JOGLPJohn o' Groats → Lizard PointPlan your stagesDE

Part of the route John o' Groats → Lizard Point

West Highland Way

Fort William → Milngavie

Length
141km
typical days
4–6
Ascent
2,709m ↑
Wild camping
yes
Fact sheet
Wild camp spots
easy to find
Water on the way
plenty
Shops
frequent
longest stretch without a shop
30km
Difficulty
moderate
Waymarked
yes
Mobile signal
good
Surface
Gravel, path, rock
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What to expect

preliminary

The West Highland Way is Scotland’s best-known long-distance trail. It runs from Fort William through the Highlands, across Rannoch Moor and along the shore of Loch Lomond to Milngavie on the edge of Glasgow. Most people walk it from south to north. We did exactly that in 2016 and wanted to experience it the other way round this time. The scenery is spectacular, and in terms of drama the northbound direction is the better one, because the mountains keep getting bigger.

It isn’t a wild trail, though. The West Highland Way is well made throughout and very well waymarked in both directions, so you’ll hardly get lost. At regular intervals you pass pubs, restaurants, shops and water points. That also makes it a good first long-distance trail for trying out multi-day walking and getting to know your gear. If you’re after solitude, it’s no longer for you. Far more people walk it now than in 2016, and the infrastructure along the way has grown with them. Heading south, most of them come towards you. In the Lairig Mòr between Fort William and Kinlochleven, the crowds, especially in the first half of the day, looked like a line of ants from above. From Bridge of Orchy onwards it got quieter.

From Fort William you climb steeply through Glen Nevis into the hills and then follow the remote valley of the Lairig Mòr to Kinlochleven. There’s a Co-op and a pub there. After that, the Devil’s Staircase takes you from almost sea level up to over 500 m. It sounds more dramatic than it is. At the top the view opens onto Glen Coe and Buachaille Etive Mòr. Kingshouse has a hotel with toilets and water. Beyond it you cross the wide expanse of Rannoch Moor. Between Kinlochleven and Bridge of Orchy there are around 30 km without a shop. At Bridge of Orchy you can swim in the river, and the pub serves cold beer. In Tyndrum you can stock up at a large petrol station with a shop.

Then you descend from the Highlands into a completely different, greener landscape down to Loch Lomond. The path runs along the east shore, opposite the road. Now and then you hear the traffic, but it’s really beautiful here. On the northern part of the loch you can choose in places between an upper track and a lower shore path. We recommend the lower one if you’re sure-footed. In places it crosses rocky ground where you need your hands. You don’t need any equipment, just careful footwork, and it’s fairly tiring. At the southern end of Loch Lomond the trail goes over Conic Hill. For us it was raining so hard you couldn’t see 400 m, so we left the trail before Balmaha and walked along the road to Drymen. After that you’re in the Lowlands, walking through flat, very easy farmland to Milngavie, where the trail ends in the middle of town.

Most of the climbing comes in the north, with the climb out of Fort William, the Devil’s Staircase and the ups and downs as far as Tyndrum. From Loch Lomond onwards it gets flatter. Many sections run within earshot of the A82, and the traffic noise is often with you. There’s hardly any shade. In hot weather the sun beats down relentlessly, and when it rains there’s hardly any shelter, especially in the northern half. We had both. After hot days we walked through a storm and heavy rain at Loch Lomond.

Technically the trail isn’t hard. By then, though, we already had more than 300 km in our legs. In 2016 we found it quite challenging, mainly because of bad weather and poor gear. Card payment worked everywhere for us.

Coming from the Great Glen Way: The Great Glen Way ends in Fort William, and the West Highland Way starts about 500 m further on. Onwards south: From Milngavie, trains run to Glasgow and on to the south. We don’t recommend walking through Glasgow, as that would mean at least a full day of nothing but city. We took the train into central Glasgow and spent two nights in a hotel there, with a rest day in between. Then we took the train on to Hamilton, south of the city, and joined the Clyde Walkway there.

Our take

Wild camp spots
easy to find
Water on the way
plenty
Shops
frequent

Elevation profile

Elevation profile

Caution

  • Hardly any shade and hardly any shelter. In sunshine carry enough water and sun protection, in rain good waterproofs.
  • Between Kinlochleven and Bridge of Orchy there’s no shop for around 30 km.
  • The lower shore path along Loch Lomond crosses rocky ground. Allow extra time and watch your footing.
  • Between Drymen and just beyond Rowardennan, from 1 March to 30 September you may only camp on campsites or with a permit (National Park).
  • Storms can blow up at night on the loch shore. On our gravel beach the pegs barely held, and one tent collapsed. Weigh your pegs down with stones and look for a sheltered spot.
  • The stones in the rivers are very slippery. Take care when swimming.
  • In Glen Nevis there were thousands of midges in the evening, further south mostly horseflies. Bring a head net and insect repellent.