West Highland Way - Guided
Take on the fantastic West Highland Way long-distance walk - from Milngavie to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands - fully guided and supported over a week.
Experience Type: Multi-Day Experience
Duration: 8 nights
Distance: 96 miles*
Accommodation: Hostels (and hotel in Glasgow)
Meeting Location: Glasgow
Group Size: Maximum 11
Level: Tough (Walking)
Age: 18+
Dogs: No dogs, except trained assistance dogs
In a Nutshell:
Trek through the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, home to red deer and stunning oak woodlands, the Arrochar Alps and the most southerly Munro, Ben Lomond.
Experience Rannoch Moor, a vast area of small lochs and bog that was the site of a vast forest some 5,000 years ago.
Walk along Glen Coe, one of the most dramatic valleys in Scotland and home to breathtaking waterfalls and wildlife, and take in the spectacular views from the dramatic Devil’s Staircase.
Enjoy the company and camaraderie of fellow walkers with accommodation and baggage transfer included.
Walk the West Highland Way fully supported with a group and Large Outdoors guide!
The West Highland Way is one of the UK’s most famous walking journeys, and with good reason. It’s a stunning long-distance trek officially covering 96 miles (*however, our groups tend to clock up around 100 miles!) from just outside Glasgow in Milngavie to Fort William on the coast.
If you’ve never seen the stunning landscapes of the west of Scotland, the West Highland Way is the perfect introduction. It’s a diverse route that covers mountains and lochs, rivers and moorlands. The scenery is second-to-none, earning the West Highland Way a place on walkers’ bucket lists around the world. It’s a long journey, but the route mostly sticks to valleys and woodland trails along the way, meaning you don’t need to be an experienced mountain hiker to enjoy this walk.
You’ll trek, eat, and stay with a group of fellow walkers, enjoying all the laughs, encouragement, and camaraderie long-distance walking brings out. Our expert guides will do all the navigating along the way, allowing you to immerse yourself in the scenery and experience.
Our West Highland Way Guided Walk is fully supported with baggage transfer, meaning you can walk with your essentials while the rest of your baggage is transported to the next accommodation stop. There will also be a support vehicle available throughout, allowing you to take a rest day if you need one.
Walking the West Highland Way over 7 days, the distance walked each day will vary from approximately 8 to 20 miles. While this seems like a wide range, the longer distance days tend to be over generally flatter terrain, while the shorter distance days involve a bit more elevation. The walk is a fantastic challenge for walkers from all backgrounds, but it goes without saying the fitter you are the more you’ll enjoy yourself - so get those training miles in!
Suggested Itinerary
Day 1: Meet in Glasgow
Tonight you’ll stay in a hotel in Glasgow. You can check in from 3pm and meet your leader at the hotel from 6pm. We’ll head out for dinner at around 7pm, giving you the opportunity to get to know your leader and fellow walkers. If you plan to arrive later than 7pm, that’s not a problem - just let us know and you can catch up at the restaurant or hotel bar when you arrive later on.
Day 2: Milngavie to Balmaha
Distance walked: approx. 20 miles
After breakfast we’ll jump in the support vehicle for the short hop to Milngavie Station - the official starting point of your West Highland Way journey! Before the walk begins, we’ll visit some local shops to enable everyone to purchase packed lunch items and some suitable trail snacks for the adventure ahead.
Today sees us leave the town of Milngave behind and head north through Mugdock Country Park, and then past fields following the remains of an old train line. After passing the Glengoyne Whisky Distillery, with views of the Campsie Fells, we reach the town of Drymen. The final stage of the day sees us head up into a large forest, all the way to the summit of Conic Hill, which lies on the Highland Boundary Fault. From here we descend to the banks of Loch Lomond, where we finish the day at Balmaha.
Day 3: Balmaha to Inversnaid
Distance walked: approx. 17 miles
Over the course of the day we’ll be walking on or near the shore of Loch Lomond, following the eastern side of the loch north, all the way to Inversnaid. On this quieter side of the Loch there is no road, so we’ll be on forestry tracks and then loch-side paths through stunning native oak woodlands, with a great chance of seeing wildlife, including red squirrels. This day is all lower-level walking with some rocky steps, and a few ups and downs.
Day 4: Inversnaid to Crianlarich
Distance walked: approx. 14 miles
After a few more miles along the shore of Loch Lomond to its most northerly point, we head out into the wide Glen Falloch. The second half of the day is relatively easy walking along tracks, with our first close-up views of the impressive mountains of this part of Scotland.
Day 5: Crianlarich to Bridge of Orchy
Distance walked: approx. 13 miles
Our introduction to the Scottish mountains continues today with a spectacular low-level walk up Strath Fillan, and then north to follow the river all the way to the Bridge of Orchy. We’ll pass underneath the peaks of Beinn Odhar and Beinn Dorain, and have views west to the shapely alpine summit of Ben Lui. The walking alternates between sheltered woodland, and the wide open spaces of the valleys, and there are even a few possible café stops!
Day 6: Bridge of Orchy to Kingshouse
Distance walked: approx. 13 miles
The wildest and most remote day of the journey, we swap the woodlands of Loch Lomond and the hillsides of Strath Fillan for endless open spaces. After a brief hill to get us to Inverornan, we head up over the Black Mount and alongside the great expanse of Rannoch Moor. The contrast could not be more different on either side – to our left are mountains and rocky crags, and to the right vast bog, dotted with pools, the horizon stretching into the far haze.
Day 7: Kingshouse to Kinlochleven
Distance walked: approx. 8 miles
Though the shortest day in terms of distance, today sees us walk up the dramatic Devil’s Staircase after a short walk next to the mountain of Buachaille Etive Mor. The path then climbs over 400 metres to reach a high pass, before beginning the descent down into Kinlochleven. This admirable effort is rewarded on a clear day by views of the Mamores mountain range and our first view of Ben Nevis.
Day 8: Kinlochleven to Fort William
Distance walked: approx. 15 miles
The final day of the journey! We begin with a steep climb through woodland with views down to the sea-loch of Loch Leven. The trail then heads through the upland valley of Lairig Mor, taking us round the side of the Mamore mountains before entering Nevis Forest. Winding down through the forest, we enter Glen Nevis with Ben Nevis dominating the view ahead, before turning up the glen to enter Fort William.
Day 9: Return to Glasgow
Today it’s time to say our farewells. After a leisurely breakfast filled with good cheer you’ll head back to Glasgow and the end of your amazing Scottish adventure. Return transport to Glasgow is included. Please book onward travel accordingly (i.e. an open return train ticket), to allow for flexibility with the arrival time into Glasgow - we (sadly!) can’t control the traffic. We’ll aim to be back by the early afternoon.
Good to Know
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Arrival Time: you are welcome to check in to the hotel in Glasgow from 3pm. Your host will be at the accommodation ready to greet you from 6pm, and we’ll head out for dinner somewhere local around 7pm.
if you intend to arrive later than this, please let us know and ensure you have something to eat on the way.Meeting Location:
ibis Styles Glasgow Central
116 Waterloo Street
Glasgow
G2 7DNPublic Transport: The ibis Styles Glasgow Central hotel is a 10min walk (0.4 miles) from Glasgow Central Train Station and a 12min walk (0.6 miles) from Glasgow Queen Street Train Station. Train services to/from London, Doncaster, York, Carlisle, Newcastle and numerous Scottish stations.
Long-distance and local bus services arrive into Buchanan Bus Station, which is 19min walk (0.9 miles) to the hotel.
There is a Glasgow Airport Express bus service (#500) from Glasgow International Airport that stops in the city centre/Buchanan Bus Station. -
We’ll stay in a hotel in Glasgow for the first evening.
Accommodation Address (Day 1):
ibis Styles Glasgow Central
116 Waterloo Street
Glasgow
G2 7DNFor the next 7 nights we’ll be staying in hostels along the West Highland Way route.
All bedding is provided, but please make sure you bring a towel and your own toiletries.Room Types:
All rooms at the hotel/hostels are Shared Rooms (you’ll be sharing a dorm room - usually with bunk beds - with other participants). You can book one of the following options, subject to availability:
Bed in a Shared Female Room
Bed in a Shared Male Room -
Included:
7 nights’ accommodation - at a hotel on Day 1 and hostels on Days 2-8.
A Large Outdoors host/guide to welcome you and deal with the logistics for your experience.
An experienced Large Outdoors guide to navigate and support you along the West Highland Way route (Days 2-8).
Baggage transfer and a support vehicle for your West Highland Way walk (Days 2-8).
Travel from the accommodation to daily walk start points and back, where they don’t start from the door.
A DIY breakfast each morning (toast, cereals, fruit and yoghurt provided).
A DIY packed lunch (sandwich and snacks) for walking on Days 3-8.
Tea (including decaf and herbal options), coffee (including decaf option), and squash at the accommodation.
Bedding - but please bring a towel and don’t forget your own toiletries.
An exclusive Large Outdoors West Highland Way t-shirt and a Walking the West Highland Way guidebook by Cicerone.
The chance to make new friends and meet like-minded people - Large Outdoors is all about making outdoor adventures sociable.
Pre-event support from the Large Outdoors team - give us a shout if there’s any advice or information you need and check out our Blog for useful articles too.
Not included:
Travel to and from the meeting location.
Packed lunch on Day 2 and Day 9 - we’ll stop at suitable shops for you to purchase something.
Dinner each evening - we’ll either book a table at a local restaurant to enjoy dinner as a group and you can purchase whatever you fancy from the menu available, or at the hostel (cooking ourselves or ordering from hostel menus where available).
Any extra (i.e. not mentioned above in ‘Included’) excursions or activities that you may partake in which incur a cost.
Bottled water - tap water and squash are available at the accommodation, so please ensure you bring sufficient water bottles or carriers to fill up and take out with you.
Alcoholic drinks - some hostels will have a bar to purchase alcohol if desired.
Any food, drinks or goods you choose to purchase at any shops, restaurant, pubs or cafés visited.
Travel/activity insurance - we recommend having insurance to cover, at a minimum: cancellation and curtailment; medical and emergency expenses (including repatriation); personal accident; injury and death.
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Please see our Residential (Walking) Kit List.
The compulsory items are selected for your safety, which is of paramount importance to us at Large Outdoors. Each participant should be carrying the items listed.
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What level of fitness is needed?
This trip is graded as Tough (Walking). Click here to see Large Outdoors’ Experience Levels.Can I attend on my own?
Absolutely. The majority of our participants are solo travellers and adventurers. Plenty of fun, laughter and numerous long-term friendships (and a few marriages!) have begun on Large Outdoors experiences since 2008, so there’s no need to feel worried about your first experience, or indeed trying a new type of outdoor activity, with us.I am currently on a specific diet / have an allergy - can you cater for me?
Unfortunately, we are generally unable to cater for a wide variety of diets or food preferences due to the nature and cost of our catered trips and/or the use of shared kitchens. However, we can offer vegetarian, vegan, and/or provide meals with gluten free ingredients - these options can be selected when booking.What transport is provided during this trip?
Travel from the accommodation to walk start points and back, where they don’t start from the door. Your baggage will be transferred from accommodation to accommodation each day and a support vehicle is available if required.Can I bring my dog?
Dogs are not allowed on this experience, except for trained assistance dogs. If you wish to bring your trained assistance dog, please let us know in advance of booking so we can discuss the itinerary and any activity/equipment/accommodation, and of course additional safety requirements or considerations that may be necessary.
Book your West Highland Way Guided Walk
Secure your spot with a 20% deposit!
Full balance due 12 weeks before experience start date.