You can learn more about getting to/from the West Highland Way in our logistics article here. One pattern of sections, travelling from south to north, is as follows:[10]. Thanks for everyone's support so far Overall Thoughts. The West Highland Way is traditionally walked from south to north, although it is certainly possible to hike it from north to south. Of eleven starters seven arrived in Fort William. A GRANDAD has completed the West Highland Way for the first time – in a pair of flip-flops. The trail was completed in 1980 under the Countryside Scotland Act and is the first, and also most popular, long distance hiking trail in Scotland. For this reason we highly recommend that all trekkers have some form of wayfinding for the West Highland Way. There are several ultramarathons held on the West Highland Way. The village of Balmaha on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond is the next settlement reached. The last stage passes the foot of Ben Nevis, before finally reaching the pavements leading into the traditional finish line in Fort William, where a statue depicting a man with sore feet marks the end of the path. After the Second World War ex-RAF man Tom Hunter from Glasgow conceived of the idea of an official footpath, partly to protect the eastern shore of Loch Lomond from development. Of course, the elevation gain and loss isn’t spread out evenly from stage to stage. Eventually, the trail becomes an old military road that you follow into Fort William. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'tmbtent_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_4',173,'0','0'])); Over the 94 miles it takes to complete the West Highland Way, you’ll traverse nearly 13,000 feet or 3,960 meters of elevation change! The West Highland Way was the first long distance footpath to be established in Scotland. West Highland Way Packing List – Be sure you’ve got everything you need! Its 95-odd miles are usually treated as a walk over several days, but they work marvellously well as a magnificent bike ride (you can take a bike on all the trails, after all). Your email address will not be published. When thinking about how many days or stages you’ll take to complete the West Highland Way be sure to reference these elevation profiles. This is based on following the traditional route from Milngavie to Fort William and not taking any of the possible alternates. This guide features 10 reasons why you will love walking the West Highland Way. West Highland Way Trip Report – Know what to expect! Stretching for 151km from Milngavie to Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis, the route offers a fabulous introduction to the Scottish Highlands and native wildlife . The most popular West Highland Way itinerary is the 7-day version but many people give themselves anywhere from 5-8 … The West Highland Way is 96 miles, from Milngavie to Fort William. The starting point for the West Highland Way is situated on Douglas Street in the town centre of Milngavie and offers a final chance for you to stock up on essential supplies such as water and food. Officially, the trek is 95.5 miles (153.2 km). The West Highland Way is a busy walking route so, if you are looking to get away from it all in complete solitude, then this is definitely not the walk for you. Don’t forget, we can also help create a custom itinerary for your trip! [citation needed], There were no trails of this kind in Scotland until the Way was opened. Distance: 12 miles. This beautiful route takes in some of Scotland's most breathtaking sites. This is part of a series of guides to help you to plan your West Highland Way … Hiking the West Highland Way . We also have a FREE West Highland Way Starter Kit and comprehensive West Highland Way planning service that we know you’ll love! This 10-page printable guide has everything you need to get started planning your adventure. [13][3] The route is commonly walked in seven to eight days, although many fitter and more experienced walkers do it in five or six,[13][3] staying overnight in villages along the Way. Click to begin. If you’re interested in getting access to the GPS data used to create all of the maps in this post, we are happy to offer our West Highland Way GPS files for only $4.99. Given that the West Highland Way is a point to point trail (meaning it does not start and finish in the same location) you’ll lose a tad more elevation that you’ll gain over the course of the entire route. Our How to Navigate on the West Highland Way post has all the information you need to get set up using an app for your West Highland Way map. The West Highland Way is approximately 94 miles or 151 kilometers long. Privacy Policy, Advertiser Disclosure & Legal Disclaimer, Type on the field below and hit Enter/Return to search. Approximate stage distances of the West Highland Way in miles. The walk is Scotland’s first official long-distance footpath, established 1980, and remains it’s most popular. Bobby Shields (Clydesdale Harriers) and Duncan Watson (Lochaber) initiated the idea of racing over Scotland's most popular long-distance footpath. How to Train for the West Highland Way – Get in shape for the WHW! The walk can be done between 5-9 days, with most hikers completing in 7 days. The West Highland Way runs for 96 miles from Milngavie to Fort William, travelling through some of the most stunning landscapes in Scotland. Stretching for 151km from Milngavie on the edge of Glasgow to Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis, the route offers a fabulous introduction to the Scottish Highlands. [25] Many walkers crown their achievement of walking the Way by climbing Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the United Kingdom.[3]. The route, with some challenging terrain, had to be worked out, and landowners negotiated with. The route passes over the drovers' road between Bridge of Orchy and Inveroran with large panoramic views, and not much sign of civilisation. There are signposts bearing the trail icon at frequent intervals and at most junctions. Instead, we preferred utilizing GPS maps on our phones to ensure we knew where the trail was as well as where we were in relation to it. West Highland Way Management Group Carrochan Carrochan Road Balloch G83 8EG At the deer gate an additional path leads to Crianlarich. This post will provide all of the West Highland Way map and navigation resources you will need to familiarize yourself with the route, location, and all things map-related so you can be sure you’re ready to tackle this epic adventure! The steepness of the line between any two points reflects the steepness of the trail for that particular stage. 10 Essentials for the West Highland Way – The quick and dirty basics. With its spectacular scenery of hills, mountains, rivers and lochs, the 96 mile West Highland Way is Scotland's premier trail walking route. And for good reason. As the first long distance walk for me to complete on my own, I found the West Highland Way to be perfect. 1-3: 50k of lea, Babies. On average, most hikers take 6 … Altra West Highland Way Race 2021 is CANCELLED Update on entries from Ian Beattie, Race Director. North of Inversnaid the route passes a cavern known as Rob Roy's cave, before reaching Inverarnan. For more detail on each stage be sure to check out our interactive map in the section above! Jim Stewart took over the organisation of the event in 1991, as the footpath was now complete, the course was changed, increasing the distance to 153 km (95 mi) with only 15 km (9 mi) on road and more climbing was introduced. Don’t forget, we can also help create a custom itinerary for your trip! [31], The West Highland Way Race is part of the Scottish Ultramarathon Series.[32]. With all this considered, we still recommend carrying a paper map, or map booklet. The West Highland Way was Scotland's first long distance route and remains by far the most popular. #quarantinegarden #patiogarden #container, Celebrating one incredible year since this perfect, Finally catching up on sharing photos from the las, Another latergram, this time from Angkor Wat, Camb, Still trying to get caught up on these updates. West Highland Way Map. After around 100 km (60 mi), as they started over Rannoch Moor, they decided to cease competing against each other and ran together. [3] The trail, which opened in 1980, was Scotland's first officially designated Long Distance Route,[4] and is now designated by NatureScot as one of Scotland's Great Trails. Sign-up below to get your FREE Starter Kit! It starts in the town of Milngavie, where you can stock up on final supplies, and can end in Fort William itself or roping in the hike of Ben Nevis. Your no 1 resource. Of course, many trekkers will opt to take side trips or shortcuts, which will lengthen or shorten the total distance, depending on the routes chosen. Instead of doing a 192 mile trek up and down the West Highland Way we have decided to only walk 96 miles (one way) from Milngavie to Fort William and we will finish off with a climb up Ben Nevis. The route covers 94 miles and passes countless green pastures, serene lochs, and dramatic Highland scenery and is typically completed in 8 stages. The West Highland Way (Scottish Gaelic: Slighe na Gàidhealtachd an Iar) is a linear long-distance route in Scotland. The route was completed in 1980 and was Scotland’s first long distance hike. The maps below show the approximate distance of each stage in both miles and kilometres, giving you a sense of the distances encountered on each section of the West Highland Way. As mentioned above we utilized offline downloadable GPS maps on our smartphones to navigate while hiking the West Highland Way. On 22 June 1985 the two set out from Milngavie. It is primarily intended as a long distance walkingroute, and whilst many section… It’s 154 km (96 miles). The West Highland Way is 96 miles (154 km) from Milngavie to Fort William. Unfortunately, the last 2 miles of the West Highland Way are spent walking by a busy road, but this was quickly forgotten when I arrived at the sign marking the end of the Way and found a nice pub to celebrate completing the walk. [1], It is managed by the West Highland Way Management Group (WHWMG) consisting of the local authorities for East Dunbartonshire, Stirling, Argyll and Bute and Highland, alongside the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority and NatureScot. Meanwhile, the route continues up through the dense woodland to one of the high points of the Way before descending to cross the A82 and pass through Auchtertyre Farm and gently up to Tyndrum.[21]. How long is the West Highland Way? The West Highland Way Challenge Race is a younger, alternative race which also covers the full route. Elevation profile for the West Highland way in meters and kilometers. If you want to start reading from day 1, click here. The Highland Fling Race is an annual 85 km (53 mi) race from Milngavie to Tyndrum. [8], Notable wildlife that may be seen includes feral goats (descendants of those left from the Highland Clearances), red deer, and around the peaks sometimes golden eagles. Best described as Scotland’s finest long distance walk the West Highland Way runs 98 miles (158 km) from Milngavie, just outside Glasgow, to Fort William. Will love walking the West Highland Way in the town of Milngavie Fort. Popularise the Way in meters and kilometers possible alternates in addition, a town on the Saturday nearest to Highlands... Were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic north, making it a journey from the lowlands to the Highlands Ian,... 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