The following FAQ is provided as a courtesy. Always review the tour contract and consult with the group leaders, and Good Shepherd Travel for detailed information. Dates and costs are subject to change.
These questions are about Walk in the Footsteps of John Muir: Scottish Beginnings — a 12-day walk across Scotland, May 14–25, 2027.
The trip
What is this walk?
Follow the Footsteps of John Muir, his Scottish Beginnings, a 12-day walking tour through Scotland’s Central Belt.
When is it, and how long?
12 days. The group departs the USA on May 14 (overnight flight to Edinburgh) and flies home from Edinburgh on May 25.
Who leads it?
Michael M. Conti, filmmaker of The Unruly Mystic: John Muir (2018), and Mike Wurtz, Head of Holt-Atherton Special Collections and Archives at the University of the Pacific, where the largest collection of John Muir’s works in the world is kept. Muir’s journals and letters are read in the places they describe.
Do I need to know John Muir already?
No. The walk is built for people who don’t know him yet — and for people who do. The film is the primer (watch it on YouTube before you go), and Michael and Mike introduce Muir as the walk goes, in the places themselves.
What is the John Muir Way?
A coast-to-coast walking route across Scotland, from Helensburgh in the west to Dunbar in the east, named as The John Muir Way. This walk follows segments of it, with coach transfers between sections — not the whole route end to end.
Price and booking
How much does it cost?
$5,790 per person from Denver, or $4,500 land-only. $423 of the price is taxes and fuel surcharges. The single supplement (your own room) is $1,090.
What is the deposit, and when is the rest due?
A $500 deposit per person holds your place. Final payment is due Saturday, February 13, 2027 (90 days before departure).
When does sign-up close?
Monday, February 15, 2027.
How many people can come?
The group is capped at 34 travelers.
How do I sign up?
Registration is handled by Good Shepherd Travel. Download the brochure and register at the Good Shepherd Travel tour page.
Group reference: S051427. Good Shepherd Travel, 9021 Washington Lane, Lantana, Texas 76226 — toll-free 1-844-659-5263, [email protected], goodshepherdtravel.com.
Can I arrange my own flights?
Yes. The land-only price is $4,500, and you join the group in Scotland. Arranging your own airfare carries a $1,290 credit.
What if I need to cancel?
Cancellation fees, per the brochure.
Is there a surcharge for paying by card?
Yes — credit-card payments carry a 4% surcharge.
What’s included
What does the price include?
Round-trip airfare from Denver (unless land-only), 10 nights in 3- to 4-star hotels, breakfast daily, dinners as listed in the itinerary, air-conditioned motor coach, the John Muir Way passport, entrance fees, lectures and films, Muir docent-led trail guides, Whispers listening devices for the whole trip, and all taxes, fees, and surcharges.
What isn’t included?
Most lunches are on your own — the day-by-day itinerary marks which ones (Days 2, 5, 6, 7, and 9). Dinner on the free day in Edinburgh (Day 7) is also on your own. Personal expenses are yours, and travel insurance isn’t listed in the package — ask Good Shepherd Travel about it when you register.
Where do we stay?
Balloch: the Loch Lomond Hotel (2 nights). Stirling: the Stirling Highland Hotel. Falkirk: the MacDonald Inchyra Hotel & Spa. Edinburgh: the Ibis Styles Hotel (3 nights across the trip). North Berwick: the Abbey Hotel. Dunbar: the Bayswell Park Hotel (2 nights). All hotels are “or similar” — same standard, same town.
The walking
How much walking is there each day?
The walk follows day segments of the John Muir Way, with a motor coach between sections. A moderate level of fitness is necessary. Days involve walking on cobblestone streets, dirt paths, hills, and medieval ruins for several hours at a time. The sites are not wheelchair accessible. Due to uneven surfaces and terrain constraints, individuals requiring oxygen therapy cannot be accommodated.
What will we actually do each day?
Day 1 is the overnight flight. Day 2 lands in Edinburgh and drives to Balloch on Loch Lomond. Day 3 crosses the loch by ferry from Helensburgh. Day 4 tours Glengoyne Distillery and Stirling Castle. Day 5 rides the Falkirk Wheel. Day 6 crosses the Forth to Edinburgh Castle. Day 7 is a free day in Edinburgh. Day 8 follows the East Lothian coast to North Berwick. Days 9 and 10 are in Dunbar — Muir’s birthplace, the cliffs, the rock pools, the Birthplace Museum. Day 11 returns to Edinburgh, and Day 12 flies home.
What is the weather like in Scotland in May?
Spring — mild and changeable. The walk’s own description puts it this way: “Scotland in May is a feast for the senses. The spring warmth is felt, bringing the rugged landscapes to life.” Pack layers and rain gear; the weather turns quickly on the coast.
Do I need a passport?
Yes — a valid passport is required for travel to the UK. Check current entry visa requirements before you travel.
The film and the archive
Should I watch the film first?
Yes — it is the best preparation. The Unruly Mystic: John Muir (2018, 75 minutes) asks the walk’s question: what is it about Scotland’s landscape and his own upbring that made John Muir a mystic? Watch it on YouTube.
What does Mike Wurtz bring from the archive?
Muir’s own words — journals and letters from the largest Muir collection in the world — read in the places they describe. On the walk, the archive travels with the group with the support of Mike Wurtz.
How is this different from other Scotland walking tours?
Most walking tours show you Scotland. This one follows the start of a young life through it — the boy on the Dunbar coast who became the father of the national parks — led by the filmmaker who visualized that life in a film and the archivist who knows the Muir papers like the back of his hand. The route, the readings, and the film all serve the same question of how does a landscape shape our spirituality.
Ready to walk?
Walk in the Footsteps of John Muir: Scottish Beginnings runs May 14–25, 2027, led by filmmaker Michael M. Conti and Muir archivist Mike Wurtz. Sign-up closes Monday, February 15, 2027, and the group is capped at 34 travelers.