Self-Guided West Highland Way and Ben Nevis Walking Tour

Arrive in Milngavie, a suburb in Glasgow, check into your hotel and spend the night preparing for the magical 151 km trek ahead.

Your bags will get picked up at 8 am today. Enjoy a delicious breakfast before starting your self-guided West Highland Way with a 19 km walk from Milngavie to Drymen. Relax knowing that today’s expedition has you following a rather flat path. Let the small lochs and rivers peppering this trail act as a preview for the spectacle awaiting you past Drymen.

Get ready to encounter an extravaganza of jaw-dropping scenery on the West Highland Way. Wander through forested groves and moorland before walking up Conic Hill. Admire Loch Lomond glistening below before reaching Balmaha. Spend the rest of the trek walking along the shores of Loch Lomond. g. Recharge in Rowardennan overnight.

Today’s trek along West Highland Way poses as the most difficult, so be sure to consume a hearty breakfast before lacing up your shoes. Let the view of Loch Lomond—visible throughout most of today’s journey—inspire you to continue trekking. Cross through some stunning pockets of woodland en route. Expect to meander over a lot of rugged areas. Spend the night relaxing at your hotel in Inverarnan.

Say goodbye to views of Loch Lomond and enter a magical world that boosts of fantasy-like elements and out-of-this-world scenery. After enjoying breakfast, tie up your laces and prepare for a stunning journey ahead, one that will have you twisting through glens and towering mountainous views. Follow River Falloch and snag a peek of the Falls of Falloch. Connect with River Fillan before stumbling upon St Fillan’s Priory, where ruins lay. Then, River Cononish will lead you to Tyndrum. Check into your hotel and relax.

The trek from Tyndrum to Kingshouse marks the longest day in the West Highland and Ben Nevis Tour, but it also takes you to the start of the Highlands. Expect to experience an array of terrain—military road, glens—en route to the Bridge of Orchy before the woods swallow you and guide you to a steep climb, which leads to a lovely viewpoint. After a short descent unveils the Inveroran Hotel, continue your walk along Rannoch Moor and marvel at Scotland’s most renowned mountain: Buachaille Etive Mor. Reflect on your long but rewarding day at your hotel in Kingshouse.

Munch on breakfast before embarking on the shortest trek thus far! The journey may be shorter today, but it will have you twisting to the top of the Devil’s Staircase (550m of elevation), where you can soak in the highest point of the West Highlands Way. Bask in the satisfying view of the Buachaille Etive Mor and the Mamores mountain range. Walk through moorland until you reach Kinlochleven. Check into your hotel and rest.

Head out for your last day on West Highland Way. Start the expedition with a steep climb before the terrain levels out and takes you across the glen, woodland, and forested spots. Notice the views of Loch Leven and the largest summit in the U.K: Ben Nevis. Feel free to go on a slight detour just before Fort William for a chance to check out the ruins of a fort in Glen Nevis. Celebrate your feat in the evening in Fort William.

Spend some time mulling over your options for the day: check out the Ben Nevis Distillery, walk the Great Glen Way to Gailrochy, visit the U.K’s most remote railway station, meander Loch Ossian, enjoy a ride aboard the Jacobite steam train, or you can hike up Ben Nevis, where an abandoned observatory and unparalleled views of the mountains blanketing the valley equate to a rewarding experience. There are a variety of routes, including the Mountain Track, which is the most ideal route for beginners (or tired trekkers). Keep in mind that the summit is 1,344m above sea level.

Reflect on your wonderful journey on the West Highland Way. Most guests return via train to Glasgow or Edinburgh.