The starting pistol has officially fired on the merry maelstrom of December, with the annual whirl of parties, shopping, family gatherings and other social obligations under way.

While I adore Christmas and the celebrations it brings, a big downside to this time of year is it can be a wee bit too, well, peopley? With that in mind, here’s my pick of five great Scottish walks to carve out some solitude and escape the festive season drudgery.

Blawhorn Moss, near Blackridge, West Lothian

The hidden, windswept moors of Blawhorn Moss National Nature Reserve are glorious for a head-clearing stroll. Home to the largest and least disturbed stretch of active, raised bog in the Lothians, very little has changed here in the past 8,000 years.

Its thick peat layers were slowly formed from the remn

See Full Page