Mark Gibson and Rob Jeffries

Mark Gibson and Rob Jeffries completed (a version of) the Stevenson Way in one go over 15 days in May 2025

Starting with a camp on Erraid at “Balfour Bay” on 3^rd of May, we used a tent and bothies (with one night of “luxury” in Crianlarich) to make the journey during an exceptionally dry spell of weather. Not a drop of rain fell on us between Erraid and South Queensferry, where we finished at the Hawes Inn.

Notable variations of our route compared with guidance/route on this website.

Mull:

We visited the beach Traigh Gheal in the Tireragan nature reserve. Well worth the minor detour but getting from there to Ardalanish was hard.

We used through the good forestry track in the woods to the east of Loch Assapool.

We descended to the coast at Traigh Cadha an Easa, struggled along the coast to the Carsaig arches and then onto Carsaig. We do NOT recommend this. Firstly, it is very hard going. It took us 2 hours to cover the 2km to the arches. Secondly, the passage around the arches is very exposed on a narrow path and once there, you will feel committed to go on because the only alternative is to backtrack for many hours.

Note from Ian Logan, Stevenson Way: Do NOT attempt the route via the Carsaig Arches - it is difficult and dangerous.

Morvern:

At Ardtornish, we followed the Rannoch river up to Loch Tearnait and over to the Glensanda quarry. We got an escort through the quarry then followed the coastal path to Kingairloch. We took this alternative because we took advantage of the bothy at Leacraithnaich and the costal route to Kingairloch was lovely.

Rannoch Moor:

We followed the West Highland Way and aqueduct out of Kinlochleven, crossing the Blackwater dam at its base.

From Loch Chiarain we crossed and summited Leum Uilleim to descend to Corrour station. We did this because it was an excellent day to be on the tops and it seems to us to be more in keeping with the book than going around the fringes of the moor.

We descended to Loch Rannoch on the track that comes out nearer to Bridge of Gaur. This avoids the very boggy going on the route to Bridge of Ericht.

Rannoch to Balquhidder:

We dropped to Loch Lyon via Gleann Meurain and did not tackle the Orchy Munros. It was so hot, we just couldn’t face it (we also query whether it is realistic that David Balfour and Alan Breck Stewart would have attempted that in poor weather).

We crossed to the A82 at Inverhaggernie and stayed at Crianlarich rejoining the route using forestry tracks a little way beyond Ben More farm. This was a pre-planned stop.

We summited the Stob (why wouldn’t you).

Balquhidder to Edinburgh:

We followed the west bank of Loch Lubnaig to Callander then followed the Keltie water and rejoined the website route prior to Uamh Mor (we climbed Uamh Beag too). This was more out of concern that we wouldn’t find water in the hills after Strathyre.

We found a more direct line from Uamh Mor to the Braes of Doune.

We climbed to the Wallace Monument.

I made the overall route about 450 km and 12,000m of ascent.

Our itinerary was as follows.

May 3^rd Camped at Balfour Bay

May 4^th to Carsaig via Ardalanish and the coast. Camped.

May 5^th via Lochbuie to Tomsleibhe bothy.

May 6^th via Fishnish, Lochaline and Ardtornish to Leacraithnaich bothy,

May 7^th via Glensanda and Kinlgairloch to a camp near Inversanda Bay

May 8^th via Corran Ferry and South Ballachulish to Taigh Seumas a’ Ghlinne bothy.

May 9^th via Glen Creran, the Fionn Ghleann and the Clachaig to the Red Squirrel camp site.

May 10^th via Coire na Ciche to Kinlochleven and to Loch Chiarain bothy.

May 11^th via Leum Uilleim, Corrour station and Loch Ossian to Ben Alder cottage bothy.

May 12^th via Bridge of Gaur to a camp near the Rannoch Forest.

May 13^th via Gleann Meurain and Loch Lyon to a camp by Allt Fionn a Ghlinne.

May 14^th to Crianlarich (hotel) via Batavaime and Inverhaggernie.

May 15^th via the Stob, Balquhidder and Strathyre to a camp on the bank of Loch Lubnaig.

May 16^th via Callander, Uamh More and Doune to a camp near Mill of Agaty.

May 17^th via Stirling Bridge, the Wallace Monurment and Tillicoultry to a camp near Clackmannan.

May 18^th to the Hawes Inn via Culross and the Forth road bridge.

The weather was dry and became hot in the second half of the walk. Midges were absent. Getting water was a struggle on occasions. Other logistics were fine, we resupplied at Lochaline stores, Kinlochleven and Strathyre. We had dropped a couple of caches of food and gas at Taigh Seumas bothy and at Bridge of Gaur and a car was left at Crianlarich station containing a change of clothes.

We didn’t pass pubs and cafes without using them! Shout outs to Ardalanish farm shop, Lochbuie Post Office, Ardtornish estate shop, Kingairloch boathouse (opened especially for us), the Onich 24-hour garage, the Ballachulish Hotel, the Clachaig, the Highland Getaway in Kinlochleven, the Ben More Lodge, the Woolpack at Tillicoultry (we watched the FA Cup final), The Ship Inn at Limekilns and several other cafes in Callander, Culross, Doune, Dunblane and Stirling whose names are forgotten.

In these conditions it was perhaps the walk of a lifetime. In more normal conditions I would say our route on Mull and the section between Taigh Seumas and Glencoe would be challenging to say the least.

Some photos from the trip below (with captions)

@2025 Mark Gibson and Robin Jeffries