The Stevenson Way is based on the book Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson. The book describes the tale of a young lad David Balfour, who was kidnapped by his uncle and put on a boat to be sold as a slave in America. On the way there he is shipwrecked off the Island of Mull (on the far west coast of Scotland) and is involved in many adventures as he travels over 300 miles back to Edinburgh. This web site is based on that journey from Mull to Edinburgh and seeks to provide information to assist you in doing the same. Although Kidnapped is fiction, it is based on the real-life murder of Colin Roy Campbell aka The Red Fox in 1752 and David's travelling companion is also another real character: Allan Breck Stewart (whom RLS calls Alan Breck). See the Background tab for further details.

Robert Louis Stevenson

The Stevenson Way starts right out on the West of Scotland on the small island of Erraid, which is just off the Isle of Mull. The route goes through Morvern and then across Loch Linnhe to Ballachulish near the site of the murder of Colin Campbell. Then it is on to rugged Glencoe with its majestic mountains. From Glencoe the Way leads into the great vast wilderness of Rannoch Moor and to the slopes of remote Ben Alder by Loch Ericht. The Way turns south now, heading to Loch Rannoch and on through to the mountains above Bridge of Orchy, near today's West Highland Way, and on to near Crianlarich. It is up and over the mountains now to Loch Voil and Balquhidder, where Rob Roy McGregor lies buried. From here the Way leads on past Callander and Dunblane to Stirling and then along the north of the River Forth to Limekilns, and finally across the Forth to Edinburgh and the statue of David Balfour and Allan Breck at Corstorphine. Overview maps of the route are available below, and each part of the route has a map of the appropriate section of The Route tab.

The route itself covers a wide variety of terrain and while Robert Louis Stevenson gives some excellent detail e.g. the island of Erraid, much of the book is deliberately vague. This gives great scope for a variety of routes! The route in the book is approximately 300 miles (500 km) so this would be the minimum distance. The most difficult section of the route is across Mull and then Rannoch Moor. Conversely the easiest part is from Callander onwards. A map and further details, including the Ordnance Survey maps that are required can be found on each section under The Route tab. If you require further information or want to walk part of the route then please do get in touch.

The Stevenson Way is part of the European Cultural Route: In the Footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson. As there are only around 50 Cultural Routes then this is quite an achievement. The Route takes in places that Stevenson visited right across Europe. The list includes Edinburgh, North Berwick, Bristol, France (the Cevennes, Menton, Fountainebleu, the northern canals), Germany and Switzerland.