Great Self-Guided Hikes of Scotland

If arriving internationally, the easiest port of entry is Glasgow. We can optionally include a private transfer to Milngavie (pronounced "Mull-guy"), or you can easily arrange a taxi or even an uber quite cheaply. Settle in and get ready for your grand adventure through the Scottish Highlands.

Your first day remains on relatively flat terrain. It is an introduction to the Scottish Lowlands and will frame your journey with respect for the highlands. You'll traverse a mainly pastoral setting, interspersed with woods and lakes. If you're up for a short detour, make your way for a wee dram at the Glengoyne Distillery.

Today starts with a climb to Conic Hill. There is a slight diversion to a higher viewpoint from the trail. Make sure to travel to the top and have a grand sweeping view of Loch Lomond and the surrounding hills and cities. Afterwards, head down to Balmaha, which has a coffee shop, grocery and pub. You'll then set out along the shores of Loch Lomond. You will alternate between views of the loch and the forest that encapsulates it. The route is undulating, even if you do not gain much height overall. Prepare accordingly.

Your day starts out with a walk through a forest. You should have little trouble reaching Inversnaid, however there, the route takes on a more difficult pitch. Many believe that this is one of the more difficult sections of the tour. It flows up and down and can make the knees sore. The views here are worth the effort, with dreamy views onto the loch. Once at Inverarnan, hop across the ricer and double back to the ever popular "Drovers Inn" for a well deserved pint.

You'll start the day off much easier than you finished yesterday. The route is now better maintained, following the course of an old military road. In 2.5 hours, you will reach Crainlarich, where refreshments and civilization can be found. Here, you can pat yourself on the back for reaching the half way point of the West Higland Way. Afterwards, march onwards and upwards, eventually reaching a pretty balcony path that extends to Tyndrum. It's important to remember that Tyndrum is the last major town until Kinlochleven. There will not be any general stores until then. You will then hike through a glen, skirting the Beinn Odhar. In the distance, you will see the pyramid of Beinn Dorain, which will keep you company until the Bridge of Orchy.

This stage offers some of the best views of the tour. From Bridge of Orchy, you will start an ascent using an old military road. Once you reach the cairns, signifying the top of the ascent, you will have a view of Loch Tulla and the Black Mount. It's then a steady descent to Hotel Inveroran. After Inveroran, you will stray farther from civilization and the feeling of wilderness intensifies. As you head out, you will find imposing peaks on your left hand side, and sweeping views of lakes and stretching moors to your right. You'll reach the half way point at Ba Bridge. Not far away are the ruins of Ba cottage, one of the only places for shelter along this route. From there you'll continue to the Glencoe ski resort and Kingshouse, which serves as an oasis on this stage. Cozy up at the bar or restaurant and enjoy the simple luxury of the hotel.

You will begin the trek with Buachaille Etive Mor looming large on your left hand side. Probably the most iconic mountain on the West Highland Way outside of Ben Nevis, the mountains name roughly translates to "The Great Herdsman of Etive". After hiking parallel to the highway with fantastic views of the surrounding hills and moors, you will reach the Devil's Staircase, which will lead you to the highest point of the trek at 550 meters. Splendid views abound and you will shortly forget the hard slog up to the viewpoint. It's then a steady but not to be underestimated descent to Kinlochleven.

The final stage is long and your rest well deserved when you reach Fort William some 16 miles away. The day starts with an ascent of Kinlochleven to reach a viewpoint that looks down upon the "electric village", so named as it was one of the first villages in the world to have every house connected to electricity thanks to the aluminum plant that was built at the turn of the century. You'll then continue through the Lairigmor (the great pass), which slices through the surrounding mountains giving walkers an easier, but meandering route, to Fort William. Congratulations! You've conquered the West Highland Way.

Today, you will start out on your adventure through the Great Glen. In the shadow of Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in Great Britain, you will head north out of Fort William. The day sees little elevation change and you hug the side of the Caledonian Canal. Quickly, you will find yourself close to Inverlochy Castle, well worth a quick detour underneath the railway line. You will then continue out of the surrounding towns of Fort William, passing Caol and Banavie. If you need a quick bite or refreshment, Banavie is the last location until you reach Gairlochy. Enjoy the engineering marvel of the canal and you will reach Gairlochy in approximately 4.5 hours from Fort William.

Today will be longer than yesterday. The scenery is also more varied as you will walk the entire length of Loch Lochy. You will be walking along forested paths and minor roads. It is an undulating path until you reach Laggan Locks, which can be done within 4.5 hours. Here, there is a small cafe (Eagle Bar), although you may not realize it, as it is inside of a converted Dutch barge. From here, you will divert along a side road to reach the trail to Invergarry. In another 2 hours, you will reach the comfortable and historic hotel in Invergarry.

Another long day, so steel yourself for the hike. You'll reach the modern swing bridge in around 3 miles, however we recommend that you travel further to the older Bridge of Oich to cross over the river Garry. From there, you will rejoin the main Great Glen Way and travel along a level track near the Caledonian Canal. Once you reach Fort Augustus, you will be lead to the mouth of Loch Ness via a cascading series of locks. From Fort Augustus, you have two options: You can take the low route that hugs the lock, or take the high route and get a spectacular panoramic of the loch and the surrounding highlands. We recommend the latter. Today and tomorrow, have some of the finest views of the tour. The depth of Loch Ness extends to 230 m below sea level (755 ft) and the volume of water exceeds that of all lakes and reservoirs in England and Wales. It is truly a massive lake, and from this high vantage point, you can certainly appreciate its scale. Although you do have quite a bit of elevation gain, you'll reach Invermorriston within four or five hours from Fort Augustus.

Another day of beauty awaits, although at the beginning of the trek, much of the loch will be obscured behind hills. Taking the high route, you'll climb high up to 470 meters. On a clear day, you may be able to glimpse Ben Nevis, from whence you came days earlier. In a about an hour, you will reach a wooden, circular sculpture made of branches. The location is picturesque, so take out your camera to enjoy the panorama. You'll continue along the Caledonian Pine Forest catching views of the Cluanie Mountains to the west. In another two hours, you'll reach a small stone wall only a few feet tall, which marks another good look out point along the trail. Continue down to Drumnadrochit for a well deserved meal and perhaps a wee dram.

The distance says it all - this will be a long day. There is no sensible accommodation between Drumnadrochit and Inverness, although some people prefer to cut this section into two by using a taxi to and from the halfway point. The beginning half is the more peaceful of the two. You'll hike through the Abriachan Forest and on slow days, you may not see anyone else. Take time to enjoy the solitude. After around 4 or 5 hours, you will reach roughly the halfway point at an "Eco Camp" at the end of the forest. The owners live at a house in the woods and serve tea, biscuits, soups and other snacks to wary hikers, albeit for a somewhat inflated price. Still, it's worth a jaunt into the realm just to meet the eccentric owners. You'll then continue on alternating road and forest paths until you reach the city limits. Here, you will weave through green spaces as you approach your final destination at Inverness Castle. Congratulations, you've conquered the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way!