history and and left Scotland culture. The average n www.pkct.org/ Didriksons Pani to emigrate to time taken to jacket for kids Why not choose one of cateran-trail America as walk the route is Borders Abbey Way Be prepared for Scotland’s Great Trails to a child. wet summer walk – and set off for a seven to nine days. Distance: 65 miles weather with He went on to n www.highland. Start/finish: Kelso summer adventure? become a leading this kids’ jacket. Here are eight of gov.uk/ggw/ Why walk it? This is a 65-mile The new conservationist and the walk through the beautiful Scotland’s Great Trails founder of America’s Didriksons to try: Distance: 65 miles and rolling landscape of the Pani collection national parks, yet he Start: visiting four Arran never forgot his Scottish roots. offers a Coastal Way Finish: Moray Firth historic abbeys en route. range of The was Why walk it? The Speyside The circular walk in the waterproof Distance: 65 miles opened in memory of the great Start/finish: Brodick Way offers a beautiful route Scottish Borders visits four jackets in man and is likely to take most from Buckie on the shore of 12th century abbeys and bright colours. Why walk it? Described people 10 to 14 days to walk the as a fairly challenging the Moray Firth south–west travels through several All designs length. to Aviemore in the Cairngorm are cut to allow route but with plenty of scenic n Borders towns. johnmuirway.org National Park. The Way is divided into maximum freedom and wildlife rewards, the West Highland Way Arran Coastal Way passes There is also the option of five day-long sections and of movement and are 100 per cent Distance: 96 miles waterproof. The Pani jacket has a through ancient woodland a 15-mile spur to can be walked clockwise or detachable hood and reflective and along sandy beaches and Start: if you fancy an extra day anti-clockwise and started strips.. They can be adjusted at rocky shores. Finish: Fort William of walking. from any town, including the sleeves and hem. The route, which was Why walk it? This original Speyside is famed for its Kelso, Jedburgh, Hawick, The jacket can be extended up originally conceived by and classic long-distance rolling hills, mountains, the Selkirk or Melrose. to one full size with the “extend two local men in the 1990s, walk is a must-do for long- and many whisky n www.bordersabbeys size” function. The jacket, priced links 12 coastal villages. distance hikers. distilleries. way.com n around £60, also boasts a You could walk the route It crosses the Highland www.speysideway.org PFC-free finish. nSee www.didriksons. Join me on my adventures in Scotland’s great outdoors by checking out my award-winning com for retailers. website at www.fionaoutdoors.co.uk. You’ll find lots of great information about walking, Advice cycling, running and other outdoor activities, as well as kit reviews. and ideas