Undiscovered Scotland

 

The Cateran Trail is a circular walk of 64 miles (103 km) starting in Blairgowrie, near Perth, following in the footsteps of cattle-rustlers (caterans). This waymarked Trail follows ancient paths through glens, mountains and farmland of Highland Perthshire, with fine scenery, heritage and wildlife. The nearest village is never more than 7 miles (11 km) away, and gradients are easy to moderate. The Trail can be completed comfortably within 4-5 days, and there are options to link with the Rob Roy Way, an excursion up Mount Blair, and a weekend Minitrail.

This is one of a range of books produced by Rucksack Readers in their very distinctive style. Designed, as the name implies, to be rucksack-friendly, these guidebooks cover some of the world's finest long-distance walks and most inspiring mountains. They are tough, spiral-bound, lightweight, and, perhaps most important of all to anyone venturing into the outdoors in Scotland, printed on waterproof paper.

Each comes with a fold-out route map; covers the historical and geographical background to the walk and contains a detailed, day-by-day description of the walk. There are also sections on habitat and wild life you are likely to encounter en route. In addition a detailed introductory section covers aspects of planning the walk, when best to undertake it and notes on preparing and packing for long distance walks, including a packing checklist. Combined with ample good colour photography, it is easy to see why this series is so popular. To summarise, this book is robust, waterproof, comprehensive and enjoyable: an essential companion for anyone wanting to tackle the The Cateran Trail.