4-Day West Highland Way Route Itinerary — Trail Runner Pace

A big opening day from Milngavie's granite obelisk through Mugdock Country Park, the Carbeth hutters' community and farmland beneath the Campsie Fells to Drymen — Scotland's oldest pub, the Clachan Inn (1734), waits at the gateway to the Highlands. From there the path enters Garadhban Forest before climbing the open hillside of Conic Hill (361m), the Highland Boundary Fault, where Loch Lomond suddenly unfurls below with its islands and Ben Lomond beyond. A steep, rocky descent drops to Balmaha's harbour and the Oak Tree Inn. The remaining miles trace the loch's eastern shore through ancient oak woods, past Milarrochy Bay, Cashel Farm and the Rob Roy MacGregor viewpoint to the Rowardennan Hotel and its welcome Clansman Bar.

From Rowardennan the trail skirts Ben Lomond's lower slopes with stone bridges over tumbling burns, climbing to the dramatic Inversnaid Waterfall and its 1820 hotel. Beyond, the going turns notably tougher through boulder fields and tangled roots above the loch, past Rob Roy's Cave to remote Ardleish. The path then lifts onto open hillside before dropping into the Beinglas Burn glen at tiny Inverarnan, home to the 1705 Drovers Inn. Following the River Falloch upstream through forestry, the route climbs into bigger mountain country with views of Ben More before passing Crianlarich and joining General Wade's old military road. Crossing the River Fillan at the medieval St Fillan's Priory, the trail tracks the West Highland Railway to Tyndrum's well-loved cafés.

From Tyndrum easy walking through Glen Fillan runs parallel to the railway, with Beinn Dorain's perfect cone growing ever more impressive ahead. Past the 1751 stone bridge at Bridge of Orchy the path climbs through pine forest to the open pass of Mam Carraigh, with views to Loch Tulla and the Black Mount before dropping to the historic Inveroran Hotel. Beyond, the old drovers' road strikes across Rannoch Moor — one of Britain's last great wildernesses — with Buachaille Etive Mor's pyramid gradually dominating the horizon. From Kingshouse the trail traces the Buachaille's foot before zigzagging up the Devil's Staircase to the trail's highest point at 550m, then descending steeply past hydroelectric pipelines to Kinlochleven.

The longest stage opens with a steep climb out of Kinlochleven through woodland into the wide, remote valley of Lairig Mor. The old military road traces this dramatic glen with the Mamores ridge towering to the north and the Aonach Eagach glimpsed to the south. The ruins of Tigh-na-sleubhaich offer a sheltered rest spot, and the path continues over rocky ground and stream crossings before passing the Iron Age fort of Dun Deardail and entering Nevis Forest. Ben Nevis (1,345m), Scotland's highest mountain, makes its dramatic appearance to the north. A gentle forest descent leads through Glen Nevis to Fort William, where the seated bronze walker — 'The Sore Feet' — in Gordon Square marks the official end of the Way.