Great Glen Escape
5 Days & 4 Nights 4.7 Read 19 reviews- Immerse yourself in the highland landscape on one of Scotland's most renowned trails
- Discover the historic tow paths of the Caledonian Canal and its impressive series of locks
- Visit Urquhart Castle with its superb setting on Loch Ness
- Explore Loch Ness by foot and perhaps catch a glimpse of the famous Loch Ness Monster!
- Arrive in Inverness having passed through some of Scotland’s finest scenery
What To Expect
Tour Style:
Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent active trip.
Activity:
Inn to Inn Walking | A classic point to point walking trip, staying in a different location each night
This trip is suitable for:
Solo Travelers, Families, Multi-Generational, Groups > 10, First Timers
Ideal if you have an interest in:
- Historical Journeys
- National Parks & Trails
Featured in our collections:
- Most Popular
- Classic
Activity Level & Terrain
This holiday is graded easy to moderate overall, with the 7 and 8 day tours graded moderate, due to a couple of longer days. Daily walking distances very between 8 - 20 miles. Some days will be more challenging than others and the terrain will be varied with some rough and rugged footpaths. There are ascents and descents involved, so a good level of fitness will be required. For fitter walkers the High Route will appeal, which affords particularly spectacular views from the Great Glen Way.
The High Route
In Summer 2014, through a £1 million project, the Forestry Commission Scotland created over 10 miles (16km) of waymarked Great Glen ‘High Route’ above Loch Ness. These new options take you above the treeline and offer fantastic views than the traditional route, with some challenging gradients and a new summit at 422m (1385ft) on Creag Dhearg.
Navigation
The route is well way marked and easy to follow. We supply a detailed map and guidebook so you will easily manage to find your way.
Accommodations
One of the highlights of this tour is the high standard of accommodation. We specifically choose the hotels, inns, guesthouses and B&B’s to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay. They all offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food.
Solo Walkers & Single Rooms
The Great Glen Escape is available and well suited to solo walkers as the route is popular and well marked. Single rooms are available but a single supplement is payable.
Meals
A hearty breakfast is included each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Most of your accommodations will more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby pubs and restaurants and your guide book will have details.
- 4 Nights in hand-picked B&B's, guest houses and small hotels
- 4 Breakfasts
- Baggage transfers
- Taxi transfer on day 4
- Information pack, guidebook and access to maps & GPX tracks on our Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
- 24/7 Emergency telephone support from our UK office
- Travel to the start / from the finish of the walk
- Lunches, dinners, snacks & drinks
- Travel insurance (required)
- Personal equipment
- Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
- Extra nights before, during or after your walk
When To Go
You can start your walk on the Great Glen Way on any day between March and October, subject to availability. The Great Glen Way is very popular so it is best to book as far in advance as you are able to.
Getting to the Start
By Air: Inverness and Glasgow Airports are the most convenient. From Inverness Airport catch the bus (2 hours) or arrange a private transfer to Fort William. From Glasgow Airport take the shuttle bus into Glasgow city centre and then the train (4 hours) or bus (3 hours) to Fort William.
By Train: Between 3 and 4 trains run daily from Glasgow to Fort William and the journey takes around 4 hours. Widely regarded as one of the world’s great rail journeys this is a great way to start your trip. Visit Scotrail's website for timetables and tickets.
By Bus: Scottish Citylink operates up to 8 departures per day from Glasgow to Fortwilliam (3 hours) and up to 8 buses per day from Inverness (2 hours) to Fort William. Visit Scottish Citylink's website for timetables and tickets.
By Car: Fort William is 100 miles (approx. 3 hours) north of Glasgow on the A82. Parking (not secure) is available in Fort William. You can sometimes leave your car at the properties we use in Fort William, but please request this at the time of booking.
Private Transfers: We can arrange private transfers from Glasgow, Inverness or Edinburgh to the start/end of your walk; just ask us for a quote. This is often the smoothest way to begin or conclude your adventure.
Journey Planning: If travelling by public transport the website www.travelinescotland.com has an excellent journey planner.
Getting from the End
Inverness has excellent transport links by road, rail and air to destinations throughout Scotland and the UK. Use the websites listed above for timetables and tickets.
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 18kg per person.
Taxi Transfer
You will be collected from your accommodation in Drumnadrochit on day 4 of your trip and transferred to Loch Laide, avoiding the busy A82 section of the Great Glen Way, and allowing you to enjoy walking into Inverness at a more leisurely pace.
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.
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