How many days does the West Highland Way take?

The official site says most people take six to seven days, and its suggested itineraries run from five to seven. I hiked it alone in four days in June 2023: 37, 29, 22 and 17 miles. Unless you're a fast, fit hiker who wants long days, plan six to eight.

How hard is the West Highland Way?

For me it was one of my easiest long-distance hikes: close to sea level, very well marked, with little climbing for its distance. The highest point is the top of the Devil's Staircase, 1,821 ft (555 m) on my GPS. What makes it hard is the distance, the rough lochside path north of Rowardennan, the open moor and the weather.

Can you wild camp on the West Highland Way?

Outside the Loch Lomond camping zones, yes, under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. On the east shore of Loch Lomond, from March 1 to September 30, you may only camp in a campsite or with a camping permit: £4.50 per tent per night in 2026, booked online up to four weeks ahead.

Are the midges bad on the West Highland Way?

They can be. Midges are out from about May to October, worst in midsummer, early and late in the day and on calm, overcast days. In early June 2023 I had the worst bug experience of my life packing up my tent one morning, though during the day the sun and wind kept them away. Bring a proper midge head net.

Can someone carry your bag on the West Highland Way?

Yes. Travel-Lite and AMS Scotland move bags between your nights for the whole Way: £80 a bag in 2026, from March 21 to October 18. I carried everything myself.

Can you climb Ben Nevis after the West Highland Way?

Yes, straight from Fort William. The Mountain Track from Glen Nevis is the ordinary way, 6 to 9 hours up and down. The morning after I finished, I went up by the Carn Mor Dearg Arete, a longer route with an easy scramble: 17.5 miles and about 4,930 ft of climbing my way.

The West Highland Way film: Scottish Highlands, Scotland

Scottish Highlands, Scotland · 4 days · 96 miles

West Highland Way Hiking Guide

4 days alone from Milngavie to Fort William, plus Ben Nevis.

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Look inside

Real pages from the guide. Tap one to see it big.

A day page
A day map and elevation profile
At a glance
One-page trip sheet

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The route

My GPS recording of 5 days on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts; the red dot is the finish. The full GPX files and the day maps come with the guide.

Relief map of the West Highland Way route: 5 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Milngavie, Ben Nevis, Inversnaid and Bridge of Orchy. — Map data: Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (EU-DEM, SRTM) on AWS · Rivers & lakes © OpenStreetMap contributors

At a glance

Days: 4 days
Distance: 96 miles
Climbing: About 10,140 ft (3,090 m) up
Nights: 2 in my tent, 1 in a hostel in Kinlochleven, 1 in Fort William
Route: Milngavie to Gordon Square

What's inside

All four days, plus Ben Nevis. Stats, the time I took, my notes, the trail, where to get off, a map with an elevation profile, and links to that day in my film.
My GPX files. My own recordings for each day and the whole Way, with waypoints for where I slept, the villages and my stops, and Ben Nevis as its own file, ready for AllTrails, Gaia GPS, Garmin or Organic Maps.
Where to sleep. My two wild camps, a hostel and a bed in town, the Loch Lomond camping zones and permits in plain terms, and the campsites, bothies, hostels and hotels along the Way, checked for 2026.
Getting there and home. Glasgow Airport to Milngavie, and Fort William back to Glasgow or London by coach, train or sleeper, with 2026 facts, plus every way off the trail day by day.
When to go and the midges. What I'd do differently, the midge and tick season, what actually works against midges, and the race and lambing dates to plan around.
Ben Nevis. My route over Carn Mor Dearg and the arete, the ordinary Mountain Track, and the bearings for the summit in cloud.
Other ways to do it. The eight official sections and a 6 to 8 day plan, baggage transfer, the Conic Hill low route and the new High Route into Fort William.
Before you go and a trip sheet. One page of year-to-year checks and a printable one-page summary of the whole Way.

About this trip

In June 2023 I hiked the whole West Highland Way alone in four days, from Milngavie on the edge of Glasgow to Fort William, then climbed Ben Nevis the next morning by the Carn Mor Dearg Arete. Loch Lomond and Conic Hill, Glen Falloch, Rannoch Moor, Glencoe and the Devil's Staircase, and the worst midges of my life. This guide has my GPS files, maps and notes for every day, where to sleep and the Loch Lomond camping rules, the trains and buses, and a plan for the usual six to eight days.

Watch the film on YouTube (328K views).

Gear for this route

Paid links: I earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My records don't list my kit for this trip, so here's what they show, what I'd take now, and what I filmed with.

What I carried in 2023

From my film, my photos and my notes. No brands for most of it, so no links.

Tenta small green tentFor my two wild camps.
Head neta mosquito head netThe midges went straight through it. Bring a midge net.
ShoesBrooks trail runnersA month later I wrote that the Brooks shoes from my last few hikes had given me plantar fasciitis.
HeadphonesShokz OpenFitOpen-ear headphones. I was destroying audiobooks on this trip, because there were a lot of long days on flat trails.
Alsoa black backpack, a cap and a light sun hoodieIn my photos.

What I'd take now

What I'd bring for this route from my current kit.

TentNEMO Hornet Elite OSMO 1P AmazonIf you wild camp. Camp where there's a breeze: midges don't fly in one.
PackHyperlite Mountain Gear Waypoint 35 HyperliteI carried everything myself.
Sun hoodiePATH Projects Pyrenees T19 Hoodie PATH ProjectsLong sleeves for the midges and ticks too.
Rain shellArc’teryx Beta AR Jacket Arc’teryxFor Ben Nevis, even in summer.
Warm layerArc’teryx Cerium Hoody Arc’teryxFor Ben Nevis.
HatPATH Projects Hoyt Merino Beanie PATH ProjectsFor Ben Nevis.
GlovesUnigear Touchscreen Liner Gloves AmazonFor Ben Nevis.
Water filterKatadyn BeFree AC · 1L AmazonFilter stream water and also boil it or treat it chemically where livestock graze.
Power bankNitecore NB20000 Amazon
NavigationAllTrails+ AllTrails · 30% offLoad my GPX files and download offline maps while you still have Wi-Fi. Offline maps need the paid plan.
Phone dataAiralo eSIM Airalo · $3 offData in Scotland without a SIM swap.

Filming kit

What I filmed this trip with in 2023. My setup is much smaller now (below).

Cameramy camera on a tripod

What I film with now

Since September 2026 I film with a smaller setup: the Pocket 4 and the Mic 3 on the trail.

CameraDJI Osmo Pocket 4 Amazon
MicDJI Mic 3 · 1 TX + 1 RX AmazonIt pairs with the Pocket 4.
TripodSmallRig Carbon Fiber Tripod Amazon

Everything I carry now: my gear page.

The Day 2, Inversnaid to Bridge of Orchy page from the West Highland Way Hiking Guide

Free sample + packing list

Try Day 2 free, plus my packing list

Inversnaid to Bridge of Orchy

The whole day page from the guide as a PDF, plus my camping packing list: the 42 things I carry, with a note on each. The PDF opens right away and both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

The details

Format: A 54-page PDF sized for a phone (A5, prints fine too) and a folder of GPX files, in one zip download.
Edition: 2027 season edition, updated September 2026.
Delivery: Instant. After you pay you get a private download link. Bookmark it to download again on any device.
Payment: Secure checkout through Stripe, in your own currency. Tax is included in the price, except in the US and Canada, where any sales tax is added at checkout.
Refunds: Not useful? Email me within 30 days for a refund: kraig@kraigadams.com.
Questions: Email kraig@kraigadams.com.

Questions

How many days does the West Highland Way take?: The official site says most people take six to seven days, and its suggested itineraries run from five to seven. I hiked it alone in four days in June 2023: 37, 29, 22 and 17 miles. Unless you're a fast, fit hiker who wants long days, plan six to eight.
How hard is the West Highland Way?: For me it was one of my easiest long-distance hikes: close to sea level, very well marked, with little climbing for its distance. The highest point is the top of the Devil's Staircase, 1,821 ft (555 m) on my GPS. What makes it hard is the distance, the rough lochside path north of Rowardennan, the open moor and the weather.
Can you wild camp on the West Highland Way?: Outside the Loch Lomond camping zones, yes, under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. On the east shore of Loch Lomond, from March 1 to September 30, you may only camp in a campsite or with a camping permit: £4.50 per tent per night in 2026, booked online up to four weeks ahead.
Are the midges bad on the West Highland Way?: They can be. Midges are out from about May to October, worst in midsummer, early and late in the day and on calm, overcast days. In early June 2023 I had the worst bug experience of my life packing up my tent one morning, though during the day the sun and wind kept them away. Bring a proper midge head net.
Can someone carry your bag on the West Highland Way?: Yes. Travel-Lite and AMS Scotland move bags between your nights for the whole Way: £80 a bag in 2026, from March 21 to October 18. I carried everything myself.
Can you climb Ben Nevis after the West Highland Way?: Yes, straight from Fort William. The Mountain Track from Glen Nevis is the ordinary way, 6 to 9 hours up and down. The morning after I finished, I went up by the Carn Mor Dearg Arete, a longer route with an easy scramble: 17.5 miles and about 4,930 ft of climbing my way.