The Ramblers' Association is Britain's biggest organisation working for walkers, a registered charity with 137,000 members across England, Scotland and Wales. We've been looking after Britain's footpaths and defending its beautiful countryside for more than 65 years byWithout the Ramblers' Association, Britain's stunning landscapes and unique path network could easily disappear. There are numerous benefits for you and ways that you can help us by joining today.


 


Walking in Britain

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Information
Long Distance Route: Scotland

Long Distance Route Thistle Icon West Highland Way

Milngavie, Glasgow - Fort William 153km/95 miles CHALLENGING

A handsome trail via Loch Lomond and Rannoch Moor, ending at the foot of Ben Nevis. Busy in the summer, and potentially tricky in the winter at the northern end. Opened in 1980 as the first of Scotland's official Long Distance Routes.

Two local walkways effectively extend the West Highland Way through Glasgow city centre and beyond, providing an attractive alternative for those arriving in Glasgow intending to walk the Way as well as for shorter, local walks. The Kelvin-Allander Walkway follows the rivers Kelvin and Allander from Glasgow Heliport on the Clyde through Kelvingrove Park and Maryhill to Milngavie (14.5km/9 miles). This connects at the Glasgow end with the Clyde Walkway, a 64km/40-mile route from Partick station, Glasgow, to the Falls of Clyde at New Lanark.

Connects with Famous Highland Drove Walk, Great Glen Way, North to the Cape, Rob Roy Way

Local Authorities Argyll and Bute, East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow, Highland, North Lanakarshire (Clyde Walkway), South Lanarkshire (Clyde Walkway), Stirling, West Dunbartonshire

Parks and countryside Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

Click to begin your search Click here to find bed & breakfast accommodation on this path

Tourist Information Centres

  • Drymen (seasonal) 01360 660068
  • Fort William 01397 703781
  • Glasgow 11 George Square G2 1DY, tel 0141 204 4400
  • Stirling 01786 475019
  • Tyndrum (seasonal) 01838 400246

Accommodation booking and luggage transfer

Holiday providers include Absolute Escapes, Avalon, C-N-Do, Celtic Trails, Contours, Discovery, Freedom, HF, Lomond, Make Tracks, North-West Frontiers, Ossian, Scotwalk, Sherpa, SYHA, Transcotland, UK Exploratory, Walkabout Scotland, Walking Women

Explorer maps 347, 348, 364, 377, 384, 392 and 335, 342, 343 for the Walkways
Landranger maps 41, 50, 56, 57, 64 and 72 for the Walkways
The route of the Way and the Walkways is shown on recent editions of these maps.

Strip maps of whole route

  • West Highland Way, waterproof with additional information and full map of Ben Nevis at 1:40 000 scale, ISBN 1 85137 223 7. Harvey £9.95 + p&p. Order here!
    Note: an almost identical map is included with the official guide below.
  • West Highland Way, waterproof with additional notes including ascent of Ben Nevis, 1:50 000 scale approx, ISBN 1 871149 50 9. Footprint £4.50.
  • Explorer digital map on CD-ROM. memory-map £49.95

Publications

  • The West Highland Way Official Guide 7th edition by Bob Aitken & Roger Smith, ISBN 1 84183 066 6. Mercat £14.99 + p&p. Order here!
    Detailed route description and extensive background notes; however, there are no detailed maps next to the text and walkers must use the enclosed separate Harvey map (near-identical to the one listed above), which some will find awkward. Notes on Clyde, Kelvin and Allander Walkways included. [2004]
  • West Highland Way Glasgow - Fort William 2nd edn by Charlie Loran, ISBN 1 873756 90 9. Trailblazer Publications £9.99.
    Detailed compact publication with route description, extensive background notes, sketch maps, accommodation suggestions, public transport information. Includes Glasgow city guide and route description from Kelvingrove Park, central Glasgow, along the Kelvin-Allander walkway. Forthcoming January 2006. [2006]
  • The West Highland Way by Jacquetta Megarry, ISBN 1 898481 19 9. Rucksack £10.99. Detailed weatherproof route guide with foldout strip maps, easier to use than the official guide. [2003]
  • The West Highland Way from Milngavie to Fort William by Terry Marsh, ISBN 1 85284 369 1. Cicerone £10
    Pocket guide book with OS 1:50 000 map extracts, route description, accommodation listings and background notes [2003]
  • West Highland Way by Anthony Burton, 1 85410 391 1. Aurum £12.99
    Recreational path guide with OS 1:25,000 map extracts. [1995]
  • Walk the West Highland Way, free accommodation and information leaflet.
    Order here!
  • Fit for Life!, free from Glasgow Tourist Information Centre (see above).
    Leaflet with map showing walkways and cycle paths in Glasgow, including the Kelvin-Allander and Clyde Walkways.
  • The Clyde Walkway, free from Glasgow Tourist Information Centre or the walking officer at Glasgow council.
    Pack of six colour leaflets with maps, photos, notes on features of interest and practical information. [01/05]
    •
  • Outdoor Handbuch Schottland: West Highland Way by Hartmut Engel, ISBN 3 89392 326 8. Conrad Stein EUR12.90.
    German-language pocket guide to the Way with accommodation listings and simple maps.

Contacts

Long Distance Paths | Alphabetical Index | Regional Index | Scotland