Scotland has become a mecca for hill walkers over the years due to the great scenery and unspoilt landscapes. In recent years it has also become popular for long distance walking holidays, this has been helped by the way marking of many trails.

West Highland Way

This is Scotland’s premier walking route and the longest at 152km. The West Highland Way starts in Milngavie, a suburb of Glasgow. From the center of Glasgow it only takes about twenty minutes to reach the start the way.

This is the best supported of all the walking routes, there are many tour operators and bag carrying companies offering their service to make life and walking a little easier on this sometimes rugged walking route.

The route finishes in Fort William in the heart of the Scottish highlands. This is one of the incredible things about walking the West Highland Way – you start in the Scottish lowlands and walk into and through the highlands, along the side of the famous Loch Lomond, through Glen Coe, up the Devil’s Staircase, and finally finishing at the foot of Ben Nevis the highest mountain in Scotland.

Rob Roy Way

Due to the National trust in Scotland now you can have the chance to walk in the footsteps of Rob Roy McGregor, (1671 -1734), one of Scotland’s most notorious outlaws, some would say freedom fighter.

This route starts in Drymen, a small village the West Highland Way passes through. From here it snakes north east for 126km to Pitlochry in the east side of the Highlands. This whole route was recently way marked through the private land after access was agreed. The Rob Roy Way is for the hiker that wants a bit more solitude than the West Highland Way, especially during the busy months between May and August.

Great Glen Way

The Great Glen Way can be walked as an extension to the West Highland Way. It is a 117km four or five night route from Fort William to Inverness on the North Sea Coast of Scotland. The main highlight of this route is walking along the side of Loch Ness, home to the famous Loch Ness Monster.

The Great Glen Way is one of the few long distance routes that can also be completed by bicycle.

The Arran Coastal Way

This is a fascinating 100km coastal walking holiday around one of Scotland’s most famous islands and is often described as Scotland in miniature. It is a wonderful relaxed walk where you walk along beautiful coastal stretches, have the option to climb Goat Fell for a spectacular view or visit the Kings Cave.

The Speyside Way

This is a truly wonderful long distance walk ranging from 100km and five walking days to 148km miles and seven walking days. The route starts in Buckie and you travel south west towards Aviemore and you cannot fail to be impressed by the fantastic landscape in this whisky distilling region of North East Scotland.

By: Sarah James

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Sarah James works as a travel writer for the web and loves her walking holidays. Her favorite walking holiday has been Hadrian’s Wall and the Camino de Santiago in Spain.

Scotland is one of the most scenic and historic places in Europe and has always been a popular tourist destination. The country is small in size but had a wide variety of attractions and places that are well worth a visit.

Perhaps best known for whisky or castles, this country has hundreds of historic castle ruins and sites as well as distilleries throughout. But there are also some fantastic landmarks such as the mysterious Loch Ness and the bustling shops of Glasgow.

Britain can be an expensive place for travellers from Europe or America and so it is important to try and find value for money accommodation during your stay. There are hundreds of hostels around Scotland with the Scottish Youth Hostel Association being the biggest hostel chain in the country.

For people who have never stayed in a hostel before they will find the accommodation basic but suitable for a place to stay. A standard hostel will have dorm rooms with 4-12 beds in each room and usually have linen supplied. Depending on the standard of hostel some also offer some excellent facilities such as Internet access or free breakfast.

The rates for a hostel are by far the cheapest for accommodation with prices ranges from £8-£15 per night. These hostels often have city or town centre locations as well making them ideal for seeing the main sights. Most people who stay here tend to be travelling to multiple destinations sometimes around the world and this is an ideal place to meet new people.

There are also budget hotels throughout the country which offer a higher standard of accommodation and more privacy. These often have basic facilities and are not always as central as hostels, usually being located on the outskirts of main cities.

Many of the hotels are rated by the Scottish Tourist Board and a one or two star establishment tend to be the cheapest options. You can get a room at one of these hotels for as little as £25-£35 per night.

If you don’t fancy a hostel then a guest house or bed and breakfast might be a more suitable alternative. These often offer compact rooms but are usually clean and comfortable and with central locations. They are also a lot more personal service and can be of a higher standard than budget hotels and hostels. These are more suitable for travelling families or older travellers and some have facilities that equal high quality hotels, the owners are also usually a good resource for getting tips on local attractions and general information.

The final option for accommodation is a self catering flat, if you are travelling in a group of 6 or above then these can turn out to be quite cost effective as the price of the flat is fixed so the more people you have the cheaper per person it is. Another advantage is that you get privacey for your group and also self catering facilities so you dont have to eat out each night, which can save you quite a bit of money also.

By: Niall Buchanan

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

There is a large selection of all these types of accommodation throughout Scotland, visit a website like Rooms in Scotland for a selection of accommodation in Scotland.