West Highland Way - May 2024

After 41 hours of travelling I arrived in Milngavie (pronounced Mill-guy) to start the WHW... the next day! Yep! But luckily I'd had as good sleep as you can have in economy and after a good nights sleep was ready to hit the trail. Besides I may as well be hiking as wandering aimlessly around trying to get over jetlag.

It is very easy to get to Milngavie by train as it is on the edge of Glasgow.

Overnight: Premier Inn (on the expensive side but at the start of the WHW)

Day 1 - Milngavie to Drymen (pronounced Drimmen) 19km (Accommodation Kip in the Kirk)

The start of the WHW is very busy and quite crowded, I remember thinking I hope it's not like this the whole way! But as people find their stride the hikers spread out. As always at the start of a hike I feel every ache and pain and wonder if I'm up to the task! Not surprising given my jetlag, but soon enough I found my rhythm, and as I like to say "it's just one foot in front of the other".

It's not far off the track to call into Glencoyne Distillery for a wee dram.

The host at Kip in the Kirk is lovely presenting home made scones and lots of tips for the track ahead. She has run the ultra WHW twice!! She also helped booking us into the Clachan Inn, which was very busy but great food.

Day 2 Drynan to Rowardennan 23km

(Accommodation Rowardennan Hotel).

Today I passed from the lowlands into the highlands, following the path up & down initially on some loggings trails and alongside of village roads, following the banks of Loch Lomond. I chose not to climb Conic Hill and by all accounts was glad not to, as others had said it was very slippery with loose gravel coming down.

I ate a yummy pie and had a nice coffee at St Mocha in Balmaha.

Day 3: Rowardennan to Inverarnan (the next 3 nights at Lodgehouse Crianlarich) 23km.

The path is technical and quite hard (many listing this section as the hardest, in fact the guide book describes this as "a tortuous route"). I've discovered I like this terrain as it stops me getting bored and thinking about how tired or sore I feel. This section was where the famous Rob Roy hung out, you can do a side trip to explore Rob Roy's cave north of Inversnaid. Our run of gorgeous weather ran out and after a lunch stop at Inversnaid Hotel the rain started and it was quite cold. I was attacked by midgees at the camp grounds at Beinglas Farm near the Drovers Inn where I was to be collected by the owner of the lodge (who is also the local taxi driver).

Midge note: they are tiny little bloodsucking winged monsters that descend in hordes during the Summer months on the west coast of Scotland. They favour damp areas and dusk and dawn particularly. You can deter them by applying Deet or other repellants and some swear by "Skin so soft" by Avon. Also consider covering up and avoid dark colours. They also disappear if there is a decent breeze. I've hiked and visited Scotland twice in Summer and have only been "attacked" twice, both times whilst standing still. Although my best friend has a video of them on mass on their tent and I know of some who has been traumatised by them.

The Drover's Inn is well worth stopping into. It is old, over 300 years old, and dingy with a vast array of taxidermied animals, it's also very popular and reputed to be haunted.

It was nice to not have to pack up and move on for two mornings by stay at the Lodgehouse, the owners drop you off at the start of your trail section and pick you up at the end.

Day 4 Inverannan to Tyndrum 21km

Today was relatively flat, which was good as I was sore from yesterday and tomorrow is a long day. The WHW is very hard underfoot, it's well formed but the stones and rocks start to grate after a while and towards the end I was starting to look for softer grassy paths.

On this day you will pass through Crianlarich which is the halfway point where Glen Falloch rises and meets the pastures of Strathfillan, where you will find the old burial ground of Kirkton containing 4 stone slabs bearing crosses dating back to the around the 7th century, and St Fillan's Priory. As legend has it, Robert the Bruce and his army after being defeated at Dalrigh, threw their weapons into what is now known as The Lochan of the Lost Sword.

Day 5 Tyndrum to Kingshouse 31km

It's really hard to break this leg up. You could stop over at Bridge of Orchy but that is a short day of only 10km and accomodation is limited. If you want to do this I strongly recommend booking early, as accomodation books up quickly every year on the WHW and as it gets more popular it will get harder to find places to stay.

Today was fairly flat again and mostly on old roadways (by now you've probably worked out not my favourite surface) and mostly on moors. The Brits love the moors, me not so much, I can appreciate them but definitely not my favourite scenery. I had good weather, however it is very exposed and no shelter so if the weather is poor be prepared.

It is fair to say that I was very glad to reach the pub at Kingshouse, in fact as I approached I recall saying to myself, "if this isn't it, I'm done, I'm not going any further!" Oh and from the Kingshouse, you can see the Devil's Staircase.

Day 6 Kingshouse to Kinlochleven 14km - Air BNB

Although Devil's staircase is the highest point it really isn't that bad, however there is a lot of descent down into Kinlochleven. Which for me is hard on the "brakes part" of your legs the quads and the knees and ankles. Psychologically I always think shorter days are going to be easier and then I get frustrated!

We were also passing participants in the WHW race going south. These guys and gals are truly inspiring, what has taken me 7 days they will complete it in under 37 hours. The record being held by Rob Sinclair in 13 hrs 41 mins & 8 sec and by Lucy Colquhoun in 17hrs 16 mins 20 secs!

Day 7 Kinlochleven to Fort William 23km

Today was a mix of rain and wind, thankfully at our backs. So close but so far, as you top the hill on a forestry road you can see Fort William.... then it seems like you don't get any closer for ages. Passing by the Ben Nevis information centre, then I entered the edge of Fort William at the original finish line then continued through town to the official finish.

Tired but already planning my next hike, maybe going to John O'Groats ;)

Stats:

Total kms: 154km

Baggage transfer by Travel lite UK

Final thoughts:

I love Scotland! I really enjoyed the West Highland Way, the scenery, the people, the history. The accomodation was a little on the costly side but you can stay in cheaper places than I did and you can wild camp in Scotland if that takes your fancy.

The WHW is very popular, especially in Summer so book as soon as you can to have more options.

I was really lucky with the weather, however there was still rain and wind and for this little Aussie, it was cold at times. I know the day I left Fort William I think it was 11 degrees celsius.