Trail between Kingshouse Hotel and Kinlochleven on the West Highland Way, Scotland

Coming across one of the small villages along the West Highland Way | John Millen

Feeding local Highland Cows along the West Highland Way

Standing on the banks of Loch Lomond

The West Highland Way is a great option for entry-level long distance hikers | Matthew Wheeler

Diamonds in the Rough West Highland Way

United Kingdom

11 Days from

$4450 AUD

Trip Code: SOG9977

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Essential Information

Extra trip options & supplements

*Prices listed are per person

Single Supplement

$895 AUD

Duration

11 Days

Activities

self guided walk

Accommodation

10 nights in B&Bs/hotels

Meals

10 Breakfasts

Difficulty Grading

3 / 5

moderate

Carbon Footprint

13kg of CO₂-e PP per day

(115kg of CO₂-e PP entire trip)

West Highland Way Trip highlights

A Walk to the Foot of Ben Nevis
Follow the shores of Loch Lomond, Britain’s largest lake
Rannoch Moor and Scotland’s oldest licensed inn
Walking through Glencoe and Glen Nevis
Summit Ben Lomond

Overview

This tour follows the 96-mile West Highland Way national long-distance trail through the south-western part of the Scottish Highlands. It is claimed by some to be the most popular long distance trail in the British Isles and is known as Scotland's best loved long distance route. It is the perfect entry-level long distance hike.

This itinerary begins at the official start of the West Highland Way at the obelisk in Milngavie just outside Glasgow. Your walk will include Loch Lomond, valley routes through the mountains round Crianlarich and open heather moorland across the Rannoch Moor wilderness area. You will pass close to sombre Glencoe, famed for its massacre of the MacDonald Clan, and finishes at Fort William near the foot of Ben Nevis. This is Britain's highest peak, which can be readily ascended if you're an experienced walker and aks our team to arrange an extra night in Fort William.

The West Highland Way is a well-established and popular hiking route in Scotland, containing some landscapes of great beauty. The altitude range is from sea level to 1850 ft (4408 ft if Ben Nevis is climbed).

Itinerary

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Travel to Milngavie, the official start of the West Highland Way. It's a short train journey from Glasgow, approx 20 mins. Accommodation: The Premier Inn.

Meals: Nil

The official start of the West Highland Way walk is at the obelisk in Milngavie. You follow some good paths through beautiful scenery. Glengoyne Distillery, along the route, is worth a visit. Accommodation: Kip in the Kirk (a converted 1819 church hall) is our overnight stop, where the host will make you more than welcome and has become a favourite with our hikers.

Meals: B

Experience the gentle scenery on the bonny banks of Loch Lomond on today's hike. Passing highland cattle in the fields, the route winds up through forest and across the moors up to Conic Hill. From the summit, enjoy great views over the loch and across the islands there. This marks the boundary of the Highland fault and officially the start of the Highlands proper. The way drops down to Balmaha by the water and then winds its way towards Rowardennan along the lochshore with tree-framed views. Rowardennan marks the road head and a convenient place to stay at our pleasant hotel. Accommodation: We stay overnight at Rowardennan Hotel with bar. The inn is practically on the shore of Loch Lomond and beautiful scenery surrounds it including the mass of Ben Lomond. All rooms have ensuite facilities. The restaurant provides carefully selected, seasonal dishes ensuring that you receive a true taste of Scotland.

Meals: B

Today the aim is to make an ascent of Ben Lomond. One of the most popular Munros, it offers fantastic views of the length of Loch Lomond and far into the hills to the north and the Trossachs to the east. Depending on how you are feeling there are two paths you can take to the summit - the main tourist path or the more challenging Ptarmigan Ridge Path. Accommodation: Rowardennan Hotel

Meals: B

Today you walk in the shadow of Ben Lomond for much of the time, following the Loch edge path. There are no big ascents to make, but a few short steep ups and downs. You can pass by Rob Roy’s prison and cave, where he is said to have held up in times of difficulty and held prisoners at his pleasure. You could perhaps have a drink at the hotel at Inversnaid before walking on to Ardleish. Here you can raise a buoy on a pole to attract the attention of the ferryman who will collect you and transfer you to our hotel on the western side of the loch (approx £5 per person, not included). Accommodation: Tonight we stay at The Ardlui Hotel with comfortable rooms on the western side of Loch Lomond. Rooms have TV and tea tray etc. and there are two restaurants, a lounge and public bars.

Meals: B

This morning you will return across Loch Lomond by ferry. From here, recommence your walk passing through Glen Falloch and its waterfalls with views towards Benn Mor. A short steep ascent takes you over the shoulder of a hill into the pretty valley of Glen Fillan. Crossing the River Fillan, you can visit the remains of a priory known to Robert The Bruce. He was defeated locally in a skirmish with the English in the broken glacial terrain around Dalrigh, which we next pass on the way to Tyndrum. This is a busy little village which developed from the 1740s from lead mining and now has exploitable Gold and silver reserves nearby. There is the famous 'Green Wellie' shop here for all things Scottish. Accommodation: Tonight we will use a number of guesthouses in the small but bustling village of Tyndrum.

Meals: B

A fairly short but picturesque day walking the West Highland Way. The route continues up past the domed hulks of Ben Odhar, Ben Lui and Ben Dorain to the Bridge of Orchy. Pass the farm of Auch, often with cotton grass streaming in the wind. You may be staying at Bridge of Orchy, otherwise it is time for a quick dram before continuing on to Loch Tulla (Inveroran). This is a beautifully situated lake surrounded by Scots pines - a remnant of the ancient Caledonian forest which covered much of Scotland. In good weather, you can walk steeply over Mam Carraigh for beautiful views. Otherwise take the quiet lochside road. You will be opposite the Black Mount estate of the Flemming family, famous for Ian and Peter. In fact, the James Bond story 'Skyfall' is probably based on this humble pile. Plenty of deer and birdlife are normally evident. There is limited accommodation here, which is the reason for staying in either village. Accommodation: Stay at the Inveroran Hotel set in beautiful surroundings.

Meals: B

Continue to loch Tulla if necessary. You then head up on the old military road across the wilds and the heather clad wastes of Rannoch Moor. Hike past Ba Bridge, claimed to be the remotest part of the West Highland Way. The scenery becomes ever more expansive with views into great corries once filled with glaciers. Often you can see deer and there is great interplay between land, lake, mountain and sky. The military road winds down to the old drovers' inn near the Gateway to Glencoe. This is in the shadow of perhaps the most impressive looking mountain of the tour: Buachaille Etive Mor (the Shepherd of Etive Mor). Accommodation: Overnight at the Kingshouse Hotel.

Meals: B

From the Kingshouse Hotel the way passes beside Buchaille Etive Mor and then proceeds up the Devil's staircase to 1850 ft. It as bad as it seems and a well graded section of the West Highland Way. You can try to imagine the army bringing artillery pieces up here. This offers spectacular views back from whence you came. Then it is a long descent to sea level at the head of Loch Leven with views of the Blackwater damn, Loch Leven and The Pap of Glencoe. Kinlochleven was a place for hydroelectric power smelting bauxite for aluminium. Today, one of the old smelters is turned into a climbing centre offering ice climbing. More sedentary activity can be had by walking to the Grey Mares Tail waterfall on the edge of town. Accommodation: In Kinlochleven we use The Highland Getaway or the Bank House Guesthouse. A warm welcome awaits at either of these establishments.

Meals: B

A steep climb up under the steep slopes of the Mamore hills at the beginning of the day follows old Victorian hunting tracks. Then you are back on the old military road and over the Lairigmor Pass. Hike through dense coniferous forest to Glen Nevis past the foot of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest peak (4408ft). The West Highland Way continues into Fort William on the side of Loch Linnhe, where it ends right in the centre and close to handy pubs for a deserved celebration. Fort William is a Mecca for climbers, mountain bikers and train enthusiasts. The town was built as a garrison against the Jacobite threat. A few remains of the fort are to be seen by the lochside. Accommodation: We use many different B&Bs and guesthouses in Fort William as it is a busy town.

Meals: B

Your West Highland Way holiday ends after breakfast.

Meals: B

Ready to start your adventure?

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What's included?

Included

10 breakfasts
10 nights B&B/nights hotel accommodation on a twin share basis with ensuite facilities where available
One piece of luggage per person transferred from Inn to Inn, not exceeding 20kg
Transfer from Ardlui/Inveroran to Crianlarich (if required) at start of Day 5. Needs to be requested at the time of booking.
Digital information pack including Navigational App
Emergency hotline
GPX files
Trip escorted by a Diamonds in the Rough coach

Not included

Lunch, Dinner and drinks
Entrance fees
Travel insurance
Travel to the start and from the end point of the trip
Personal expenses such as laundry and phone calls
Unscheduled transfers required during the trip
Guide - this is a self guided holiday
Excess Luggage
Return ferry if staying at the Ardlui Hotel

About your guide

When you join this Diamonds in the Rough Adventures (DITRA) partner trip, you will be accompanied by experienced Diamond coach, and become part of a dedicated team of women, training and hiking together to maximise everybody’s enjoyment and success.

Your Diamond Coach will train and support your team in your preparation. This exclusive DITRA itinerary is tailored to exactly what women want and everything is included.

Knowing who you’re on the trip with ensures that your teammates are perfectly prepared and fit for the adventure (that means you must be, too!). Everyone is expected to commit to Trek Training and the preparation hikes as advised by your coach. A private Trip WhatsApp group will allow you to connect directly with your team as well as give you direct access to your coach. World Expeditions staff are responsible for delivering your extraordinary experience during your adventure. Please direct all pre, mid and post trip feedback to World Expeditions. Your Coach is not the tour operator, guide, navigator or first aider.

Responsible Travel

Extra trip info

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This indeed is the full version of the West Highland Way, including the first day from Milngavie. If you would like to fit the walk into one week, please have a look at our West Highland Way - 8 Day trip (code WHW) that starts in Drymen.

It depends if there has been a lot of recent rain. Generally, the trails that you follow on the West Highland Way are on very good established paths and old military roads, sometimes with a gravel surface. The trail beside Loch Lomond is very rooty, but you can also take a trail parallel to that, which is more established.

The Devil's Staircase is not at all difficult. It is a switchbacking part of the old military road and was designed with dragging cannons over the pass in mind and is not so hard. Spare a thought for the job that the red coats had dragging the guns over the pass in the 1700s!

You will be pleased know that it is only the female midges which bite, but not so pleased to realize just how many of them there are. Actually, midges are not usually a problem if you keep moving and they don't really appear in great numbers until late May to September. They will not be very noticeable in windy conditions. Numbers vary from year to year and few people complain about them on this walk. They appear to be attracted more to dark colours, and some people claim that 'Skin so Soft' spray by Avon repels them.

We would advise an extra night in Fort William at the end of the West Highland Way. It will give you the opportunity to attempt to climb Ben Nevis or take the Jacobite Steam Train to Mallaig. Or, have an extra day at Rowardennan to climb Ben Lomond, or just to soak in the atmosphere of Loch Lomond. An extra night in Kingshouse Hotel would be a nice place allowing you to take in the atmosphere.