Milngavie to
Drymen
/
approximately 12 miles / easy going / paths and B roads
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Milngavie to Carbeth
-
5M / Easy going.
The start of the path is right at the station in
Milngavie, there are shops, restaurants and pubs here as
well as good accommodation facilities.
Carbeth
to Beech Tree Hotel
-4M
/ Very easy going
Carbeth has an inn which is a welcome stop for the
hungry and thirsty and of course the Beech Tree as well.
Beech
Tree Hotel to Drymen
-3
miles
Drymen
has shops, a bank, pubs and hotels as well as other
accommodation. |
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Places of
Interest on route
Mugdock Country Park
lies between Milngavie and Carbeth and has an interesting Castle and
other attractions including toilet facilities.
You may want to detour to the
Glengoyne Distillery
which is a short walk from the Beech Trees Inn. Opening times of the
distillery are 10am to 4pm with tours on the hour. You can phone in
advance on +44 (0)1360 550 254 .
Stage two
of the West
Highland Way
Drymen to Rowardennan /
approximately 15 miles / easy going / mostly paths
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Drymen
to Balmaha
-8M
/ Easy going.
Balmaha
is on the east shore of Loch Lomond and has a few
facilities. This a beautiful spot and popular resting place
for walkers.
Balmaha to Rowerdennan
-7M
/ Easy going.
Rowerdennan marks the end of the road for vehicles and
your path will now no longer have cars nearby. The inn at
Rowerdennan is a very popular place for walkers and other
visitors. |
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Photographs
Courtesy of Photographscotland.com |
Places of
Interest on route
Conic hill for those with some
energy, is an alternative route to Balmaha from Drymen, it adds some
ascent to the route but it is worth the panoramic views of south
Loch Lomond.
At Rowardennon there is a path that leads to the top of Ben Lomond
(1006m) this is Scotland's most southerly Munro. The path is pretty
good and of course the views are wonderful. As with all mountains in
Scotland do not attempt in winter without the correct equipment.
This climb should only take about 2 hours 10mins to the summit.
Stage
three
of the West
Highland Way
Rowardennon to Inverarnan /
approximately
15 miles / Medium to hard going / mostly paths
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Rowerdennan to Inversnaid-7M
/ medium going.
This
part of the way is all on foresty tracks and paths with
quite a wee bit of undulating ascent and descent. In fact
the total climbs add up to about 550m. Inversnaid has a
hotel and welcomes walkers in the back bar.
Inversnaid to Inverarnan-7M
/ hard going.
This part of the Loch Lomond paths are quite hard going with
a degree of care needed in places. However the views are
quite spectacular even in bad weather. The track is fairly
sheltered in most places due to the trees. |
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Photographs
Courtesy of Photographscotland.com |
Inverarnan
- camping is available at the farm where the "way" arrives also
there are wooden wigwams. A short distance away there is the Drovers
Inn and a Backpackers Hostel. The Drovers is probably the most
memorable pub on the West Highland Way with its variety of stuffed
animals including a bear and a shark.
Places of
Interest on route
Rob Roy's cave is marked just a short distance from the
Inversnaid Hotel.
To most walkers
travelling from the south, this is their first encounter with the
great outdoors in such stunning vistas. As such we would say that
all of this wonderful section is a place of interest.
Stage
four
of the West
Highland Way
Inverarnan to Bridge of Orchy /
approximately
19 miles / Medium to hard going / mostly paths
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Inverarnan to Crianlarich -
6M / medium going.
The paths are well surfaced in the most part and the scenery
is outstanding. At Crianlarich there is a small path to the
village where there are accommodation, youth hostel, shop,
and a station.
Crianlarich to Tyndrum -
6M / medium going
If you have visited Crianlarich go back up the path and
rejoin the main route. Tyndrum has places for camping, bed
and breakfast and restaurants as well as a couple of good
shops.
Tyndrum to Bridge of Orchy -
7M / medium going
Good paths to Bridge of Orchy and the scenery starts to
change as the path rises out of Tyndrum. Much more rugged
area. |
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Photographs
Courtesy of Photographscotland.com |
Bridge of Orchy -
A small hamlet with a station which is also a bunkhouse.
There is also a hotel with a reputation for good food. A good place
for camping at the side of the river. Be Very Careful when crossing
the main road. See our sister site for
Bridge of Orchy Accommodation
Places of
Interest on route
The track to Crianlarich rises up through Glen Falloch and
during this rise follows the river Falloch through a magnificent
gorge with waterfalls and pools. This is spectacular after any
period of rain.
At Kirkton Farm
lies the ruins of St Fillans Chapel dating back to 1318 and Robert
The Bruce.
Stage
five
of the West
Highland Way
Bridge of Orchy to Kingshouse /
approximately
12 miles / Easy to Medium going / mostly paths
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Bridge of Orchy to Inveroran-
2M / easy going
A straight forward path over a small hill to Inveroran. The
Inveroran Hotel is a popular spot and may have been the
destination if you overshoot in stage 3.
Inveroran to Kingshouse-
10M / medium going
The route now follows the old military road and traverses
parts of Rannoch Moor. It can be a little exposed as there
is no shelter on the moor from any inclement weather. |
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Kingshouse
is a hotel in the middle of the moor and there are no
shops. However it is a very popular place for climbers and walkers,
particularly in the back bar where you can have a wee drink and
usually some excellent food. Those that want to camp can do across a
small river just beside the hotel. If you are planning on staying in
the hotel, you must book in advance or risk being very disappointed.
Places of
Interest on route
Victoria Bridge is a beautiful bridge very near the start of
the route.
The White Corries Ski centre is about 2 miles from Kings
House and may offer quick access to the mountains above for a cup of
tea or coffee and splendid views.
Stage
six
of the West
Highland Way
Kingshouse to Kinlochleven /
approximately
9 miles / Hard going / paths
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Kingshouse to Kinlochleven-
9M / hard going
This is an arduous part of the route with an easy start
followed by a hard climb from Glen Coe to the hills above up
the Devils Staircase before a long descent to Kinlochleven |
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Kinlochleven
is a small town which used to produce high quality
aluminium. There are shops, post office, bank, hotels, B&Bs and of
course restaurants and pubs.
Places of
Interest on route
The views from the Devils Staircase are outstanding on a
clear day. This is the highest point of the route at around 550m or
1850ft.
The old aluminium factory had to channel water from the hills in
large quantities to generate electricity. These water courses are
quite interesting particularly after heavy rain.
The old aluminium factory has now been turned into a climbing centre
with a large ice wall. Definitely worth a visit even if only to
watch.
Stage
seven
of the West
Highland Way
Kinlochleven to Fort William /
approximately
14 miles / Hard going / paths
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Kinlochleven- Fort William
14M / hard to medium going
The path starts in the town and immediately starts a steep
climp up into the Mamore mountains. After this the paths are
less steep. Eventually you arrive in Fort William. |
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Fort William- This
is a large and semi industrialised town and the end of the West
Highland Way It has many shops hotels
and other facilities. Here you can get your bus or train back to the
Central belt, or if you want some more walking then the Great Glen
Way starts here and you can walk to Inverness.
Places of
Interest on route
This end part of the West Highland way has great paths and the scenery is
just to die for. The path winds its way through the beautiful Mamore
mountains of which 11 of them are over 3,000 feet.
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