The West Highland Way: A Complete Guide to Walking Scotland’s Most Famous Trail

This experience was absolutely unforgettable! The West Highland Way was a bucket-list trail for me, so hiking it to celebrate my 60th birthday in August 2024 felt pretty special. It was also the first long-distance hike I’d done with my son, who was new to hiking and visiting Scotland for the first time.

We faced a few challenges along the way — not least because he hadn’t trained! — but we overcame them together and made some fantastic memories on this breathtaking trail.

If the West Highland Way is on your bucket list, this guide covers everything you need to plan your own adventure, from what to expect, itineraries and camping, to navigation, resuply and what to pack — all based on our experience.

Getting To And From The Trail

The trail starts in the town of Milngavie, about 7 miles north-west of Glasgow and finishes in the centre of Fort William.

Glasgow To Milngavie

• Train: Glasgow Central Station to Milngavie. Scotrail service
• Bus: Glasgow Central Station to Milngavie. First Bus service

Fort William To Glasgow

• Train: Fort William to Glasgow Queen Street. Scotrail service (4-hour journey)
• Coach: Fort William to Glasgow Buchanan Street Bus Station for connecting services, or straight to Glasgow Airport. Service by Citylink (3-hour journey)

The Coach is much more frequent than the train and runs into the night.

Travel Notes

• If you’re travelling a long distance, plan well in advance (we flew to Scotland, and I booked our flights 8 months in advance)
• Check the calendar – the Edinburgh Festival was on when we travelled, and hotel costs were extortionate
• If you’re travelling by train, check out the guide below for how to find the best price train tickets:

• How To Get To Hiking Trails On Public Transport

How Difficult Is The West Highland Way?

The West Highland Way isn’t as difficult as you might think, although there are some challenging sections, including The Devil’s Staircase (above). Overall, it’s considered a moderate long-distance trail, but it’s definitely suitable for beginners.

• It’s not a technical trail
• You don’t need to know how to navigate with a compass on the West Highland Way
• Extensive long-distance hiking experience isn’t necessary, but a good level of fitness is recommended
• The hardest parts of the West Highland Way are:
  • A climb over Conic Hill — worth the effort for the awesome views of Loch Lomond!
  • A rocky, bouldery (but fun) section along the shore of Loch Lomond, which can be boggy and also includes ladders
  • An exposed 10-mile walk across Rannoch Moor (between Bridge of Orchy and Kingshouse) with no shelter, and a hard track beneath your feet
  • Climbing up the zig-zag path of the Devil’s Staircase — the highest point of the trail (550 m)
  • A steep downhill hike into Fort William. It’s on an easy, broad track, but it is steep, which may affect your knees — and it’s rock hard, which may affect your weary feet!

How To Plan A West Highland Way Itinerary

The West Highland Way trail is 96 miles long, but I recommend you plan your itinerary based around 100 miles or so. This allows for any short trips off-trail to campsites or for resupply.

West Highland Way Itinerary For Experienced Hikers

An experienced hiker can hike the West Highland Way in 5 days (excluding travel), especially if you’re wild camping.

The best way to create your West Highland Way itinerary is to study the map and plan for longer distances where the trail contours the hills, which will make up for the tougher days when you’ll hike fewer miles. Here are a few tips.

Get in plenty of miles on the first day, which is on easier terrain, except Conic Hill. For example, you could hike from Milngavie to Loch Lomond and camp in the Camping Management Zone at Sallochy Campsite (22 Miles) or Lochan Maoil Dhuinne, the wild camping permit site (25 miles) linked below. Your second day would be along the tougher, rocky section of Loch Lomond so you could aim for Doune Byre, maintained by The Mountain Bothies Association (12 miles) or Beinglas Campsite (14 miles). (Distances are approximate.)

Once you’re across Rannoch Moor, another level section where you could get in extra miles, the trail becomes more rugged with plenty of ups and downs. The final day into Fort William offers some good, steep downhill sections, plus a level tarmac walk to the finish.

• Wild Camping On Loch Lomond — The Permit Site
• West Highland Way Campsites – Perfect Places For Backpackers To Stay — campsites, bothies, hostels, and bunkhouses

Medium Distance Days

You can hike the trail in about 7 medium-distance days — a great option if you’re trail-fit.

Plan for an average of around 15 miles a day over 7 days (excluding travel days), and you’ll have enough time to go short distances off-trail for supplies, or perhaps a short side trip up a mountain like Stob Mhic Mhartuin from The Devil’s Staircase.

A medium-distance itinerary means you can take advantage of some of the campsites along the trail, but bear in mind this will dictate the distance you hike on a given day. It may mean some days will be much shorter than others, but that offers another opportunity: time to linger, take in the scenery and enjoy some of the excellent pubs and cafes on the trail!

West Highland Way Itinerary For Beginners

Beginners should plan to hike the trail in 9 – 10 days.

It’s possible to hike the trail with virtually no long-distance training — my son proved that! However, he didn’t find it easy, and I don’t recommend that approach. The trail has some very challenging sections for beginners, so do as much training as you can, especially on hills. Most of the ascent is on the second part of the trail, where plenty of mountains will challenge your legs and lungs, so it’s worth planning longer days at the start and shorter ones after the days along Loch Lomond.

For more comfortable days, keep your gear as lightweight as you can and allow plenty of time for rest. Take advantage of some of the fab campsites (where you could even take a ‘zero day’) and places to eat along the trail.

Our 10 Day Itinerary

We hiked the trail over 10 days but only did 3 miles on the first day — you can easily add those couple of miles elsewhere and hike it in 9 days.

Hiking the West Highland Way with a beginner gave me a fresh perspective. I can’t lie, though: I was frustrated by the low daily miles and often anxious we wouldn’t make it to Fort William. Luckily, my son gritted his teeth, put his aching feet out of his mind and pulled it out of the bag. (Proud Parent moment!).

Here’s our itinerary, including where we stayed and wild camped.

1. 3 miles Milngavie to Craigallian Loch (we arrived late in Milngavie, hence very few miles). Wild camp
2. 13 miles. Craigallian Loch to the north-western edge of Garadh Ban Wood (Garadhban Forest). Wild camp
3. 13 miles. Garadh Ban Wood to Lochan Maoil Dhuinne. Loch Lomond permit wild camp
4. 9 miles. Lochan Maoil Dhuinne to Inversnaid. Stayed at Inversnaid Bunkhouse
5. 7 miles. Inversnaid Bunkhouse to Beinglas Campsite Inverarnan
6. 16 miles (includes a short walk into Crianlarich for supplies). Beinglas Campsite to Tyndrum. Wild camp.
7. 15 miles (including a short walk back into Tyndrum for supplies). Tyndrum to Ba Bridge, Rannoch Moor. Wild camp
8. 8 miles. Ba Bridge to Devil’s Staircase. Wild camp
9. 12 miles. Devil’s Staircase to a plantation near Lochan Lunn Da Brha (NN 100 653). Wild camp
10. 9 miles. Lochan Lunn Da Brha (NN 100 653) to Fort William

Bag A Munro

If you’re fit, you could add an extra day or two to your West Highland Way itinerary and bag a Munro along the route. Several are accessible straight from the path, including

• Rowardennan: Ben Lomond, 974 m
• Bridge of Orchy: Beinn Dòrain, 1,076 m
• Fort William: Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest mountain, 1,345 

See The National Trust for Scotland for more information about Munro bagging.

Would I Solo Hike The West Highland Way?

I would absolutely feel safe solo hiking the West Highland Way — it’s definitely an adventure I’d take on. Here are a few reasons why I think it felt so safe:

• The West Highland Way is very popular, so there are always lots of people around in case you need help
• It’s very well signposted on well-trod paths, which means you don’t have to worry about getting lost in the Scottish mist
• There are plenty of grocery stores, cafes, pubs, and campsites along the trail. This makes it easy to stop for a chat, ask advice, and pick up any supplies you might need
• Finally, I never felt in the least bit threatened by anyone on the trail. It’s a very sociable route, and there are no sketchy areas to worry about.

When Is The Best Season To Hike The West Highland Way?

It’s widely known that midges can utterly ruin a summer hike on the West Highland Way. For this reason, most hikers prefer a spring or autumn hike, when it’s also less crowded. Both seasons provide stunning scenery, from vibrant wildflowers in spring to the rich colours of autumn.

Typical mountain and moorland flora will colour the landscape. Bracken is everywhere. The fresh green fronds will be unfurling in spring, and by autumn the landscape will be gold as it dies back.

The mountain ash (rowan), a beautiful mountain tree, is covered in frothy white flowers in late spring and bright red berries from August to October. They stand like sentinels in the mountains and line the streams and rocky shores of Loch Lomond like a guard of honour. However, one of the best, most iconic sights on the West Highland Way is, undoubtedly, the swathes of purple heather in late summer.

If you choose to hike the trail at the tail end of autumn or early spring, prepare for cold, wet weather (including snow) and ensure the facilities you need aren’t seasonal. Check the daylight hours too, as this could affect your daily mileage. (A full winter hike requires experience and skill that’s outside the scope of this guide.)

That said, you should prepare for rain at all times of year and a drop in temperature at night (especially the further north you get). The weather we experienced in the last week of August and first week of September was wild: a storm on Loch Lomond with 50+ mph winds, torrential rain for days, and temperatures of 20-plus degrees on Rannoch Moor!

The Dreaded Highland Midge

Midges. They dictated a late August, early September hike for me, which was close enough to my birthday to still feel like a celebration. Midge season runs from May to September, so I was hopeful they might at least be diminishing in number by the time we arrived on the West Highland Way. July and August, however, are often quoted as the worst months.

Luckily, we were mostly midge-free! There were a couple of short periods when it was pretty horrible, and once, when it was unbearable: a lunch break along Loch Lomond (annoying), hiking across a short section of Rannoch Moor (dreadful) and breaking camp on the morning of our final day (unbearable!).

Pack a midge net, insect repellent (Skin So Soft or a DEET spray, for example), and antihistamines – it would be foolish not to, even outside of the season (you really don’t want to be caught out!). I also advise wearing a long-sleeved top and trousers, and checking the Scottish Midge Forecast when you’re on the trail.

And here’s a useful tip: pack a mug with a lid! Have you ever experienced a fly in your coffee? Imagine that multiplied by the hundreds! I couldn’t believe my eyes when, after a minute’s distraction, I saw a scum of midges floating on the surface of my coffee! It was unreal!

Ticks

Ticks are parasitic arachnids that live in long grass, heather, and bracken, so it’s likely you’ll encounter them along the West Highland Way.

The reason ticks are concerning is that they can carry a harmful bacterial infection known as Lyme Disease. Although the risk of infection is low, it’s wise to take preventive measures: wear gaiters, or trousers tucked into your socks (light-coloured clothing is recommended), apply insect repellent containing DEET, and check yourself regularly throughout the day. If you find any ticks, remove them using a fine pair of tweezers or a tick removal tool. If you experience any symptoms, be sure to contact your GP.

Read about Lyme Disease on the NHS website for full information.

West Highland Way Navigation, Maps And Guides

Which Is The Best Direction To Hike The Trail?

The official start is at the southern end of the trail at a granite obelisk in Milngavie town centre, and finishes in the north in Fort William at the famous statue of The Walker, sitting on a bench rubbing his aching foot!

We hiked in this direction, arguably saving the best till last. The later stages of the walk in the Scottish mountains are jaw-droppingly beautiful, so most hikers head north. South to north also offers the possibility of a grand finale: a hike up Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain (1,345m).

There are other reasons to hike the West Highland Way northwards. The terrain on the southern section is certainly easier, which means you build your strength as you go. There are more amenities, so you don’t need to carry so much as your legs adjust. Then, as the serene beauty of Loch Lomond falls away behind you, the anticipation of the wild and rugged landscape ahead builds – and it’s not disappointing!

I’m glad we went with convention and hiked from south to north – if I hiked it again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Is The West Highland Way Well-Signposted?

Unsurprisingly, the West Highland Way is well signposted along its entire length, which means you’re unlikely to lose the trail. Look out for Scotland’s Great Trails symbol: the Scottish thistle.

Maps, Apps And Guides

You’re unlikely to lose the trail, but I recommend a map, compass and an app just in case you take a wrong turn, need to go off-trail, etc.

I used:

• Harvey Maps — XT40 West Highland Way waterproof map. The entire route is on one map, making it great value for money
• OS Maps App. Great for broader context (finding routes to nearby towns, etc). Download my GPX file above
• Silva compass
• Trailblazer guide to the West Highland Way. Trailblazer is my preferred publisher for any trail — there’s so much info, from wildlife to history, and the maps are great for planning. Includes a guide to Glasgow and Ben Nevis.

I also recommend:

• OS maps 1:25,000 series
• Cicerone guides — often come with a separate OS Map booklet
• Hiiker — dedicated hiking app

Wild Camping And Campsites On The West Highland Way

Campsites On The West Highland Way

If you’re planning to use campsites and official places to stay on your hike, you’ll find plenty of choice most of the way. The separate guide linked below lists over 17 campsites, bothies, hostels and YHAs and includes reviews of the two places we stayed.

• West Highland Way Campsites — Perfect Places For Backpackers To Stay

Wild Camping In Scotland

Scotland is a wonderful place to legally wild camp, and it really adds to the adventure of hiking the trail.

One of our favourite wild camping moments was after a scorching-hot day on Rannoch Moor. The sunset was incredible, and in the middle of the night, we were excited to wake up and find a huge deer casually grazing right next to our tents! It was utterly magical.

Check out The Scottish Outdoor Access Code for guidance.

• Guides To Wild Camping In The UK

Wild Camping Beside Loch Lomond

Between the 1st March and 30th September, there’s a wild camping ban along Loch Lomond. However, there are alternatives, including a “nearly wild” campsite at Sallochy, a bothy at Rowarrdennan and a wild camping permit site at Lochan Maoil Dhuainne, where we camped. Find out more in this article:

• Wild Camping On Loch Lomond — Is The Permit Area Worth It?

Resupply — Food, Shops And Water

These are the places we stocked up (and filled up!) along the way. You can buy bottled water, and most cafes will fill your bottles, but this trail is perfect for carrying a water filter—there’s clean running water for much of the way (streams, rivers, and waterfalls).

On the first half of the trail, there are a few honesty boxes along the route. Some take card payments, but others only take cash — make sure you have some for snacks and drinks!

What To Pack For The West Highland Way

As usual, my rucksack was too heavy, and although there wasn’t much I wanted to go without on this particular trip, some lighter-weight gear would have made a significant difference. No doubt I could have ditched a few grams, but old kit, food and water definitely caused the pain! If you’re planning to buy anything new, I recommend it’s the lightest weight you can afford.

Here’s a rundown of what I packed.

• Carrying. Osprey Renn 65 rucksack with Osprey AirCover (waterproof); lightweight cabin bag; Lifeventure waist belt; various Osprey dry bags
• Shelter. Wild Country Zephyros 1 tent plus ground sheet (It didn’t fare too well: I fell on it and broke it! Luckily, it was the last night, but sadly, it was old and irreparable)
• Sleep. Thermarest Neoair Xlite women’s sleeping mat; Sea to Summit Reactor Thermolite Liner; Flextail pump/lantern; old Coleman Thermolite sleeping bag
• Cooking. MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe; gas canister; Trangia aluminium cook set; titanium mug with lid; titanium spork; spare lighter; small pan scourer (my son carried a pocket knife)
• Water. Sawyer mini water filter; various water bottles, including 1.5L Platypus; electrolytes
• Light. Petzl ActiveCore rechargeable head torch (+ spare batteries) with Noctilite case that converts it to a lantern (plus the Flextail pump/lantern mentioned above, that my son used)
• Navigation. Harvey map, compass (I photographed sections of the Trailblazer guide so that I didn’t have to carry it)
• Electronics/personal/other. Small first aid kit; trowel; basic wash kit; microfibre towel; suncream; DEET; midge net; small sketchbook and watercolours; sit mat; MSR walking poles; Anker Powercore 313 1,000 mAh battery, foldable-pin charger and various cables, Sony Experia 10 phone/camera

Boots Or Shoes?

I wore lightweight Scarpa approach-shoes (like a trail-runner), which were comfortable and practical. My son wore traditional Altberg boots — far too heavy for me, but he says they’re really comfortable. And, despite the fact he hadn’t worn them in, he didn’t suffer any blisters.

Some Of My Son’s Lightweight Gear

• Carrying. Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 (Vapourwave, 2023) — he recommends it
• Shelter. Tent: Durston X-Mid 1 Solid and ground sheet. He wasn’t impressed — a number of the tabs pulled off, and the fly tore in some strong winds on the last night
• Sleep. Sea to Summit Spark 7c down sleeping bag. A great sleeping bag, but it wasn’t warm enough for this trip
• Other. Anker Prime 27,000 mAh battery bank. It’s not lightweight, but it gave him peace of mind for charging his photography equipment

A new guide to packing for a long-distance trail will be published soon — if it’s something you’d be interested in, you can find out when it goes online in The Extra Mile, my fortnightly newsletter.

• Osprey Renn 65 — Review — after 1,000s of miles, my favourite rucksack is still going strong in 2026
• How To Choose A One-Person Tent After I killed my Zephyros, it was time for a new tent…

This Hike Was Expensive…

My costs for this hike were significantly more than I’d ever spend on a solo hike.

This was for several reasons: my son eats a lot more than I do (especially when he’s hiking); we had an overnight caravan stay (I’d never do that on a solo hike), and eating out – it was a celebration hike after all, and sometimes you have to go with the flow and stop counting the pennies! (Which I did very well, haha!)

This list will give you an indication of what you need to budget for, for two people:

• Groceries: £181.28
• Eating out (cafes, pubs, etc): £156.52
• Gas: £10.00
• 1 campsite and 1 caravan stay: £80.00 (campsites are around £15 per tent)
• Travel to Milngavie from Glasgow, and Fort William to Glasgow (the travel costs you’re also likely to incur): £55.00

Total: £482.80

This is an average of £48.28 per day for 2 people. I’d usually budget for £15.00 per day for a solo hike (excluding travel), though perhaps a bit more now as prices continue to rise.

Our total expenses for the trip, including travel from Cornwall, a stay at a Travelodge, and a cattery (not for us!), was over £1,350.00 — it made my eyes water and my heart race!

The travel costs were higher than expected because the scheduled flight to Glasgow with Loganair was cancelled entirely, so we had to fly into Edinburgh. This meant we had to spend extra to get from Edinburgh to Glasgow. One big takeaway from this experience is the importance of having a contingency fund!

Want To Find Out More?

If this guide left you with more questions than answers, that’s often how the best adventures begin. But if anything does come to mind, leave your questions and thoughts in the comments — I’d love to help if I can.

Let the adventure begin!