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Hiking , trail walking shoe advice


vegas-voss

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Wanting to start hitting trails in East Lothian and Edinburgh areas so nothing heavy like taking on mountains just now.Just want to get out and about and explore local areas.So question are Merrell shoes good or are there better alternative in that price range im looking at the Moab 2 ones.Also any recommendations for trails to head for would be good.Would like to hit the peaks one day but for now just looking to take in the countryside.

Edited by vegas-voss
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32 minutes ago, vegas-voss said:

Wanting to start hitting trails in East Lothian and Edinburgh areas so nothing heavy like taking on mountains just now.Just want to get out and about and explore local areas.So question are Merrell shoes good or are there better alternative in that price range im looking at the Moab 2 ones.Also any recommendations for trails to head for would be good.Would like to hit the peaks one day but for now just looking to take in the countryside.


WalkHighlands website, despite its name, is the best source for routes, trails and hills in the Lothians. I'd say comfortable trainers are fine for starting out though with the weather we've had recently expect places to be pretty muddy.

The John Muir Trail is a good place to start and, when I have done it, there are enough options for public transport to get you back to starting points. The Berwickshire Coastal path was terrific in places.

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Auld Reekin'

Avoid anything by Mountain Warehouse; Karrimor are a bit hit and miss too, but some of their stuff’s ok for the price. Merrell & Moab both pretty decent, I think. The ‘25 Walks...’ series of books are worth having (there’s bound to be one for Edinburgh & The Lothians) as are the ‘Pathfinder’ books. There are some cracking walks in E. Lothian, especially along coast and in Haddington area. Some nice walks around Blackness área & Hopetoun estate. Through the Dalmeny Estate from Cramond Brig to Sth. Queensferry is great. Water of Leith up to Balerno is a good walk, as is the canal out to Ratho. You’ve got the option of a pint or two and the bus home from those too!

 

(There’re also various low-level routes in and around the Pentlands which are good & don’t involve actually climbing a hill unless you want to...)

Edited by Auld Reekin'
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8 minutes ago, RobboM said:


WalkHighlands website, despite its name, is the best source for routes, trails and hills in the Lothians. I'd say comfortable trainers are fine for starting out though with the weather we've had recently expect places to be pretty muddy.

The John Muir Trail is a good place to start and, when I have done it, there are enough options for public transport to get you back to starting points. The Berwickshire Coastal path was terrific in places.

Done the first part of John Muir plenty times during lockdown so will explore further of that thanks. 

Edited by vegas-voss
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1 minute ago, Auld Reekin' said:

Avoid anything by Mountain Warehouse; Karrimor are a bit hit and miss too, but some of their stuff’s ok for the price. Merrell & Moab both pretty decent, I think. The ‘25 Walks...’ series of books are worth having (there’s bound to be one for Edinburgh & The Lothians) as are the ‘Pathfinder’ books. There are some cracking walks in E. Lothian, especially along coast and in Haddington area. Some nice walks around Blackness área & Hopetoun estate. Through the Dalmeny Estate from Cramond Brig to Sth. Queensferry is great. Water of Leith up to Balerno is a good walk, as is the canal out to Ratho. You’ve got the option of a pint or two and the bus home from those too!

Thanks will look into them.Can remember doing the Haddinton walks (over 3 hills and then you came to that tower ) at school many many moons ago now.

Wee man at nursery now so free time on my hands and wife still working from home so she could collect him if anything wrong.I dont want to waste my time sitting in the house on a console.

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5 minutes ago, vegas-voss said:

Done the first part of John Muir plenty times lockdown so will explore further of that thanks. 


The Borders Abbey Way was new to me and I really enjoyed it. Didn't know the Borders so the routes were unfamilar. There are routes from Selkirk-Hawick-Jedburgh-Kelso-Melrose. All about a day's walk and all with bus routes connecting each.

If you enjoy walking in the Borders there is a route from Broughton to Peebles called the John Buchan way. Need to time it right for a return bus ride.

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Auld Reekin'
13 minutes ago, RobboM said:


The Borders Abbey Way was new to me and I really enjoyed it. Didn't know the Borders so the routes were unfamilar. There are routes from Selkirk-Hawick-Jedburgh-Kelso-Melrose. All about a day's walk and all with bus routes connecting each.

If you enjoy walking in the Borders there is a route from Broughton to Peebles called the John Buchan way. Need to time it right for a return bus ride.


Yep, good shout with BAW & accessibility for Borders walks: if OP or anyone else on this thread wants any suggestions for routes near Kelso / eastern Borders, let me know.

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Auld Reekin'
19 minutes ago, vegas-voss said:

Thanks will look into them.Can remember doing the Haddinton walks (over 3 hills and then you came to that tower ) at school many many moons ago now.

Wee man at nursery now so free time on my hands and wife still working from home so she could collect him if anything wrong.I dont want to waste my time sitting in the house on a console.


No indeed: good man!

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Unless it's particularly wet and muddy or more severe inclines I can't see past a pair of running trainers for walking if I'm honest.

 

I've got Anatom Q2 boots which I've had for years and are excellent. Or were, they started to degrade a bit now due to lack of care of my part. 

 

I've also got also got a couple of pairs of altbergs that are decent.

 

I've no idea really on walking shoes as I've never owned a pair but as I mentioned above anything not too treacherous I just wear Nike Pegasus... occasionally with seal skinz socks on to keep my feet dry. 

Edited by Taffin
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Some good advice here - 

 

 

Thanks to @Taffin's advice I got a pair of pegassus trail running shoe - love them now for running on rough tracks.  Got a second pair of slightly softer ones that are great for walking.

 

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4 hours ago, vegas-voss said:

Wanting to start hitting trails in East Lothian and Edinburgh areas so nothing heavy like taking on mountains just now.Just want to get out and about and explore local areas.So question are Merrell shoes good or are there better alternative in that price range im looking at the Moab 2 ones.Also any recommendations for trails to head for would be good.Would like to hit the peaks one day but for now just looking to take in the countryside.

Every council publishes maps of the 'Core Paths' in their area. They're quite handy for planning. Here's East Lothian Council's site as an example.

https://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/info/210569/countryside_and_wildlife/12044/core_paths

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Auld Reekin'
11 hours ago, Alan_R said:

Eildon hills at melrose is a good one. 

 

Think it may have been a jkb recommendation that sent me there initially 


:greggy:

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