We're doing the WHW for our honeymoon in early May 2026, and I thought I'd share my planning notes here in case someone else finds it useful :) We're taking a leisurely approach to it. Not every accommodation we wanted was available eight months out, so you'd be wise to book early if you aren't bringing gear to wild camp.

There are services like Macs Adventures that will handle the bookings for you, but I preferred to select the accommodations myself. It would've cost about the same, so if you don't want to bother with it, that's a decent option.

We're doing a 9-day trip; the total for accommodations was £1600/$2169. All the accommodations are well-rated and (hopefully) comfortable. Most include breakfast; all private rooms. All these places were bookable online, which was our preference. Some other places required you to call/email for bookings, or wire transfer the deposit. All the places I emailed were already booked.

We’re alternating shorter and longer days, rather than doing a zero day anywhere. Hopefully that ends up being a good choice!

The itinerary:

Day 1: Stop in Drymen—12.3 mile day; staying at the Drymen Inn. £159.

Day 2: Stop in Balmaha—7 mile day; staying at Oak Tree Inn. £168. 

Would’ve preferred to press on to Rowardennan, but the hotel there was booked, and we didn’t want to stay at the hostel. There’s an advantage to having a short day here, as this is when you summit Conic Hill (assuming you don't opt for the bypass trail), and the next day is fairly technical/uneven/potentially muddy.

Day 3: Stop in Inversnaid—15.4 mile day; staying at Inversaid Bunkhouse; £71 for a room with two singles.

This will be our longest day. It's supposed to be pretty trying--mucky, lots of uneven terrain. The high road is less scenic but more mellow. We'll probably opt for that, since we have plenty of time along the Loch.

They also have a double room for £105. The Bunkhouse is a mile or so off the trail (and up a hill), but they have a shuttle service that starts at 4pm (you can call for pickup). The food is supposed to be great. Initially, I wanted to stay at the Inversnaid Hotel along the trail, but a coach company primarily uses it for tour guests, and only releases unused rooms to hikers 4 weeks before the date.

Day 4: Stop in Inverarnan—6.8 mile day; staying at Drover’s Inn; £145 for a room in the newer building. 

This is another day of rough trail, from what I hear, so I’m happy to have it be a shorter day. This seems to be the part of the trail where hikers are most likely to get hurt/discouraged, so it's reasonable to take it easy.

We opted for a room in the newer building because the original building’s said to be dirty and in disrepair, but I’m sure it’s charming too if you aren't too picky. There's even a haunted room if you fancy that. We also considered Beinglas Campsite, which has glamping yurts and chalets for rent. The chalets were like £195 if I recall correctly. We'll be grabbing our lunch there on the way back, as folks say the lunch at Drover's is not great.

Day 5: Stop at Tyndrum—11.9 mile day; staying at Clifton Cottage. £140.

Day 6: Stop at Bridge of Orchy—6.9 mile day. Bridge of Orchy Hotel. £321. 

Our most expensive stay. We wanted to stay in Inveroran, but the one hotel was already fully booked. We also considered the 60 Mile Inn huts (which have private hot tubs) for £289. The layout felt a little cramped, and it doesn’t include breakfast. Still, those hot tubs look sweet. They have fully fenced patio areas, so you have privacy. Looks like it would also be a solid choice.

Day 7: Stop at Kingshouse—12.1 mile day. Kingshouse Hotel. £276.

We considered taking a taxi 10 miles into Glen Coe, where there were many more options. However, the taxi would be ~£60 round trip, so it would only’ve saved us £15. Also, it looks like a gorgeous place--lots of windows, gorgeous views, purportedly great food. We decided the extra money was worth it to avoid the hassle.

That said, there are three taxi drivers in Glen Coe that you can try; the hotel there advised us to book them early:

Kenny 01855811764

Ali 01855811136

John 07470582120

Day 8: Stop at Kinlochleven—9 mile day. The Tailrace Inn. £160.

Day 9: Fort William—14.5 mile day. Blythedale House B&B. £160.

Anyway, I hope this helps someone else planning a similar trip to ours. Happy hiking!

Hi everyone,

I'm curently planning to hike the WHW on the last week of october. Does anyone know if the wild camping restrictions around loch lomond (or other areas) are still effective in that time of year ?

So, I am hiking the WHW inn to inn next week, however afterwards I have a 3 month study abroad program. It makes the most sense to just bring a suit case but I feel inn to inn it will be a pain, and on the trains later.

Should I just do my 55L hiking bag to avoid this issue? Has anyone done something similar?

Hey guys, me and 3 of my friends want to hike the West Highland Way next year (we would start on 28th of May). We heard some stories about crazy mosquitoes and midges. WHat is your experience with this?

Just completed the West Highland Way, and I must say.. the path at times is absolutely disgusting. Toilet roll, wet wipes around wild camping areas near Drymen.. trash everywhere along the beach along Loch Lomond.. the tour through construction sites at Tyndrum.. it’s not a very nice walk.

The Salkantay Trek/Inca Trail in Peru is in a much nicer state, you would struggle to find a single piece of trash along there, not to mention more remote, amazing views (not a highway in sight)

Okay so i made an earlier post about me doing the WHW solo and got some great advice, I decided to go through with it, inn to inn and with baggage transfer. However since its so short notice it took a lot of twisting to get accommodations set up manually.

Am I too crazy for doing 3 20 mi days in a row? starting to feel sick about it. worried my body can't handle it. I do work out alot though, run daily etc, but I still get out of breath like everyone else yk.

• Day 1: Milngavie → Drymen (~12 mi)
• Day 2: Drymen → Rowardennan (~21 mi )
• Day 3: Rowardennan → Crianlarich (~20–21 mi)
• Day 4: Crianlarich → Bridge of Orchy (~20 mi)
• Day 5: Bridge of Orchy → Kinlochleven (~19 mi)
• Day 6: Kinlochleven → Fort William (~15 mi)

Hello I’ll be doing the west highland way next week and I’m just wondering where can you wildcamp legally? Also how would I obtain a permit if I have to camp in the exclusion areas? Cheers!

Iam walking whw next week and the forecast says there will be thunderstorms almost everyday. As it is my first long distance walk I wanted to ask for advice. I will also wildcamp two times after tyndrum and iam a bit scared as there is no real cover for the second half of the way.

Any advice is much appreciated :)

Hello! Ive always wanted to hike the WHW and decided to do it Sept 25-Oct 1 solo. I have a few questions

(1) the weather seems to be really rainy which is fine, but if it’s cold and rainy, will I just be miserable? I truly want to enjoy the scenery and not just be worried about how cold I am.

(2) im doing it inn to inn and I don’t know if I need luggage transfer or not if I try to pack light

(3) hiking boots or running shoes? I saw on the threads running shoes seem to be the verdict

(4) are hiking poles essential?

Luckily I was able to find accommodation so last minute but now im worried il be miserable in the weather! Help!

Hi! My husband and I are doing the WHW in late september and I'm concerned about it being illegal to carry a knife in the UK. Can maybe some locals confirm, how much of a problem it is? I would like to bring my Opinel pocket knife, would that get me into trouble? We are travelling with checked-in luggage, so the plane itself shouldn't be a problem..

Hey folks,

I’m planning to do the WHW next April/May, solo and wild camping. Never been to Scotland before. How’s the terrain for tents with a bigger footprint?

I’ve got a Naturehike Cloud Peak 2 and sometimes struggle to find flat enough spots on the hills here in Ireland. I figure Scotland might be similar—so will I run into the same issue with a larger tent? Also, the Naturehike has way too much mesh, which is another reason I’m looking for something different.

The tents I’m considering are:

• Durston 2P (X-Dome solid or X-Mid solid, not sure yet) – similar to the NH, larger footprint
• Durston 1P (X-Dome solid or X-Mid solid) – smaller footprint
• Vango Hydra 200 – smaller footprint (not counting the vestibule - the vestibule can sit on uneven ground if needed)

A friend and I are flying in from Canada and plan on hiking from Friday to Thursday. The weather is stressing us both out. We are not camping so that is something but this will be my first time in Scotland. It doesn’t rain that much for this many days, where we are from. How miserable will we be and any advice? We both have rain jackets and pants, gaiters and GTX boots (jacket and pants are waterproof but good brands).

Edit: Thank you all kindly for all the words of advice and encouragement! Greatly appreciate it and really looking forward to this trail. Hikers are globally usually very friendly, helpful people (in my limited international experience) and this has been proven true. Cannot wait to meet you lovely Scots!

Hi all - curious if anyone has used Rowchoish or Doune bothy this season. Hoping for the best but expecting plenty of rain when I start in a few weeks and don’t hate the idea of having a solid roof for a night. Unsure the state of them so figured I’d ask the good people or the WHW sub.

Hey everyone iam planning to walk the whw next week. I want to walk from Drymen to Rowardennan and then wildcamp but I was wondering how far i have to walk after rowardennan to leave the camping restricted zone and if there is a sign or anything?

Hi All, I absolutely love doing the WHW, love all the history of the trail and chatting with people along the way. With retirement just a few years away, I’m wondering how I could turn this into a job. Does anyone here work as a paid guide for the WHW, even part-time?

Finished the Way two days ago, on 9/3. A trip of a lifetime. After finishing it I immediately wrote down things that I wish I knew: what to bring, what NOT to bring, expectations VS reality - hope some of this helps!

*Disclaimers: I did NOT camp (I'm not a badass); I stayed in hostels or inns along the Way. I mention some brands of gear but I'm not getting paid to tout them [though I wish they would lol]\*

What TO bring at ALL COSTS:
-Backpack rain cover AND a huge-ass poncho that will ideally go down to your knees on both sides. A pack cover can still let some water in - found that out on Day 1. You CAN buy decent ponchos along the Way (found some at Turnip the Beet on Day 1) but better to just bring your own.
-LITERALLY GORETEX EVERYTHING. Your boots MUST be GoreTex. I used the Lowa Renegade GTX boots and my feet were warm and dry even after tons of downpours, slipping while crossing streams, etc. They were the real MVPs.
--> You MUST have a GoreTex rain jacket. My Outdoor Research GoreTex rain jacket (pricey yes) was the other MVP. It never once leaked, dried out super fast WITHOUT the use of a dry room - well worth it. Got it months before the hike and it still looks brand new.
-Water resistant pants/leggings are good (again, my OR water resistant leggings were great) but I don't think you need to go full GoreTex for pants.
-Merino wool everything. Shirts, socks, political views - it's all gotta be Merino wool. My shirts tend to smell a little deodorant-icky after a day - not with Merino. I wore the same shirt three days in a row and never smelled like a dumpster.
-GB Pounds. Pretty much everyone takes credit cards, but you will need cash to use laundry machines. You don't need a lot, but having 20-50 pounds is a good safety net. Order them ahead with your local bank, like at least a week in advance. Far better rates than the kiosks in airports.
-ATN. It's this dumb new thing the UK has imposed on anyone traveling into the UK. Basically pay a fee to get a "visa". There is an official UK government site to get this done. If you're paying more than $30, you're paying too much. Apply for this like a week in advance. They'll likely ask you for your ATN upon entering the UK.
-SMIDGE. Can buy at Graeme's pharmacy in Milgavie, but most cafes/campsite shops/towns also sell it. It's even better than bug spray because it's like a nice thin lotion. Just don't touch your eyes after using it :(
-Flushable/biodegradable wet wipes. Even if you never go to the bathroom mid-hike, it's nice to have some if you come across some unsavory public restrooms.
-NSAIDs, Tylenol, etc. You're gonna be in pain somewhere, at some point.
-Compeed - unilmited Compeeds. Band-Aids are not enough to stop a blister.
-Cheap flip-flops for hostel showers

What NOT to bring (speaking from experience):
-A normal-sized water bottle. It's just more weight/volume/a thing to carry. Get like a 2L Camelbak for your pack and you're fine. Top-up taps are plentiful and tap water in inns/hostels etc. is great, it's all I drank and no issues.
-Hiking poles- a bit controversial, but if you're relatively young, have good knees and decent balance, you really don't need them unless you've got the bad knees and you have bad balance - they'll be handy when doing downhills. But really - you don't need them for this hike.
-NON-GORETEX HIKING FOOTWEAR. Don't even think about it. If you'd rather wear hiking sneakers instead of boots, that's great, but girl they better be GoreTex.
-TOO MANY SHIRTS. I am a notorious over-packer. I narrowed my load down to 6 shirts and in the end, I only wore 4 of them (did laundry halfway through). It's not a beauty contest, nobody will care how you look.
-Just bring like two pairs of hiking pants/hiking leggings. If you bring jeans, you are a ninny (source: I brought jeans, and am a ninny. Never touched them).
-Don't bother buying any hiking snacks until you're actually over in Scotland. More weight, more stuff to carry. There are tons of places along the hike to get food anyway.
-A towel. Unless you are camping, literally every hostel/inn/bunkhouse will give you a towel.
-For the gals (speaking from experience - I took a LOT out of my toiletries bag before leaving and am so glad I did): you don't need makeup, not a single eyelash curler, you don't even need conditioner. Bring soap, some shampoo, BAM, you're good to go.

And finally, my thoughts on the hike itself/expectations VS reality.
\*As useful as this subreddit is, it's my opinion that there is a LOT of exaggeration on how hard WHW is or how much one should train for this hike\*
-I am not an athlete. I don't weigh too much, maybe 125-130 lb, but I have pretty pathetic muscle strength. I was worried going into the hike that I wouldn't make it. I'd "broken in" my boots on a few walks and some sessions on the StairMaster, but nothing like people on the subreddit recommended. But you know what? I did it, it wasn't THAT bad - just take your time, set out early if you need to, but anyone can do it.
-Drying rooms may or may not be useful. Truly wet stuff may not dry out overnight, plain and simple. Plus the drying rooms are usually packed with a ton of other stinky clothing, so buyer beware - your wet shirt may be a bit drier the next day but it may smell like a thousand armpits.
-If you're from the USA like myself, a lot of the WHW is comparable to stuff you can find here. If anyone has ever hiked in New England or the Adirondacks, then you'll be used to navigating around tree roots and weird rocks. There's nothing particularly strange or new about the WHW in terms of the uniqueness or difficulty of terrain (NOT speaking about the views - the views are other-worldly!). Don't freak out - it's not Everest and if you've got on A Hike before, you will be OK!
-The Devil's Staircase is a paper tiger. Sure it's steep I guess, but it's a short ascent with lots of switchbacks and you can plod along slowly and your heart won't be pounding out of your chest. Then after that, you're looking at an easy rest of the day!
-The Long Day, Tyndrum to Kingshouse (19 miles) isn't difficult because it's 19 miles. It's difficult because of the accursed Telford's Parliamentary Road (starts right after Inverornan). I don't know what it was about that road, but those sharp, immovable stones killed my feet - and I hadn't had any foot pain before or after that day. You could be walking on fifty layers of Dr. Scholl's and you'd still feel that road slamming your feet.
-The "boring" traditional walk into Fort William isn't that bad???? The subreddit made it seem like you're walking next to a busy highway and surrounded by strip malls. Really you're just walking on a nice paved walkway with forest on one side, a two-lane road that is NOT that busy, and a river across the road. It's not bad! It's lovely in its own way! No shame to those who take the alternate route, but don't feel guilty if you take the traditional one and don't feel pressured into changing it!

Some hot takes in here, but, I hope some of this info helps someone or eases one's worries a bit. It's an amazing hike and YES, I got a lot of useful info from this subreddit! Just throwing in my two cents as someone who was super concerned about not finishing it, then I finished it and realized it wasn't so devastatingly difficult after all. I recommend the WHW to anyone and everyone - experience of a lifetime!

I’m hoping to hike the WHW next year and due to my work schedule I can either go in April or October, specifically mid April or early October. Which one would you all prefer? We live in Alaska so we are no strangers to wet and cold weather, though we’d certainly prefer nicer weather. Also we are planning on staying at hostels or pubs each night so we’ll be able to warm up and dry out.

I’d also like to climb Ben Nevis afterwards if it’s feasible. When does the snow usually start falling and how late in the season does it linger?

Me and a couple friends are attempting the WHW next week for the first time. We're all mid 20s, in good shape with lots of hiking experience between us. Given this we decided to set ourselves a challenge of completing the trail in 4 days while wild camping. Could really use some advice/tips with a couple things for our trip, any input is greatly appreciated.

Our route is currently: D1: Milngavie-Rowardennan (stop at Balhama for lunch) D2: Rowardennan-Tyndrum (stop at Beinglass campsite for lunch) D3: Tyndrum-Kingshouse (stop at Orchy for lunch) D4: Kingshouse-Fort William (Kinlochleven for lunch)

We want to get lunch in towns to minimise our load and possibly boost morale with the incentive of a hot meal. A massive time saver for us after 13hr walking days would be tried and tested wildcamping spots at each of the points mentioned, if anyone is able to meesage me direct to avoid the spots being overrun we'd be eternally grateful🙏.

Please do share any info on coping with the dreadful looking weather, the midge situation at current, spots to refill water/wild swim/shower/replenish gas, and any other useful tidbits.

We are aware this may be a ludicrous plan, contingency routes are welcome should we need an extra day or two, but we are convinced 4 days is doable. Will update how it went after for any looking to follow in our stupid shaped footsteps!

Thanks, 3 friends likely to be smelly, exhausted, and soggy by the 11th

I'll be landing in Edinburgh tomorrow and am already excited to start my journey the next day. Where's the best place to buy a gas canister there? Also do you know a bank with low fees to withdraw a little cash using a Mastercard?

Hi mates, me and my friend are looking to walk the trail March 30th-April 5th. We live in a hot climate and are more of desert hikers, but still are experienced hikers. Are these dates sensible talking of wind, climate, snow and rain?

Thanks!

i bought the wrong gas cartridge, because the airline messed up my backpack and i couldnt check it when i bought it. im now somewhere near drymen and i wondered if i could buy the right one somewhere here.

i have an old taymar stove with an 350g screw on system.

We are doing the WHW starting on the 20th of October 2025. It seems like every baggage transfer service ceases operations on the 19th of October.

Does anybody know of a baggage transfer service operating from the 19th-23rd October? Has anybody used local taxis?

I'm doing the west highland way this week (Thursday onwards) for 6/7 days- anyone else worried about the weather?

I can't find much info on this alternate path. Mainly how long is it and is it easier. I am nursing a bit of an Achilles tenden issue. Just finished day 1. Tolerated the trail OK but know that it gets tougher day 2 and 3.

Any info would be helpful.