5-Day West Highland Way Route Itinerary — Fastpacker Pace

The trail launches from Milngavie's granite obelisk, easing through Mugdock Country Park and the 1920s Carbeth hutters' community before farmland and moorland open up beneath the Campsie Fells. Glengoyne Distillery and the Beech Tree Inn make tempting waypoints as Dumgoyne's volcanic plug rises ahead. Drymen — home to Scotland's oldest pub, the Clachan Inn (1734) — marks the gateway to the Highlands. From there the path enters Garadhban Forest before climbing the open hillside of Conic Hill (361m), the line of the Highland Boundary Fault. From its summit Loch Lomond suddenly unfurls below, its islands strung along the fault and Ben Lomond rising beyond. A steep, rocky descent delivers you to the harbour at Balmaha.

From Balmaha the path traces Loch Lomond's eastern shore through ancient oak woods, passing Milarrochy Bay, Cashel Farm's coffee shop and the Rob Roy MacGregor viewpoint before reaching Rowardennan and the Clansman Bar. Beyond, the trail skirts Ben Lomond's slopes with stone bridges over rushing burns, climbing to the dramatic Inversnaid Waterfall and its 1820 hotel. From Inversnaid the going turns notably tougher — boulder fields, tangled tree roots and endless small ups-and-downs hug the lochside, with a short scramble revealing Rob Roy's Cave. The path eventually climbs above the loch's narrows, with Ben Lomond shrinking behind. Ardleish itself is a remote spot with no facilities — staying at the Ardlui Hotel means raising the ferry ball at the jetty.

From Ardleish the trail lifts through woodland and onto open hillside before dropping into the Beinglas Burn glen, where the 1705 Drovers Inn and Beinglas Farm welcome walkers to tiny Inverarnan. The path then follows the River Falloch upstream, climbing through forestry with views of Ben More opening up before descending past Crianlarich. Joining General Wade's 18th-century military road, the route crosses the River Fillan at the medieval St Fillan's Priory and tracks the West Highland Railway past the 1306 Battle of Dalrigh site to the cafés and shops of Tyndrum. From here easy walking through Glen Fillan, with Beinn Dorain's perfect cone growing ever larger, leads beneath Beinn Odhar to the 1751 stone bridge at Bridge of Orchy.

From Bridge of Orchy the path climbs through pine forest to the open pass of Mam Carraigh, with sweeping views to Loch Tulla and the Black Mount before dropping to the historic Inveroran Hotel. Beyond, the old drovers' road strikes north across Rannoch Moor — one of Britain's last great wildernesses, with peat bogs, scattered lochans and no shelter from the weather. Ba Bridge marks the halfway point as Buachaille Etive Mor's pyramid grows on the horizon, leading you to Kingshouse Hotel and its iconic mountain view. From here the path traces the Buachaille's foot before climbing the zigzags of the Devil's Staircase to the trail's highest point at 550m, then descending steeply 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.