West Highland Way Walking Holidays

Our 8 day and 9 day West Highland Way itineraries are our two most popular full-route tours. These tours include 6 and 7 days of walking, respectively, with an overnight stay in Fort William. They are perfect for both fit beginners and seasoned walkers.

On the 8 day itinerary, the longest day is the 19-mile stretch between Tyndrum and Kingshouse. While it’s a lengthy walk, the minimal ascent and descent make it manageable for most walkers. In comparison, the 9 day itinerary divides this section into two shorter days, with an overnight stop in Bridge of Orchy. For those short on time and ready for a challenge, we also offer 6 day and 7 day tours that cover the full route.

Our increasingly popular 10, or 11 day itineraries (with 9 and 10 walking days respectively) have comparatively shorter daily mileages, allowing walkers to soak up the scenery, and build up their fitness for the more strenuous northern sections.

Or you may choose to save time and rely on our decades of expertise walking Scotland by choosing one of our specially designed Highlights, Best of, North, South or Escape WHW itineraries which feature the best sections of the trail and shorter time frames ranging from 5 - 7 tour days.  Explorers can also set out by rail along the West Highland Line, enjoying carefully curated and easily accessed daily walks all along the trail.

The first trip Macs Adventure ever ran was a guided trip along the West Highland Way back in 2003.  It was the foundation for our whole company and ever since we have been running self guided walking holidays to showcase the beauty of Scotland's finest long-distance walk.

With the West Highland Way starting off just miles from Macs HQ, we are now sending 4000 happy walkers along the route each year. Although we started off running guided trips, we quickly realised that we wanted to provide the freedom to choose your route, itinerary and travel companions and to take the West Highland Way at your own pace that only self guided can offer. 

We know how daunting it can be, setting off on an adventure like this, particularly if it is your first long-distance walk, so we wanted to make sure we had all the bases covered.  We spend a lot of time talking to the accommodation owners and baggage handlers on the West Highland Way and make sure that we have a great working relationship, which means that if there are any problems, the people closest to you will be ready and willing to help out.  

We offer a flexible West Highland Way experience that gets you in comfortable, friendly overnight accommodation in local B&Bs and guesthouses. We carry your bags to lighten your load so you can concentrate on simply putting one foot in front of the other and enjoying the unique culture, food and scenery of this trip through the Highlands. No hostels, no leaky tents, no heavy bags on your back, just the reassurance that you have a warm welcome and some dry shoes waiting for you at the end of the day.  You can book with confidence that we have it all covered for you. 

We want to showcase our expertise, by giving you all the resources you will ever need.  In the planning stage, we have free guides, comprehensive videos and a host of staff with their own West Highland Way experience, waiting to answer your questions. On the route, we use high-quality digital mapping to make sure you never lose your way.  

We love the West Highland Way and our main aim is to make sure that you do too.  

Q: When is the best time to walk the West Highland Way?

A: Spring and autumn are two of the favourite seasons for walking the WHW, when temperatures are fine for daily walking and days are often dry. Summer in Scotland is a mixed bag, if you are lucky it will be dry and warm, but you are more likely to get this weather in spring and autumn. If you plan to travel in May or September, popular months on the trail, we recommend booking well in advance. 

Q: Will I need a map and compass?

A: The WHW is waymarked with clear signposts and marker posts. For the most part, these are easy to see and follow and booking with Macs Adventure you can download our app, which has the WHW route already loaded, so that we no longer need to use paper and can do our bit for the planet. 

Q: Are midges a major problem?

A: There is no denying that midges can be a nuisance. They will bite if they find bare skin but they do not cause illness. Some people suffer from itchy bites.

The worse time for midges in Scotland is June to August when the weather is warmer yet still damp. The best solution is to carry midge repellent with you. See our Say Goodbye to the Midges blog for repellent ideas.

Q: Will my accommodation be close to the route?

A: We endeavour to book accommodation as close as possible to the West Highland Way.  Generally, you will only have to walk less than a mile from the route to get to your overnight accommodation. We provide comprehensive details to guide you to your accommodation is each night. 

We are the largest operator on the West Highland Way, with exceptional knowledge of its paths, people and places. With our local partnership, we donate £5 per customer to help support and maintain its 96 miles of paths as well as the bridges, gates, signage and drainage which are regularly hampered by the famously wet, Scottish weather, and the increasing severe weather events.  

Each year we also volunteer to help maintain the trails, bringing us closer to the paths that are the very lifeblood of our business and heritage. Learn more about the importance of  trail maintenance.

Length - The West Highland Way stretches for 96 miles, from Milngavie in the South to Fort William in the North. There are many ways to break up the journey, for the best information on how many days to walk the route, check out our blog post - How Many Days to Walk the West Highland Way.

Toughest Section - The jury is out on this, but here in the office, we think it is the section from Rowardennan to Inveroran. The path twists and turns and there are roots, rocks and steps which require a lot of concentration. However, the path leads you along the beautiful banks of Loch Lomond.  

Weather - The weather on the West Highland Way is very changeable, so it is always wise to pack for 4 seasons in one day. The best resource for checking the weather along the route is the Scottish Mountain Weather Information Service website. 

Wildlife - There is a wide variety of wildlife on the West Highland Way. From soaring golden eagles and peregrine falcons as well as the chance to spot red deer on the Rannoch Moor and feral goats on the shores of Loch Lomond. Our wildlife expert has put together a comprehensive blog on Wildlife on the WHW. 

Midges - The one creature you do want to avoid on the West Highland Way is the dreaded midge. These tiny, swarming insects are not dangerous, but they are a pain in the neck, sometimes literally! While they are an annoyance there are many ways to avoid them. You can see our tips to minimise the midge factor in our handy blog post. 

Toughest name to pronounce - The first stop on the West Highland Way is probably the toughest to pronounce. Milngavie is actually pronounced Mul-guy. Strange eh! Other tough ones are Drymen (Dri-min) and if you remember that most -ch sounds are pronounced like you are gently clearing your throat, then you will be good to go. A hard -K sound will do, i.e. Lock Lomond, but the gravelly -ch will make you sound like a local!

Thinking of walking the West Highland Way? Macs Adventure has been booking the West Highland Way since 2003 and we know the route, its people and places inside out. 

We have compiled a lot of this knowledge into a handy free 15-page West Highland Way guide. Simply download from the link below to read on your phone, tablet or good old printed page.  

Download your Free West Highland Way Guide

Toughest Section - The jury is out on this, but here in the office, we think it’s the section from Rowardennan to Inveroran. The path twists and turns and there are roots, rocks and steps which require a lot of concentration. However, the path leads you along the beautiful ‘bonnie’ banks of Loch Lomond.

Toughest place name to pronounce - The first stop on the West Highland Way is probably the toughest to pronounce. Milngavie is actually pronounced Mul-guy. Strange eh?! Another one is Drymen (Dri-min). The most ‘-ch’ part of a word is pronounced like you're gently clearing your throat, however a hard -K sound will do, i.e. Lock Lomond, but the gravelly -‘ch’ will make you sound like a local!

As for the rest of the tough questions…call us, our team will be able to assist.