{"id":31188,"date":"2020-03-31T17:04:53","date_gmt":"2020-03-31T15:04:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/?p=31188"},"modified":"2020-05-22T14:34:40","modified_gmt":"2020-05-22T12:34:40","slug":"scotland-west-highland-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/2020\/03\/scotland-west-highland-way\/","title":{"rendered":"Scotland: Discovering The West Highland Way"},"content":{"rendered":"

The attractiveness of travelling to Scotland<\/strong> needs no introduction. Despite it\u2019s forever grey and wet weather, Scotland is almost always in the top 5 of any \u2018Most Beautiful Countries\u2019 list. Even coming first in many \u2013 including this one<\/a>.
\nBut what should you do there, if you travel? Outside of it\u2019s two major cities \u2013 Edinburgh & Glasgow \u2013 it\u2019s the Scottish countryside<\/strong> which wins all the awards. And there\u2019s one amazing way to see some of the best.
\nIt\u2019s a 7-day hike<\/strong>, and it\u2019s called \u2018The West Highland Way<\/strong>\u2019.<\/p>\n

I had the absolute privilege of completing it 2 years ago, and I can\u2019t help but gush over it at any given opportunity.<\/p>\n

What Is The West Highland Way?<\/h2>\n
\"West
Photo by Sigge Bjerkhof on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

The trail begins just outside of Glasgow<\/strong>, in a town called Milngavie. A quaint little town just 4 miles from where I grew up.
\nTry and pronounce Milngavie\u2026 I dare you.
\n(It\u2019s pronounced \u201cmo guy\u201d. The first of many nonsensical place names you\u2019ll discover on the route).<\/p>\n

\u2018The Way\u2019 stretches a full 96 miles northwards<\/strong>. Snaking it\u2019s way through around the stunning Loch Lomond<\/strong>, up through hills and valleys, over and into the Glencoe mountain<\/strong>s, and finally finishes in a small town called Fort William. Right next to the largest mountain in the UK \u2013 Ben Nevis.
\nAlong the way you\u2019ll be sure to see many typical Scottish sights.<\/p>\n

Including highland cows…<\/h3>\n
\"Scotland
As a redhead myself, I can only hope to match this hairstyle one day. Photo by Craig Anderson<\/div><\/div>\n

Rocky beaches<\/h3>\n
\"rocky
We may have more rocks than sand, but that doesn\u2019t make them any less beautiful in my book. Photo by Craig Anderson<\/div><\/div>\n

Through forests<\/h3>\n
\"Scotland
One of the toughest parts is a constant up-down scramble by the Lochside. Photo by Craig Anderson<\/div><\/div>\n

Through wide-open valleys<\/h3>\n
\"walking
The flat open spaces can leave you wondering if you\u2019re in the highlands or in the wild west. Photo by Craig Anderson<\/div><\/div>\n

Around mountains<\/h3>\n
\"mountains
Thankfully, the trail only demands you and admire the snow-capped peaks from afar. Photo by Craig Anderson<\/div><\/div>\n

By the snow<\/h3>\n
\"on
Unless you\u2019re in the peak of summer, you\u2019re bound to be able to get a snowball or two at the highest altitudes.\u00a0Photo by Craig Anderson<\/div><\/div>\n

And back down again<\/h3>\n
\"scotland\"
The final trail to Fort William, and a well-earned beer.\u00a0Photo by Craig Anderson<\/div><\/div>\n

Now, I\u2019m not here to describe the West Highland Way in detail. Just one quick google and you\u2019ll get tons of information about it. Here the map of the route<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The West Highland Way is the #1 hiking trail in one of the world\u2019s most beautiful countries.<\/p>\n

Instead, as a local and someone who\u2019s done it, I\u2019ll share some of my advice and tips with you.<\/p>\n

When\u2019s the Best Time of Year to Go?<\/h2>\n
\"West
Photo by Krisjanis Mezulis on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

Anyone unfamiliar with Scotland doesn\u2019t know about our mortal enemy.
\n(No, not the English \u2013 that\u2019s a whole other story).
\nI mean the enemy in amongst our own lands.
\nWe call them midgies.
\nThese are tiny, miniature mosquito-like bugs that love to bite you. And cause no-end to your itchiness.
\nThey all come out when it\u2019s warmer in summer, which is why the best time to go is in Spring<\/strong>.
\nWalking the West Highland Way in Springtime (late March \u2013 late April) is your best bet at avoiding such a constant annoyance. It also gives you a good chance of getting decent weather. Though that will always be a gamble!
\nAs a walker, I also find that you don\u2019t want things too warm. A roasting hot day can be torture when you\u2019re trying to hike uphill for your 10th mile of the day.<\/p>\n

How Hard Is It?<\/h2>\n

I\u2019ll not kid you, it\u2019s not for the faint-hearted. By the end, almost our whole group had funny styles of walking because of how sore our feet were!
\nThe paths can be quite hilly and rugged, but it\u2019s not like you need hiking sticks or snowshoes. Just a good pair of walking boots.
\nThe way can be split into 6 or 7 days. This means an average of walking 16 miles a day, or 13.7 miles a day. Personally, we did 6 days which fits quite nicely into a ramp-up.<\/p>\n

Our days were:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. 12 Miles (super relaxed, we even stopped at a restaurant for lunch!)<\/li>\n
  2. 14 Miles<\/li>\n
  3. 16 Miles<\/li>\n
  4. 18 Miles<\/li>\n
  5. 20 Miles<\/li>\n
  6. 16 Miles<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Ramping it up like this works quite well for two reasons. First, your body gets used to it (though you should do a bit of training before hand). Second, you get used to it. By the third day, your whole group will be masters of taking quick breaks, navigating the paths, and starting your day right.<\/p>\n

    For us, on our first day we were practically tourists. A late start, long lunch, and plenty of time doodling on breaks.<\/p>\n

    By the 20-mile day?
    \nWe were machines.<\/p>\n

    We left by 6.30am, we called timed breaks every other hour, knew our route, and knew how to keep each other motivated.
    \nThat may sound a bit serious \u2013 but we did 20 miles in a day! The other days you can afford to be a bit more relaxed.<\/p>\n

    Do You Camp?<\/h2>\n
    \"camp\"
    Photo by Hugues de BUYER-MIMEURE on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

    You absolutely can camp the whole way. There\u2019s plenty of dedicated campsites<\/strong> along the trail, and Scotland is very open with making fires in most parts of the wild.
    \nThat said, there\u2019s a much more \u201cluxurious\u201d option which we opted for.<\/p>\n

    Which is to stay in Bed & Breakfasts along the way<\/strong><\/a>, and have your gear driven from one stop to the next. So you only carry what you need each day with you.<\/p>\n

    While this sounds like a cop-out, it\u2019s a very common method of tackling the trail. There\u2019s enough places to stay in the small towns, and a popular enough route, that it\u2019s quite easy to organise this way around.
    \nIf it wasn\u2019t for doing it this way, I think we would\u2019ve needed an extra day on the trip.
    \n(All of this said, campers will be calling me \u2018not a real hiker\u2019 for this!).<\/p>\n

    Either option is fine, just go with what would suit you best. I will say that \u2013 while camping can be amazing<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 pay very special attention to the weather reports.
    \nI have a friend who camped the whole way with her partner, and it was a bit of a nightmare trip for them thanks to horrible weather. For us, having somewhere to stay let us rest up and fully enjoy walking the way, rather than going through a double hardship by carrying camping gear and sleeping on the ground.<\/p>\n

    What Else Is There To Do On A Scotland Trip?<\/h2>\n
    \"Loch
    Loch Lomond. Photo by Krisjanis Mezulis on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

    There\u2019s enough I could write here for a whole other article. Many of them, in fact.
    \nI\u2019ll give you my top recommendations for tourists visiting Scotland<\/strong>:<\/p>\n