Take on the challenge of walking one of the world’s most famous long-distance walks and enjoy a feeling of great achievement as you reach the finishing line.
Experience breathtaking scenery as you hike from the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond into the heart of the Scottish Highlands.
Celebrate your achievement in the Highland town of Fort William, nestling at the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain.
Enjoy a well-deserved dram of single malt whisky at Glengoyne Distillery, located a stone’s throw from the path, and visit Ben Nevis Distillery at the end of your walk.
Walk across the bleak and spectacular Rannoch Moor as you approach Glencoe – Scotland’s most famous glen.
Relish the wonderful international camaraderie of your fellow walkers as you put one foot in front of the other, come rain or shine!
The West Highland Way is one of the world’s classic long-distance walks. It stretches 96 miles north from Milngavie to Fort William in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. The route is spectacular, following the banks of Loch Lomond, across the wilderness of Rannoch Moor and into the breathtaking beauty of Glencoe.
The West Highland Way offers tremendous variety and awe-inspiring landscapes, as it winds its way through the majestic Highlands. From Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park to the dramatic mountains of the Nevis Range, it captures the best of Scotland. With incredible views and ever-changing scenery, it’s an unforgettable experience to take on this challenge.
Start at the outskirts of Glasgow and travel along the ‘bonnie banks’ of Loch Lomond through wonderful woodlands. As you approach Glencoe, the great expanse of Rannoch Moor awaits with its desolate otherworldly beauty. Continue over the summit of the Devil’s Staircase to Loch Leven and finally Fort William, nestled in the shadow of Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis.
The West Highland Way is extensively signposted with well-maintained paths and drovers’ roads. You will pass through quaint villages and remote countryside, stopping in traditional pubs and inns for refreshments along the way. Enjoy the spirit of camaraderie that form between walkers on this iconic long-distance route as you immerse yourself in the magnificent landscapes.
Our most popular itinerary is WHW3 which covers the route in 7 days / 8 nights.
Arrive in Milngavie, 7 miles north of Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, and spend the evening at your first night’s accommodation.
Leave Milngavie and head for the countryside and the picturesque village of Drymen. Enjoy easy walking through rolling farmland and visit Glengoyne Whisky Distillery along the way for a dram of single malt.
The West Highland Way heads through Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, and a climb over Conic Hill to the loch-side village of Balmaha provides wonderful views over Loch. Then it’s a walk up the eastern shores of Loch Lomond to Rowardennan.
Continuing along the banks of Loch Lomond. The track rises and falls giving tremendous views of the surrounding water and hills. Enter Glen Falloch and continue on to the small settlement of Inverarnan where you will find the legendary Drovers Inn.
The route continues up Glen Falloch along old military roads as the great peaks around Crianlarich come into view. You will enjoy some superb views of Ben More, before descending into the Highland village of Tyndrum.
On this fantastic day of hiking, the West Highland Way passes through some of the finest scenery in the Highlands as it climbs up past Loch Tulla then across the wilderness of Rannoch Moor to Glencoe. Stay in the remote and historic Kingshouse Hotel.
From Kingshouse the route follows old military roads to the Devil’s Staircase. A climb to the top of this high mountain pass will provide stunning views of the mountains of Glencoe. Then descend into the small village of Kinlochleven, sitting at the head of Loch Leven.
On the final leg of your West Highland Way walk, you will continue along an old military road through the hills, before descending into Glen Nevis for your first sight of impressive Ben Nevis – Britain’s highest mountain. Your walk will follow the River Ness for the final couple of miles, before ending in the centre of the bustling Highland town of Fort William.
After breakfast, you will start your journey home after a wonderful walking holiday on the West Highland Way.
Your West Highland Way walking holiday includes:
Your walking holiday doesn't include:
We offer 6 suggested itineraries for walking the West Highland Way.
Our most popular itinerary is WHW3 which covers the route in 7 days. We also offer a shorter, highlights section from Tyndrum to Fort William (WHW6).
All of the accommodation that we reserve for you has been personally selected by our expert team to ensure it meets our exacting standards. We regularly review our extensive database.
We prioritise accommodation as close to the walking trail as possible. Occasionally, your accommodation may be located a short distance from the trail, or you may need to spend more than one night in the same place, in which case we will provide return transfers.
As an environmentally conscious tour operator we actively encourage the use of public transport by providing clients with a detailed breakdown of travel options in their information packs. The following information may help with your pre-trip planning.
Nearest International Airports: Glasgow International Airport and Edinburgh Airport.
An airport shuttle bus operates between Glasgow International Airport and Glasgow city centre (journey time 25 min). There is also a regular airport bus shuttle service between Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow (journey time 55 min). From here you can travel to Milngavie by train or taxi, which is located 7 miles north of Glasgow.
The taxi fare from Glasgow International airport to Milngavie is approximately £25 (journey time 25 min).
Nearest Railway Station: Milngavie.
A train service operates from Glasgow Queen Street Station and Glasgow Central Station to Milngavie (journey time 25 min). Frequent services operate on the West Coast Mainline to Glasgow.
The journey from London Euston to Glasgow Central Station takes approximately 5 hours.
If you plan to travel by car, it may be possible to park at your accommodation in Milngavie for the duration of your holiday. We can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.
Nearest International Airports: Glasgow International Airport and Edinburgh Airport.
There are regular train services from Fort William to Glasgow (journey time 3 hours 50 min) and Edinburgh (via Glasgow – journey time 4 hours 40 min). Citylink also operates a regular bus service.
Airport shuttle bus services operate between Glasgow city centre and Glasgow International Airport (journey time 25 min) and Edinburgh Airport (journey time 50 min).
Nearest Railway Station: Fort William.
There are regular train services from Fort William to Glasgow (journey time 3 hours 50 min) and Edinburgh (via Glasgow – journey time 4 hours 40 min). On an average weekday, there are 3 trains travelling from Fort William to Glasgow.
The Caledonian Sleeper travels from Fort William to London Euston overnight (journey time 12 hours).
There is also a regular Citylink bus service from Fort William to Inverness (journey time 2 hours), Glasgow (journey time 3 hours) or Edinburgh (journey time 4 hours 30 min).
As the train and bus services can be very busy, we recommend booking your tickets in advance.
If you plan to travel by car, it may be possible to park in Fort William for the duration of your holiday. We can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.
We would be delighted to arrange additional accommodation for you along the West Highland Way.
You may wish to plan a rest day or have an additional night at any of the locations along the route which offer activities or sightseeing opportunities – we’ve made some suggestions below. Please request this when you make an enquiry.
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enquiries@absoluteescapes.com