Southern Upland Way
Scotland's official coast-to-coast long-distance route, crossing the quiet Southern Uplands from the Irish Sea to the North Sea.
Route overview
The Southern Upland Way is one of Scotland's Great Trails, running approximately 340 kilometres from Portpatrick on the Irish Sea coast to Cockburnspath on the North Sea, making it Scotland's official coast-to-coast route and one of the longest of its official long-distance trails. The route crosses the Galloway Forest Park, the Lowther Hills and the Moorfoot and Lammermuir Hills, passing through much quieter countryside than the more famous West Highland Way further north, with long stretches of forest and rolling upland offering solitude. Most walkers complete the route over thirteen to fifteen days, and because it sees fewer hikers than Scotland's more popular trails, planning accommodation in small rural towns along the way requires more advance booking.
Trail facts
- Country
- Scotland
- Region
- Southern Scotland
- Distance
- c. 340 km
- Typical duration
- 13–15 days
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Elevation gain
- c. 9,000 m cumulative
- Best season
- April–October
- Trail type
- Point-to-point
Safety context
Long remote moorland and forest sections have limited services; weather on the Lowther Hills can be exposed. Standard Scottish hill-walking precautions apply.
Long stretches with limited resupply mean hikers should carry more food between towns than on busier Scottish trails.
Highlights
Galloway Forest Park dark skies and forest trails Lowther Hills high moorland Portpatrick coastal start Cockburnspath North Sea finish
Why find a buddy
A quieter, thirteen-to-fifteen-day coast-to-coast crossing is well suited to a hiking partner for both company on remote stretches and shared logistics planning.
Primary source
Explore and prepare
Discover hikes by intent, read the hiking guides, review hiking safety, prepare a BuddyPack, or browse hiking plans.
Route conditions, access, services and transport can change. Verify time-sensitive information before departure.