West Highland Way: Before you start
The West Highland Way is a legendary long-distance hiking trail that winds its way through the stunning landscapes of Scotland, offering adventurers a glimpse into the country’s wild and rugged beauty.
Stretching 96 miles (154 km) from Milngavie, near Glasgow, to Fort William, at the base of Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the British Isles, this iconic route traverses a diverse terrain of rolling hills, ancient woodlands, serene lochs, and dramatic mountain vistas.
Whether tackling the entire route in one go or exploring shorter sections at a leisurely pace, the West Highland Way promises an unforgettable adventure for outdoor enthusiasts of all levels.
- Route overview
- History of the whw
Route Overview of the WHW
Starting on the outskirts of Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, the West Highland Way (WHW) starts by following rolling farmland towards Conic Hill and Loch Lomond, the largest loch in Scotland. Working it’s way across moorlands, along rivers and through glens, the trail nestles within the dramatic mountains of Glencoe– one of Scotlands most famous landscapes- before finishing off with steep trails and emerging at the foot of the largest mountain in the UK- Ben Nevis.
Many People aim to complete the WHW within 5-8 days, however it is possible to do it over a shorter or longer period of time.
Getting to the starting point
Glasgow is home to an international airport which has regular flights from mainland Europe as well as two train stations that offer regular train services from around the UK, making it an accessible location to get to the starting point of the WHW route. Glasgow is only an hour away by train from the Capital of Scotland- Edinburgh, and you can also catch a direct bus link which takes no longer than 90 minutes.
At the end of the journey, you’ll be in the hub of the Scottish Highlands, Fort William, where there is a small train station with daily trains running back to Glasgow or Edinburgh, the capital city. If you are planning on exploring the Scottish Highlands further, there is a regular bus service from Citylink, running from Fort William to Inverness, the Highland Capital.
Accommodation on the WHW
There are various comfort options for on your WHW journey, from being hardy and carrying all of your kit and Wild Camping the whole route, or, by luxuriating in one of the Hostels, B&B’s or Campsites along the way. If you are staying in an accommodation, I would recommend booking in advance, as beds get booked up quickly, especially in peak season between April and June and in early September.
For more information about the Right to Roam Access Code and respecting the environment when wild camping, check out our blog here.
- Distance | 96 miles (154 km)
- Duration | 5+ days
- Start/End | Milngavie/Fort William (or vice versa)
- Min Elevation | 23 ft / 7 m
- Max Elevation | 1800 ft / 549 m
- Total Ascent | 13189 ft / 4020 metres
- Total Descent | 13379 ft / 4078 metres
History of the WHW
The WHW route was officially opened in 1980 after Mr Tom Hunter conceived the idea to prevent the area being damaged by future development projects. With help from geographer Fiona Rose, Hunter was granted approval in 1974 to develop the route.
The route was first created by joining pre-existing roads and pathways that consisted of Drovers roads- which date back several hundreds of years and were use to move livestock herds across the country, Coaching Roads- used for horse drawn coaches to transport passengers and goods across long distances, as well as, military roads, which were constructed in the 18th century to link areas of the highlands during the time of the Jacobite uprising.
In past 40 years, since the opening of the route, the WHW has seen thousands of people walking the route, or sections of it. It has since became the first trail in Europe to become part of the International Appalachian Trail.
Top Tips for planning your WHW adventure
Pack clothes for all weather
Scotland is known for it’s drastic weather changes, where you can sometimes get all four seasons in one day! Pack clothes for all weather types, and make sure you always have one set of ‘dry clothes’.
Break in your footwear
I can’t express how important it is to break in your footwear before your WHW adventure. This allows your shoe to mould to your foot, and helps prevent blisters- which is the last thing you want!
Buy Midgey (Scottish mosquitoes) Repellent
Scottish midgeys are no joke, they really can ruin your trip if you don’t use the correct repellant. The Highlands are perfect land for the Midgeys to congregate and will swarm in there thousands around you, there bites will leave you with small pimple-like itchy spots.
Use a Midgey net and insect repellent to poorest yourself, we recommend Smidge!
Use a bag transfer service
Make your life a little easier on the WHW, by using a bag transfer service. This service will take your bag from wherever you start in the day, to where you plan to end your day, and saves you carrying an extra 20kg on your back.
Here is some more information on how the bag transfer service works.
Use Dry Bags!
Dry bags are a life saver for your trip, in Scotland when it starts to rain it can last hours, or sometimes days! Dry bags will keep all of your equipment dry and organised in your backpack- a must buy for having a more enjoyable WHW experience.
Intrepidus Outdoors is an adventure tours and outdoor experience providers, based in Edinburgh, Scotland, that specialises in private and open canyoning, coasteering, mountain biking and hill walking tours.
My Adventure Edinburgh (Part of the Intrepidus Group) is an outdoor tours provider that specialises in canyoning, coasteering, canoeing and hillwalking tours. As well as delivering these adventurous experiences across Scotland, My Adventure is also a provider of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Expeditions where we run bronze, silver and gold level awards for young people.
If you are looking for additional information about adventures from Edinburgh, we have published a number of blogs:
- Open Coasteering guide here
- Adventures in Edinburgh here
- A guide to Wild Swimming in Scotland here
- Eight Scottish Wonders- by Paul Lamarra here
- High and Mighty- Bouldering in Scotland here
- Top tips for backpacking Scotland here
- 6 steps to being happy like a Scot here
- You’ll never get bored in Edinburgh here
- Best Budget Hotels and Hostels Edinburgh here
- Hen Party Adventures Edinburgh: here
- Stag Party Outdoor Adventures Edinburgh Essentials: here
If you haven’t already seen it, check out the our Trip Advisor, Youtube channeland check us out on Visit Scotland.
