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© 2026 Celtic Trails Walking Holidays. A company registered in England and Wales under number 07736096. All rights reserved. Registered address 5 Ashweir Court, Tintern, Wales, NP16 6SE United Kingdom.

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Walking Holidays
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  3. West Highland Way

Self-Guided Walking Holidays

West Highland Way

Walk Scotland’s best-known long-distance trail from Milngavie to Fort William through classic Highland scenery of lochs, glens and mountain passes.

Walker on a Highland trail overlooking vast mountain scenery on the West Highland Way.

Walk Information

Difficulty
Moderate – Challenging
Distance
43 to 96 miles
Nights
4 to 10 Nights
Location
West Scotland
Season
Mar to Oct
Price from
£615

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From £615 per person
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Highlights

Scotland’s Flagship Walking Trail: A Journey Through Dramatic Scenery

Conic Hill
Panoramic views across Loch Lomond and its scattered islands.
Loch Lomond Shoreline
Wooded paths and open stretches along Scotland’s largest loch.
Rannoch Moor
A wide and remote expanse of Highland moorland.
Buachaille Etive Mòr
Towering above the trail near Glencoe, this striking Highland peak is one of Scotland’s most recognisable mountains.
Devil’s Staircase
Climb to 550 metres, the highest point on the route.
Highland Hospitality
Share the trail with fellow walkers and welcoming Highland communities.

Key Walk Features

Walking the West Highland Way

The West Highland Way is Scotland’s most established long-distance walking route, stretching 96 miles from Milngavie near Glasgow to Fort William beneath Ben Nevis. It offers a gradual journey north into increasingly dramatic Highland landscapes, from wooded lowlands to open moor and mountain passes.

The trail combines varied terrain with a strong sense of progression and achievement. It is regarded as one of Britain’s classic long-distance walks, suitable for regular walkers seeking a sustained and rewarding challenge.

A hiker poses next to a West Highland Way signpost with a large mountain in the background

Your Journey Along the West Highland Way

From Milngavie, the route passes through farmland before climbing Conic Hill, where wide views open across Loch Lomond. The path then follows the loch’s eastern shoreline, with wooded stretches, rocky sections and quieter bays marking the transition into more rugged terrain.

Beyond Loch Lomond, the landscape broadens across Rannoch Moor, one of Scotland’s most remote and atmospheric settings. The route continues beneath the striking form of Buachaille Etive Mor and climbs the Devil’s Staircase to 550 metres, the highest point of the trail, before descending through forest towards Fort William.

The West Highland Way may be walked in full or in shorter sections, and in either direction.

Walking holiday map of the the West Highland Way

History and Character of the Route

The West Highland Way follows historic drovers’ roads and sections of military road constructed in the 18th century after the Jacobite Risings. These routes once linked Highland communities with markets in the south and formed part of the government’s efforts to control the region.

Today, traces of that history remain visible in the landscape and in the character of the inns and settlements along the way. Walking the West Highland Way offers not only varied scenery, but also a clear sense of Scotland’s past and its enduring Highland culture.

Whitewashed Highland cottage at Blackrock beneath Buachaille Etive Mòr on the West Highland Way.

“I began walking the West Highland Way regularly in the late 1950s, only it wasn’t the West Highland Way then; it was my route from home to school, 5 miles each way, there and back. Little could I imagine the WHW would be today one of the most popular walking trails in Europe.”

Angus Cunningham
Founder, Celtic Trails

Choose Your Walk

Our West Highland Way Itineraries

Milngavie to Fort William

96 miles (154.5 km)
  • 7 Nights Challenging

    WHW0

    From £1,020 Per Person

  • 8 Nights Moderate to Challenging

    WHW1

    From £1,155 Per Person

  • 9 Nights Moderate

    WHW2

    From £1,320 Per Person

  • 10 Nights Moderate

    WHW3

    From £1,450 Per Person

Tyndrum to Fort William

44 miles (70.8 km)
  • 5 Nights Moderate

    WHW4

    From £790 Per Person

  • 4 Nights Moderate to Challenging

    WHW5

    From £615 Per Person

Milngavie to Tyndrum

53 miles (85.3 km)
  • 6 Nights Moderate

    WHW6

    From £810 Per Person

  • 5 Nights Moderate to Challenging

    WHW7

    From £680 Per Person

Key Information

  • Good standard accommodation at a mixture of guesthouses, farmhouses, local inns and B&Bs with en-suite or private facilities
  • Breakfast
  • Luggage transfers
  • Personal transfer between accommodation and path that form a part of our standard package
  • Route planning
  • Walk pack including Trail Guide and mapping, itinerary, accommodation directions and route notes, lunch and dinner information, restaurant recommendations and holiday planning details

Customise your trip?

Looking for different mileages or a different number of nights? Please contact us to discuss how our itineraries can be adjusted to meet your specific needs.

Telephone
+44 (0)1291 689 774
Email
walk@celtic-trails.com

West Highland Way Client Reviews

4.8/5 based on 96 reviews

"I was a decent walker before; post-West Highland Way I feel bulletproof! Most commonly asked question on my return was "What was the highlight?" Impossible to answer, 'cause that's not how it works. The "best part" was the way the whole experience stitched together, the rainy bits: sun (or absence of rain -- "This is Scotland!"), random conversations, solitary bits. Every moment key."

M, Eastern Canada
May 2026

"It makes it a holiday - all of the hassle of booking and organising is taken care of by knowledgeable + friendly staff"

J. Odell
May 2026

"A friendly professional helpful company who let me know exactly what I needed to do at each stage of the walk… they were my walking bible!!!!!"

Sarah Willsey
April 2026

"A friendly professional helpful company who let me know exactly what I needed to do at each stage of the walk… they were my walking bible!!!!!"

Sarah Willsey
April 2026

"Celtic Trails provided an excellent service. The staff were competent and friendly. Questions were always answered promptly."

Anon
August 2025

"Unique once in a lifetime challenge!"

Anon
July 2025

"They were efficient and responded promptly to queries"

Anon
July 2025

"I would recommend Celtic Trails to anyone considering a long distance walking holiday. The standard of accommodation is really good, instructions are clear, always ready to answer questions when necessary."

Paul Carroll
July 2025

"Very responsive, great service, no nasty surprises"

Sabine, Belgium
July 2025

Hand-Picked Accommodation

Hand-Picked Accommodation: Comfort Along the Way

We seek out the best accommodation of its type available

Hand-Picked Accommodation: Comfort Along the Way

Points of Interest

  • Path and river in Glen Nevis beneath Ben Nevis near Fort William

    Ben Nevis

    One of the defining moments of walking the West Highland Way is the approach to Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain at 1,345 metres. Towering above Fort William, its broad, often cloud-capped summit creates a dramatic backdrop to the final stages of the route and a strong sense of arrival in the Highlands.

    On the Kinlochleven to Fort William stage, the path descends steadily through glens and forestry, with glimpses of Ben Nevis growing ever more prominent. For many, the journey culminates with the option to climb the mountain itself, a fitting challenge at the end of this iconic long-distance walk.

  • View over Loch Lomond from Conic Hill showing wooded islands and Highland hills beyond

    Loch Lomond

    One of the pleasures of walking the West Highland Way is the diversity of landscape, from wooded lowlands and open moor to the vast waters of Loch Lomond. By surface area, it is the largest body of freshwater in Britain and is dotted with around thirty islands, including Inchconnachan, home to a small colony of wallabies.

    On the Drymen to Rowardennan stage, far-reaching views open up from Conic Hill across the loch and its islands.

Media Gallery

Loch Lomond from Conic Hill walking west highland way
Buachaille Etive Mòr in Glencoe, Scottish Highlands
Whitewashed Highland cottage at Blackrock beneath Buachaille Etive Mòr on the West Highland Way.
View over Loch Lomond and its islands from Conic Hill
Red deer stag in Highland glen on the West Highland Way
Smiling walker on the West Highland Way with hills in the background
Tyndrum to Inveroran, taken by one of our walkers, Patty, on the West Highland Way
Wooded island on Loch Lomond with Highland hills beyond
Loch Maoil Dhuinne, near Rowardennan
West Highland Way crossing open moorland beneath Highland mountains
West Highland Way start marker at Milngavie beside Loch Lomond
Rowardennan Statue
West Highland Way passing through a wide Highland glen
Near Tyndrum
Walkers on the West Highland Way between Bridge of Orchy and Glencoe with Loch Tulla seen beyond
Walkers crossing open moorland on the West Highland Way in the Scottish Highlands
Autumn on the West Highland Way

Customise your trip?

Looking for different mileages or a different number of nights? Please contact us to discuss how our itineraries can be adjusted to meet your specific needs.

Customise your trip?

Looking for different mileages or a different number of nights? Please contact us to discuss how our itineraries can be adjusted to meet your specific needs.

Telephone
+44 (0)1291 689 774
Email
walk@celtic-trails.com

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