Compare Scotland’s West Highland Way Hike by Distant Journeys vs Grand Tour of Scotland, England & Wales by Tours of Distinction

Day 1:

Pickup at the Glasgow International Airport, transfer to Drymen. This village, with its quaint village green, boasts one of the oldest registered pubs in Scotland, established in 1734. After settling in at our B&B, we will meet as a group for our welcome dinner and orientation.

Day 2:

Leaving Dryman, we join the “Way” just outside the village. Walking on a wide track, we ascend gradually through the Garadhban Forest as we approach our first major climb of the route, Conic Hill (1,184′). From the top we’ll have great views of Loch Lomond and the mountainous Scottish countryside. After a steep descent, we arrive in the small village of Balmaha on the shore of Loch Lomond. Britain’s largest body of water, 23 miles long, Loch Lomond was formed by a glacier about 10,000 years ago.

Optional side trip to the island of Inchcailloch

One of the five islands at the mouth of the Endrick River managed as a nature reserve, Inchcailloch, “a jewel in Loch Lomond,” is well worth the trip. A small ferry goes from Balmaha across to the island, where there are a number of trails and beautiful views looking back at Ben Lomond and down the length of Loch Lomond.

Day 3:

We’ll begin the day with a short transfer to Rowardennan, where we begin our hike of Ben Lomond. In 1891, Sir Hugo Munro published the first list of all Scotland’s peaks over 3,000 feet. Until then there had been much debate as to exactly how many 3,000-ft peaks there actually were in Scotland. Since then, these peaks have been referred to as “The Munros,” and there are 282 of them. Ben Lomond, (3,195′) is the most southerly of Scotland’s Munros. It stands high above Loch Lomond and is the first real mountain we will pass along the route of the West Highland Way. From the summit, we will have superb views of both the Highlands and the Lowlands.  Overnight in Rowardennan.

Day 4:

Leaving the Rowardennan, we continue our hike along Loch Lomond. This section is considered by many to be the most arduous section of the “Way.” The trail hugs the shore, crossing sections encumbered by boulders and tree roots. The scenery, however, is spectacular as we hike among an oak forest with views across the Loch, including the landmark of the “Cobbler,” a rugged mountain on the opposite side. Continuing alongside the lake, we will pass by Rob Roy’s Cave, the hideaway of the Scottish hero Rob Roy MacGregor, known as the Robin Hood of the Highlands. Near the end of the Loch we will take a short ferry ride across to Ardlui.

From Ardlui we will transfer to Bridge of Orchy. Passing through Glen Falloch and alongside the River Fallock, we will parallel the drover roads. These roads were created during the 17th and 18th centuries in order to get cattle to market in the Lowlands. Some villages along the “Way” saw almost 100,000 sheep and 10,000 heads of cattle pass through each year. We will enjoy the fine mountain scenery, which includes the picturesque cone of Beinn Odhar, and then the more imposing Beinn Dorian, before reaching the village of Bridge of Orchy and entering the Highlands proper. Independent dinner.

Day 5:

We begin hiking, crossing the “Bridge” as we leave the village, and have a short climb with distant views of the Rannoch Moor, which we will be crossing later in the day. Overlooking Inveroran and Loch Tulla, the trail descends to Inveroran, where we can stop for a morning coffee before beginning our hike across the Black Mount. This is the most exposed and isolated section of the “Way.” A challenging day, but we will be rewarded with the beautiful landscape of the Highlands. The Black Mount is a high moorland plateau between the large mountains to the west and the Rannoch Moor to the east. We climb gradually to the summit at 1,500′ and then begin our long, gradual descent to the Kings House Hotel, built in the 17th century, and believed to be one of Scotland’s oldest licensed inns.

Day 6:
We will have a shorter hike today, though still demanding, as we cross over the highest point of the “Way” at 1,850 feet. The climb begins with the “Devil’s Staircase.” Not as bad as the name may suggest, the route follows an old military road built in 1750 by roughly 450 soldiers. The nickname comes from the switchback section near the summit. As the long descent to Kinlochleven begins and the views of the Glen Coe Mountains are behind us, we’ll enjoy the new scenery that lies ahead; the ridges of the Mamores with the massif of Ben Nevis rising behind it.

Day 7:

The last day on the “Way” begins with a climb of 900 feet, arriving at the Lairigmor, the “great pass,” situated between high hills on the left and the even higher Mamores to our right. There are eleven Munros in this section of the West Highland Way. As we descend to Fort William, our destination, the route travels through the Nevis Forest, with distant views of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain. One of Scotland’s main attractions at 4,406′, “The Ben”, with its rocky summit and 2,000-foot cliffs on the North Face, often has snow on its peak even in summer. With a great sense of accomplishment we arrive in Fort William and the end of this great journey!

Day 8:

Weather permitting, we will have an opportunity to hike Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain at 4,409′. Dominating the landscape around Fort William, Ben Nevis begins its rise directly from sea level. Another option is a day hike to Steall Falls in the Nevis Gorge. This is a shorter hike, but follows the dramatic Nevis Gorge to the beautiful Steall Falls, and is a wonderful alternative to the mighty “Ben.”

Day 9:

The trip will end after one last Scottish breakfast. Individual travel to Glasgow. There are both trains and buses from Fort William to Glasgow. The train takes about 4 hours (no advance reservations needed). There are two trains per day from Fort William to the Glasgow train station: 8:00 and 12:00 noon. The buses leave more frequently, with one daily route going directly to the Glasgow airport. The bus takes about 3 hours. Once in Glasgow, there are frequent shuttle buses from both the train station and the bus station to the airport, about 15 minutes away. Unless your flight departs in the later afternoon (15:00 or later) or you have other travel plans, you may need to plan on spending the night in Glasgow.