Scotland's classic long walk from Glasgow's edge to the foot of Ben Nevis, friendly enough to start with
Indicative — sampled from open terrain data along the simplified route.
Running 154 kilometres from Milngavie, just outside Glasgow, to Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis, the West Highland Way is usually the trail people point to first when a longer walk is being considered for the first time. It’s well waymarked throughout, well walked by others doing the same thing, and doesn’t ask for any wilderness skills beyond planning for weather and carrying what’s needed for the day.
It doesn’t need doing in one push. The stretch out of Milngavie and along the shore of Loch Lomond is gentle enough for a day trip on its own, and the route is set up well for walking it in stages, with plenty of places along the way to break the journey and pick it up again later. Baggage transfer between stops is common enough on this trail that carrying everything for the whole route isn’t the only option.
Further along, the path opens out across Rannoch Moor, some of the most remote and exposed ground on the whole route, before the final stretch through Ben Nevis and Glen Coe towards Fort William, with Ben Nevis itself coming into view for the last few days.
One honest word of warning: midges turn up in force through the Highland summer, particularly in still, damp weather near water, so insect repellent is not optional from June through August. Beyond that, the usual Highland rules apply — check the forecast, pack a proper waterproof, and treat Rannoch Moor’s open sections with the respect any exposed high ground deserves.
