Scotland's Great Trails Walking Tour

Scotland Walking Tour | Walk the Formartine, Buchan Way & Rob Roy Way

Odyssey offers easy, convenient, and relaxed escorted small group tours across Scotland and beyond. We explore Scotland's natural beauty, its ancient Roman, and Imperial heritage, its World Heritage Sites, and world famous cities, all with some truly spectacular scenery along the way. This and more is all waiting to be explored on one of Odyssey’s small group tours of Scotland designed for the senior traveller, and led by experienced, and enthusiastic like minded people.

Experience two of Scotland's Great Trails on this guided walking tour with Odyssey Traveller: the Formartine and Buchan Way and Rob Roy Way. Discover the country on these long-distance walks that will take you through scenic glens, rolling farmlands, and beautiful lochs, with plenty of interesting stops along the way. We will walk up to 15 kilometres per day with the help of a dedicated Odyssey Program Leader and local guides.

Scotland's great walks:

Formartine and Buchan Way:

The Formartine and Buchan Way, which follows a former railway line, opened in the 1990s. Gently graded and easy to follow, the walk passes through largely flat terrain. The trail begins in Aberdeen, a prosperous port city with ties to Scotland's offshore oil industry. Leaving Aberdeen, the trail passes through the pleasant farmlands to the charming towns of Auchnagatt and Maud, which rose to prominence as a 19th century railway town. The Aberdeen City Council, which operates the trail, recommends that visitors bring binoculars to better see the many native species of birds that are encountered along the way. Finally, the trail ends at the seaside town of Fraserburgh.

After finishing the Formartine and Buchan Way, we head to Stirling, enjoying a scenic drive through the stunning Cairngorms National Park, which protects the Scottish Highlands. We also enjoy a guided tour and tasting of Scottish whisky at the Royal Lochnagar Distillery and visit Stirling Castle, where Mary Stuart was crowned Queen of Scotland in 1543.

Rob Roy Way:

The Rob Roy Way is named after Rob Roy MacGregor, a Scottish outlaw and folk hero. A cattle trader from the Scottish highlands, Rob Roy lost all his money and defaulted on loans from the Duke of Montrose when his cattle herder was kidnapped. In response, the Duke of Montrose seized Rob Roy's lands, beginning a lengthy feud as Rob Roy blackmailed the Duke's tenants, stole his cattle, and committed other acts of banditry.

Rob Roy also joined his fellow highlanders in the 1715 Jacobite uprising in support of Stuart claimants to the English throne. After the rebellion was put down, Rob Roy was accused of treason - with the accusation added to the earlier accusations of banditry - and he was forced into exile, a fugitive on the run in the wilds of Scotland.

However, Rob Roy's banditry had made him a powerful ally in the Duke of Montrose's rival, the Duke of Argyll, who paved the way for Roy to be pardoned at the end of his life. Rob Roy became a celebrity, with his exploits popularised by Daniel Defoe in his novel Highland Rogue. In the 19th century, writers such as Sir Walter Scott would turn Roy into a Scottish Robin Hood.

Established in 2002, the Rob Roy Way passes through the highland territories in which Rob Roy roamed as a fugitive. Beginning in Drymen, it winds its way to Pitlochry, passing through some of Scotland's most exceptional natural scenery on the geographic fault where highland meets lowland. We will pass the beautiful Loch Lomond, the windswept Ben Ledi mountain, and cross the Glen Ogle military bridge.

Unlike the flat Formartine and Buchan way, the Rob Roy Way's terrain is more varied, and travellers should be aware that this walk involves a fair amount of ascent and descent.

Edinburgh:

Edinburgh, Scotland's capital and second most populous city, is one of Europe's most atmospheric cities. Set upon craggy cliffs and rugged outcrops, overlooking the sea, Edinburgh's dark-stoned buildings seem to have been there for an eternity. Edinburgh Castle, which we visit on the tour, tells the story of Scotland's turbulent - and sometimes gory - history, while the 'New Town' (built in the 18th century), is a testament to Edinburgh's place at the forefront of Enlightenment thought, home to luminaries such as David Hume and Adam Smith. Today the 'Athens of the North' remains a forward-thinking place: check out the edgy comedy at the annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival for proof. Our tour spends one night in Edinburgh, but feel welcome to prolong your stay and uncover this truly unique city.

We also offer an Edinburgh City Tour and a tour devoted to the Fringe Festival, among our other Scotland tours.

For more details, click the ‘Top 5’ or ‘Itinerary’ buttons above! If you’re keen to experience this tour, please call or send an email. Or, to book, simply fill in the form on the right-hand side of this page.

This is a holiday program suited to a senior couple or solo traveller who enjoy a good walk. The total number of participants in this tour will be 12 or fewer with the addition of an Odyssey Program Leader.

Articles published by Odyssey Traveller for Walking and Hiking tours for seniors

To help you prepare for any walking program whether with Odyssey or another company this list of articles is intended to help you prepare for your holiday.

• articles on Selecting walking shoes for women
• article on footwear and walking shoes
• article on what to pack when travelling.
• article on maintaining muscle fitness in senior and mature age travellers
• article on selecting socks for walking
• article detailing six great short walks in Britain
• article on preparing for a walking holiday

Articles about Scotland published by Odyssey Traveller

The following list of articles published by odyssey Traveller for mature aged and senior travellers to maximise their knowledge and enjoyment of Scotland when visiting;

• Visiting Scotland
• Scotland & Scotch Whisky
• Roman roads in Britain
• Understanding British Churches
• Medieval British life
• Icons of British villages
• Studying Gargoyles and grotesques
• New discoveries about Britain's stone circles
• Britain's neolithic past
• Lumps and bumps, how to read the British landscape

See all the articles published on Scotland by Odyssey Traveller.

External articles to assist your Scotland Walking Tour

• Overview of the history of Scotland
• Robert burns; biography of a poet
• National trust; Britain's best walks with Julia Bradbury
• National Parks of Britain.
• Ten books about Walking in Britain from the Guardian

The following external links should assist you in planning your trip to Scotland as a tourist and a walker.

• Hiking advice for women
• Aluminium water bottles safe for water?
• Bringing too much luggage and overpacking the day pack.
• Tips for preventing dehydration when walking

Walk with Odyssey Traveller

Walking in Scotland along the the Formartine, Buchan Way & Rob Roy Way is only one of many walking tours offered by Odyssey Traveller. These active tours are designed for the mature traveller to enjoy in a small group holiday and learning environment.

We also publish articles to give more information to our loyal and prospective clients. You can start by reading our our country spotlight on Scotland.

For more details, click the ‘Top 5’ or ‘Itinerary’ buttons above! If you’re keen to experience this tour, please call or send an email. Or, to book, simply fill in the form on the right hand side of this page.