 |
| The West Highland Way Reunion with Some New Additions |
The West Highland Way is a challenging 97 mile walk in
Scotland which starts from Milngavie (not far from Glasgow) and finishes in
Fort William in the Highlands.
In May this year I was fortunate to have walked the
West Highland Way for the third time and it certainly won’t be the last.
This blog will focus on 10 reasons why you should walk the
West Highland Way (although there are probably far more than 10).
 |
| Breath-taking Scenery |
1 Get to
Know Beautiful Scotland
I know I’m biased because I live in Scotland and love my
country very much but it can’t be denied that Scotland is one of the most
beautiful countries in the world. It is steeped
in history and boasts incredible landscapes, mountains and Lochs and if you
play your cards right you just might catch some highlanders in their kilts
chasing after some haggis.
2 Challenge
Yourself
 |
| Stunning Scenery |
Walking 97 miles is definitely challenging therefore I
recommend you get ample practice walking before you take on this task however;
I would say the route is within the capabilities of most walkers. The
West Highland Way offers plenty of variety with flat walking terrain to begin
with which gets more rugged as you move northwards with a fair amount of hill
walking.
3 Adventure
 |
| West Highland Way |
When doing the long distance of the West Highland way for
the first time it’s a brand-new adventure and each day is different from the
day before. Adventure means stepping out
of your comfort zone, challenging yourself and exploring. The scenery changes,
the people you meet changes most days, and the environment you sleep in can go from sleeping in a tent, a hostel, bunkhouse, hotel or
B & B which all adds to the excitement.
All
you have to think about is putting one foot in front of the other and enjoying
the journey.
4 Wildlife
 |
| Bluebells |
 |
| Wildlife |
Each time I’ve walked the West Highland Way I’ve been
blessed to experience first hand the stunning wildlife it has to offer. If you’re very lucky you might just see the
gentle red deer who are frequently spotted at the Kinghouse Hotel, the golden
eagles that fly around The Devils Staircase or see the salmon leaping up the
rapids at Gartness. There is an array of
wonderful dragonflies on the approach to Rannoch Moor plus this year we
witnessed thousand of caterpillars hanging from long silk threads at Inversnaid, beds and
beds of bluebells and we can’t mention the great Scottish wildlife without
giving our beloved midgies a mention (don’t forget your Smidge or Skin So Soft).
5 Scenery
 |
| Loch Lomond |
The scenery on the West Highland Way is magnificent with
rolling hills such as Conic Hill near Balamaha, stunning waterfalls like Falls
of Falloch below,
 |
| Falls of Falloch |
glorious towering mountains such as Buachaille Etive Mor going
through Glencoe,
 |
| The Glorious Buachaille Etive Mor |
Ben Glas in Inverarnan, The Devils Staircase
 |
| Top of Devils Staircase |
and the biggest
of all the munros in Scotland, Ben Nevis.
Not forgetting you’ll walk the length of Loch Lomond which has such a
therapeutic feeling and some of the most spectacular views in the world. The walk also takes in various forests and Rannoch Moor which is a vast stretch of land composed of rivers, lochans and rocky
outcrops.
6 Glorified
Pub Crawl
Stopping at pubs either for a lunchtime refreshment or an
end of the day refreshment is highly recommended. A celebratory cold Kopparberg is normally
just what the doctor ordered (me being the doctor). It’s often in the pubs where you meet up with
people that you’ve chatted with on the walk throughout the day and end up
getting to know each other better.
Some of the pubs I recommend include The Beech Tree Inn which is halfway between Milngavie & Drymen,
 |
| Beech Tree Inn |
TheWinnock Hotel or The Clachan Inn in Drymen.
In Balmaha you really have to stop at The Oak Tree Inn.
 |
| Drovers Inn Entrance |
The Drovers Inn in
Inverarnan which is rumoured to be haunted should definitely be on your hit list and they often have live entertainment on.
 |
| View from Rowardennan Hotel |
 |
| View from Rowardennan Hostel |
The Rowardennan Hotel has stunning views
and although not a pub, the Rowardennan Hostel has a communal sitting room with
absolutely jaw dropping views.
Previously when I had walked The Way The Kingshouse Hotel was always a
great place to stay and have a drink but this year they were in the middle of
renovations – hopefully next time I do it they’ll be back up and running.
 |
| Sunset at Glencoe |
 |
Buachille Etive More from Glencoe
|
However, this year we stayed at Glen Coe SkiResort and they have a fabulous eatery/bar which I can’t recommend enough. It’s actually a log cabin with a roaring log
fire. Even if you just pop in for a
cuppa it’s well worth the views you’ll see as they look directly on to Buchille
Etive More.
My favourite view of the whole of the West Highland Way is
at the McDonald Hotel in Kinlochleven (picture below speaks for itself). Kinlochleven is known as the hidden village
of the highlands and is surrounded by lochs, rivers and mountains. I don’t think I’d ever tire of this view.
 |
| My Favourite View Ever - McDonald Hotel, Kinlochleven |
7 History
Rob Roy’s cave lies just north of
Inversnaid on the banks of Loch Lomond. Legend has it that Rob Roy inhabited
the cave as a hide-out at various times, during his cattle rustling years.
Glencoe provided the backdrop for
one of the darkest events in Scottish history. The Massacre of Glencoe occurred
in February 1692 when thirty-eight members of the Clan MacDonald, supporters of
the 1689 rebellion, were slaughtered by government troops. Hundreds more are
thought to have perished from exposure in the aftermath.
There is far more history than what I have listed in this blog to explore and learn about therefore if you're interested the internet has loads of interesting facts.
8 Improve
Your Fitness
Walking is a great all-round exercise with very real health
benefits. Load bearing for your bones and muscles, aerobic for your heart and
lungs, it burns calories, helps boost metabolism, boosts energy levels,
promotes positive mental health, it’s free, walking's also a brilliant way to
de-stress, can lower your blood pressure and is more environmentally friendly
than driving. You can do it with family
and friends and it’s a great way to socialise.
 |
| A Bit of Tree Hugging |
9 Meet New
People/Make New Friends
By far the thing I love most about the West Highland Way is
the people you walk with whether that be the people you set out with or people
you meet on route. You have a common
interest and are taking part in the same adventure. I have met lifelong friends each time I’ve walked
the Way, people from all parts of the world and all walks of life. There’s
something about walking that really lets you connect with people and your environment.
 |
| Us all at The Finish West Highland Way 2018 |
10 Switch Off
Whether you do the walk over 5, 7 or more days you get that
time to switch off from your normal world.
You leave the office at the office, your daily routine at home and
concentrate on the journey ahead. As
much as you know the task in front might push you out your comfort zone the
stunning scenery, the people and the wildlife allow your brain to focus on just
that.
 |
| Ruins on Route to Fort William |
You won't regret completing the West Highland Way. You will have an immense sense of achievement, had unforgettable conversations and memories that will last forever.
West Highland Way Maps
Very well written.... I now want to do the west highland way x x x FROM BRIAN.
ReplyDeleteBrian why don't you set yourself a challenge and do small parts of it with the view to do the whole thing when you're ready :-)
DeleteReally looking forward to doing the WHW at Easter 2019
ReplyDeleteYou'll love it Lorna - I'll definitely be doing it again. I'm fortunate in that I only live 15 minutes from Milngavie so can do parts of it any time I like. Keep me posted how you get on :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff. I look at the photos and think " I have to go back again" and I have done it 5 times!
ReplyDeleteThat’s the way I am to and depending on the time of year you do it the pictures can differ in the different seasons
Delete