Scotland has some of the wildest and most varied walking in Britain, from easy coastal and city strolls to long days in the hills. Each area below has its own starting towns and routes.

Mountains and glens. The Highland council area holds Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain, along with Glencoe and the hills around Fort William, Aviemore and Portree on Skye. The Cairngorms and Loch Lomond and The Trossachs are Scotland’s two national parks.

Coast and islands. Fife, East Lothian, the Ayrshire coast and Arran in North Ayrshire offer cliff, beach and harbour walks, while Argyll and Bute and the north-west Highlands have sea lochs and island views.

Long-distance routes. The West Highland Way runs about 96 miles from Milngavie, on the edge of Glasgow, to Fort William, and opened in 1980. From Fort William, the Great Glen Way continues 78 miles to Inverness.

Pick an area to see its starting towns and routes. Weather in the hills can change quickly, so take a map or GPS app, warm layers and waterproofs, and check the forecast before heading onto higher ground.