The walking route, the John Muir Way in East Lothian, is to be extended, with a branch taking off at Dunbar, on the coast east of Edinburgh, headed for Loch Lomond and on to Helensburgh.
Its passage by Loch Lomond will also open up a link to the West Highland Way.
All of this is very good news for walkers with a major addition to the portfolio of Scottish long distance trails and a new set of interconnections between trails.
This will also draw a new visitor market to Helensburgh – sadly just as the town has lost the passenger ferry via Kilcreggan to Gourock where an onward connection to Dunoon is available all day, with the 57 Mile Cowal Way.
There is, however, already the Three Lochs Way walking trail from Helensburgh through to Arrochar and the Arrochar Alps up to Inveruglas.
This starts at Balloch on Loch Lomond, the first of the three lochs; comes through to Helensburgh, then curves east inland before veering west again to Garelochhead; north up Loch Long to Arrochar; through to Tarbet; and north again to Inveruglas on the north west shore of Loch Lomond.
