West Highland Line: Rail & Hike
- Walk the iconic West Highland Way up into the Scottish Highlands
- Cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct, pass pristine beaches and dramatic mountain panoramas
- Sail across to the ‘bonnie banks’ of Loch Lomond
- Follow the tracks across remote Rannoch Moor, home to regal stags
- Explore the paths and trails at Glen Nevis with an option to climb Ben Nevis
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 West Highland Line from Glasgow to ArdluiYour tour starts in Glasgow at Queen Street railway station. Once aboard the West Highland Line train you will travel north towards Loch Lomond.
Pulling into Ardlui station, you have arrived in the Highlands. Enjoy your first evening with a sun downer on the loch shore and look north to the peaks that will frame your following days walk along the West Highland Way.
The hotel was built as a private hunting lodge for the Colquhoun family around 1851. It was first opened as a hotel in 1886 and two years later the east wing was added, while the west wing was added by 1905. The hotel today is painted white due to the three different types of stone used to build the main building & each of the two wings.
This hotel is one of the friendliest and most intimate hotels in Loch Lomond. With 10 en-suite rooms they offer a relaxed accommodation with great views across the northern shores.
Beinglas Farm is situated directly on the West Highland Way at the stage of Inverarnan and is within easy walking distance of the village centre. Beinglas Farm has been awarded a three star grading from the Scottish Tourist Board.
The Drovers Inn dates back to the 1800s. Packed full of history, it has been a welcomed, cosy stop for the weary hunters and travellers passing through the highlands for hundreds of years.
There are 15 rooms in the original Inn, these are filled with antique furniture, oil paintings and rich colours, but equipped with today’s modern comforts. When there is no availability in the original building, there are an additional 16 rooms in the lodge across the road, these are more modern chalet style rooms. Regardless of where you are staying, you are free to relax in the bar & lounge areas, and indulge in hearty Scottish cuisine and perhaps a dram of local whisky.
Your day begins with a short ferry ride across the waters of Loch Lomond to Ardleish on the Easter Shores. You are now on the West Highland Way and your walk takes you north through Glen Falloch. You may glimpse the roe deer on the mountains.
After heavy rain the sheer slopes of the glen gush with the turbulent waterfalls that brighten up even the most cloudy day. Passing through the conifer forests you enter the Glen of Strath Fillan to arrive at the village of Crianlarich.
The Crianlarich Hotel is a comfortable and well-appointed 3-star hotel built in Victorian times. Each room has en-suite facilities and luxurious feather-and-down duvets with cotton bed linen and generous fluffy white towels.
Glenardran House is a 3 star Visit Scotland approved guesthouse offering B&B accommodation. Resident owners Rod and Andrea Salt bought the house in 2016 and will ensure you receive a warm welcome and both a comfortable and pleasurable stay.
Craigbank is a friendly family-run guesthouse, nestling near the foot of mighty Ben More, and ideally situated in the centre of Crianlarich village. The house, which dates from the late 1800s, has been recently refurbished by the new owners and has been sympathetically modernised throughout.
Commencing with a gentle start through the verdant Strath Fillan, you will walk the footsteps of St Fillan, a 8th century Irish evangelist whose subsequent cult attracted Robert the Bruce as one of his followers.
Passing through the ruins of his chapel you move through Dalrigh, the King’s Field’, where legend has it Robert the Bruce suffered defeat in 1306. Following the ‘Way’ amidst the sky scraping mountain scenery of Beinn Odhar and Beinn Dorain you descend to Bridge of Orchy.
The Bridge of Orchy hotel welcomes guests with personalised service, imaginative Scottish cuisine and an intimate atmosphere. The hotel’s personalised service and ‘can do’ approach is seen in their bedrooms and throughout the hotel and a real home-from-home feel is their priority.
Your hosts at Stance Cottage understand that you love the outdoors! It is situated just off the West Highland Way and is kitted out with a drying cabinet for wet outdoor clothes and boots, along with tea/coffee making facilities, and fluffy white towels. Historically drovers would stop in Bridge of Orchy and pay to ‘stance’ their cattle/sheep in the stance below the cottage. Over the last 150 years a shed or barn has continuously stood beside the cottage. These have been demolished and re-constructed several times since the cottage was built, and each have been used for many different functions, including the storage of hay and livestock. Stance Cottage is once again a welcome haven for people on a journey.
Inveroran believe that coming to visit the hotel should be a very special experience for everyone and they have done their best to retain the atmosphere of the 19th century inn throughout the modern hotel and offer great food, great hospitality and comfortable rooms.
After breakfast you have the option of a 5 mile loop walk to the shores of Loch Tulla. with uninterrupted views across the loch, wild Rannoch Moor and the Black Mount.
A relaxing afternoon follows as you board the West Highland Line to head across Rannoch Moor. Crossing a wide remote expanse of the Rannoch Plateau at 300m above sea level. This is a wild landscape of peat bogs, lochans and ancient forests, home now to herds of red deer. Passing Loch Treig the line descends into fertile Glen Spean and the Great Glen.
Optional Loch Tulla Walk: 5 miles, 175m ascent, 164m descent, 2 - 3 hours
Distant Hills has a peaceful setting amidst some of the most spectacular scenery in the Highlands with uninterrupted mountain views. They have seven individually designed comfortable rooms with en-suite shower rooms. Rooms are furnished in contemporary quality furniture with 24 hour individually controlled heating. There is also a drying room and WIFI access.
Morven and Simon look forward to offering you a warm welcome. Coire Glas is situated in one acre of grounds facing south looking over the spectacular Grey Corries, home to the Nevis Range Ski Resort.
Old Pines is a very special place to stay. Experience the beauty of their picturesque location, cosy yet luxurious rooms and the indulgence of organic, home-cooked food. On arrival, you will be greeted with fresh tea and home-made scones then you can settle into your luxury room to unwind.
Entering a forest trail to start your walk it is worth keeping an eye out for red squirrels. The dominating feature of the walk is Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain at 1344m which reveals its massive bulk in full as you near Fort William. Passing in its shadow you enter the town to complete your walk.
Dora welcomes you with open arms to her beautiful guest house - Myrtle Bank. Overlooking Loch Linnie and just a short stroll from the town centre Myrtle Bank is a wonderful place to relax at the end of the West Highland Way.
A warm welcome awaits you at Guisachan House, a family run private guest house. They are situated in an elevated position off the main road with views over Loch Linnhe and surrounding hills only 5 minutes walking distance from Fort William town centre. They have 17 bedrooms and a guest lounge and bar offering wine, beer, spirits and malt whiskey. Wireless Internet is available for the guests. There is some photography dotted around the guest house taken by Phil, one of the owners.
Located in a prime residential area overlooking Loch Linnhe, the guest house is only 5 minutes walk from the shops and restaurants in Fort William town centre. You are assured a warm welcome at this splendid property and all rooms are en-suite with central heating, flat screen televisions and tea/coffee making facilities. There is free WiFi.
With two nights in Fort William you may wish to tackle Ben Nevis with a self guided walk to the summit via the ‘Tourist Route’. Suitably equipped for the ever-changing conditions you may be rewarded with far ranging views from the summit plateau.
For a low level adventure, the Glen Nevis trails are a delight. One of the best short walks in Scotland, the rocky path through the Nevis gorge to the cascading Steall Falls, is highly recommended.
Optional Ben Nevis ascent: 10 miles, 1352m ascent/descent, 7 - 9 hours
Optional Glen Nevis walk: 3 miles, 220m ascent/descent, 2 - 3 hours
Walk: 3-10 miles
Dora welcomes you with open arms to her beautiful guest house - Myrtle Bank. Overlooking Loch Linnie and just a short stroll from the town centre Myrtle Bank is a wonderful place to relax at the end of the West Highland Way.
A warm welcome awaits you at Guisachan House, a family run private guest house. They are situated in an elevated position off the main road with views over Loch Linnhe and surrounding hills only 5 minutes walking distance from Fort William town centre. They have 17 bedrooms and a guest lounge and bar offering wine, beer, spirits and malt whiskey. Wireless Internet is available for the guests. There is some photography dotted around the guest house taken by Phil, one of the owners.
Located in a prime residential area overlooking Loch Linnhe, the guest house is only 5 minutes walk from the shops and restaurants in Fort William town centre. You are assured a warm welcome at this splendid property and all rooms are en-suite with central heating, flat screen televisions and tea/coffee making facilities. There is free WiFi.
A real treat is in store today as you ride the most beautiful section of the West Highland Line from Fort William to the west coast port of Mallaig. A highlight of the journey is crossing the 21 arches of the curving Glenfinnan Viaduct. The Glenfinnan Monument, seen below, is historically important as the landing point of Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745 for the Jacobite uprising.
The dramatic scenery continues with summits towering over 700m above the tracks as you puff and whistle through remote glens. Reaching the rugged west coast with views over to the small isles of Rum and Eigg, and the Silver Sands of Morar the train arrives at the port of Mallaig.
Heather looks forward to meeting you at the Moorings which has super views over the working fishing port of Mallaig. Moorings is located approximately a 5 minute walk from Mallaig Train station, with ferries for Skye, the Outer Isles and other local amenities nearby. All bedrooms are comfortably furnished with TV, radio, en suite shower, tea and coffee making facilities and room hairdryer.
Seaview Guesthouse is a comfortable guesthouse in the centre of Mallaig. Overlooking the harbour of this pretty fishing village, the guesthouse provides all you need for a relaxing stay. A hearty Scottish breakfast is cooked to order and special dietary requirements are catered with advance notice.
Overlooking the village, this 4-star hotel retains the traditional charm of a bygone age combined with modern touches in the comfortable surroundings. Dining is a delight with views out to the Cuillin mountains in Skye. All rooms are en-suite with Freeview TVs and some boasting views of the harbour and isles beyond.
Your tour ends after breakfast. You may wish to travel south via the West Highland Line (approx. 5hrs 30mins by train to Glasgow) or continue your adventures up into the Isle of Skye and beyond.
This trip has a carbon score of 5kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 5kg is equivalent to 1 Neapolitan margherita pizza. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information about how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?If you love the idea of watching the Scottish Highland landscape unfold from the comfort of the West Highland train line, coupled with walking the most famous of Scotland’s national trails then this trip is for you.
Discovery | Think of it as a ‘local’s guide’ to the best of the region. It includes a combination of activity and transportation to give you the freedom to explore and cover more ground at your own pace. We do all the research and organisation for you. All you have to do is turn up and enjoy!
Rail and Hike | Perfectly planned itineraries discovering the best of a destination both by train and on foot.
Solo Travellers, Families with Teens
The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years
This trip is graded easy to moderate and includes daily walks of between 8 - 13 miles. The terrain may be rugged underfoot with some hills but not too strenuous. Perfect for those with a relatively good level of fitness.
This route is suitable for most regular walkers. You should train by walking some daily walks of similar daily distances to your planned itinerary.
Our West Highland Line - Rail & Hike holidays include overnight accommodation in a mix of 2, 3 and 4 star country inns, hotels, guesthouses and B&B’s. The accommodation we use most often is listed below. We carefully select your accommodation to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay and all offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food.
We book en suite rooms as standard. If there are no en suite rooms available in an overnight location, we may book a room with shared facilities, but we would always inform you in advance if this was the case.
Accommodation Upgrade
If you would prefer a little extra luxury whilst in Fort William, Spean Bridge or Mallaig you can upgrade to our hotel accommodation option. For this option we use a selection of country hotels, luxury bed and breakfasts and country inns of character.
Accommodation Location
We will always try and accommodate you at the locations detailed in your itinerary. Occasionally, because of limited availability, we may have to accommodate you at an alternative location. In the unlikely event that we have to accommodate you elsewhere we will advise you of this before confirming your booking and arrange transfers to and from your overnight accommodation at our expense.
Single Rooms & Solo Walkers
This holiday is available to solo walkers, although a single supplement is payable. If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate your request, although it is not generally possible to secure more than three single rooms in a party. A single supplement is payable.
Meals
Breakfast is included each morning while lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Your accommodation may be able to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked and paid for on arrival. Alternatively, the Macs Adventure App will point out any recommended lunch spots along the way. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or at nearby pubs and restaurants.
The route is generally well way marked and easy to follow. Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure Smartphone App which has maps, GPS tracks, and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation will be simple, and you can’t get lost. You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account.
Recommended Reading
Although not essential, if you would like more information on the route please see our recommendation below:
- West Highland Way: Milngavie to Fort William (British Walking Guide). Trailblazers
- 7 Nights in good quality guesthouses/small hotels
- 7 Breakfasts
- Door to door baggage transfer on walking days
- Train travel as per itinerary (standard class)
- Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
- All your trip documents provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
- 24/7 Emergency telephone support from our office
- Travel to/from Glasgow
- Lunches, dinners, snacks & drinks
- Travel insurance (required)
- Personal equipment
- Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
- Glasgow accommodation (pre-tour)
- Upgrade to hotel standard accommodation throughout
- Extra night/s along the route
- Upgrade to first class rail travel
You can start this tour on any day of the week throuhgout the season which is April to October.
Scotland's climate is notoriously changeable! Expect some amounts of both sunshine and rain regardless of the time of year, so always pack both waterproofs and sunscreen. July and August are usually warmest with average temperatures around 14 degrees centigrate, and highs of up to mid-twenties. Some snow may remain or even fall on the higher parts of the route in March & April, and even beyond. May has the least rainfall on average, but you would still expect some wetter days, and each year can vary greatly.
By Air: Located 8 miles west of Glasgow, Glasgow International Airport is served by routes from around Britain and the world. A regular shuttle bus service runs to the city centre.
By Train: Glasgow has excellent rail links from within the UK. It is important to book as far in advance as possible to get the best fares. For information on all routes contact National Rail Enquires.
By Bus: Services from UK destinations are operated by National Express.
Services from Scottish destinations are operated by Scottish Citylink.
By Car: Glasgow is served by an excellent motorway network. Long term parking is generally available in the city centres. For directions and journey planner visit the mulitimap weblink.
By Train: Following completion of your holiday you may wish to return toward Glasgow via the West Highland Line. Journey time is approximately 5hrs 30mins. For information on all routes contact National Rail Enquiries.
By Ferry: For onward travel to Skye you may take the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry to Armadale. Crossing time is approximately 30 minutes. For information on all routes contact Caledonian MacBrayne.
For detailed public transport information see Traveline Scotland.
Jacobite Steam Train
Unfortunately, we are unable to book the Jacobite Steam train which runs between Fort William and Mallaig. Instead, you will be booked on to a Scotrail service which runs on the identical train line over the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct. If choosing to travel on the Jacobite Train, you can book directly on West Coast Railways
Your bags will be collected from your accommodation on each walking day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 18kg per person. On the rail days we ask that you take all your baggage with you aboard the train.
At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person. It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.
The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
Online Documents
At Macs Adventure we care about the environment! We’re taking action to minimize the impact we have by converting the majority of our tour documentation for online delivery.
On this tour, all your detailed tour information will be digitally delivered. You will have access to this documentation via “My Account” on our website.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
With 42 miles of walking this is a fair distance and the higher your level of fitness the more you will enjoy the experience. You should be comfortable walking on good tracks and paths over undulating terrain for up to 7 hours. If you currently don’t enjoy that level of fitness, regular walking in hilly terrain supplemented by cardiovascular exercise for at least six months before your walk is recommended. A good gym or personal trainer will be able to draw up a personalised training programme.
We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as the region is extremely popular especially over May/June and July/August. You will find up to date availability on our website and we will always try and accommodate your plans.
You will need good walking shoes/boots (ideally waterproof), comfortable walking clothes, waterproof jacket and trousers, a daypack and hats/gloves etc. Our info packs have a list of all equipment to bring on your walk.
Traditionally May has always been the most popular time of year because the theory goes that the weather is better and the midges have not yet appeared. Although having walked in every summer month I believe any time between late May and October offers a wonderful experience.
Midges are small biting insects (much like North American gnats) which are prevalent in the summer months. They are particularly bad on still, overcast days but do not bother you if you are moving, the wind is blowing, sun is shining, it’s raining, or you are inside so as long as you carry repellent for the odd occasion you may need it they shouldn’t have any impact on your experience.
Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate walkers with dogs as many of the accommodation providers we use do not accept pets and several sections of the way are closed to dogs as they are permissive paths through farm land.
You can use public transport or local taxis to move you to the next overnight stop. Full details are included in your info pack.
You will be required to do both on our Rail and Hike itineraries, and on some days you will be required to take your bags with you or you receive baggage handling to your next walking location! Please check and refer to your specific Rail and Hike itinerary on our website, and visit the ‘Included’ section for clarification on this.
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