Field sheets from the Highlands and Islands

A small independent folio on walking, wild places and travel in the north and west of Scotland. Each sheet answers one practical question, checked against the people who actually set the rules and run the boats.

1
Is wild camping legal in Scotland?Sandwood Bay, Sutherland
2
Where and when to see puffinsHanda, Lunga, Dunnet Head, Orkney, Shetland
3
Midge season and ticks in ScotlandWest and north, below 500 m
4
How many days does the West Highland Way take?Milngavie to Fort William
5
Can a beginner climb Ben Nevis?Ben Nevis, Lochaber
6
Island-hopping the Outer HebridesBarra to Lewis

Numbers match the sheets listed here. Coastline from Natural Earth, public domain.

Buachaille Etive Mor rising above green moor and the white Lagangarbh cottage at the entrance to Glen Coe

Buachaille Etive Mor above Lagangarbh, Glen Coe. Photo: Colin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped).

Latest in the folio

621 October 2026
Getting there

How to island-hop the Outer Hebrides now Hopscotch tickets have gone

Old guides still tell you to buy a Hopscotch ticket. Today you book each leg yourself, in one go, through CalMac's multiple-journey option. It is simple, once you know the order to do things in.

516 September 2026
Hills

Can a beginner climb Ben Nevis? An honest guide to the Mountain Track

In settled summer weather, a fit beginner can walk up the Mountain Track. It takes most people seven to eight hours. The hard part is the summit plateau in cloud, and it pays to think about that first.

412 August 2026
Long walks

How many days does the West Highland Way take?

Six to seven days for most people. The 96 miles from Milngavie to Fort William can be done faster, but the choice of stages matters more than the total.

31 July 2026
Field health

When is midge season in Scotland, and what should you do about ticks?

They usually appear in May, peak in July and August and fade with the first frosts. Midges can ruin your evening, but ticks are the ones to take seriously for your health.

All six sheets

Through the year

Some rules and seasons are worth pencilling on the calendar before you choose your dates.

Late January to mid-FebruaryOne of the busiest periods for deer stalking. Check where it is happening before a hill trip.
MarchCamping byelaws start in the Loch Lomond zones, running to September.
AprilPuffins start coming back. Sumburgh Head sees its first birds this month.
MayThe busiest month on the West Highland Way, and the first midges appear.
July and AugustThe midge season peaks. Pick breezy spots and carry a head net.
OctoberStalking is busy in the first three weeks, winter ferry timetables begin, and snow may start to reach the high tops.

Know a corner of the north well?

We take a small number of original contributions from people who walk, work or live here. Read what we are looking for and send us a pitch by email.