The Southern Uplands

The Southern Uplands is a belt of hilly countryside that traverses Scotland, just north of the English border. It’s the least populous region in Scotland and, as such, offers remote, unspoilt and rugged country, minus the crowds. This region delivers hill walking at its best with over 100 rounded summits punctuated by rocky outcrops.

There are many charming villages and historical sites in the Southern Uplands including medieval castles and ancient standing stones. Aside from the remote rolling hills, the local landscape features idyllic farmland, tranquil lochs, wild forests and heathered moors.

The Dumfries and Galloway region lies in the southwest section of the Southern Uplands and enjoys a mild maritime climate due to the Gulf Stream winds. There are several beautiful gardens to visit here, including the Castle Kennedy Gardens, the Logan Botanic Garden, Ardwell House Gardens and Dunskey Gardens. The Rhins of Galloway is a stunning peninsula which features spectacular coastal cliffs, beaches, unpolluted air, unspoilt villages and the dramatic Mull of Galloway (Scotland’s southern-most point).

Galloway Forest is renowned for its clear night skies. Its Dark Sky Park boasts over 7000 stars and planets visible with the naked eye. This region is also known for its active arts and crafts community plus music and literature festivals. The Southern Uplands are synonymous with Scotland’s legendary poet and songwriter, Robert Burns.

The Southern Uplands offer a number of day and multi-day walks and there are several tour operators offering a variety of walking trips.

The most well-known multi-day walk in the Southern Uplands is the Southern Upland Way, a “Scottish Great Trail” that covers 338 kilometres. This walk was the UK’s first officially recognised coast to coast walk. In its journey across the country from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, it passes through remote and sparsely populated regions.

However, there are other multi-day walks in the Southern Uplands, including some considerably shorter than the Southern Upland Way. And the walking tour operators have developed walking itineraries suited for all. We can help you choose a walk and an operator that best suits your needs.

The Southern Upland Way is just one of many walks in the Southern Uplands we can tell you about, and help you to plan and complete.