- Take on the challenge of Scotland’s most famous and one of the world’s greatest long distance trails – the West Highland Way.
- Immerse yourself in the spectacular scenery as you walk through the beautiful landscapes of Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor and Glencoe.
- With the knowledge and experience of an expert guide, learn about the area’s history and legends, as well as the flora and fauna along the route.
- 7 nights accommodation in carefully selected guest houses and small hotels.
- Most meals during the trip (Meals included indicated as B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
- Luggage transfer for 1 bag per person for the duration of the trip, meaning you will only have to carry a day rucksack while walking.
- The services of an experienced and knowledgeable guide throughout.
- Train tickets from Glasgow Queen Street to Milngavie.
Blue Graded Walking Holidays
Our Blue grade walking trips involve climbing some of Scotland’s best mountains and ridges. The walks are conducted at a good pace and you may be out hiking for 8 or 9 hours a day. The terrain underfoot can be anything from stalker’s paths to rough or boggy ground, boulder fields and mountain tops.
The daily walks will occasionally involve a mountain ascent of over 3000ft / 900m high. To help you decide if you are fit enough for this trip, ask yourself:
Can you comfortably hike for 10+ miles (16+km), climbing mountains and covering a variety of challenging underfoot conditions? How often do you do this?
14th Aug - 21st Aug 2017
Liam Allan
Find out about mountain baby Liam's ambitions to join the circus!4th Sep - 11th Sep 2017
John Ormiston
A west-coaster with a whisky knowledge that is hard to beat! Meet John Ormiston.18th Sep - 25th Sep 2017
Dave Picken
Meet Dave Picken, expert guide and bee-keeper extraordinaire.This is a point to point itinerary where we walk to a new accommodation each day. The accommodation on this trip is graded as Classic and we handpick the best available accommodation along the route, which ranges from small guesthouses, Highland inns, small hotels and bed and breakfast establishments.
Our accommodation partners are carefully chosen according to a number of factors – charming locations, very good facilities and a reputation for providing Highland hospitality. Wherever available, we will reserve en suite rooms for you however on this trip it is not always possible due to limited accommodation options.
As accommodation is in short supply on this route however, please note that some establishments will be better than others.
Breakfast is provided each morning, as well as lunch and snacks throughout the trip. Dinner is provided on the first and last night.
Most meals are included in the price of this holiday. Local pubs and restaurants offer a wide choice of local dishes, and by not including the cost of all meals in the holiday price, you will have the opportunity to sample the full range of their delicious menus as you wish.
Single Supplement
There is no single person supplement charged to solo travellers, however, you will be required to share a room with another person of the same sex. It may be possible to book a single room, provided one is available. Please request this at the time of booking and we will let you know if one is available. If a single room is required the supplement is £275 per person.
Wherever available, we will reserve en suite rooms for you. Please note however that on the West Highland Way this is not always possible due to the limited accommodation options, so on some nights you will have private facilities instead.
Customer Kudos
Every client receives a feedback survey when they return from their guided, self guided or tailor made holiday with us.
Once completed the review is published on our website just as soon as our database updates. The little touches and details are important to us and where issues are raised we make positive changes to our trips to improve your experience.
That's why we read each of our client's reviews and although we don't respond to all of them, if it's glowing feedback then we get the satisfaction of helping to make your holidays truly memorable.
by Cathy Buffini 28/07/2017
Pre-Trip Service
Clear, easy to navigate
Trip Comments
Helen was very informative and knowledgeable. A great balance of friendly, fun and firm when needed.
Accommodation and Food
Accommodation was quite modest (2 star? on several occassions) - for the not inconsiderable price of the package (West Highland Way). Breakfast was always good despite bedroom facilities. I believe dinner (e.g., £15.00) every night should have been included. Surprised we paid for all but two meals in the evening - again given the price we paid.
TEAM WILDERNESS RESPONSE:
Thank so much for your feedback, accommodation on the West Highland Way is limited but we do only use accommodations that are 3 star or more. I know a few of the accommodations you stayed in were 4 star guest houses so I am surprised you didn't like them. The accommodations are usually in older, traditional buildings so the rooms can be smaller than modern hotels but I am glad you enjoyed breakfast. Dinner is not included every night to give you a bit more freedom and allow you to choose one course or 3 courses depending on how you are feeling.
Your Guide
Helen Marsden was a central part of the great safety we felt and the overall experience and fun we had. Thank you. Cathy.
The Bottom Line
Wonderful. Great way to experience Scotland's mountains for the first time.
TEAM WILDERNESS RESPONSE:
Sounds like you had a fantastic trip overall and hopefully we can welcome you back to the Highlands soon.
by Ulrike Berg 28/07/2017
Pre-Trip Service
Trip Comments
Due to almost perfect weather conditions the trip was clearly less demanding than I had expected it to be.
Accommodation and Food
Your Guide
The Bottom Line
Great experience!
(Would like to do the way from Fort William down to Milngavie some time in the future - always like to have a look from the other side :) !)
This was my second trip with Wilderness Scotland – and definitely not my last if I can help it!
by Tim Primmer 27/07/2017
Pre-Trip Service
Trip Comments
Very good guide and good group. Great weather and mix of accommodation. Food overall also good.
Accommodation and Food
Some packed lunches had too many goodies and not enough sandwich. One night B&B (Kinlochleven) was not as good as the other night's accommodation (grumpy host, room smelt, over cooked breakfast).
Your Guide
Very good, well organised, well informed. Made the group work well together.
The Bottom Line
Well organised with everything taken care of.
by Duane McCloud 27/07/2017
Pre-Trip Service
Trip Comments
There was some communication misunderstanding early in the trip, but this improved.
Accommodation and Food
Most accomodations were excellent given the remote locations. The Tyndrum Inn was a bit disappointing.
Your Guide
Helen did a great job considering the overall situation. She worked with us to make the best of our abilities.
The Bottom Line
Due to the shear overall distance, elevation changes, and lack of any time off, this is a tough trip. You need to be well prepared for it and have the right equipment. This is not a 7 day walk, but 7 days where most are challenging in some way or another.
by Bernard Shaw 10/07/2017
Pre-Trip Service
Very responsive replys
Trip Comments
A challenging trip - met my desire for the most rugged trail I could find
Accommodation and Food
Restaurants very good and packaged lunches very satisfying
Your Guide
excellent people-person, interacts well with all clients, very caring
The Bottom Line
This trip requires a physically healthy hiker with some experience on long hikes.
The trail requires endurance and determination as parts of it is truly rugged and dangerous with many wet days. It is a once-in-a-life-time adventure worth taking.
by Melanie Brintnall 10/07/2017
Pre-Trip Service
Each email I sent was answered cheerfully within one business day and contained very helpful responses!
Trip Comments
Jen Roberts, our tour guide, did an absolutely phenomenal job leading our group. She had a deep knowledge of the history, flora and fauna, geology, culture, etc. of the area and had great stories to share. The evenings in Dryman and Kinlochleven were particularly great with the accommodations and meals as well.
Accommodation and Food
Your Guide
The Bottom Line
by Paul Schulties 03/07/2017
Pre-Trip Service
The Website is easy to use.
Trip Comments
Fabulous group of people. The guide assisted with this.
Accommodation and Food
Pretty good accommodation. Beds tended to be too smalI. I understand the availability of good accommodation may be limited on the WHW.
Your Guide
The group blended perfectly and the guide helped with this.
The Bottom Line
Very professional. Well managed with attention to detail.
by Ryan Archer 02/07/2017
Pre-Trip Service
Website and post-booking documentation was fantastic. Contained all the information needed to organize and book my trip. No contact was required with the pre-booking team.
Trip Comments
Truly an amazing experience I would not have missed for the world. Even when there were some accommodation issues (not the fault of Wilderness Scotland) Jen, our guide and the Wilderness Scotland Ops team bent over backwards to resolve the problem and I couldn't be more thankful.
Accommodation and Food
Accommodations were overall pretty good from standard hotels to quirky B&B's. Food was terrific with a wide variety of options from traditional Scottish fare to pub food and even a few multiple course meals. The occasional brief stop during the middle of the day at a tea house or route-side pub were very welcome.
Your Guide
Jen Roberts was beyond excellent. Any future group lucky enough to have her as their guide should consider themselves fortunate. Extremely knowledgeable about the route, the geography, flora and fauna, and the history of the area. Anything she didn't know off hand she quickly got back to us with answers on any number of subjects (many not relating to the route at all). Extremely personable and attentive to the needs of everyone in the group, Jen made it a point to spend one-on-one time with each group member every day.
The Bottom Line
The West Highland Way was everything that I hoped it would be from amazing scenery and a great hike to getting to know Scotland and meeting a really great group of people. If I have the opportunity in the future to do further travelling in Scotland I would not hesitate for a second in booking again with Wilderness Scotland.
by Marsha Child 02/07/2017
Pre-Trip Service
The website is very attractive and easy to use. Responses to my inquiries were prompt.
Trip Comments
Really liked our guide, Jen, and the places we stayed. We had a great group of people and all got along well.
Accommodation and Food
Accommodations were generally good, I liked my rooms. Got very used to having tea and cookies in the room. Last place we stayed (Myrtle Bank) was very attractive and tasteful, but stingy in the tea department in-room. No cookies!! Only 2 tiny chocolates. I know that sounds petty, but I really appreciated our tea cookies after a long day on the trail.
Your Guide
Jen was always pleasant, gave us good info, and just the right amount of guidance.
The Bottom Line
Great experience. The only thing I would add is more cultural/historical opportunities along the way. It would have been great to stop at a brewery or cheese production facility or haggis making company, or bagpiping performance, or historical museum etc etc, so this added dimension could enrich our physical experience in Scotland.
by Halldóra Gunnarsdóttir 30/06/2017
Pre-Trip Service
Trip Comments
Accommodation and Food
The Accommodation was excellent, the food was average.
Your Guide
The Bottom Line
I will recommend the West Highland Way, but doing it in one week is too demanding and has consequences.
TEAM WILDERNESS RESPONSE:
Thanks for your feedback. The West Highland Way is a challenging hike, which is why we give it a grade of Blue 6 however it is not unusual to complete the hike in in 7 days. We always do recommend having a look at our trip grading videos to get an idea of what to expect and our team are always around to chat through the trip before hand. It sounds like you had a fantastic time over all and well done for completing the West Highland Way, what a fantastic achievement!
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Trip Details
The West Highland Way is a classic long distance trek, covering over 95 miles (150km) from Milngavie on the outskirts of Glasgow to Fort William in the Highlands.
Joining a West Highland Way guided walking holiday allows you to fully appreciate the stunning scenery, learn about the area’s history and legends, as well as identifying the flora and fauna along the route.
The route travels along the ‘bonnie banks’ of Loch Lomond, across the atmospheric Rannoch Moor, past dramatic Glencoe and over the high pass of the Devil’s Staircase before finishing in Fort William, at the foot of Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis. Each evening you’ll arrive at our hand-picked accommodation where your luggage will be waiting for you, allowing you to travel light. All you’ll need to think about on this classic trek is putting one foot in front of the other and immersing yourself in the spectacular scenery of one of the world’s greatest long distance treks. You can do it faster but we prefer to slow things down and appreciate the West Highland Way over 7 days.
Tour Itinerary – The West Highland Way
Day 1 – The Journey Begins: West Highland Way Start
Today you’ll meet your guide at Glasgow Queen Street Station at 8:30am. You’ll take a short train journey to the West Highland Way start at Milngavie, where we’ll drop off our bags, and then we start walking the West Highland Way! Although starting out close to Glasgow you are quickly walking through wild land. This part of the journey follows what was an important route in prehistoric times and your guide will help you spot some standing stones from the late Stone Age. We’ll arrive at the accommodation tonight in time to settle in before enjoying a welcome dinner – and possibly a dram of the local Glengoyne whisky as a way to toast the start of the trip. (L, D)
Distance 19km
Day 2 – Walking to Loch Lomond
The trail leaves Drymen and passes through Garadhban Forest. Leaving the forest, we’ll take a detour to climb Conic Hill – though just 361m high, it offers fantastic views over Loch Lomond. This area is resplendent with yellow gorse and there is a rich variety of bird life that your guide will be able to help you identify. Reaching the eastern banks of Loch Lomond at Balmaha, we follow the shore through forest until you reach the tranquil setting of Rowardennan, which is nestled at the foot of Ben Lomond. (B, L)
Distance 21km
Day 3 – The Wild Shoreline of Loch Lomond
Starting out with views of Ben Lomond – which translates as Beacon Hill – this is a challenging stage but the combination of differing terrain, scenery and views make it very rewarding. This was an area frequented by Rob Roy McGregor and as you walk in his footsteps, your guide can keep you entertained with stories of his frequent mischief! Rougher terrain means that the going is slower but it’s wonderful to be in such wild country. The trail improves towards the end of the day as we near our next destination, the tiny settlement of Invernarnan. (B, L)
Distance 23km
Day 4 – Into Strathfillan
We’re in the Highlands now and today we pass the halfway point of the West Highland Way, where the mountains seem to stretch all the way to the sky. Indeed, the local mountains are known as the ‘Arrochar Alps’. Our day begins with a walk through Glen Falloch before we turn northwards into Strath Fillan. The landscape gets wilder and your guide will point out the some of the hardier plants that grow in this area and talk about how they were used by the clansmen and women in the past. As we approach Tyndrum, we are rewarded with wonderful views of Ben Lui rising up in the west. (B, L)
Distance 22km
Day 5 – North to Glencoe
This fantastic day begins with a climb out of Tyndrum, with the trail running next to the West Highland Railway line. At the top of a pass, the sweeping flanks of Ben Dorain dominate the view. A short detour will take us to a carved stone seat said to contain the sword of Robert the Bruce. Continuing north, we reach the tiny settlement of Bridge of Orchy and then Inveroran, which makes a good lunch stop. The shapely peaks of the Black Mount now lie to the west while the wilds of Rannoch Moor stretches into the distance in front of you. Following the trail across this wild moor, we eventually reach Glencoe and our accommodation at the historic Kingshouse Hotel. A long but memorable day of trekking! Reward yourself with a drink from the bar, while enjoying the amazing views of Buachaille Etive Mor. (B, L)
Distance 30km
Day 6 – The Devil’s Staircase
This is a shorter day but with the biggest ascent of the route. Leaving the Kingshouse, we walk into Glencoe then climb the trail known as the ‘Devil’s Staircase’. It is steep with some switchbacks but no scrambling is involved. At the top of the pass at 547m, we are rewarded with wonderful views of Glencoe and Loch Leven. Your guide will able to point out the individual peaks in this sea of mountains you are looking at and perhaps tell the tale of The Massacre of Glencoe. Descending into the next valley, we follow a good trail to our next stop, the small village of Kinlochleven. (B, L)
Distance 14km
Day 7 – Trail’s End
The day starts with a steep climb to wake us up after breakfast! We cross a pass at 274m, taking in views across to Ben Nevis – the highest mountain in Scotland. After crossing the pass, the hard work of the day is done and we walk past old sheilings (summer dwellings for shepherds) with views over Lochan Lunn Da-Bhr. Your guide may share the story of the mythical bull that makes this area home and terrorises the crofter’s cattle! The trail then descends into beautiful Glen Nevis and then into Fort William itself – we’ve done it and completed the iconic 95 mile West Highland Way! After checking into our accommodation and freshening up, we’ll celebrate with drinks and dinner – we deserve it! (B, L, D)
Distance 22km
Day 8 – Fort William and depart
After a leisurely breakfast, your free to make your way home at a suitable time – most people will take the scenic West Highland Railway back to Glasgow, which has several departures daily. (B)
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