Scotland: West Highland Way

Thursday, October 1, 2026 - Saturday, October 10, 2026 -- $3550 ★★★, ONLY 3 SPOTS LEFT



Description

The West Highland Way is a truly iconic long-distance walk, offering 96 miles (154 km) of unforgettable scenery and immersive trail experience through the heart of Scotland. Starting in Milngavie near Glasgow and ending in the Highland town of Fort William, the route unfolds gradually—each day revealing a new landscape and a new rhythm to the walk


The trail winds through pastoral lowlands and quiet forests before skirting the eastern shore of Loch Lomond, where steep, rocky paths provide both challenge and stunning views across the water. Further north, the terrain opens into the vast, exposed beauty of Rannoch Moor—a remote stretch where the silence is broken only by the wind and the cry of birds. From there, the mountains rise up around Glencoe, and the final days deliver dramatic Highland scenery, culminating in a powerful finish beneath the towering presence of Ben Nevis.


The walking itself is varied but accessible, with well-marked paths and a mix of gentle sections and more rugged stretches. Each stage brings moments of peace, physical challenge, and awe—whether you're climbing the Devil’s Staircase or pausing to watch the light shift over the hills.


For backpackers drawn to the joy of moving on foot through wild places, the West Highland Way offers not just a route, but a journey—through landscapes shaped by time, weather, and legend.



Topographical Map of Proposed Route

See Topo map


Weather

The West Highland Way typically experiences the early signs of Scotland’s autumn weather, which can be both beautiful and changeable. During this period, average daytime temperatures range from 10°C to 14°C (50°F to 57°F), with cooler mornings and evenings dipping closer to 5°C (41°F). Rain is a frequent feature, with passing showers interspersed by dry, crisp spells—especially in the early part of the month. Western sections of the trail, such as near Loch Lomond and Glencoe, tend to see more rainfall due to their proximity to the Atlantic and the influence of surrounding mountains. Fog and low cloud can develop in the mornings, particularly in glens and forested areas, sometimes lingering into the day. Wind speeds are generally moderate, but gustier conditions can occur over exposed ridges and open moorland. Although snowfall is unlikely at lower elevations this early in the season, the tops of higher peaks may begin to see a dusting during colder spells. The landscape during this time is particularly striking, with early autumn foliage beginning to turn shades of gold, orange, and red—offering a dramatic backdrop even under overcast skies.




Probable Trip Leaders

Beau Devlin
Collin Chambers
Any Other Guide(s) TBD

Cost

$3550 per person double occupancy. Here, double occupancy means that you will share a hotel room with another trip participant. Single room accommodations are available for purchase ($200 per night.) You will also be responsible for transportation to and from Glasgow/Edinburgh as well as personal equipment, restaurant meals and any gratuities for guides.


Covered expenses include

  • 9 nights’ accommodation in en-suite rooms (where available) in selected B&B’s, hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail, or a short distance away via taxi provided.
  • Breakfast and Lunch each day. (Dinners are not covered in the cost of the trip)
  • Door to door luggage transfer
  • Maps with the route marked on a guidebook or route notes describing the trail.
  • An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night and a kit list.
  • Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.
  • Airport transfers, ground transportation to/from/within Scotland, park permits, park entrance fees and awesome guides


Tipping: In order to keep our prices competitive with (and hopefully favorable to) other outfitters, we shamefully can’t pay our guides as much as we think they deserve. Like most other guiding services, we rely on the generosity of our participants to make up this shortfall by tipping the guides. Gratuity can comprise a significant and important part of a guide’s compensation. The industry recommended gratuity amount is 10-20% of the trip cost. Gratuities are always optional and based on level of satisfaction but generally account for 30-60% of their income through gratuities. Fitpacking supports tipping to the greatest extent possible while remaining tactful and professional. Guides are not permitted to solicit tips in any way other than doing an exceptional job supporting and providing exceptional customer service to our participants. If your guides have served you well, please support them with gratuities so they can continue living their extravagant lifestyles of eating powdered meals, sleeping in the dirt and pooping in smelly outhouses and small holes they've dug.



Important notes about this trip


  • A $1000 non-refundable deposit must be put down before you can sign-up for this trip
  • This trip is not available for any discounts
  • Travel insurance is required Please check with the provider to verify that you are covered for overseas travel. We recommend IMG/iTravelinsured. They are one of the world’s leading providers of travel insurance and policies meet all requirements.


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Itinerary
Weather
Guides for this trip
Cost
Important Note
Difficulty (Please Read)
Map
 
 

Itinerary


Thursday, October 1, 2026

Fly into Glasgow International Airport (GLA).

The best time to arrive is between around 9AM-Noon. However, if you have completed your online shakedown and will arrive fairly ready to go, you can fly in a little later. There are also options to fly into Edinburgh which could save you a significant amount of money depending on the airline you chose.

NOTE: If you chose to fly into Edinburgh you will be responsible for your own transportation to Glasgow.

We will assemble at: TBD, To Be Determined

Additional Equipment shakedown. We look through ALL your stuff and try to economize the weight you carry while making sure you're prepared for the elements.

Buy last minute and forgotten items at West End Retail Park, 60 Crow Rd, Glasgow G11 7RY, United Kingdom

Make-your-own trail mix bar. You craft your personal trail mix from a cornucopia of nuts, fruits, sweets and occasional wildcard items that we provide.

At 3PM Take the 500 Airport Express at Terminal 1 to Glasgow Central Board the ScotRail to Milngavie

When we get to Milngavie we will check in with our shuttle service and get more information for our travel on the West Highland Way

Check into our first night's accommodation: Possible locations: Premier Inn Bearsden/Premier Inn Glasgow (Milngavie)/Kirkhouse

Go out for dinner at a local restaurant (Dinner cost not included in trip price)


Friday, October 2, 2026

Hotel Breakfast (if available)

Shuttle to the transportation service that will be responsible for moving our gear to each stop.

All the items that you won't bring on the trail today will be set aside and put in storage and transferred to our accommodations at the end of the day.

Shuttle to the official start of the trail. A granite obelisk located a short distance from the Milngavie Train Station.

Begin hiking 12 miles (19km) from Milngavie to Drymen. 837 ft (255 m) ascent

Pick-up off trail items from our shuttle

Check into our accommodations: Possible locations: Dryman Camping or a location in the city

Guides prepare dinner in camp or we may opt to go out for dinner at a local restaurant. (Cost of restaurant dinner not included in trip price)

Miles today: 12.0. Total miles: 12.0

Possible Bailout: The Square B858 ScotRail Bus Station


Saturday, October 3, 2026

Guides prepare breakfast in camp or we may opt to go out for breakfast at a local restaurant. Some of places we are staying have complimentary breakfast. (Cost of restaurant breakfast not included in trip price)

Check out of our accommodations: TBD

All the items that you won't bring on the trail today will be set aside and put in storage and transferred to our accommodations at the end of the day.

Hike 14.5 miles (23km) from Drymen to Rowardennan. 2136 ft (651 m) ascent

The main route will take us over the summit of Conic Hill (elevation 1184'), but an alternative "bad weather" route via Milton of Buchanan allows us to avoid the ascent to the summit if the weather is not suitable.

Pick-up off trail items from our shuttle

Check into our accommodations: Possible locations: Loch Lomond Lodge/Rowardennan Hotel

Guides prepare dinner in camp or we may opt to go out for dinner at a local restaurant. (Cost of restaurant dinner not included in trip price)

Miles today: 14.5. Total miles: 26.5

Possible bailout: Ferry to Inverbeg A82 Scottish Citylink


Sunday, October 4, 2026

Guides prepare breakfast in camp or we may opt to go out for breakfast at a local restaurant. Some of places we are staying have complimentary breakfast. (Cost of restaurant breakfast not included in trip price)

Check out of our accommodations: TBD

All the items that you won't bring on the trail today will be set aside and put in storage and transferred to our accommodations at the end of the day.

Hike 14 miles (22km) from Rowardennan to Inverarnan. / 1857 ft (566 m) ascent

This section is considered the most difficult section of the entire Highland Way

Pick-up off trail items from our shuttle

Check into our accommodations: Possible locations: Beinglas Campsite/Drovers Inn/Rose Cottage B&B

Guides prepare dinner in camp or we may opt to go out for dinner at a local restaurant. (Cost of restaurant dinner not included in trip price)

Miles today: 14.0. Total miles: 40.5

Possible bailout: Crianlarich A82 ScotRail


Monday, October 5, 2026

Guides prepare breakfast in camp or we may opt to go out for breakfast at a local restaurant. Some of places we are staying have complimentary breakfast. (Cost of restaurant breakfast not included in trip price)

Check out of our accommodations: TBD

All the items that you won't bring on the trail today will be set aside and put in storage and transferred to our accommodations at the end of the day

Hike 12.5 miles (20km) from Inverarnan to Tyndrum. / 1732' (528 m) ascent

Pick-up off trail items from our shuttle

Check into our accommodations: Possible Locations: Tyndrum Holiday Park/Tyndrum Lodges

Guides prepare dinner in camp or we may opt to go out for dinner at a local restaurant. (Cost of restaurant dinner not included in trip price)

Miles today: 12.0. Total miles: 52.5

Possible bailout: A82 Lower/Upper Tyndrum ScotRail


Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Guides prepare breakfast in camp or we may opt to go out for breakfast at a local restaurant. Some of places we are staying have complimentary breakfast. (Cost of restaurant breakfast not included in trip price)

Check out of our accommodations: TBD

All the items that you won't bring on the trail today will be set aside and put in storage and transferred to our accommodations at the end of the day

Hike 19 miles (30.5km) from Tyndrum to Kingshouse. / 2070' (631 m) ascent

This stage of the trail is considered the most remote, spectacular and beautiful places in Scotland and has been designated as a National Scenic Area

Pick-up off trail items from our shuttle

Check into our accommodations: Possible Locations: Glencoe Mountain Resort/Blackrock Cottage/Kingshouse Hotel-Bunkhouse

Guides prepare dinner in camp or we may opt to go out for dinner at a local restaurant. (Cost of restaurant dinner not included in trip price)

Miles today: 19.0 Total Miles: 71.5

Possible bailout: Glencoe Mountain Resort entrance A82 Ember/Flixbus/ScotRail


Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Guides prepare breakfast in camp or we may opt to go out for breakfast at a local restaurant. Some of places we are staying have complimentary breakfast. (Cost of restaurant breakfast not included in trip price)

Check out of our accommodations: TBD

All the items that you won't bring on the trail today will be set aside and put in storage and transferred to our accommodations at the end of the day

Hike 9 miles (14.5km) from Kingshouse to Kinlochleven. / 1329' (405 m) ascent

Pick-up off trail items from our shuttle

Check into our accommodations: Possible Locations: Blackwater Hostel, Glamping and Campsites/MacDonald Hotel & Cabins

Guides prepare dinner in camp or we may opt to go out for dinner at a local restaurant. (Cost of restaurant dinner not included in trip price)

Miles today: 9.0 Total Miles: 80.5

Possible bailout: Kearan Road End B863 Ember/Flixbus


Thursday, October 8, 2026

Guides prepare breakfast in camp or we may opt to go out for breakfast at a local restaurant. Some of places we are staying have complimentary breakfast. (Cost of restaurant breakfast not included in trip price)

Check out of our accommodations: TBD

All the items that you won't bring on the trail today will be set aside and put in storage and transferred to our accommodations at the end of the day

Hike 14.5 miles (23km) from Kinlochleven to Fort William. / 1998' (609 m) ascent

Pick-up off trail items from our shuttle

Check into our accommodations: Possible Locations: Travelodge/The Garrison/Mutha Hotel/Highland Hotel

Guides prepare dinner in camp or we may opt to go out for dinner at a local restaurant. (Cost of restaurant dinner not included in trip price)

Miles today: 14.0 Total Miles: 95.0

Possible bailout: Fort Williams Station Square ScotRail


Friday, October 9, 2026

Guides prepare breakfast in camp or we may opt to go out for breakfast at a local restaurant. Some of places we are staying have complimentary breakfast. (Cost of restaurant breakfast not included in trip price)

Check out of our accommodations: TBD

Depart from Fort William after breakfast

Take the bus or train back to Milngavie (3.5hrs)

Shuttle back to local hotel: TBD, To Be Determined

Gather your off-trail items from storage

Farewell dinner at a local restaurant (Dinner cost not included in trip price)

Stay in our local hotel (included in trip cost)

This is the official end of the trip. You are welcome to spend the night at the hotel, however if you drove and would like to get on the road or if you flew and would like to schedule a late flight (or a red-eye if this is a West Coast trip) you can definitely do so.


Saturday, October 10, 2026

Most likely there will be no free shuttle from the hotel that we are staying at. You will need to secure a cab/public transportation to the airport (Not included in the trip price)


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