A massive and heartfelt congratulations to John Scott!
After nearly five months, 3,720 kilometres, three countries, 15 National Parks and more cooked breakfasts than he ever wants to see again, John Scott is about to complete the first full walk of the proposed Slow Ways National Parks Trail.
What an extraordinary achievement.
John’s journey has been epic – but it has not been his alone. It has been made possible by the Slow Ways volunteers, contributors and staff from across Britain who have drawn routes, walked paths, written reviews, checked alternatives, fixed problems and shared their local knowledge.
Every route John followed had a story behind it. Every useful review helped him find his way. Every person who contributed to Slow Ways helped make this enormous adventure possible.
The idea of a trail connecting all 15 of Britain’s National Parks has been bubbling away for years. It has been imagined, mapped, discussed, tested and steadily improved by people across the Slow Ways community.
Now, thanks to John’s determination – and the work of everyone who helped build the routes beneath his feet – that idea has finally been walked into reality.
All going well, Join will arrive in Nairn on Wednesday 5 August, almost five months after leaving Cromer in Norfolk.
You can explore this draft map of John’s route in more detail here. You can see the original trail John set out to complete here. An alternative route was also designed that takes in the Midlands and could easily be extended into a Land’s End to John O’Groats route.
By then he will have travelled 2,311 miles on foot, crossing England, Wales and Scotland, visiting every National Park in Britain and passing through London National Park City along the way.
It is a remarkable personal achievement, a huge moment for Slow Ways and a giant step towards creating a new national walking trail.
John’s walk is more than an epic personal journey. It is a joyful and unifying celebration of our three nations, their communities and some of their greatest landscapes.
It also offers a glimpse of what could come next.
Just imagine a national trail connecting every National Park in Britain. Then imagine a wider network linking all our national landscapes with the villages, towns and cities around them – creating connections that are cultural, social and ecological too.
We have built national networks that make it easy to travel by car. Why should we not be just as ambitious for people travelling under their own power?
A properly developed National Parks Trail could bring huge benefits: giving more people the chance to experience these landscapes, supporting the communities they pass through and creating stronger connections between people and place.
For now, the trail remains a wonderful challenge rather than a finished, fixed route. Like walking from Land’s End to John O’Groats, different people may find different ways to complete it.
Slow Ways is made for this. Rather than looking at a map and wondering which paths, lanes and crossings will work, walkers can find routes that have already been walked, reviewed, rated and improved by other people.
We would love to see many more people take on the Slow Ways National Parks Challenge – whichever way they choose to go. John’s trek is a giant step towards making that possible – and an inspiration to everyone who may follow.
Congratulations, John – and congratulations to everyone who helped him get there. Read on for a Q&A!
Read our full press release here.
Our Q&A with John
“Get on with it”: John Scott on walking the Slow Ways National Parks Trail
At 65, Scottish walker, mediator and university professor John Scott took on the Slow Ways National Parks Trail: a journey of more than 2,300 miles connecting all 15 national parks across England, Scotland and Wales.
Having previously completed the Appalachian Trail, John brought considerable long-distance walking experience to the challenge. Here, he reflects on his motivation, daily routine, favourite places, difficult routes and what needs to happen next for the trail to reach its full potential.
Introducing John
Tell us a little about who you are, where you’ve come from and where you’re going.
I am Scottish, 65, married with two step children.
I worked in HR for many years, and my last full time role was as HR director for PwC in the Middle East, before and during the Arab Spring. I now practice as a mediator and am a Professor at the University of Stirling.
I started walking in my mid thirties and haven’t stopped since, including completing the Appalachian Trail in 2000.
I am working out where I am going next and the Challenge is part of this process.
Why did you decide to take on this challenge?
Over 4-5 days in 2025, I was helping test/validate an earlier version of the Challenge.
The idea to take on this challenge entered my thick skull and wouldn’t go away. I wish I had a more sophisticated explanation!
What kept you motivated throughout the journey?
I wanted to walk to and through each of the NPs in the three countries.
I don’t like the idea of failure.
I was helped and supported by family and friends along the way.
And I had access to the Slow Ways network.
Preparation and daily life
What did you carry in your bag?
A change of clothes, meds, tech, waterproofs, docs. I also carried water, snacks and food for the day ahead. I chose not to camp so didn’t carry camping gear. My pack, minus food, water etc, was 12-15 lbs.
What was your daily budget?
I didn’t have one but I did my best to travel modestly.
What did you eat along the way?
I am vegan but it was impossible to sustain this so I ate vegetarian. Typically I ate a large breakfast – I am tired of eating cooked breakfasts and hope never to see them again – and then dinner at the end of day with snacks and sandwiches along the way.
How far did you walk each day?
15-20 miles and sometimes more depending on the route, terrain and accommodation. As I grew in strength and confidence, I hiked longer distances over time.
What was your daily rhythm?
Wake, eat, pack, walk, unpack, eat, sleep. Repeat.
Where was it hardest to find somewhere to sleep, and what did you do?
On the route from Otterburn to Wooler in Northumberland National Park. The Slow Ways network helped with a shuttle service and dinner!
In other places, I simply walked further so eg through the Brecon Bescons I walked more than fifty miles in two days.
People and places
Did you meet many people along the way?
Many fewer than I expected and the routes were often empty of other walkers. It was different in some parts of the Challenge eg the major long distance trails eg the Coast to Coast and parts of the country which are very popular with outdoor types eg the Lake District. The absence of other walkers was surprising.
Which place did you find most beautiful?
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
Were any parts of the country especially good or bad for paths?
The south of England was especially good, whilst some of the inland routes in Wales were especially bad.
Following Slow Ways
How did following Slow Ways make your journey different from following another route? What was better, and what was worse?
It was better because it was more of an adventure and it was exceptionally testing because it was more of an adventure.
What was it like following routes with different ratings and numbers of reviews?
A bit of a lottery, if the truth is known. The poor routes challenged my patience and indeed my body and the absence of any review was always a red flag. Over 2,300 miles it could be demotivating and exhausting.
How useful was it to follow a highly rated and verified route?
It is useful and reassuring because I can focus on walking and not be distracted.
Can you name one or two outstanding routes?
The one which crossed the border from England to Scotland.
Thinking about the journey as a whole, what is the overall state of the trail and its paths?
Generally good but not yet fit for purpose as a long distance trail.
For the moment and understandably so, it feels like a number of day hikes patched together.
Would you recommend that people follow the route you took, or does the trail still need work?
The route is a good one although the criss-crossing of the country can be very frustrating.
Recognising it is very new and volunteer-led, the trail needs substantial work validating good routes, striking out the ones which don’t work, ensuring end points have accommodation options wherever possible and shorter routes on occasion, assuming that some walkers at least will not be camping.
There was originally another version of the route that swept across the Midlands. What are your thoughts on that alternative?
It started in an odd place – Plymouth? – and the route across the Midlands was irrelevant in respect of connecting National Parks. I liked the elegance of the starting point in Cromer, Norfolk.
The alternative route was designed to include the Midlands and could easily be extended into a Land’s End to John O’Groats route.
Highlights and challenges
What was the hardest part of the journey?
On the Appalachian Trail, the route through Virginia is about 500 miles and a sense of making no progress can be felt. It’s called the Virginia Blues and leads to any number of thru-hikers leaving the Trail. The route through Wales is 480 miles and I felt the same, recognising the route is stunning and the people very generous. It felt like a long way from home and a very long way to Nairn.
What was the easiest part?
Walking along the Clyde Walkway and the Kelvin Walkway which took me from New Lanark to Milngavie.
What was your best moment?
Crossing the border from England to Scotland by foot for the first time, after over 40 years of crossing by train, occasionally by car and when hitching in my late teens and early twenties.
What was your worst moment?
I was fortunate to not have one.
What would you do differently if you were to undertake the journey again?
Find somebody to handle all the logistics around accommodation and planning routes.
Make sure all the routes were properly reviewed and documented.
The bigger picture
How does this trail compare with the Appalachian Trail?
Both routes have a purpose and an identity.
The Appalachian Trail is slightly shorter, much more of a challenge and exceptionally demanding.
The Appalachian Trail is clearly north to south or vice versa. The Challenge is none of this!
The Appalachian Trail has a long history and a massive network of volunteers.
Would it make a good national trail or official strategic trail?
I am not sure what the difference is, but it should be our equivalent of the AT.
What would make it distinctive from other long-distance trails?
It has a clear purpose, covers the three countries, has a mix of landscapes and routes and connects the fifteen NPs.
Should a version of the route be signposted?
Over time, yes.
What would you say to someone choosing between Land’s End to John o’ Groats, the England Coast Path and this route? Why should they choose this one?
Land’s End etc seems to me to have no purpose apart from walking from one end of the country to the next, excluding Wales. There is no identified single route and walking the route in the SW, I am told, has little to recommend it.
The Coastal path is long, brutal and coastal, with all the advantages and disadvantages of being on the coast.
The Challenge has a real purpose, offers a mix of landscapes and experiences and covers the three countries.
What advice would you give someone thinking of following in your footsteps?
Get on with it.
What comes next for you?
In the immediate short term, spend time with my family, sleep in my own bed and bury my walking boots forever.
– Ends –
Have you seen Good Ways yet?
What if we took inspiration from Slow Ways and created a network connecting every neighbourhood, station, stop and public destination? And what if we shared thousands of short routes and loops too?
Good Ways is our new app and project to share the best active routes for everyone across the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. We want to make it easier for everyone to enjoy Good Ways for walking, running, cycling, wheeling, horse-riding, skating, swimming, paddling, pushchairs and wheelchairs – whatever their ability, interests or needs.
Sound good? Find out more and become a Founding Member here.
