I'm in Scotland for a long weekend in mid October. Looking for a 2 day hike anywhere within about a 4 hour drive from Edinburgh. Ideally looks for some hills and a loch so shouldn't be too hard. Probably something around 12 miles a day would be great as we are both new to this. We will be/ can camp the overnight stop but ideally it would involve a pub at some stage.
Any suggestions would be great.
DOH - Wrong Forum
Just off the top of my head - Corrour Train Station to Spean Bridge Train Station via Loch Treig, Abhain Rath, Lairig Leacach, Stob Ban and maybe even Stob Choire Claurigh?
I'm going to map this later for my own amusement, not sure of distances but you could take train on say a Friday night, do a night hike to Staonaig/Meanach bothy, then climb Lairig Leacach, go off piste up the west ridge of Stob Ban, descend and re-ascend to Stob Choire Claurigh, take the arete (or so I'm told) to Stob Coire na Ceannain, descend to the Lairig Leacach Bothy, then stroll out triumphant to catch the midday train back to Glasgow/Edinburgh from Spean Bridge 8)
Mmm, sorry, re-read your post, maybe not practical with a car, and no pub stop...
Well no mountains or lochs but the fife coastal path from elie round to st andrews?
Start at elie head in the wrong direction and do the chainwalk, possible camp in the old lookoutpost hidden from view down a cliff. Head back through elie and head towards crail passingthrough lots of pretty fishing villages plenty of refreshment stops, there is a decent cap spot next to some old ruined buildings maybe 20mins before crail itself. The second day is more remote with the exception of a golf course no shops no nothing. Bus back to elie
Anyway. Its an option..
No pub but drive to dalwhinnie, head up to culra bothy. Up early and climb Ben Alder then head back out.
I think Culra bothy is closed just now. Asbestos problems I believe.
Good suggestion though, just do it from the other direction and come in from Rannoch, stay in Ben Alder cottage, do the round, hike back out.
Don't know what parking is like on the Rannoch road though, and it starts/finishes with a pretty boring slog up a forest road.
Although... do it from Corrour, hike up Uisge Garbh, climb shoulder of Ben Alder, descend to bealach and then to Ben Alder cottage, exit via bealach and Uisge Garbh again?
Still not sure of distances, arguably a more scenic approach than Dalwhinnie? (plus the huge bonus of not inhaling asbestos dust! 8) )
I've always wanted to do the round of Loch Mullardoch - nice 2 day outing.