How's this for a ripping yarn! Scattered across Scotland’s wildest landscapes, ancient trails trace a largely forgotten chapter of rural life: mourners journeying on foot for miles to bury their dead.
These were no ordinary walks. Coffins were carried over mountains, through rivers and dense woods, without ever touching the ground — acts rooted in deep superstition and age-old belief. What were once solemn rituals of passage are now among the country’s most unusual hiking routes.
Known as coffin or corpse roads, these paths crisscross the Highlands and Islands, linking remote settlements to consecrated burial sites. In The Coffin Roads, author Ian Bradley explores the history, traditions, and folklore surrounding these distinctive Scottish routes.
Unlike similar trails in other parts of the UK, these are uniquely tied to the harsh geography and tight-knit communities of the West Highlands and Hebrides.
Bradley recounts how wakes could last for days and become lively, whisky-fueled affairs as entire villages joined in.
Women trained in keening — ritual laments — followed the men bearing the coffin, which was often shared among groups to ease the burden. Resting spots were marked with stone cairns, many of which still remain, silent reminders of a once-vital communal rite of passage through the rugged land.
Read the full story here.