Suggestions for Hiking: Wales, Scotland or Ireland

Hi,

Can't comment on weather in Scotland's far north but I have often been to the north of England in October and November and the same for Wales. No problems when walking and it often gets too hot.

Food is pretty much the same and that includes Ireland but local knowledge helps a lot. I blame freezers and microwaves and that includes France, I'm sad to say but once our host in France took us to the supermarket where the local cafe bought the local speciality in large tins for about 5 or 6 Euros and that was a nice souvenir...

London (Heathrow) is convenient for south Wales but for mid Wales Birmingham International Airport is OK.

Here's a link about the rail network http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ and there's a PDF map in it somewhere. This is also very useful but you can start dreaming about grand tours and forget why you started looking http://www.seat61.com/index.html#.UsmYabS8uUM

In your shoes I'd not know how to decide between the three countries and England as well.

Regards, David
 
Three great choices in my opinion but if you may visit Ireland later I'd take that out of the equation. I've enjoyed stays in both Scotland and Wales -- but decades ago -- and would hesitate to suggest one over the other.
However, being partial to single malts...well, you can see where that's going. Oh, and Wales, or some parts, used to be 'dry' on Sundays except for 'bona fide' travelers at their hotels. I have no idea if that's still the case.
 
Thanks for the update. My plans are still in a state of flux. I need to be home for six weeks this summer to take care of the house while my wife is in Alaska and Hawaii. But before and after, I can do anything I want.

Now, I usually do a couple foreign trips or wilderness trips each year. I was planning seven to ten days solo in the Boundary Waters canoeing but I am 64 and have a couple stents. My brother in law just had a coronary and luckily the ER was close and my best friend just had open heart surgery. So, do I really want to spent time away with only my dog to call for help?

Instead, I have decided to try out a new motorcycle and a two week trip from Texas to the north shore of Lake Superior. There are people all along the route in case something happens (I am doing that trip in early May).

Now, this fall I am still looking at a long hiking trip. Obviously, there are plenty of people all along the routes I am looking at and hiking without a 40-50 pound backpack is heavenly. Unfortunately, the US does not have anything comparable to the trails in Scotland, Ireland or Wales. However, a friend just returned from the Galapagos and is shouting praises about that trip.

From the US, the cost of hiking in Great Britain or Ireland or spending a week to ten days in the Galapagos is similar. And my sister and her partner want to do a fall foliage motorcycle trip in New England and eastern Canada. They ride Harleys and I ride a BMW (most of the time).

So, thanks for all the information. I will make a decision soon and let the group know. Both hiking and the Galapagos are equally attractive.
 
"Is there much difference between Scotland and Ireland and Wales. I don't mean culturally but physically. I suspect northern Scotland would be the wildest and perhaps least populated."

"There is a 85 mile hike starting in Dublin called the Wickwire Way and I am thinking about it as it seems to be a loop and starts near an international airport. Is anyone familiar?"


Perhaps you mean "the Wicklow Way" - which is a series of paths and trails that start in or near Marley Park in Rathfarnham a well-to-do suburb in the south of county Dublin, the trail rises into the Dublin and Wicklow mountains and come down into a small village in county Carlow. You can of course loop back at any stage to Dublin - no need complete the whole route.

Dublin Airport is in North county Dublin which is not near the start of this walk. Dublin Airport now has many direct flight to various parts of the US and many airlines serve these routes. Shannon in county Clare is the only other airport that has transatlantic flights and is more useful if going to visit the west coast of Ireland.

Note however that Dublin is an expensive city to stay and to eat out.
The most common element linking the 3 places you mention is the wet and windy weather which can happen all year round.

Also remember that in Ireland we use the Euro, but in Scotland and Wales they use their own version of Sterling - the notes are different than you would see in England. In Northern Ireland it is fairly common to see both Euro and Northern Irelands own version of Sterling.

The Wild Atlantic Way is a new (about 2 or 3 years established) series of walks and trails but stretch from the coast of Cork in the deep south all along the western seaboard right up to Donegal in the far north of Ireland.
A lot of resources and investment and indeed marketing were made available for this new tourist attraction. Whereas the Wicklow Way is much older and parts of the trail fade away... it doesn't have the same mass tourist appeal and is usually used by local and knowledgeable hikers.

John
 
Hi,

You've no idea how much I have been thinking and worrying about this!

The problem is that some of the Welsh walks are great but only in Spring time, others are not really Welsh but them I wondered about the Offa's Dyke path where it twice crosses Glyndŵr's Way and can't help thinking that you get a lot of good scenery, towns etc in by making it a circular walk.

Having thought that I then found this:-

https://www.contours.co.uk/walking-holidays/glyndwrs-way.php

and you might like this as a starting point for more decisions...

http://www.visitwales.com/things-to-do/activities/walking-hiking

Regards, David
 
Thanks David. I have actually been corresponding with Contours. They have logistics support in all three countries I am thinking about.

So, a tropical set of islands floating around weird and exotic animals or hiking in possible wet and windy conditions. Both sound very, very attractive for someone who lives in the desert.
 
I finally found the travel company which my daughter and I used in 2014 while hike the West Highland Way. It is Absolute Escapes in Edinburgh and prices are just a bit cheaper then Contours.

Anyway, I have narrowed the choices to the Coast to Coast trail in England. It is 180 miles and rated the second best hike in the world (by who I don't know). Offa's Way in Wales which is 177 miles or combining the East Highland Way and Speyside Way in Scotland for about the same distance. If anyone here has any personal knowledge of any of these hikes I would like to hear from you. Time frame is mid September as I am hoping that would allow for fall foliage.

Am leaning toward the Coast to Coast hike but Scotch is my favorite whiskey and the Speyside Way has a lot of tasting rooms in distilleries along the way.
 
Hi,

My money's on the C to C and you should buy Wainwright's original (1973) book and study it as he created the walk and announced it in the book. It's also an excellent souvenir*. It was updated in 2010. See this link:-

https://www.wainwright.org.uk/coasttocoast.html

You can buy whisky in the evening, after walking...

BTW, I can think of a lot of diversions from the trail, if you have the time or inclination.

Regards, David

PS Edited as book's date was wrong.

* There's several books you might confuse with the original, it has a very bright orange (theme on the) cover and is handwritten.
 
The area around Snowdon is spectacular (much better than Snowdon itself).

Google Crib Goch if you're not afraid of altitude and some scrambling!
 
With Welsh ancestry from my mother's side I always dreamt of Home Rule for Wales for some strange reason, although I am thoroughly Canadian.
 
ktmrider said:
Am coming more and more to the Coast to Coast walk across England. 190 miles at my age?
Click to expand...

Hi,

I said earlier that Wales is pretty and it also has a lot of interesting castles, preserved railways, scenic walks, waterfalls, impressive mountains, glorious sandy beaches with impressive sunsets, Bara Brith and bi-lingual road signs.

So it doesn't have to be all walking. Many places like Conway in the north are worth the visit just to spend a day walking the town walls, admiring and exploring the castle and so on. You could also spend a day photographing and walking the waterfalls in the south and so on. And in the middle is Cadair Idris where you can stand and watch RAF transporter planes like the Hercules fly around and below you...

Regards, David
 
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