Scottish Highlands · Milngavie to Fort William
West Highland Way
Scotland’s first long-distance path, from suburb to summit country
At a glance
- Distance
- 154 km
- Duration
- 6–8 days
- Elevation gain
- 3,155 m
- Highest point
- 550 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Countries
- United Kingdom
- Best season
- May to September, with June and September usually the best balance of daylight, dry spells and low midge activity.
- Waymarking
- Excellent
- Water points
- Frequent
- Luggage transfer
- Widely available
- Accommodation
- Guesthouses & B&Bs, Hotels, Campsites
- Permits & bookings
- Not required
Before or after the walk
Tours and visits in Glasgow
A few well-rated options near West Highland Way, for the rest days either side of the trail. Prices are the provider’s current starting price.
Affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes our stage, distance or luggage information. (Civitatis) How the project is funded
The route
The West Highland Way runs 154 km from Milngavie, on the northern edge of Glasgow, to Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis. Opened in 1980 as Scotland’s first official long-distance route, it works as a transect of the country: commuter suburbs give way to the oak woods of Loch Lomond, then to the open moor of Rannoch and the glens beneath the Mamores. Nothing about it is remote in the expedition sense — you cross a public road most days — but the middle section feels genuinely empty, and the weather behaves like mountain weather throughout.
Cumulative ascent is about 3,155 m and the highest point only 550 m, at the top of the Devil’s Staircase above Kinlochleven. That combination is misleading. Much of the path is old military road, drove road or estate track: firm, wide and fast. The exception is the eastern shore of Loch Lomond between Rowardennan and Inverarnan, where the route becomes a rooty, rock-stepping scramble along the water for hours, and where most walkers lose an hour or more against their planned pace. Boggy ground is normal after rain, and the moorland stretches hold water for days.
Most people ask how many days the West Highland Way takes, and the honest answer is seven, walking roughly 22 km a day. Six is common for fit walkers who are happy with a 30 km push from Tyndrum to Kingshouse; eight lets you split the Loch Lomond section and keep an afternoon spare. Typical stage breaks run Milngavie to Drymen at 19 km, Drymen to Rowardennan at 23 km, Rowardennan to Inverarnan at 22 km, and Kinlochleven to Fort William at 24 km. The path carries the thistle waymark and is hard to lose.
The walking season is May to September. May and early June bring the longest dry spells and the least midge activity; July and August are the busiest, with beds along Loch Lomond booked out months ahead and the Kingshouse and Kinlochleven area under real pressure. September is many walkers’ preferred month — cooler, quieter, still long daylight at the start of it. Rain is possible on any date, and on Rannoch Moor and the Devil’s Staircase the wind matters more than the temperature. Outside the season some accommodation closes and the days become too short for the longer stages.
Accommodation is a mix of village guesthouses, bunkhouses, hotels and campsites, and it is the constraint that shapes the itinerary rather than the walking. Beds cluster in a handful of places — Drymen, Rowardennan, Crianlarich, Tyndrum, Kinlochleven — with very little between them, so a full night in one forces a much longer or shorter day. For a July or August walk, booking in January or February is normal. Scotland’s access legislation allows responsible wild camping along most of the route, though byelaws restrict camping around parts of Loch Lomond in the summer months.
The route suits a first long walk in Britain. Navigation is straightforward, resupply is regular, transport at both ends is easy, and the difficulty is honest rather than technical: long days on firm ground with one genuinely awkward stretch. It suits less well anyone who dislikes company in high summer, anyone counting on views, or anyone who wants sustained high mountain terrain. The Way keeps to the glens and the passes rather than the summits, and Ben Nevis is an optional extra at the end rather than part of the route itself.
Sample stages
A representative breakdown, not a prescription — most walkers adjust daily distances to their pace, rest days and the weather.
- Day 1 Milngavie → Drymen 19 km
- Day 2 Drymen → Rowardennan 23 km
- Day 3 Rowardennan → Inverarnan 22 km
- Day 4 Tyndrum → Kingshouse 30 km
- Day 5 Kinlochleven → Fort William 24 km
- Sample total 118 km
Practical notes
The things that change how a walk actually goes.
Old military and drove roads make much of the Way fast and firm, but the Loch Lomond shore between Rowardennan and Inverarnan is rooted, rocky and slow. Allow an extra hour there, and expect standing water on the moor after rain.
From late May to early September the Highland midge is a genuine factor near water and at dusk, worst in still, humid weather. Repellent and a head net cost little. Campers feel it far more than walkers sleeping indoors.
Streams are frequent and hill burns above the waterline are generally clean, but the loch shore and the low farmland stretches run through grazing land. Carry two litres and a filter or tablets rather than drinking untreated from low ground.
No permit or fee applies to the path itself. The booking that feels compulsory is accommodation: the villages hold limited beds and July and August sell out months ahead. Camping byelaws also restrict wild camping around parts of Loch Lomond in summer.
Tyndrum to Kingshouse is about 30 km with no settlement in between, no shop and little shelter on Rannoch Moor. The A82 runs parallel for much of the middle section, which makes bailing out by bus a realistic option in bad weather.
Getting there & back
Glasgow is the gateway. From Glasgow Airport or the city centre, suburban trains from Glasgow Queen Street reach Milngavie in around 25 minutes, and the official start obelisk is a short walk from the station. Walkers arriving long-haul often spend a night in Glasgow first, which also leaves time to buy gas or replace kit. Edinburgh Airport is a little over an hour from Glasgow by bus or train if the fare works out better.
Fort William has a station on the West Highland Line, with several trains a day to Glasgow Queen Street in around four hours and the Caledonian Sleeper to London. Coaches run to Glasgow and to Inverness, which is useful if you are continuing north. If you plan to climb Ben Nevis after finishing, allow a full extra day and book the night before travelling, because both trains and beds are tight in high season.
Luggage transfer on this route
Bag transfer is well established on the West Highland Way. Scottish operators run daily vans through the season, collecting from accommodation in the morning and dropping at the next night’s stay. The road follows the route closely enough that every standard overnight stop can be served, including Rowardennan and Kingshouse. Campers can usually use the same services where the site accepts deliveries.
Luggage transfer on long-distance trailsOfficial sources & maps
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Frequently asked
How many days do you need to walk the West Highland Way?
Seven days is the usual answer, averaging about 22 km a day over the 154 km. Six is achievable if you are comfortable with a 30 km stage from Tyndrum to Kingshouse. Eight gives you a shorter Loch Lomond day and room for weather. Add travel days at each end, and one more if you want Ben Nevis.
Which direction should I walk it?
Almost everyone walks south to north, Milngavie to Fort William. The scenery builds rather than fades, the prevailing wind is behind you more often than not, and the accommodation and transfer network is organised around that direction. Walking north to south is perfectly legal and much quieter, but you meet a constant stream of walkers head-on.
Is the West Highland Way hard?
It is rated moderate. There is no scrambling or exposure and the highest point is 550 m, but the days are long and the total ascent of around 3,155 m accumulates. The hardest sections are the Loch Lomond shore for its awkward footing and the Devil’s Staircase for its climb late in an already long stage.
When is the best time to walk it?
May to September. May and early June give long daylight, drier ground and fewer midges. July and August are warmest but busiest, with beds booked far ahead. September is quieter and cooler with autumn colour, though daylight shortens quickly. Rain should be planned for in any month, and a spare day covers the stage you would rather not walk in a gale.
Do I need to book accommodation in advance?
Yes, for anything between June and September. The Way passes through a small number of villages with limited beds, and Rowardennan, Kingshouse and Kinlochleven fill first. Three to six months ahead is normal for high season. Book in walking order, so that a full night in the middle does not quietly break the whole itinerary.
Can I camp along the route?
Scotland’s access rights allow responsible wild camping over most of the route, and there are managed campsites in the villages. The exception is the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park camping management byelaws, which restrict wild camping in parts of the loch shore during the summer. Check the park’s current zones and permit system before relying on it.
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