John Muir Way Scotland · 2025

May 30, 2025

Once from coast to coast through Scotland. But hey – not by rental car, but on foot. We are hiking the John Muir Way from the Scotland’s west coast to John Muir’s birthplace on the east coast. 134 miles and 15 days. We are standing at the starting point in Helensburgh, a small village on the west coast of Scotland. The John Muir Way is much less well known here than the great West Highland Way, so the starting sign is also relatively puny: a plaque on the wall of a small building that has all the charm of a public toilet. Never mind, we take a photo anyway.

Then we walk out of town like Scottish ambassadors in the 16th century. Heavily laden, with a mission, not knowing if we will ever reach the other end. Okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration. Nevertheless, there is inherent magic in every long-distance hike. It seems to start the moment you decide to deliberatly walk an absurd distance on foot in a highly technological age. The moment you realize that you will carry everything you need for weeks on your back. The moment you let go of everything just to find out what you can achieve, knowing that you will never be the same person at the end of the journey as you were when you set out.