Southern Scotland walk
Mark Moxon
Land's End to John o'Groats

Drymen
By the time I got to Drymen, my feet were in absolute agony after so many miles of canal walking.

Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a stunning city with an incredible castle, and this modern hostel makes a good base.

Fort William
Fort William was where I bought a new pair of boots, as my other boots had given up the ghost.

Inverarnan
I also didn't stay in Inverarnan, preferring instead the luxury of the Village Inn in Arrochar.

Jedburgh
I didn't realise that my B&B was quite so far outside the centre of Jedburgh when I booked it...

Kilsyth
Kilsyth is an awful place, but at least Allanfauld Farm is a pleasant place to stay.

Kings House
The hotel was full when I tried to book, but luckily there was a spare room in the chef's house.

Kinlochleven
This brand new hostel was clean and friendly, which made it a great place in which to be ill...

Linlithgow
Pretty little Linlithgow is home to Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Melrose
A large and modern affair, this hostel is right by the beautiful ruins of Melrose Abbey.

Peebles
Peebles is a pretty town that straddles the River Tweed; it's lovely, especially if you like vegetarian B&Bs...

Rowardennan
I didn't stay in Rowardennan, instead opting to drive to Loch Long to stay in luxury with my girlfriend.

Tyndrum
Tyndrum isn't exactly huge, but for hungry walkers it sports a Little Chef that's perfect for breakfast.

West Linton
The Gordon Arms is easy to miss on the northern end of West Linton, but it has... yes, hand-pulled beer!

A720 Ring Road
The A720 marks the edge of Edinburgh, and the switch from industrial units to countryside is sudden.

Anchorage Cottage
Anchorage Cottage would be an idyllic location if it wasn't for the West Highland Superhighway.

Avoiding the West Highland Way
I decided to avoid the meanderings of the Way over Conic Hill and joined it between Drymen and Balmaha.

Ba Bridge, Rannoch Moor
Bang in the middle of the moor, the midges and horseflies are lethal, especially when you stop for a rest.

Balmaha
The harbour at Balmaha is the kind of picturesque scene you see on the cover of a guidebook.

Bridge of Orchy
The bridge that crosses the River Orchy was built in about 1750, which was no mean feat of engineering.

Brown Knowe
The eastern half of Minch Moor is exposed and extremely windy, and Brown Knowe is the worst part.

Broxburn Tip
The first of many colourful and bizarre-looking old rubbish tips can be found near Broxburn.

Callendar House Tunnel
This tunnel was built because the owner of Callendar House refused to allow the canal to be visible from his estate.

Cloich Hills
Walking through the forest of Cloich Hills is pleasant enough, though there is quite a bit of logging.

Devil's Staircase
The military road climbs to the highest point on the Way via a long series of switchbacks.

Drovers' Road
In 1803 Thomas Telford started a road rebuilding programme that included this drovers' road.

Dunglass
The path along the southern edge of Campsie Fells is dotted with pretty rock formations like Dunglass.

Eddleston
The descent into Eddleston is a pretty little jaunt, with good views of the hills across the valley.

Eildon Hills
The three Eildon Hills dominate the skyline here, and the view over Melrose is wonderful.

Elibank and Traquair Forest
I'm rarely pleased to see man-made pine forests, but compared to windy, exposed moor, it's a delight.

End of West Highland Way
The West Highland Way ends at a sign by a roundabout, and the Great Glen Way starts at the very same point.

Falkirk Wheel
The incredible Falkirk Wheel carries canal boats 34m vertically between the Union and Forth and Clyde Canals.

Forest above Crianlarich
The views over Crianlarich from the path as it enters the forest make this a great lunch stop.

Forth and Clyde Canal
Despite having 40 locks in 35 miles, the Forth and Clyde has some really long and boring sections.

Galashiels
The Southern Upland Way, which I joined just outside Melrose, winds through the suburbs of Galashiels.

Gleann Ach'-innis Chailein Viaduct
This railway viaduct curves round the valley, and when steam trains pass, it looks amazing.

Glen Nevis
Descending along the valley of Glen Nevis is a pleasant enough way to end the Way.

Inveroran
The Inveroran Hotel sits at the western end of Loch Tulla, on the southern flanks of Rannoch Moor.

Inversnaid
There's not a lot at Inversnaid except a hotel and a pleasant lawn on which crowds of walkers rest.

Joining the West Highland Way
Finally I joined the West Highland Way, which goes all the way to Fort William in the Great Glen.

Kirkintilloch
This is where I left the Forth and Clyde Canal and struck north along a disused railway line.

Lady Lilliard's Stone
This stone contains one of the most amusing poems I've ever read about the Scottish fighting the English.

Loch Lomond Shore
One of the delights of the West Highland Way is the way it takes in so many pretty lochside beaches.

M8 Motorway
The driving rain was so strong that I took shelter under the M8, where a kindly local offered me his joint.

Milton of Campsie
I had to take a diversion in Milton of Campsie, due to works on the track, and I got hopelessly lost...

Missed Turning
I'd intended to take the low route along the edge of the loch, but I missed a left turn right here.

Nevis Forest
From Nevis Forest you can see Ben Nevis, Britain's highest peak, peeking through the trees.

Old Military Road
From this point the Way follows lots of old roads, such as this military road that dates from the 18th century.

Pentland Hills
In the driving rain, the Pentland Hills are pretty desolate, and they feel a long way from Edinburgh.

Philipstoun Tip
The final batch of canalside tips is near Philipstoun, not far from the end of the day's walk.

Pipeline
The huge pipeline that leads down to Kinlochleven used to drive the town's aluminium works.

Ratho
The little village of Ratho has a promising looking pub right on the canal, though it was shut for me.

River Avon Aqueduct
This aqueduct is the second largest in the UK, with 12 arches stretching 273m over Muiravonside Country Park.

River Teviot
The first river of two on this leg, the River Teviot is tranquil and all too quickly left behind.

River Tweed
St Cuthbert's Way follows the banks of the Tweed for some distance, and it's absolutely stunning.

Rob Roy's Cave
This cave has the word 'CAVE' helpfully painted on the side, so you can't miss it.

Roman Road
The Roman road from West Linton to Carlops makes for easy walking and neatly avoids the A702(T).

Strathblane
In Strathblane I decided to ignore the suggested route, and instead stuck to the disused railway.

The Three Bretheren
The Three Bretheren are three huge stone cairns (and a trig point) on the southern border of Yair Forest.

Traquair
I left the Southern Upland Way at Traquair, home to Traquair House, Scotland's oldest inhabited house.

Union Canal
The Union Canal connects Edinburgh and Falkirk, and forms the bulk of the next two days' walking.

Union Canal
Nicknamed the Mathematical River, the Union Canal has no locks and stays at the same height from start to finish.

Water of Leith Cycle Route
This cycle route starts here in Balerno and takes you all the way to the centre of Edinburgh.

Winchburgh Tip
Just before Winchburgh, a tip that looks like Ayers Rock provides the backdrop to a new golf course.

Yair Forest
Yair Forest managed to protect me from the worst of the rain, though underfoot it was soaking.

Jedburgh to Fort William