Hey folks.

Starting the trail tomorrow and can't wait. This is my first big walk since coming back from the PCT in November.

But I seem to have left my bug head net somewhere, can't find it. How is the midge season shaping up this year? Do I need to pick up a net in Glasgow, or might I get away with it this week? I'm in a proper tent with a bug net, not my tarp, so I'm not worried about overnight.

Cheers! Wish us luck!

Hello! My journey will begin in the middle of April, I'm starting to feel a bit nervous and thinking maybe I don't quite have my shit together. I plan on wild camping the whole way and have all of those supplies necessary; but I'm worried about the small details and I'm generally someone that can just get it done on the go with little planning haha, but this one feels a bit more serious to me!

1. I need a gas can; I'll be staying in Milngavie the night before I begin, but will be coming from Glasgow first. I'm coming from America so can't fly with gas.

2. I know there's the management zone near Loch Lomond, debating whether to just put up with the fee and reserve a camping spot, or if I should just push through until I'm outside of it. Pros of staying in the management zone vs cons (other than the few bucks?)

3. I cannot for the life of me find a solid accommodation for a good price in Fort William area. Plan to end my walk at the very end of April (April 28 is my day to end in FW), and wanted to stay until May 1, so I could take a day or 2 and rest, then do Ben Nevis (yes I know not for the weak after such a journey, this plan is still tentative and depends on my personal conditions, but I'm quite a strong hiker and used to elevation.) Been trying Glen Nevis youth hostel but the online booking whenever I go to payment says no beds, even though it shows as available on their calendar. At the moment, I've booked an airbnb, but I really wanted a social aspect at the end to maybe find others who wanted to go out to eat/do Ben Nevis as well. Maybe anybody here would like to?

4. Going to do it in 8 days rather than 7, I'll likely just take an extra night somewhere. I just want to be able to appreciate the area and enjoy my time rather than rush it all. Any suggestions on where I should spend this extra night? Again, planning on wild camping, so I don't have any sites reserved, would like to keep it that way!

Thanks, and sorry for the probably cliche post haha. Many thanks :)

Greetings! I'll be doing the WHW in June and had originally planned on stay at the Sallochy campsite. However, it's status and availability for this year are apparently still not confirmed. I tried looking into getting a permit for wild camping in approved locations on the national park site, but it wouldn't allow bookings past May. Any have a better understanding of this system than I have been able to get? The only other option I have seen would be to keep going and wild camp at the Rowchoish Bothy, but that would create a much longer day 2 than I'm looking for. Thanks in advance for any sage advice!

17-31 March 2025

I've checked Google and none seems to be open before 9. Looking to getting an early start after a cooked breakfast, any suggestions?

I'm planning to do the WHW in the next few weeks - it'll be the first time I've done a solo multi day hike in a long time. Slight jitters and the kit list gets revisited almost daily! 😁

I'm aiming to go pretty light, wild camp where possible, interspersed with campsites for cleanup, recharge, resup.

The Knife Edge guidebook has been my main reference to date. I'm 61 and I'm not looking to break any records. I'm looking at 9 days to do it, I want to see the sights, visit the falls and enjoy it. That keeps me to sub 12mi days, with quite a few shorter, apart from the last leg.

Current plan is to start April 21st. Hopefully still fairly quiet and largely midge free.

What would be useful is if anyone has pointers to other blogs/guides/advice for a 9(ish) day itinerary - stop overs/camping and recommend resupply spots on the route.

Thank you.

Hello!

I’m looking to do the West Highland Way this late May/early June. This will be my first hike of this magnitude, so I’m doing the 7 day itinerary as suggested by the WHW website (Milngavie-Drymen, Drymen - Rowardennan, Rowardennan - Inverarnan, Inverarnan - Tyndrum, Tyndrum - Kingshouse, Kingshouse - Kinlochleven, Kinlochleven to Ft. William.)

Just because this is my first time undergoing such a hike (and this is something of a birthday vacation), I was wanting to know where ya’ll would recommend for spending an extra day for relaxing / enjoying the sights. For those of you who completed the hike and after thought, “Oh wow I wish I had more time in x.”

I’ve read that the stretch around Loch Lomond is particularly rough and was considering an extra day between waypoints there, but open to hearing about other suggestions!

Hey all!

At the end of my WHW trip I plan to stay at the Glen Nevis campground for a few days.

I was wondering if it is possible to charge phones and powerbanks in the bathrooms or something?

Thanks in advance!

I’m currently in the planning phase. My plan is to head over from NJ, go to a concert in Glasgow on May 16th and then head to Milngavie the next day starting the hike on the 18th. I plan to give myself 9 days to hike with one of those days a 0 day buffer built in if needed. Once I end up in the Fort William I’d like to tackle Ben Nevis the next day before heading back to Glasgow to fly home. For context I’m 67 and last summer section hiked the AT in New Hampshire. 163 miles in 25 days but I was following my buddy’s plan and the White Mountains were challenging. We also did a lot of car shuffling which was a pain in the ass. I’m confident in my ability to hike 10+ miles a day. I have Far Out and have identified a bunch of places to stay. I’d like to both tent camp and hostel/hotel as needed. Glasgow and Ft William will both be AirBNBs.

I’d appreciate any thoughts or comments on this plan.

I'm starting the WHW tomorrow and the weather forecast is phenomenal.

My rain jacket weighs 400g so i'm seriously considering ditching it.

Would you risk it?

I plan to get a train from Glasgow to Rannoch/Corrour and hike from there to Fort William, and then do the WHW North to South.

Does anyone know if you can get gas for a Jetboil stove in Corrour station? If not, I could cold soak for a few days and I assume I could easily one in Fort William?

Hi all, looking to do the walk over 7 days. We would like to camp, either wild or at a campsite, every other day and bed and breakfast the other days. What do you think of this itinerary:

Day 1: Milngavie to Drymen (12 miles / 19 km)

Stay: Campsite – Drymen Camping or wild camp nearby.

Day 2: Drymen to Rowardennan (14 miles / 22 km)

Stay: B&B – Lodge on Loch Lomond or similar.

Day 3: Rowardennan to Inverarnan (14 miles / 22 km)

Stay: Campsite – Beinglas Farm Campsite or wild camp along the loch.

Day 4: Inverarnan to Tyndrum (12 miles / 19 km)

Stay: B&B – Tyndrum Lodges or a local inn.

Day 5: Tyndrum to Kingshouse (19 miles / 30 km)

Stay: Campsite – Wild camp near Kingshouse or Glencoe Mountain Resort.

Day 6: Kingshouse to Kinlochleven (9 miles / 14 km)

Stay: B&B – A guesthouse in Kinlochleven.

Day 7: Kinlochleven to Fort William (15 miles / 24 km)

Finish!

Any advice about where to stay between Drymen and invernarnan? I was hoping to camp at Lochan Maol Dhuinne but there’s only one campsite I see and it appears to be full- can you wild camp anywhere on the stretch around Rowardennan? Only option I see now is renting a house lomond lodge for $380!! Thanks for advice!

Hi I’m doing the West Highland Way solo next week over 7 days. Gonna do a mix of wild camping and stay a couple of nights in a hostel. I thought the Crianlarich youth hostel would be a good option for a night in a hostel but it’d mean adding on another 4/5 miles to the day 5 route from Tyndrum to Kinghouse. Would this be too far or is it doable? Thanks.

Hi, Maybe somebody knows if the Beinglas campsite shop is available for people that are not staying in the campsite? As I am planning to walk the WHW but most do wild camping and after lake Loch Lomond this shop looks the first one that is near the route. So I am trying to count for how many days I have to have food from the start. Thanks

Hi, Maybe somebody will know, I am planning going from fort Williams to glasgow by city link bus and in their site they mention that one passenger can have one bag in the carrier and another in the bus. Does anybody know if a 50-60 liters backpack fits into the free baggage or should I pay for additional baggage just in case? Thanks

Hello all, I'm sure I can do some research but figured I'd just ask. I'm going to be doing the WHW in 2 weeks. I will be doing it over 7 days and am staying in hostels and hotels. I'm not sure what kind of snacks/water I should have with me for the days. Someone recently posted a map of the food spots along the route but I figured I'd ask. I'm not a big eater on the trail but want to make sure I have something with me if needed. For reference, last fall I did the Franconia loop in NH (about 9 miles, 3500 ft elevation) and I think I had some almond butter and that's it. I'm fine buying food/lunch along the way, just wondering if I should be buying some food here in the states for the trail or if I can find enough stops each day. Thanks!

Hey all!

Doing the WHW in may, and I was wondering how much cash money I should be taking with me, or is using just a bank card sufficient?

If cash money is required, how small should the notes I bring be?

Thanks in advance!

Not valid anymore

I know it is a long shot.

TL:DR free gas can near Central or Queen station

My flight home is leaving this afternoon. I am still at Glasgow centre and have to get rid of my 100g Primus Propane/Isobutane mix pot. It is the screw on version for most hiking stoves like Soto or MSR.

It is mostly full. Used a couple of times on trail to cook water for dinner or a coffee. I am a 100% sure it will last all the way again and even again if needed.

I was intending to try to bring it back to Tiso where i bought it.

I don't know if anyone else will be starting in the next couple of hours and come trough Glasgow Centre on their way to Milngavie. Happy to hand it over for free to anyone interested.

After just the first day a pubalgia has hit me. So I’ll go back home and try another time.

Just sharing because it saddens me a lot after waiting a lot of time to hike in Scotland

I figured this was as good as place to start as any. I completed the West Highland Way in May of 2024. It was one of the best experiences of my entire life. I'm not gonna sit here and rehash it, but the beauty will live with me forever. I kind of have the urge to start planning another trip similar and was looking for recommendations in terms of other long distance walks. I would love to see some of the Nordic/Scandinavia countries, but my priority is dramatic landscapes similar to WHW.

I am in general not the first person a tick finds attractive. That said, i hiked the whw last week and there where multiple spots with heavy ticks infestations.

I found multiple on me and my tent near the bothie after the camp management zone among Loch Lomond. I wasn't the only one. Had the same issue just after Kinlochleven. Heard others tell of other places where they have been in or around tall grass areas finding ticks.

In general, try avoiding tall grass. Use something like smidge to scare them away. Use long socks, trousers so they can't crawl onto your legs. Make sure to check yourself regular. Bring something to remove them of you when found.

When i finished i found two attached to me, one on the inside of my arm (weird i didnt see that earlier) and one at the outside curve of my knee in a 'blind' spot.

Heading to WHW in two weeks (yay!) and thinking about how to navigate. I have uploaded gpx-route into komoot that can be used offline. Is that sufficient or should I buy WHW pack for Farout or even buy a paper map? Does they sell maps in Milngavie?