West Highland Way
About the West Highland Way
The West Highland Way is a renowned long-distance trail in Scotland, stretching 153 km from Milngavie to Fort William. This popular route typically takes 7 days to complete, offering a diverse experience through Scotland’s stunning landscapes. The trail takes hikers through a mix of gentle lowlands, rugged mountains, and serene lochs, providing a rewarding challenge for outdoor enthusiasts. With well-marked paths and a range of accommodations, it is accessible to trekkers of varying skill levels. You can see our outdoor maps page to find all the specific maps of United Kingdom.
The journey begins in Milngavie, a quaint town just north of Glasgow, and concludes in the bustling town of Fort William, nestled at the foot of Ben Nevis. Along the way, hikers traverse the scenic beauty of Loch Lomond, the vast expanse of Rannoch Moor, and the striking landscapes of Glencoe. Each section of the trail offers its own unique vistas, from wooded paths to open moorland and mountain views.
Key points of interest include the picturesque shores of Loch Lomond, the historic ruins of Inverlochy Castle, and the majestic Glen Nevis. Outonome.com aids hikers in planning their adventure by providing detailed itinerary pages with comprehensive information, interactive maps, and a unique Planning Tool. This ensures trekkers are well-prepared for each stage of the journey, making the West Highland Way a memorable and manageable adventure.
152.95 km
Medium
~7 days
551 m
4402 m
4438 m
Country crossed : United Kingdom 
West Highland Way steps
How to use the outonome.com tabloguide ?
Doing the West Highland Way in the reverse way
You can change the direction of the itinerary by pressing the “Normal way” button. The West Highland Way will switch from the classic way to the reverse way.
Trail or hike the West Highland Way
You can press the button on the hiking boot to switch to trail mode, this will automatically change the steps times.
Adapt the West Highland Way steps to your physical condition
You can select your physical condition from 5 choices to have step times automatically recalculated so you can better prepare your itinerary or steps.
Calculate walking times between two steps
In the tabloguide, to the left of each step is a greyed-out circle, simply click on the 2-steps circles to have the path time calculated according to the data you’ve selected (hike/trail and physical condition) as well as distance, time, altitude difference, etc….
View a step on the map
By clicking on the map dot icon to the left of a step name, the site scrolls down to where the map is and zooms in on the exact location of the step.
See off-trail and variants of the West Highland Way
On some steps, to the right of the name, there are blue squares (variants, which momentarily take another path and then join it) or yellow squares (off-trails, which go completely off the itinerary). These squares are clickable and open the linked steps.
Get information on each step of the West Highland Way
For each step are shown estimated walking times (according to the parameters selected), the distance between the previous step and this one, the positive and negative vertical drop, and the minimum and maximum altitudes reached during the step.
Locate refuges, bivouacs, hotels, supermarkets, restaurants, buses on each West Highland Way step
On each step line, on the right-hand side of the tabloguide, you’ll find: bivouacs, refuges, hotels, guesthouses, supermarkets, restaurants, cafés, buses, trains. If one of these is located at the step, there is a tick, otherwise there is nothing.
List of West Highland Way variants
Mugdock Country Park, Killearn, Drymen, Ben Lomond Trail, Loch Arklet and Loch Katrine, Beinn Odhar, Meall a’ Bhùiridh, Stob na Doire, Màm na Gualainn, Ben Nevis Trail
List of West Highland Way offtrails
Glasgow Airport, Glasgow, Edenmill Farm, Croftamie, Gateside, Beinn Chabhair, Caisteal, Crianlarich, Beinn Chaluim, Ben Oss, Beinn and Dothaidh, Beinn Dorain, Meall Dearg, Stob Dearg, Stob na Broige, Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe, Charles Inglis Clark Memorial Hut
West Highland Way map
West Highland Way GPX Track
A GPX (GPS Exchange Format) track is a file format used to record GPS positioning data, such as waypoints and tracks recorded during a hiking or trail activity, for example. It can be used to plan a hike, follow an existing route or share location information with others.
The West Highland Way GPX track, for example, follows the classical West Highland Way itinerary and includes all steps, such as: Milngavie, Drymen, Rowardennan, Crianlarich, Tyndrum, Bridge of Orchy, Kingshouse, Kinlochleven, Glen Nevis, Fort William… Outonome.com offers you the West Highland Way track for free. Simply enter your email address in the field below and you’ll receive it immediately !
More information
Here you’ll find more topics related to self-guided travel and the West Highland Way, in greater detail, exploring other possibilities, letting you discover new things about it and other ways to complete this itinerary !
How many days to do the West Highland Way ?
The West Highland Way is a renowned long-distance trail in Scotland, stretching 153 km from Milngavie to Fort William. Most hikers typically complete this popular route in 7 days, enjoying a diverse experience through Scotland’s stunning landscapes along the way.
West Highland Way 7 Days
Explore the West Highland Way, Scotland’s celebrated long-distance trail, on a meticulously planned 7-day itinerary. Stretching 153 km from Milngavie to Fort William, this popular route provides an immersive journey through Scotland’s breathtaking landscapes. Perfect for adventurers looking to experience the region’s diverse natural beauty in a week.
West Highland Way 6 Days
The West Highland Way is a celebrated long-distance trail in Scotland, extending 153 km from Milngavie to Fort William. This renowned route is typically completed in 7 days, but a condensed 6-day itinerary is available for those seeking a more challenging adventure.
West Highland Way 5 Days
Explore the West Highland Way, a celebrated long-distance trail in Scotland, spanning 153 km from Milngavie to Fort William. Designed for the adventurous, this 5-day itinerary condenses the typical 7-day journey, providing an intensive experience through the breathtaking landscapes of Scotland.
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