West Highland Way at a glance
- Distance: 154 km / 96 miles
- Time needed: 7–8 days walking (5 for fast groups)
- Total ascent: approx. 3,150 m total ascent
- Start / finish: Milngavie (Glasgow) to Fort William
- Season: April to October; midges peak June to August
- Accommodation: Hostels, B&Bs, bunkhouses and wild camping
- Difficulty: Moderate — long days, no technical ground
Stage by stage
- Milngavie to Drymen — 19 km, gentle farmland and forest — the easiest day.
- Drymen to Rowardennan — 23 km over Conic Hill with the first Loch Lomond views.
- Rowardennan to Inverarnan — 22 km along the rough, rooty east shore of Loch Lomond.
- Inverarnan to Tyndrum — 19 km up Strath Fillan, easy underfoot.
- Tyndrum to Kingshouse — 31 km across Rannoch Moor — the longest and most exposed day.
- Kingshouse to Kinlochleven — 14 km over the Devil's Staircase, the high point at 550 m.
- Kinlochleven to Fort William — 24 km through Lairigmor to finish under Ben Nevis.
What makes it hard
Nothing on the route is technical, and it is waymarked with the Scottish thistle the whole way. The difficulty is cumulative: back-to-back 20 km-plus days on wet ground, one 31 km crossing of Rannoch Moor with no shelter, and weather that can turn from still to horizontal rain inside an hour.
The Loch Lomond east shore between Rowardennan and Inverarnan is the section walkers underestimate most — tree roots, boulders and short scrambles make 22 km feel like 30.
When to walk it
May and September are the sweet spot: long daylight, firmer paths and far fewer midges than midsummer. June to August brings the best chance of settled weather and the worst of the midges, especially at dusk near Loch Lomond. April and October are quiet and cold, with some accommodation closed.
Adding Ben Nevis
Many walkers finish in Fort William and climb Ben Nevis the next day. The Mountain Track is a walk in summer conditions but the summit plateau needs confident navigation in cloud, and from roughly October to May it is a full winter mountaineering objective requiring axe, crampons and the skills to use them. That is the point on this trip where a qualified guide stops being optional.
Do you need a certified guide on the West Highland Way?
A guide is not required to walk the West Highland Way — it is waymarked and passes through villages. Walkers hire one for pacing and logistics on a first long-distance trek, for winter attempts, or to add Ben Nevis and the Mamores safely at the end.
West Highland Way questions
How long does the West Highland Way take?
Most people walk it in seven or eight days. Fit groups do it in five or six; taking nine or ten with rest days is common for a first long-distance walk.
Do you need a guide for the West Highland Way?
No. The route is waymarked throughout and never far from a road or village. Guides add most value in winter, on a first multi-day trek, or when extending the trip onto Ben Nevis and the surrounding Munros.
Which direction should you walk it?
South to north, Milngavie to Fort William. The scenery builds towards the Highlands, prevailing wind and rain are behind you, and the accommodation network is set up for that direction.
Can you wild camp on the West Highland Way?
Yes under Scottish access rights, but seasonal camping byelaws restrict wild camping around parts of Loch Lomond between roughly March and September, where a permit or campsite is required.