In honor of his birthday this year, and to celebrate his work and legacy, Scotland will officially unveil the John Muir Way today. The 134-mile marked trail starts at his birthplace in Dunbar and concludes at Helensburgh, where he embarked on his journey to the U.S. Surrounded by gleaming lakes and hills, the trail features well-known landmarks including Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh; the Trossachs (Scotland’s first national park); and Muir’s Birthplace Museum.
The trail takes roughly 12 days to walk and a few days to bike, but it can be done in shorter sections. Several historic castles lie en route as does Antonine’s Wall, a stone and turf fortification built by the Romans in A.D. 142 in the Central Belt of Scotland, and now a World Heritage site.
This is a wonderful way to celebrate the life of an individual that had a profound impact on the way society views nature and wilderness. He made great strides for conservation, and changed the way people thought about protecting nature.
Happy Birthday John Muir!
Photo Credit: SierraClub.org