Walking the West Highland Way in 6 days.

In the year of it’s 40th birthday, I recently walked the West Highland Way taking 6 days to complete the trek. A 96 mile scenic route from Milngavie in Glasgow to Fort William through some of Scotland’s best landscapes. For anyone else thinking about walking the West Highland Way in 6 days, here’s a summary of our route, some advice for the walk and a few photos from the trip.

Day 1:

Milngavie to Sallochy Campsite

A good steady start leaving Milngavie however this part of the route is fairly unimpressive until you reach the Loch Lomond area. For stunning views of the loch take the path that leads up the Conic Hill, a popular hill giving panoramic views across the loch and towards Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps. A stop in the picturesque village of Balmaha below the Conic Hill is also a must. A good stop for food in the village is at the Oak Tree Inn or the village shop, they also have a variety of overnight accommodation available for walkers including hotel rooms, self catering lodges and pods. For a little detour, you can also head over to Inchcailloch Island from the Balmaha Boatyard or save this for another trip to the Loch Lomond shores.

Highland Cow Loch Lomond Print

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Onwards to Sallochy bay along the shores of Loch Lomond. Trekking through some of the loch side woodland becomes surprisingly difficult after 20 odd miles or so. It’s probably at this point we realised walking the West Highland Way in 6 days would be no easy task.

Sallochy Bay campsite is pretty basic with only a compost toilet and running water facilities available. This is reflected in the price at only £7 per head (group of four). The campsite is located in a private bay so the there are some great views of the loch.

Day 2:

Sallochy to Beinglass Farm

An early start for a very long day. Many report this stretch of the walk is the most challenging and I’d be in full agreement with this claim. A big part of the route runs along the edge of the Loch where you need to scramble over rocks for a big section of the route. You’re among trees too so the views aren’t much either but the waterfalls along the path keep you going. Just before Inversnaid Hotel you’ll reach some really impressive waterfalls known as the Inversnaid Falls. A good spot to stop for lunch before having to take on more loch side scrambling. Once you reach the tip of the Loch unfortunately there’s still a fair distance to Beinglas so be prepared! The Inversnaid Bunkhouse is also nearby.

Beinglas Farm Campsite provides great facilities for West Highland Way walkers with various accommodation options available to suit all budgets. The on site bar also serves big portioned, wholesome meals to help you recover from a day of walking. This was our second night of camping and thoroughly appreciated the shower & bar facilities on site.

Day 3:

Beinglas Farm to Tyndrum

This is the day when the West Highland Way really begins and the scenery dramatically changes. As you leave Beinglas you’ll soon be walking alongside the Falls of Falloch and you’ll be among some dramatic mountain either side of your path that’s sits above the A82 road. You’ll eventually reach the half way point of the West Highland Way with an opportunity to head down the path to Crianlarich for a refreshment stop. We turned left instead and headed on up the path through some forestry. At the top of the hill sits a picnic bench for a rest and some lunch.

For the next part, you’ll notice a few areas of historical interest with signs indicating that Robert The Bruce once walked these parts. A good stop shortly before Tyndrum is the Strathfillan Wigwam village for some cake and coffee.

Accommodation for this evening was the By The Way Campsite in one of their trekkers huts. A friendly check in and again some great facilities including a really effective drying room, useful if the weather had been against you. In the evening we headed to The Tyndrum Inn for some more good pub food and a few drinks.

Day 4:

Tyndrum to Glen Coe Mountain Resort.

At this point you’re now heading towards the heart of the highlands. There is no shops on route until Kinlochleven so this may be a good chance to stock up on any food supplies for the walk. Along this route of the West Highland Way you’ll walk through a dramatic glen with the menacing Beinn Dorain soon in front of you. Soon after you’ll walk along the edge of the west highland railway line and reach the picturesque spot of Bridge of Orchy. Just over the bridge there is a picnic spot for lunch. This seemed to be a hotspot for midges so have your head nets and Smidge at the ready.

Beyond Bridge of Orchy you’ll begin walking through a very remote section of the West Highland Way along the edges of the Rannoch Moor. The vastness of the area makes this section of the walk quite difficult. The vast landscape makes any progress in walking feel insignificant. The stunning mountainous views and the excitement of reaching Glen Coe does make this section enjoyable too!

The official West Highland Way route takes you to Kingshouse accommodation however we had booked the Glen Coe Mountain Resort just a mile or so before. I would recommend taking the official advice and head the extra mile down to Kingshouse. The Glen Coe Mountain resort was a disappointment all round and nothing more than an eyesore blotting the stunning landscape of Glen Coe. The “resort” comprises of portacabins scattered along the edge of an oversized car park. Our camping cabin was advertised to accommodate six but struggled with four and the café was overpriced and very poor quality. As such, you can also explore other accomodation options nearby by clicking here.

Day 5:

Glen Coe Mountain Resort to Kinlochleven.

Today was the day for photos. Walking through Glen Coe is really quite spectacular and even on a wet and misty day it still looked incredible. First photographic stop on the route is the famous Black Rock cottage with a stunning backdrop of Buachaille Etive Mòr mountain. Shortly on from here is Kingshouse where the local deer were hanging round for more photo opportunities.

Further along the way you will see another famous cottage, the Lagangarph Hut before making the steep ascent up the Devil’s Staircase. This is the steepest and highest point of the West Highland Way at 550m. Enjoy a well earned rest at the top and admire the panoramic views of the Glen. Thankfully the rest of the path is relatively downhill as you arrive in Kinlochleven.

In Kinlochleven we stayed at the Black Water Hostel and Glamping pods. You will find Black Water to your right, just off the way before entering the village. Facilities inside the camping huts and the hostel itself were excellent. Kinlochleven is a pleasant little village, set in a valley at the east end of Loch Leven with the River Leven flowing through the centre. The Highland Getaway serves food in their small bar area and a restaurant to the rear which overlooks the river. Both visits were great!

Day 6:

Kinlochleven to Fort William.

The last stretch offers more spectacular views to enjoy. An early incline gives you great views of the village and loch to start the day. The walk along the Lairigmor, also known as the Great Pass guides you all the way to reach Glen Nevis. The biggest peak in the UK, Ben Nevis, soon comes into view and what a great sight. A downwards winding path eventually reaches the foot of Ben Nevis. Many walkers often climb this as part of the West Highland Way so give it a go if you can.

The walk into Fort William from the foot of Ben Nevis is a bit of a slog. The foot of the Ben itself feels a more appropriate finish but by the time you reach the bronze statue through the centre of Fort William, you are glad to be finished regardless. Head up to the Black Isle Bar just up from the end point for a well deserved gourmet pizza and craft ale.

It’s worth noting, that walking the West Highland Way in 6 days is probably quite a challenge for most. Make sure you train appropriately and take all the necessary kit. I’ve created a West Highland Way shop on Amazon will all the kit I found useful here. I’d also recommend the Freedom Baggage Transfer service run by Gregg. A great service and made the walk much more enjoyable. We also got a lift back to Glasgow at the end!

If you’re reading this and thinking about walking the West Highland Way, do it! Any questions to help with planning I’d be happy to answer in the comments below. *Please note some links in this post are affiliate links where I earn a small commission on bookings made, this is at no extra cost to you!