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Using this guide

On Lowther Hill above Wanlockhead (Stage 7)

The SUW has been divided into 14 stages in this guidebook. (This replaces the earlier scheme of 13 stages, two of them over 25 miles.) Each stage is between 15 and 30km (9–19 miles). Most of them end at accommodation points, usually with a shop as well; the others end at road crossings usable for pick-up and drop-off services.

Each stage begins with a ‘summary table’ that shows at a glance the total distance for the stage (plus, in brackets, the additional distance that may be needed to or from accommodation points at the start or end of the stage). The summary that follows provides an overview of the stage and could be read the evening before the section is undertaken to give a feel for the nature of the forthcoming walk. Any possible problems and alternatives are discussed here. (For more detail on the distances between the intermediate points of each stage, please refer to the Itinerary planner (Appendix A).)

The detailed route description that follows is intended for use when walking the Way in conjunction with the appropriate map. Places that appear on the stage maps in this guide are shown in bold in the route description. For much of the Way, the simple instruction of ‘follow the waymarks’ would suffice. But with the funding limitations on both sides of the Scotland watershed, it’s assumed that not every necessary waymark will invariably be in place. There are several new sections of the route that have replaced the original line of the SUW. Note that some old maps may still show the older routes. These would generally be found either unusable, or inferior to the newer path line.