Walkers enjoying the view

Walking on the Isle of Bute

Welcome to the Isle of Bute group. Bute is a very accessible Scottish island, the main ferry route being across the Firth of Clyde from Wemyss Bay.  

For such a compact island, Bute has a very varied landscape. The interior of the island is hilly, though not mountainous, with conifer plantations and some uncultivated land, particularly in the north. The highest point is Windy Hill at 278 metres. The centre of the island is more agricultural, with sandy beaches to the west and views of Arran, and a more rugged southern coast.  

It is a popular destination for both walkers and cyclists. The highpoint for walkers is the West Island Way, about 30 miles in total covering the entire length of the island, well served by public transport and easily split into 2-3 days walking. 

The group organises a walk every Saturday, generally of 5-10 miles, mostly on the island. Usually, the first Saturday of the month is a shorter, easier walk, with others being longer or over more challenging ground (rough shorelines, forest tracks, etc). Mid week walks are offered on Tuesdays. The 2nd Tuesday of the month is a harder, off island walk, and the 4th Tuesday is an easy access walk to encourage new walkers to join us.

Our current walks programme, and any last minute changes to the programme, can be found on our website and on Facebook. Always check our blog for the latest information, or contact the walk leader.

 

Our walking community

Our group offers a warm welcome to new members and visitors who want to get to know our island more. We organise social activities such as a summer barbecue and Christmas party and our walks often include a stop at a friendly local cafe. Our website includes galleries of photos taken on walks.  

Join the Ramblers and enjoy

  • unlimited free access to 50,000 Ramblers group walks
  • a library jam-packed with thousands of tried-and-tested routes
  • a welcome pack teeming with top tips plus our quarterly Walk magazine
  • exclusive discounts from our partners
  • knowing your support is opening up more places to walk and helping more people discover the joy of walking

Find out more

a group of walkers in enjoying a ramble in a field

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a Ramblers group walking on a grass path with rolling hills in the distance.

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Campaign with us - protect the places we walk

Walking is a simple pleasure that should be open to everyone, so we campaign to remove barriers to walking and we protect the places we love to wander.

Join the Ramblers and enjoy

  • unlimited free access to 50,000 Ramblers group walks
  • a library jam-packed with thousands of tried-and-tested routes
  • a welcome pack teeming with top tips plus our quarterly Walk magazine
  • exclusive discounts from our partners
  • knowing your support is opening up more places to walk and helping more people discover the joy of walking