Walking the John Muir Way

Travel specialist Anna Lamb from Absolute Escapes takes the John Muir Way to better understand its appeal as a holiday destination.

Wild places are at the heart of what we do at Absolute Escapes. Getting people outside and exploring the wonderful natural beauty we have here in Scotland and the UK is a really rewarding experience and one we’re committed to.

Our sustainability team keeps us on track with our commitment to sustainable tourism and reducing our impact on the environment as a tour operator.  As an active member of the John Muir Trust, we take the opportunity a few times a year to help out with conservation tasks at Glenlude - it’s a day everyone in the team looks forward to.

First-hand experience

My role at Absolute Escapes is to look after our clients' arrangements once they’ve chosen to book with us. Every year, each of our team get the opportunity to experience one of our holidays in order to learn more about the routes and holidays we offer, meeting hosts and suppliers, and experiencing the trail first-hand.

I chose to explore the John Muir Way because I wanted to learn more about John Muir’s legacy and the connection between Scotland and America, with it being so key to the heritage of the trail.

The John Muir Way offers a unique coast-to-coast journey through the heart of central Scotland. It’s a really different trail to some of the others we offer, and has a really diverse mix of landscapes and scenery, whilst staying well-connected to busy, local communities and villages throughout the trail.

Easy to access

I was really impressed by the trail and had a wonderful time walking from Helensburgh to Kilsyth. As a Glaswegian, I was surprised at how easy it is to get to the trail and how quickly you can be at one with nature, surrounded by really rewarding views.

Since my research trip, I’ve been trying to complete the rest of the trail in day trips so I can officially complete the whole John Muir Way!

Every day is different

I think the main thing that I was surprised by was that every day was different. In just one day, you can cross through open countryside, follow a historic canal, wander through woodland, and finish in a lively town for the evening.

Another thing I think is great about the route is that it’s a really gentle and easy walk, and definitely a good first long-distance trail to try if you’re interested.

After experiencing the John Muir Way for myself, and learning even more about what the John Muir Trust does to help support and protect wild places, I decided to buy my own individual membership and support the Trust further.

• If you would like to walk the John Muir Way and get paid for it, consider applying to help us audit it before Friday 10 July.