The West Highland Way was one of our first ever trips and still remains a favourite with our customers (and our team!). This classic Scottish trail can be done in part on in its entirety, lasting anything from 4 to 10 days depending on the itinerary. You walk through the Western Highlands, seeing lochs (lakes), rivers, mountain tops and rolling hills along the way. As some of our customers have testified, the WHW can be a real challenge, but the feeling of achievement and pride at the end of the day makes it all worth it.
For a more relaxing experience, it is also possible to take the railway as part of the route, giving you the chance to experience one of the most beautiful rail lines in the world. The Glenfinnan Viaduct and the Jacobite Train were made famous in a certain popular film featuring an orphan boy and a magic wand… In the past few months we’ve enjoyed reading your stories from the trail as well as the many pictures you’ve sent us through our MacsMoment contest and our feedback pages. We love hearing about your travel adventures; it makes us feel almost like we’re there too! Below you will find a selection of stories and pictures that we’ve received from you in the past few months – what an inspiring read!
“The trek itself fully lived up to expectations with glorious / varied scenery every day! Would echo previous sentiment re it being tough going on stretches along Loch Lomond but helped toughen up the legs for days 3-5! Lucky to be blessed with good weather which made the experience all the more enjoyable.”
Gazza, Midlothian, 14/09/2015
“I was exhausted at the end of every 20 mile day but also finished with a wonderful sense of accomplishment. Having Mac's book the accommodations and transfer the luggage was a real treat- to take off every morning with just a day pack was liberating. While the trail does run close to road and lake traffic noise, there were long sections where the only noise was from the multitude of creeks running down the hills. So many different types of landscapes covered, and each one breathtakingly beautiful in its own way. This trip ended up being one of my all-time favorites. The Scottish Highlands are absolutely beautiful, the maintenance and marking of the trail were impressive, and the people of Scotland were warm and welcoming. Great weather didn't hurt!”
Meg, Los Angeles, 24/08/2015
“Walking with friends along The West Highland Way was a wonderful "way" to spend time. Changing location daily gave each day a new experience, with no time to get bored. Most of the accommodation was excellent and the staff friendly. Scottish cuisine was at its best. I would highly recommend this hike to all levels of walkers; there are challenging parts to those who seek them."
Irish, London, 19/08/2015
“We much enjoyed our week-long trek from Milngavie to Fort William. So many worthwhile experiences amid beautiful scenery. The camaraderie amongst the international cast of walkers was a highlight. Accommodation was never poor but some places were very good and all venues boasted friendly staff.”
Steven, Harpenden, 3/8/2015
“We thoroughly enjoyed our 4-day walk on the north half of the West Highland Way. We loved being outdoors, despite the rainy weather, enjoyed meeting other walkers along the way, and loved the beauty of the Highland.”
Rick, Seattle, 27/07/2015
“The scenery was spectacular. We went in mid-May. The surrounding mountains were still snow-capped. It was a little chilly and rainy but we had the right gear and rugged up well. The lodgings were great - lots of character, lovely and very helpful staff and delicious Scottish fare. I would recommend this trip to anyone that enjoys challenging hiking, mountainous terrain, and the comforts of a hot meal and warm bed waiting for you at the end of a day's walk.”
Katie the Aussie, London, 9/6/2015
“We thoroughly enjoyed our hiking trip to Scotland. We were very happy with the organization by Macs for our trip. We were also pleasantly surprised to have a group of 6 from the USA that were taking the same tour at the same time as us. Nice to have some friendly people along for the journey! We loved most of our accommodations, there were a couple we think could have been better. Overall the experience was priceless and we enjoyed the hiking very much. We intentionally booked the Rail & Hike adventure not knowing how I would fare on the trail, instead of doing the entire West Highland Way. However, after experiencing this, we are definitely interested in doing the entire WHW, but this tour was a great introduction into the country and the WHW in general."
kmg0927, Washington D.C., 16/06/2015