From the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh to the Galloway Hills in the south, in Scotland one can find a beautiful place to walk practically anywhere he or she wishes. One of the most famous walks is the West Highland Way, but unlike a lot of other beautiful trails in Scotland, this one cannot be done in a day. The WHW is a seven-day, 152 kilometre trek from Milngavie to Fort William.
Every year about 50,000 people of all fitness levels walk at least part of the trail. Those who decide to do the whole trek from Milngavie (pronounced Mull-guy) which is on the outskirts of Glasgow, to Fort William, which is at the base of the UK’s highest peak, Ben Nevis, have many options when it comes to where to sleep, what to eat, and how to get to the final destination.
Sleeping on the WHW
This comes down to your fitness level/tolerance to wildlife and whether or not you plan ahead! Along the route you have the option of B&Bs, guesthouses, bothies and hostels. In the summer months, people flock to the WHW and accommodations book up quickly, so it is advisable to book a place well in advance. Unless, of course you don’t mind sleeping under the stars. There are official campsites along the route. If you stay in one you will have toilets and showers and in some cases a place to wash your clothes. Wild camping, however is also permitted. You must of course, be careful and respectful so as to not ruin the option for generations to come.
Important Articles to Bring When Hiking the West Highland Way
- A map of the West Highland
- a compass (supplement this with a fancy GPS if you like)
- a whistle
- a watch with an alarm
- flashlight (torch if you’re British)
- water and emergency food
- first aid kit
- toiletries
- multitool
- small garbage bags
- an emergency bivi-bag or survival blanket
If you choose to camp, it goes without saying you will need a tent and sleeping bag! You may want to bring a camera and notebook, binoculars and walking poles. A store of dry socks is essential, as well as good, supportive, broken-in footware.
How To Carry Gear During WHW hike
- find yourself a sturdy rucksack (65 to 75 litres) with comfortable straps and pack as lightly as possible without skimping on essentials. It’s important to remember Scotland’s often rainy weather. Waterproof yourself!
- pay someone to carry your things for you. Because of the popularity of the WHW there are more and more companies who offer bag-carrying services. Not quite the sherpa and burro situation, but a hired company will bring your rucksack ahead for you and you will only need to carry with you the essentials.
Aside from being the most famous walk in Scotland the WHW is also the oldest. It was the first official long distance route in the country, created in the ’60s and finished two decades later in October 1980. See the country’s tourism website for a database of over 1,000 walks of varying lengths.
People who take this journey often say one of the reasons the length of the WHW is bearable is because of the beautiful and ever-changing landscape. On your walk you will pass lakes (lochs), mountains moor lands and forests. The varied terrain is host to all kinds of wildlife, from deer and foxes to otters and badgers. You might see osprey, owls, magpies or golden eagles.
Other long distance walks in Scotland include the Great Glen Way, which is a 117km trek from Fort William stretching east to Inverness, and the Southern Upland Way, which is 340 kms from Portpatrick to Cockburnspath on the eastern seaboard.
