Scotland's East Coast | Trail Planner

Overview

My addicition to coastal journey made a decision for me. I would walk from Berwick to John o’ Groats instead of the Scottish National Trail. I completed a journey along Scotland’s East Coast, approximately 600 miles, in three sections in 2024 and 2025. It is a similar length to the South West Coast Path, but wilder, more rugged, and with several sections without waymarks or paths. There are quite a few formal trails, and a pilgrim path, so I joined up the Berwickshire Coast Path to the John Muir Link Path, to the John Muir Way, to the Fife Coast Path, to the Angus Coast Way, to bits and pieces of an Aberdeenshire Coast Path, to the Moray Coastal Path to finally reach the John o’ Groat’s Trail at Inverness. St Duthac’s Way (an unmarked pilgrim route) can take you from Aberdeen to St. Andrews.

Time of Year

I wonder suggest that the winter months are avoided, as weather conditions can dramatically alter the experience. I was fortunate to walk the final sections in glorious weather, but the train journey back to Wick suggested that a week later would be impassable. Spring is good to avoid overgrown paths, when ticks are a problem. If you manage to avoid a tick you have done very well indeed. I was not troubled by midges at all.

Length of Walk

Approximately 600 miles along Scotland’s East Coast in its entirety. Everything from busy roads to rough pathless coastal cliff tops. Three maps follow. These are near to my actual walking routes, some of which should not be followed. I did NOT walk from Ardersier to Inverness as the B9039 was too dangerous. Other sections are likely to have succumbed to coastal erosion (e.g St. Cyrus), so use these routes with care, including the actual GPX downloads availabe via the Experience Map (red circle icons). Nevertheless, they do help with planning sections that do not follow the formal paths. These GPX routes are hand plotted, and not derived from a tracking device (I use a Garmin Instinct 2 watch and upload those to Strava occasionally).

Berwick to Dundee

Dundee to Cullen

Cullen to John o’Groats

Accommodation and Transport

The north east rail network will be your friend on this journey along Scotland’s East Coast. I made maximum use of services to base accommodation at key towns and cities. There are good bus services on the coastal routes in certain sections, but in others you have very little choice but to walk or take taxis (e.g. Fraserburgh to Cullen).

My experience

I have written a series of blogs for this trip.

Scotland’s East Coast: (Berwick Coast Path, John Muir Way, Forth to Farne Way, John Muir Link)

Scotland’s East Coast: Fife Coast Path (North Queensferry to Dundee)

Scotland’s East Coast: Dundee to Aberdeen via the Angus and Aberdeenshire Coastal Paths, NCN1, and St. Duthac’s Way Pilgrim Route.

Scotland’s East Coast: Aberdeen to Cullen. Stunning beaches and wild coastal walking, and a few quiet roads.

Scotland’s East Coast: Cullen to Dornoch (Moray Coast Trail and 2 days of the John o’Groats Trail) – beaches, forests and roads

Scotland’s East Coast: Dornoch to John o’Groats along the John o’Groats Trail – wild, remote and rugged coastal walking

My itinerary

Part 1

Day 1 – 12 miles – Berwick to Eyemouth, Hotel
Day 2 – 27m – Dunbar, campsite
Day 3 – 29m – North Berwick, campsite at Abrelady via bus
Day 4 – 20m – Musselborough, same campsite at Aberlady
Day 5 – 22m – North Queensferry, hotel via train at Kircaldy
Day 6 – 19m – Kircaldy, same hotel
Day 7 – 20m – Elie, hostel at Antsruther via bus
Day 8 – 26m – St Andrews, hostel as Day 7
Day 9 – 21 m – Dundee

Part 2

Day 10 – 20m – Dundee to Arbroath, hostel Dundee
Day 11 – 20m – Montrose, hostel Dundee
Day 12 – 18m – Inverbervie, campsite
Day 13 – 22m – Portleven, train to Aberdeen, B&B
Day 14 – 18m – Bridge of Don, bus to B&B
Day 15 – 12m – Newburgh, bus to B&B
Day 16 – 25m – Peterhead, cosy B&B
Day 17 – 20m – Fraserburgh, another cosy B&B
Day 18 – 20m – Gardenstown, wildcamp
Day 19 – 18m – Portsoy, hostel
Day 20 – 8m – Cullen, bus and train to Inverness, sleeper service home

Part 3

Day 21 – 8m – Cullen to Buckie, after sleeper service to Inverness, and train/bus to Cullen
Day 22 – 18m – Lossiemouth, B&B
Day 23 – 24m – Forres, hotel
Day 24 – 18m – Nairn, wildcamp
Day 25 – 8m – Ardersier, bus to Inverness (dangerous roads)
Day 26 – 27m – Alness, B&B
Day 27 – 23m – Dornoch, campsite
Day 28 – 24m – Brora, wildcamp
Day 29 – 22m – Berrisdale, hostel (JOGT half way house)
Day 30 – 17m – Lybster, B&B
Day 31 – 20m – Wick, hostel
Day 32 – 19m – Freswick Bay, wildcamp
Day 33 – 8m – Frewick Bay to John o’ Groats, lift to Thurso hostel, train next morning to Inverness and sleeper home