The West Highland Way is often described as Scotland’s most beloved long-distance route, spanning 154 kilometres from Milngavie to Fort William in the Highlands. It’s one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the wild landscapes of Scotland. Typically taking 5-7 days to complete, Gemma shares her experience of walking the West Highland Way in six days, providing us with her personal account of this truly iconic trek.
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What was it about the West Highland Way that initially attracted you?
That’s a great question! My friends and I were looking for a unique group activity to celebrate our 30th birthdays. One friend had already done the West Highland Way, which starts in Milngavie, near Glasgow, and ends 96 miles later in Fort William, with her family, so she suggested it.
We weren’t interested in going abroad, as high school teachers at the time we were confined to expensive school holidays. However, we liked the idea of seeing more of our home country, Scotland.
The itinerary heads along the West Coast through towns and villages like Balmaha in Loch Lomond, Bridge of Orchy, Rannoch Moor, Kingshouse (popular landscape scenery featuring deer), Kinlochleven, and Fort William.
This route features rolling hills, waterfalls, lochs, and landscapes that swallow you whole.
The challenge also piqued my interest: could we really hike every day for just under one week without any issues?
Other friends liked the sound of a multi-day hike but couldn’t justify the time off. They opted to join us for the penultimate day of the trek, with one overnight in Kinlochleven – this addition was a mental saviour!
How did you plan and prepare for the walk?
I’ve always been committed to attending gym classes such as HIIT and circuits, so my base-level fitness was pretty good. That said, it really doesn’t prepare you for the kind of pounding that your body, like your hips and Achilles, takes.
I did lots of dog walks and day hikes with friends, but on reflection, I was not ready for a multi-day hike. Plus, the day hikes just confirmed that I have zero natural sense of direction, despite travel blogging now being my full-time job!
I did a practice walk with friends from Glasgow to Milngavie, the start of the trek, which was cool to see before the official kick-off date.
The West Highland Way route is pretty well laid out, and since I was hiking with a friend who had been before, I didn’t do much planning except for taking notes from the official website.
On reflection, this really isn’t my normal hyper-organised style of travel. I must have put a lot of trust in my pal, which is funny looking back. We got lost on day two and had to take a water taxi to our accommodation, the Drovers Inn, before daylight disappeared. But you can’t always plan for these incidents, and we still blame the construction team building the path for moving the signs!
We booked accommodation far in advance, opting for a mix of B&Bs and hostels.
We also hired a luggage company to pick up and drop off our backpacks daily. I recommend this for first-timers hiking the West Highland Way in six days, especially for those who don’t want to camp.
I put a lot of energy into gear planning regarding waterproof clothing, but stupidly didn’t break in a new pair of boots well enough, which has caused me long-term Achilles issues.
Although, in my defence, one friend who often hiked in the same boots had to go home after the first night because of blisters! Luckily we were staying in Balmaha, which isn’t far from their hometown of Glasgow, and they could join us again for the last two days!
We all enjoyed cooling gel at the end of each day, and a hot tub on the first night was a bonus.
Tell us a little more about how it went!
The first day started in Milngavie and ended by crossing the stunning Conic Hill to Balmaha, followed by a celebratory pub dinner, a hot tub, and an early night. One hiker was there for the day; another had to pull out but returned on day four. Miles hiked: 20.
Day two was a bit of a disaster. It started well walking by the beautiful banks of Loch Lomond. However, workers were developing a path and moved a sign in the process, which caused us to take the wrong turn!
We were so lost in concentration that we became stuck in the woods. My friend managed to call her husband, who was meeting us for dinner that night, who suggested a water taxi pick us up at the other side. We stayed at the Drovers Inn, which is charming but creaky, and said to be one of the oldest and most haunted pubs! Miles hiked: 21 – well, hiked and sailed.
Day three wasn’t a great day for me. We left Loch Lomond for the Bridge of Orchy, but my Achilles started playing up along the way. I was so thankful for walking sticks, which I’d never needed before.
When we arrived, the B&B owner had seen me hobbling in and explained it’s an ideal location to be injured, as a public bus collects people outside the hotel and stops at the next marker, Kingshouse. It also rained pretty much all day. Miserable! Miles hiked/hobbled: 19.
On day four, I took public transport while my friends hiked through Rannoch Moor. The bus was the same one from Glasgow that friends took to join us. We stayed at Kingshouse Hostel, where guests slammed the heavy fire doors all night. Miles (I should have) hiked: 18.5.
On day five, we took on the Devil’s Staircase, which isn’t as bad as it sounds. I did it in trainers as I couldn’t face trying boots again.
The new hikers who joined us brought a surge of energy; we sang songs and played games. We stayed at the Highland Getaway in a very toasty room. I still remember feeling like I was in a cloud lying in that bed with a tired body before dinner at the pub. Miles hiked: 9.
The start of day six was magical. As soon as we emerged from the valley, the sun came out! We hiked to the start of Fort William, where my parents were waiting with celebratory fizz, and then along the High Street to the bench at the official end. There was joy, and tears!
After a quick pint, my dad drove me home, following the same path we’d walked, ha!
Years later, I went back to complete the Bridge of Orchy to Kingshouse leg and walked in the completely wrong direction for hours. I’ve still not done it, but I am a bit better with directions now and have the OS Map app!
So what were your personal highlights?
The personal highlights had to be the scenery and the Scottish Highlands hospitality.
I live in Fife on the east coast, which has lovely beach towns connected by farmland roads. However, there aren’t mountains or lochs on my doorstep, so walking among them was a special experience.
The food is generally great, too—seafood, steak pie, mac and cheese, and sticky toffee pudding—proper stodgy food that you crave at the end of a hike.
It was just nice being outdoors for just under a week when at that time I was used to being in a classroom.
What two items could you have not done without and why?
Walking sticks! And I wasn’t even going to take them! I borrowed a pair from my mum’s friend, and they became crutches on day three. If you don’t need them, you can easily fold them away and store them in your day pack.
I will cheat here and say waterproofs – hiking boots, over trousers, and a coat. And I mean waterproof, not water resistant, for boots and a coat because there is no guarantee that your clothes will dry overnight, and it will likely rain in Scotland!
What tips would you give someone planning to also walk the West Highland Way in six days?
My main tips from walking the West Highland Way over six days is to avoid doing the trail during the warmer months. The Scottish mosquito (the midge), is rampant on the West Coast. You will need repellent, face nets, and long layers. I know of a group that quit because of them.
Book your accommodation in advance. From May through to September, the Highlands is one of the busiest tourist destinations in Scotland.
Break in your hiking boots well in advance too; if you can schedule it, try to do a two-day hike.
Oh, and download the OS Map app!
How has this experience impacted your life or relationship with the Scottish outdoors?
It was really the start for me! Since then, I’ve walked the West Island Way in Bute, taken a group trip to Glencoe, and completed many day hikes around Perthshire, the Fife Coastal Path, and the Seven Hills in Edinburgh.
I’ve expanded my Scottish travels to the very top of the country (John o’Groats), pretty much to the bottom (Dumfries and Galloway), plus many islands like Skye, Mull, Iona, Arran, and Islay.
I have scheduled a solo Scotland road trip this spring, with some day hikes and wild swims planned.
I’m definitely at the stage in life where things have slowed down, and a night of partying until 5am no longer appeals. I still enjoy a couple of cocktails and a music festival. However, I consciously only try to organise these events once a month or so, hoping to encourage more friends to visit rural Scotland with me instead!
Where can we follow your adventures, Gemma?
Head to Hiya Scotland for stress-free Scotland trip planning and Instagram and TikTok for videos and helpful tips.
If you are planning a trip to Scotland, you can also ask fellow visitors questions in my Scotland Tips—Plan Your Trip Facebook group.
Done Something Cool (Or Know Someone Who Has)?
Nominate yourself, or someone else to be interviewed about one of their UK adventures for our Adventurous People series.
Would love to visit Scotland and experience its nature and being so close to animals in the wild. Like you, I didn’t break in my hiking boots well enough during my trip to Olympic National Park, WA, USA and my feet were so sore after a day of exploring trails! Awesome photos!