So we are visiting Scotland the first week of April 2023. We will be urban walking in Glasgow and Edinburgh as well as taking some fairly light trail hiking in the countryside like Glencoe, Isle of Skye and visiting Iona. Best recommendations for shoes? Can we get by with just one pair? I have a pair of Merrell Moab low cut hiking shoes but I just don’t think they will be comfortable enough for the cities. Thanks!
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2555 posts
I would not travel with only pair of shoes, especially when rain is likely.
Posted by
TX, USA
4854 posts
Posted by
OP
South Carolina
3 posts
Thanks all! Guess I should’ve looked for the search feature sooner. I appreciate the feedback.
Posted by
Bay Area SF & Uppsala Sweden
1013 posts
Are your shoes well broken in? I've taken my Moab 2 low cut hikers, a pair of light weight evening shoes & a pair of flip flops for hotel rooms on recent jaunts to Rome (LOTS of cobblestones) & Berlin. Wore only the Moab hikers when out touristing & can't imagine anything else for city walking.
Posted by
Boise, Idaho
1258 posts
Altra, of course. Everyone has their preferences around here and no two people's feet are the same. Do not scrimp on shoes. Take two pairs of shoes. You must put many miles on new shoes to see if they work for you. Hiking boots are a different type of footwear and may require extensive breaking in to find hot spots and other flaws. You don't really need waterproof shoes or boots but, if you're hiking many miles off road, you may appreciate the security—until you step in a deep puddle. I use high quality waterproof socks instead. Don't scrimp on waterproof shoes or boots. If you choose to bring boots, wear them on the plane as you would all of your bulkiest clothing.
Posted by
Camano Island, WA, usa
1519 posts
We also went to Scotland in April and I bought boys black leather oxfords by Rockport with rubber soles for general walking and stayed fairly dry. I bought a pair of Mary Janes for dress-up. The Scots dress mostly Sporty, so don't worry about being fancy. On an earlier trip we went in September and finally bought some rubber Wellington tall boots in a hardware/garden shop, because we discovered all the country castles and historic sites had paths that were cut thru grass fields and were wet and muddy. I would not wear any shoes that breath because that just means that they will leak. Also, it did snow in April.
Posted by
Atlanta
5210 posts
No matter what shoes we are wearing, we always have a pair of dry socks stashed in a zip lock bag in our day bag. We've been very glad to have them several times.
Posted by
OP
South Carolina
3 posts
Such great insight y’all. Much appreciated! Will be sticking with my Moabs and taking a second pair as suggested. Really like the extra socks in the day bag as well.
Posted by
89 posts
I wear my Merrell Moabs as every day shoes and for walking 1-2 miles during winter, as they keep my feet warmer than regular running shoes in the cold weather. They should be fine for you. For trail hiking, perhaps some GTX type waterproof shoes would be a good idea.