Undiscovered Scotland

 

Mica are known for their superb series of walkers' guides to a number of different areas. Within each deceptively slim volume you find sketch maps and route descriptions for 60 walks, backed up by outstanding colour photography and wonderfully attractive packaging. If ever a series of books were likely to tempt even the most determined couch-potato to don their walking boots and head off into the great outdoors (or some small part of it, at least), then this is it.

"Lothian & Berwickshire Coast" by Keith Fergus is a great addition to the series. There are 53 varied and family oriented walks of between 2 and 9 miles between its covers (we'll come to the other seven walks in a moment), and most have at least part of their route along the fascinating and varied shoreline between Berwick-upon-Tweed in the south-east and Bo'ness in the west. As the author says in his introduction, Scotland's eastern seaboard is seen by many as a poor relation to its west coast. This book helps redress the balance. It looks at a 100 mile stretch of that coast running through the Lothians and the traditional county of Berwickshire. The 53 walks are fairly evenly scattered along the coast and the result is something for everyone, from a walk round Holyrood Park taking in Arthur's Seat in the heart of Edinburgh to an exploration of historic Queensferry; and from the beach and dunes of Gullane to an exploration of the shoreline between St Abbs and Eyemouth.

The last seven walks in this book are rather different in character to those that precede them. Each is a full day's walk, and each forms a stage on the 90 mile Berwick to Queensferry Coast Trail. In effect the trail covers the same ground as the shorter walks in the rest of the book, but it does it with a particular purpose in mind. As long distance walks go, the coast from Berwick around to Edinburgh and Queensferry has everything you could possibly want: variety, interest, wildlife, and the ever changing coastal scenery of eastern Scotland (and a little bit of north-east England). You can never have too many long distance footpaths, and to have one that follows the shore reasonably faithfully (and wherever possible), is a welcome addition to the range on offer.