West Highland Way - Medium

This section guides you through the northern, more remote section of Loch Lomond. The terrain is challenging, but the wildness and soaring mountains are worth the effort. One of the highlights of today's stage is the breathtaking waterfall at Inversnaid. The West Highland Way route guides you over a footbridge over the waterfall as it cascades down into Loch Lomond. Along this stage, you may well encounter some wild goats and catch a glimpse of magnificent birds of prey, like the Golden Eagle and the Osprey. Once in Inverarnan, you can visit the famous Drovers Inn and share a beer with fellow West Highland Way walkers.

This stage takes you into a new and different landscape, a landscape of high mountains. You'll first follow the Falloch River, where you'll catch a glimpse of the Falloch Falls, to the halfway point of the stage, Crianlarich. You can walk past the town, or walk into Crianlarich for refreshments. You then continue your journey to Tyndrum, following the Fillan River. When you reach Kirkton Farm, you will find the ruins of St Fillan's Priory and its cemetery. You then follow the River Cononish until you reach Tyndrum.

Important: Make sure you have everything you need before leaving Tyndrum, as there are no more stores until Kinlochleven, 45 km away! This section of the West Highland Way offers unique views of the surrounding mountains. Shortly after you leave Tyndrum, you will pass the steep walls of Beinn Odhar and walk through the valley floor until you reach Bridge of Orchy. On the right you will find the famous railroad and viaduct of the West Highland Railway Line. From here the valley widens and flattens and the trail leads you with a gentle descent to the train station. After leaving Bridge of Orchy, the WHW comes to the Old Military Road. After a short climb up the hill, enjoy the impressive views from the vantage point over Loch Tulla and Black Mount. Beyond Inveroran, the remote Rannoch Moor beckons. From Forest Lodge follows a climb to the edges of Rannoch Moor. Be prepared for unfavorable weather, as the terrain on this section is exposed and crossing can be difficult in bad weather. Ba Bridge is halfway across the moor and is surrounded by beautiful views. A short walk on the left side of the bridge brings you to the ruins of Ba cottage, a lovely place to have lunch. As you follow the rolling Old Military Road, you'll walk past the Glencoe Ski Centre, Black Rock Cottage and one of Scotland's most famous mountains, Buachaille Etive Mor.

Today you head toward Altnafeadh, near the foot of Buachaille Etive Mor, before turning sharply right to the Devil's Staircase. A zigzag path takes you to the highest point of the West Highland Way, located at 550 meters. The summit is marked with a stone mound and offers breathtaking views back to "The Buachaille" and north toward the Mamores Mountains. After overcoming the Devil's Staircase, the WHW takes you through moorlands to Kinlochleven.

This section begins with a steep climb from Kinlochleven. Ahead of you is Lairigmor, also known as The Great Pass. The trail follows the valley as it curves north, leads you through forests and then takes you to Glen Nevis. The HRA then continues through forest plantations. Before finally descending to Fort William, you can visit the remains of Dun Deardail, an Iron Age fort in Glen Nevis. Then follow the trail to Fort William and make your way to the center of town. The end point of the WHW is the bronze statue of a fellow hiker in Gordon Square.

After breakfast, our package and your Ben Nevis adventure is over. Have a good trip back!