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8
nights from Glasgow to Fort William
The West Highland Way - walk with Make Tracks and trek through an astonishing variety of scenery. Hike from the outskirts of Glasgow,
along the banks of Loch Lomond, then throughthe heart of the Scottish
highlands to the foot of Ben Nevis, Scotland's highest mountain. Enjoy
our most popular hiking vacation, staying in good quality Hotel and
bed and breakfast accommodation, while your luggage goes by road.
There are many good reasons
why theWest Highland Way is Scotland's most popular long distance path.
It is easy to get to. The start and finish are both near to
rail stations, and Milngavie is only an hour or so by public transport
from Glasgow airport. The West Highland Way passes many small towns and villages,
so it is well served by accommodation along its length; and on this
walk you will never be far from locations which are steeped in the history
of Scotland, like the military roads built to suppress the Jacobites
after the 1745 rebellion, or the inns at Inveroran and Kingshouse, where, in more peaceful times, cattle drovers with their thousands of black highland
cattle gathered on their long walks to the southern markets of
Crieff and Falkirk.
West Highland Way - The Route
| Day 1 |
Arrive
Milngavie |
Easy train connections
from Glasgow |
| Day 2 |
Milngavie
to Drymen (12 miles, 19 k) |
Mainly through
hill farmland |
| Day 3 |
Drymen
to Rowardennan (14 miles, 23k) |
Partly through
farmland, then alongside Loch Lomond to the foot of Ben Lomond |
| Day 4 |
Rowardennan
to Inverarnan (14 miles, 23k) |
Nearly all day
alongside Loch Lomond |
| Day 5 |
Inverarnan
to Tyndrum (13 miles, 21k) |
Through Glen Falloch
and past Ben More (big mountain) |
| Day 6 |
Tyndrum
to Kingshouse (19 miles, 30k) |
Across the vast
wilderness of Rannoch Moor to an old drovers inn |
| Day 7 |
Kingshouse
to Kinlochleven (9 miles, 15k) |
A climb over the
Devil's Staircase near the head of Glencoe |
| Day 8 |
Kinlochleven
to Fort William (14 miles, 23k) |
Over another high
pass to the foot of Ben Nevis |
| Day 9 |
Depart
Fort William |
Good train and
bus connections to Glasgow or the West Highlands |
The
best reason for walking the West Highland Way is the fantastic variety
of scenery. The route starts just outside Glasgow and heads through farmland,
but soon crosses the Highland Boundary Fault to reach some of the most
spectacular areas of Scotland. After pleasant walking through Drymen,
the route reaches Britain's largest expanse of fresh water, Loch Lomond.
The route goes by its entire length, skirting the foot of Ben Lomond.
This is the area where Rob Roy McGregor spent much of his time relieving
travellers of their money or cattle, before heading over mountain passes
to his home in nearby Balquhidder (featured in the Highland
Track).
Near the head of Loch Lomond, you will stop the night at the
village of Inverarnan, with its inn formerly frequented by cattle drovers.
Soon after, the great peaks around Crianlarich come into view, the most
notable being Ben More (big mountain). The
middle section of the walk, brings even more variety, passing through
remnants of the ancient Caledon Forest before climbing onto the edge
of the wilderness, the vast watery expanse of Rannoch Moor. Shelter
here is normally at another former drovers' inn at Kingshouse. From
here, the route climbs again, with views across to the magnificent crags
of Buchaille Etive Mor, the Great Shepherd of Glen Etive, which guards
the entrance to Glencoe and Glen Etive. The second last night is spent
at the head of Loch Leven, a fiord-like sea loch, and the last day caps
what should be a fantastic experience as you walk over the Lairigmor
(great pass) and into Glen Nevis, eventually coming to the end of the
Way at the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain.
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