Mary Queen of Scots Way

by: Paul Prescott
The Mary Queen of Scots Way stretches across central Scotland from coast to coast, linking many places associated with Mary Queen of Scots. It runs for 107 miles (172 km) from Arrochar on Loch Long in the west to St Andrews on the Fife coast. The Way goes through richly varied scenery, starting from a rugged sea loch, crossing Loch Lomond, and traversing its National Park to the hills of central Scotland, ending on a sandy beach on the Fife coast. It passes mountains, lochs, and waterfalls; castles, hill forts and aqueducts; and is broken into manageable sections which end at welcoming villages and small towns with friendly pubs and B&Bs.

The Mary Queen of Scots Way goes beside and through the Arrochar Alps and hills of Loch Lomond, past the Menteith hills, along the length of the Ochils to the Lomonds of Fife. The Way goes above 1000 ft (300 m) several times, reaching its highest point at Cadger's Yett, north of Glendevon, some 1425 ft (435m) above sea level.

The route links with four of Scotland's Great Trails: the Loch Lomond & Cowal Way, the West Highland Way, the Rob Roy Way and the Fife Coastal Path. This route, however, has no official status: there is no dedicated MQS waymarking, although the guidebook gives detailed directions and parts of it are easy to follow. Some sections are unsuitable for novice walkers unless accompanied by somebody with map and compass skills.

This guidebook contains everything you need to plan and enjoy the Mary Queen of Scots Way:
detailed description of the route from west to east
summary of each section with terrain, grade, and refreshments
map of the entire route in 6 drop-down panels at 1:110,000 scale
section about the tragic life of Mary Queen of Scots
practical information about public transport and travel
lavishly illustrated, with over 80 colour photographs
rucksack-friendly and printed on rainproof paper.

The guidebook provides six, eight and ten day itineraries but recommends the 10-day option for walkers planning to complete the entire Way. The book describes the route in 7 stage chapters as follows:
Arrochar to Loch Lomond - 5 miles
Loch Lomond to Aberfoyle - 16 miles
Aberfoyle to Callander - 10 miles
Callander to Dunblane - 12 miles
Dunblane to Tillicoultry - 11 miles
Tillicoultry to Glendevon - 8 miles
Glendevon to Glenfarg - 13 miles
Glenfarg to Falkland - 10 miles
Falkland to Ceres - 12 miles
Ceres to St Andrews - 9 miles

ISBN 9781898481485 Pages 63 plus fold-out maps (2012) 145mm x 220mm spiral bound