Southern Upland Way
{{short description|Long-distance footpath in Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox hiking trail
|name=Southern Upland Way
|photo=File:Portpatrick start of southern upland way.JPG
|caption=The start of the Southern Upland Way in Portpatrick.
|location=Southern Uplands, Scotland
|designation=Scotland's Great Trails
|established=1984
|length={{convert|344|km|mi|0}}{{cite web|url=http://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trails/|title=Trails|publisher=Scotland's Great Trails|accessdate=2018-09-20}}
|trailheads=Portpatrick ({{coord|54.843|-5.120|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|format=dms}})
Cockburnspath ({{coord|55.932|-2.363|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|format=dms}})
|use=Walking, horse riding, cycling
| elev_gain_and_loss = {{convert|7775|m|ft}} gain.
|highest=
|lowest=
|difficulty=
|season=All year
|waymark= Yes
|sights=
|hazards=
|website=https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/southern-upland-way/
}}
File:Waymarker at Southern Upland Way.JPG
The Southern Upland Way is a {{convert|344|km|mi|0|adj=on}} coast-to-coast long-distance footpath in southern Scotland.{{cite web|url=https://www.southernuplandway.gov.uk/route/|title=Route Information|publisher=Southern Upland Way government website|accessdate=19 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822141957/https://www.southernuplandway.gov.uk/route/ |archive-date=22 August 2019}} The route links Portpatrick in the west and Cockburnspath in the east via the hills of the Southern Uplands. The Way is designated as one of Scotland's Great Trails by NatureScot and is the longest of the 29 Great Trails. The Southern Upland Way meets with seven of the other Great Trails: the Annandale Way, the Berwickshire Coastal Path, the Borders Abbeys Way, the Cross Borders Drove Road, the Mull of Galloway Trail, the Romans and Reivers Route and St Cuthbert's Way.{{cite web|url=http://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/southern-upland-way/|title=Southern Upland Way|publisher=Scotland's Great Trails|accessdate=2018-09-20}}
The path is maintained by the local authorities of the two main council areas through which it passes: Dumfries and Galloway Council and Scottish Borders Council;{{cite web|url=https://www.southernuplandway.gov.uk/explore/team-suw/|title=Team SUW|publisher=The Southern Upland Way|accessdate=2018-09-20}} a short section in the Lowther Hills lies in South Lanarkshire.Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50000 map. Sheet 78 (Nithsdale & Annandale). It is primarily intended for walkers, but many parts are suitable for mountain bikers;{{cite web|url=https://www.southernuplandway.gov.uk/explore/cycling/|title=Cycling|publisher=The Southern Upland Way|accessdate=2018-09-20}} some sections are also suitable for horse riders.{{cite web|url=https://www.southernuplandway.gov.uk/explore/equestrian/|title=Equestrian|publisher=The Southern Upland Way|accessdate=2018-09-20}} About 80,000 people use the path every year, of whom about 1,000 complete the entire route{{cite web |url=https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/files/2018-09/Research%20Consolidation%20Report.pdf|title=Scotland's networks of paths and trails: key research findings|publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage|date=August 2018|accessdate=2018-09-26|page=6}} and a completion certificate can be applied for through the Southern Upland Way official website. It is considered the most difficult of Scotland's Great Trails but also one of the most rewarding to complete passing through some of the UK's most remote land. A popular and less challenging option is to walk it in two stages: typically Portpatrick to Moffat, then Moffat to Cockburnspath at a later date.
History
It was one of the original four formally designated long-distance routes in Scotland,[http://www.ldwa.org.uk/ldp/members/show_path.php?path_name=Southern+Upland+Way Long Distance Walkers Association's page on the Southern Upland Way] and when it opened in 1984, it was the UK's first officially recognised coast-to-coast long-distance route. Since opening, there have been improvements to the path with improved signage, drainage work, landscaping and path construction. When the route was planned, it was only designed for walkers, but in recent years many stiles have been replaced by gates for horseriders and cyclists. In 2010, "The New Hoard" treasure hunt was created, which features land art and sculpted containers, or kists, which contain coins, known as 13ths, which walkers can collect.{{cite news|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/southscotland/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_9088000/9088715.stm|title=Walking the Southern Upland Way|date=14 October 2010}} In 2014 the way was named one of "the top ten best ever British hikes" by Rough Guides.{{cite web|url=https://www.roughguides.com/article/the-top-ten-best-ever-british-hikes/|title=The top ten best ever British hikes|
date=28 July 2014|accessdate=14 October 2019|publisher=Rough Guides}}
The current fastest time to complete the route is 55 hours and 42 minutes by Jack Scott, set in October 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.fionaoutdoors.co.uk/2020/11/runner-jack-scott-sets-new-southern-upland-way-record.html |author=FionaOutdoors |title=Runner Jack Scott sets new Southern Upland Way record |date= 2 November 2020 |access-date=17 August 2021}} The women's record is 62 hours and 20 minutes, achieved by Jo Zakrzewski in August 2021.{{cite web |url=https://runabc.co.uk/zakrzewski-and-holland-race-across-scotland-to-new-records-1 |website=runABC |title=Zakrzewski and Holland set new records in Race Across Scotland |date=19 August 2021 |access-date=23 August 2021}}
In 2022 Woody Felton became the first person to complete the out and back from Portpatrick to Cockburnspath and back to Portpatrick, completing the 428 miles in a week.{{cite web |url=https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/motivation/a39914810/running-autism/ |title=Gavin ‘Woody’ Felton completes 428-mile run to raise awareness of autism |first=Rick |last=Pearson |date=5 May 2022 |publisher=Runner's World |access-date=21 May 2022}}
The route
The path visits Castle Kennedy, New Luce, Bargrennan, St John's Town of Dalry, Sanquhar, Wanlockhead, Beattock, St Mary's Loch, Traquair, Galashiels, Lauder, Abbey St Bathans, and Longformacus en route. The Sir Walter Scott Way shares the last five places with the Southern Upland Way. The Annandale Way[http://annandaleway.org/ Annandale Way website] running through Annandale from the source of the River Annan to the sea joins the Southern Upland Way briefly at Beattock.[http://www.ldwa.org.uk/ldp/members/show_path.php?path_name=Annandale+Way The Long Distance Walkers Association – Annandale Way]
Between Stranraer and Melrose, the Southern Upland Way forms part of the E2 European long distance path, which runs for {{convert|4850|km|disp=flip}} from Galway to Nice.{{cite web |url=http://www.ramblers.org.uk/info/paths/name/e/e2 |title=E2 Atlantic – Mediterranean |publisher=Ramblers Association |date=2012 |archivedate=12 February 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212121622/http://www.ramblers.org.uk/info/paths/name/e/e2 |accessdate=19 September 2018}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
Publications
- {{cite book| title=The Southern Upland Way, Official Guide| first=Roger |last=Smith| isbn=978-0-11-495170-2| publisher=Mercat Press| location=Edinburgh}}
- Writing the Way – A collection of Journeys along the Southern Upland Way, published to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the route in 2005, available from the Southern Uplands Partnership http://www.sup.org.uk or from http://www.suw21.com
External links
{{commons category|Southern Upland Way}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
- [https://you-well.co.uk/southern-upland-way/ An updated Southern Upland Way guide]
- [http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/southern-upland-way.shtml "Southern Upland Way" by Chris Townsend]
{{UK Trails}}
{{Coord|55|28|N|3|12|W|region:GB_scale:300000|display=title}}
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Category:Scotland's Great Trails