John Muir Way
Explore John Muir Way at your own pace on a full-length self-guided walking holiday. Accommodation, luggage transfer and custom holiday pack included.
John Muir Way
https://www.contours.co.uk/john-muir-way
Cross the magnificent Scottish heartland in honour of the 'Father of National Parks'.
From £530 per person
Named for the ‘Father of National Parks’, the John Muir Way is an energetic walk that strings together the best sights of the Scottish heartland along low-level, approachable paths. Pack your walk with visits to the Glengoyne Distillery, the Roman remains at the Antonine Wall, the world’s only rotating boat lift, the Falkirk Wheel, and Edinburgh Castle, to name but a handful of possibilities.
Canal paths, smooth trails, and old coffin roads lead the trail along lochsides and through rolling fields, with beautiful coastal views over the Firth of Forth. John Muir was all for making the best of the countryside more accessible, and this celebratory route does an excellent job of it.
From £1435 per person
The full John Muir Way trail traverses more than 130 miles along the breath of Scotland from Helensburgh in the west to Dunbar in the east. Along the way, the walk encounters roman ruins, old distilleries, impressive castles and many more intriguing historic landmarks, as well as plenty of charming towns and villages, each with their own unique stories to share.
The scenery along the John Muir Way is fantastically diverse, showcasing sparkling lochs, rolling hills, unspoilt coastlines and rugged mountains, with plenty to discover throughout your walk.
| Code | Tour | Duration | Price per person | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JMW1 | From Helensburgh to Dunbar | 10 days walking | £1435 | |
| JMW2 | From Helensburgh to Dunbar | 11 days walking | £1565 | |
| JMW3 | From Helensburgh to Dunbar | 12 days walking | £1690 |
Travel to Helensburgh where your first night's accommodation will be booked
Helensburgh to Balloch. 9 miles (14.5km)
Balloch to Strathblane(L). 18.5 miles (29.5km)
Strathblane(L) to Kilsyth(L). 13.5 miles (21.5km)
Kilsyth(L) to Falkirk. 13 miles (21km)
Falkirk to Linlithgow. 9.5 miles (15km)
Linlithgow to South Queensferry. 14.5 miles (23.5km)
South Queensferry to Edinburgh. 15.5 miles (24.5km)
Edinburgh to Cockenzie(L). 11.5 miles (18.5km)
Cockenzie(L) to North Berwick. 15 miles (24km)
North Berwick to Dunbar. 15 miles (24km)
Depart from Dunbar after breakfast
This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this tour. Sometimes there may be a shortage of available accommodation in a preferred location, in which case we will transfer you from the trail to your accommodation and back again at no extra charge. Overnight stops marked with a (T) will always require transfers as standard.
Overnight stops marked with an (L) have very limited accommodation, and therefore more often than not will also require a transfer, particularly on bank holidays and weekends. We will use non-transfer accommodation wherever possible.
The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to travel more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation in most cases; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard if practical. A very limited number of stops will require you to travel on foot up to two miles off the trail, however these instances will be clearly communicated to you if applicable.
Further transfers may also be required due to some accommodations having a two-night minimum booking policy, especially at weekends.
Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Dog-friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge, which will be listed below if applicable. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Traveller or Single Supplements apply respectively:
You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:
Crossing through the beautiful heartland of Scotland from coast to coast.
Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Antonine Wall and the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh.
Exploring the many fascinating locations along the trail, including Balloch Castle, Bar Hill Fort, Hopetoun House, Dirleton Castle and, of course, the John Muir Birthplace and Museum.
You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:
To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:
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“All expectations were met or exceeded. Maps, luggage transfer and lodgings were very well done. The material sent prior to the walk was most helpful, particularly about local transportation options. Keep up the good work.”Mr Crocker, USA
“I enjoyed seeing parts of Scotland I didn't previously know. Everything was impeccably organised, including on the two days in Falkirk with taxi pick-ups/drop-offs.”Ms Korkmaz, Switzerland
“The walk was an excellent way of connecting to the West Highland Way from the Pennine Way. Surprisingly rural and quiet most of the time. The digital route supplied worked well but most of the Route had excellent on the ground signage. I think this makes an excellent link route when doing a longer version of Land’s End to John o’ Groats.”Mr Dowling, Ireland
“Immensely. Everything was perfectly arranged with good directions to each accommodation. Enjoyable route, easy walking. Great hosts. I have already recommended this holiday to others. Will book another holiday with you, just need to wait for the body, and the bank, to recover.”Ms Freeberg-Hagen, USA
“Brilliant to be back in Scotland. I really enjoyed this one. Lots of scenic variety, ranging from hills and forests in the west, canals and the Antonine Wall in the centre, and coastal walking in the east. Also lots of extras to see and do along the way - I had a boat trip on Loch Lomond, a ride on the Falkirk Wheel, and climbed Arthur's Seat and Berwick Law.”Mr Julyan, UK
“Interesting, fun, scenic.”Ms Schnitger, USA
“It was wonderful. Everyone replied to our questions quickly and helpfully.”Ms Yatsko, USA
“Varied and interesting walk. I knew before I went that it went through populated areas of the central belt but I was keen to see them on foot. I was surprised by how unexploited the canals are.”Mr Moon, UK
“Another enjoyable holiday thanks to Contours. A well maintained path with excellent way marks. Not a classic walk (ie not in the same class as Pennine Way, Offa's Dyke, West Highland way and some of my coastal paths) but I enjoyed it. Loved it! I was fairly lucky with the weather - just 3 wet days.”Mr Duthoit, UK
