Last chance availability on popular trips: Browse here

 

West Highland Way (The South) - 6 Days & 5 Nights

6 Days & 5 Nights 4.8 Read 1320 reviews
  • Walk a section of Scotland's most famous long distance trail from Milngavie to Inverarnan
  • Enjoy camaraderie along the trail as you meet fellow walkers from around the world
  • Revel in the myriad of landscapes as you walk the "bonnie banks" of Loch Lomond
  • Explore the lush greenery of the Trossachs National Park
  • Visit to the renowned Drovers Inn for a well deserved dram at the end of your trip!

Discover the southern half of Scotland's most famous long distance trail - the West Highland Way. Explore the lush glens and rich woodlands of the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park as you follow the trail north from Milngavie to Inverarnan.

Towering mountains, tranquil lochs and rushing rivers combine to reward you with a unique and ever-changing landscape as you journey 47 miles from Milngavie (Glasgow) to Inverarnan (just under halfway to Fort William). Pass by whisky distilleries and the charming rural villages of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, with spectacular views over and alongside the bonnie waters. This really is Scottish highland scenery at its best.

As the largest operator on the West Highland Way (each year over 2500 people trust us to arrange their walk) we can secure you the best value and quality arrangements, regardless of whether you are walking solo or as a group of 20, and we’re happy to tailor-make a tour to fit your requirements. 99% of our walkers would recommend us to a friend, and you can read over 800 authentic and unbiased West Highland Way customer reviews. So give us a shout today to start planning your own West Highland Way adventure.

Read All
This is a stunning long distance walk, showcasing some of the best scenery that Scotland has to offer including the 'Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond'. It can be tough going at times and includes some challenging terrain, but it's a great one for boasting about to friends!

Tour Type:

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveler this tour would be suitable for is: 12 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

  • Long-Distance Trails
  • National Parks
  • Accessible by Rail

Activity Level & Terrain

This holiday is graded moderate and includes daily walks of between 7 - 16 miles. Perfect for regular walkers, some days will be more challenging than others and the terrain will be varied with some rough and rugged footpaths. More ascent and descent involved so a good level of fitness will be required.

Navigation

The route is well waymarked and easy to follow. We supply a detailed map and guidebook so will easily find your way.

Experience & Fitness

This route is suitable for most regular walkers of average fitness. You should train by walking some daily walks of similar daily distances to your planned itinerary.

Accommodations

Our West Highland Way tours include overnight accommodation in a mixture of country inns, small hotels, guest houses and B&B’s. We have worked with many of our accommodation partners for over 10 years and have great relationships with them ensuring you receive the best attention from the moment you check in.

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 will always inform you in advance if this was the case.

Accommodation Location

We will always try and accommodate you at the locations detailed in your itinerary. Occasionally, due to limited availability, there may be an option to be accommodated 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. In this case you can change your trip dates or we can arrange taxi transfers to and from an alternative overnight accommodation (supplement payable)

The Kingshouse Hotel

During busy booking times a supplement may have to be paid when staying at the Kingshouse Hotel. Unfortunately, this cannot be avoided due to this hotel increasing their costs on certain dates of the year. If you do not want to stay at the Kingshouse, there would be no supplement to stay in Glencoe or Ballaculish which is our usual alternative.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

This holiday is available to solo walkers, although a 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 room 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 on arrival. Alternatively, your guidebook includes details of local shops and convenient lunch stops on the way. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby pubs and restaurants (your info pack has recommendations).

Additional Nights

You may wish to take some extra nights along the route, either to rest or for those with plenty of energy to explore some of the other walking opportunities nearby. We recommend extra nights at:

  • Glasgow - at the beginning of the trip to sample the city's foodie scene or simply to overnight and recover from travelling before starting the hike.
  • Rowardennan - for climbing Ben Lomond, a Munro with commanding views over Loch Lomond.
  • Crianlarich - a halfway stop with options for visiting the seaside town of Oban, complete with whisky distillery, via the local train service (1hr 15 mins each way).
  • Fort William - for climbing Ben Nevis (the UK's highest mountain).
Included
  • 5 Nights in hand-picked B&B’s, small hotels & guesthouses
  • 5 Breakfasts
  • Baggage transfer
  • Detailed information pack
  • Access to detailed maps & GPX tracks with our Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
  • 24/7 Emergency telephone support from our UK office
Excluded
  • Travel to Milngavie / from Fort William
  • Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
  • Lunches, dinners, snacks & drinks
  • Personal equipment
  • Travel insurance (required)
Extras
  • Upgrade to hotel-standard accommodations every night
  • Extra nights along the route
  • Glasgow / Milngavie accommodation (pre-tour)

When To Go

The trip is available from the end of March to mid-October and while it does get very busy, we are always willing to try and get you booked in.

Weather and Climate

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.

Getting to the Start

By Air:

Glasgow Airport: Located 8 miles west of the city, the airport is served by numerous domestic and international airlines. A regular Citylink bus service operates between the airport and the city centre. Alternatively, you can also book taxis at a fixed rate from the airport to your accommodation in Glasgow, or to Glasgow Central train station Glasgow city centre, and there is also a service to/from Fort William.

Prestwick Airport: Located 30 miles south of Glasgow, Prestwick is primarily served by the budget airline Ryanair. A train service operates from Prestwick to Glasgow city centre, taking approx. 50 mins. 

Edinburgh Airport: Located 45 miles east of Glasgow, Edinburgh Airport is served by numerous domestic and international airlines. A regular Citylink bus service operates between the airport and Glasgow's Buchanan Street Bus Station in the city centre (approx. 60 mins). Alternatively, you could take the tram towards Edinburgh city centre and connect with the train from Edinburgh Haymarket train station to Glasgow Queen Street station. 

By Rail: Glasgow is well-served by rail from across the UK. Booking in advance secures the best fares. For information on all routes visit Scotrail or National Rail.

By Car: Glasgow is served by a motorway network. Long term parking is generally not available in the city centre, but parking (not secured) is available in Milngavie, at the start of the walk. A useful website for directions and parking is the RAC Route Planner.

By Bus: Services from UK destinations are operated by National Express. Services from Scottish destinations are operated by Scottish Citylink.

Getting to Milngavie from Glasgow

Milngavie is most easily accessed by train from Glasgow Queen Street train station on a regular Scotrail service taking approx. 25 mins. 

Getting from the End

Return transfers from Inverarnan to Glasgow are NOT included in the price of your holiday. If you are returning to Glasgow we suggest the Citylink Bus (up to 8 daily/1.5 hours).

By Coach

Scottish Citylink operates up to 8 services daily to Glasgow and the journey takes about 1.5 hours.They also operate services north to Fort William, Inverness and Skye.

Web: www.citylink.co.uk

Luggage Transfer

Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg/44lbs per person. Please ensure that you do not bring more than one bag of 20kg as if this occurs, the luggage transfer company will ask you to pay an additional fee. Our luggage transfer company can store the extra bag for you whilst you are on the tour and will deliver it to your final accommodation for an additional cost. Extra luggage and bag storage costs can be made locally. 

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.

General Information

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.

Travel Insurance

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. 

How fit do I need to be?
How do the baggage transfers work?
How far in advance do I need to book?
What personal equipment do I need?
When is the best time of year?
What are the midges like?
Am I able to take my dog?
What happens if I can’t walk a stage?

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Milngavie Day 2 Milngavie to Drymen 12.5 miles / 19.5 km Day 3 Drymen to Balmaha 7 miles / 11 km Day 4 Balmaha to Rowardennan 7.5 miles / 12 km Day 5 Rowardennan to Inverarnan 14.5 miles / 23 km Day 6 Onward travel from Inverarnan

The Macs Way

  • Tried & Tested Adventures Tried & Tested Adventures
  • Freedom Freedom
  • Book with Confidence Book with Confidence
  • Expertise Expertise
  • Positive Impact Positive Impact
Built with our expert knowledge, to suit you.
  • Knowledgeable and helpful specialist trip planners
  • Wide variety of tours to suit all interests and experience levels
  • Start on any date that suits you
  • Choose your ideal trip length and difficulty
  • Range of accommodation comfort levels
  • Choice of trip styles
Authentic adventure travel experiences on your own terms
  • Choose your own travel companions
  • Walk, cycle and explore at your own pace
  • Make your own decisions
  • Choose your own path
  • Indulge your passions
Feel secure in making the right choice for your precious adventure time
  • 18,000+ unbiased trip & service reviews
  • Feefo Platinum Award 2023
  • 25,000+ travelers trust us each year
  • As featured in the Guardian, Times, Nat Geo Traveler
  • Founder owned & operated since 2003
  • 100+ passionate team members across the US, UK & Europe
You can be confident that every detail of your journey has been expertly planned
  • Carefully planned adventures
  • Quality, hand-picked accommodations
  • Seamless and reliable arrangements
  • Comprehensive trip information & insider tips
  • Detailed maps, route notes and mobile GPS app
  • Helpful 24/7 support should you need it
Travel the right way and make a positive impact
  • Travel responsibly
  • Explore off the beaten track
  • Support locally owned businesses
  • Engage with local communities
  • Minimize your impact
  • Maximize the benefit of your travel
  • Challenge yourself & grow
Currency:
$ - USD - US Dollar
Country/Region name:
USAUSA