9-Day West Highland Way Route Itinerary — Explorer Pace

From the granite obelisk in Milngavie town centre, the trail eases through Mugdock Wood and Country Park on flat, well-made paths. You'll pass the Craigallian Fire memorial — a Depression-era gathering spot for unemployed Glasgow men — before crossing the 1920s Carbeth hutters' community. Open farmland and moorland follow, with the Campsie Fells rising to the north and Glengoyne Distillery visible to the west. The Beech Tree Inn provides a welcome refreshment stop. As Dumgoyne's volcanic plug dominates the skyline, the path drifts toward Drymen, where Scotland's oldest licensed pub, the Clachan Inn (1734), and a clutch of B&Bs await your first night on the trail.

Leaving Drymen, the path enters Garadhban Forest before climbing onto the open hillside of Conic Hill (361m) — the trail's first proper ascent and the line of the Highland Boundary Fault, the geological divide between Lowlands and Highlands. From the summit, Loch Lomond unfurls below with its scattered islands strung along the fault line and Ben Lomond rising beyond. The descent to Balmaha is steep and rocky, demanding careful footing, especially in the wet. The village welcomes you with the Oak Tree Inn for hearty food, a National Park visitor centre with water and information, and a pretty harbour of colourful boats marking your arrival on the bonnie banks.

From Balmaha the trail traces Loch Lomond's eastern shore, weaving through ancient oak woodlands of the Caledonian Forest. The terrain alternates between shoreline paths, rocky promontories and short, sharp climbs. Milarrochy Bay offers a picnic spot and toilets with sweeping views to the islands, while Cashel Farm has a seasonal coffee shop. Further on, Cailness Point reveals Ben Lomond towering across the water, before the path lifts through the RSPB Inversnaid Nature Reserve, home to rare woodland birds. Look for the Rob Roy MacGregor viewpoint near Ptarmigan Lodge. A forestry track delivers you to Rowardennan Hotel, where the Clansman Bar serves well-earned refreshments alongside food, water and a bed.

From Rowardennan the path winds beneath Ben Lomond's slopes, with stone bridges crossing tumbling burns to reach the dramatic Inversnaid Waterfall and its hotel — originally an 1820 hunting lodge. Beyond Inversnaid the trail turns notably wilder, picking through boulder fields and tangled tree roots above the loch, past Rob Roy's Cave to the remote landing at Ardleish. From here the path lifts onto open hillside with sweeping views back along Loch Lomond before dropping through the wooded glen of Beinglas Burn. The 1705 Drovers Inn lies a short walk off the trail, while Beinglas Farm sits directly on the route, offering a campsite, simple chalets and a small shop in tiny Inverarnan.

From Inverarnan the trail follows the River Falloch upstream, initially on a wide track shadowing the A82 before crossing the road to climb through forestry plantations. The terrain grows more varied, with boggy patches even in dry weather, and views opening to Ben More and Stob Binnein to the east. The path traces the lower slopes of Beinn Chabhair with the Falloch Falls audible below and stepping-stone burn crossings along the way. Past Crianlarich the path climbs through Sitka spruce and joins General Wade's 18th-century military road, crossing the River Fillan at an old stone bridge beside the medieval St Fillan's Priory before tracking the West Highland Railway to the cafés of Tyndrum.

Leaving Tyndrum, the path continues along an old military road through Glen Fillan, running parallel to the railway and the A82. The walking is easy on wide, level tracks, with Beinn Dorain (1,076m) growing more impressive ahead — its perfect conical shape one of the Highlands' iconic sights. You'll pass the scattered ruins of St Fillan's holy pool, where pilgrims once sought healing, and reach the Auch Estate's distinctive white-painted bridge. The path narrows as it traverses the lower slopes of Beinn Odhar, with occasional boggy patches after rain and wild burns crossing the line. A gentle descent through scattered Scots pine brings you to the historic 1751 stone bridge at Bridge of Orchy, beside the Bridge of Orchy Hotel.

From Bridge of Orchy the path climbs through pine forest to the open pass of Mam Carraigh, with sweeping views back to Beinn Dorain and forward across Loch Tulla to the dark peaks of the Black Mount. A natural descent through heather moorland delivers you to the historic Inveroran Hotel — a remote Victorian drovers' inn beside the old military road. Beyond, the route strikes north across Rannoch Moor, one of Britain's last great wildernesses of peat bog, heather and scattered lochans, with Ba Bridge a natural halfway rest. There's no shelter here, so the weather rules the day. Buachaille Etive Mor's pyramid gradually dominates the horizon, leading you to the historic 1750s Kingshouse Hotel.

From Kingshouse the path traces the foot of Buachaille Etive Mor, providing close-up views of this iconic mountain. Crossing the River Etive on a footbridge, the route begins its zigzag climb of the Devil's Staircase to the trail's highest point at 550m — named by the soldiers who hauled materials up it during 18th-century road building. From the summit cairn the panorama stretches across the Mamores to Ben Nevis and back over the Glen Coe peaks. The long descent is initially steep on loose gravel before easing onto a better-surfaced track past the massive pipelines feeding Kinlochleven's hydroelectric plant. The final drop into the village is sharp, emerging near the Ice Factor with the Tailrace Inn and Co-op moments away.

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.