Hiking Tours on the West Highland Way

Our 9 day West Highland Way is our most popular full-route tour.  It has 7 days of hiking (plus an arrival day and onward travel day) and is ideal for fit beginners and experienced hikers alike.  Those short on time and up for a challenge can instead tackle the full route with our 6, 7 or 8 day tours.

Our 10, or 11 day itineraries (with 8 and 9 hiking days respectively) have comparatively shorter daily mileages, allowing hikers to soak up the scenery, and build up their fitness for the more strenuous northern sections.

Or you may choose to save time and rely on our decades of expertise hiking Scotland by choosing one of our specially designed Highlights, Best of, North, South or Escape WHW itineraries which feature the best sections of the trail and shorter time frames ranging from 5 - 7 tour days.  Explorers can also set out by rail along the West Highland Line, enjoying carefully curated and easily accessed daily hikes all along the trail.

The West Highland Way is right out our backdoor and was the first trail we offered when Macs was founded back in 2003. Our team hikes this trail on a yearly basis and is always a favorite!

The WHW offers everything from cozy loch front accommodations to incredible mountain views to mouthwatering traditional Scottish meals – haggis anyone?

Curious to know more? Download our Macs Guide to the West Highland Way and if that's still not enough or you'd like to speak with one of our experts you can inquire here or give us a call at (720) 487-9898.

Mountains of knowledge: Since 2003, we’ve organized thousands of self-guided hiking trips on the stunning West Highland Way. Macs HQ is just a few miles from the start of the trail, so the team have hiked it countless times giving us first-hand knowledge and experience of the route, the local communities and all the hidden gems along the trail.

Accommodation: We’ve selected the best and most suitable cozy hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses along the route.  

Luggage transfers: We carry your main bags to lighten your load so you can concentrate on simply hiking and enjoying the culture, food, and scenery this trip has to offer.

Navigation & 24/7 phone support: Self-guided hiking means having the freedom to explore independently at your own pace, along with our handy Macs navigation app, well-waymarked routes, and our 24/7 first-class support there if you need it.

Tried & tested itineraries: We offer 6 tours of different durations which complete the full trail, so you can choose the itinerary best suited to suit you. We also offer choice hikes accessed by train on our West Highland Line tour, the ability to do the South and the North tours separately, and other tours that offer the best sections and highlights of the full trail.

Rave Reviews: With over 1,500+ glowing customer reviews, we’re trusted by hikers to deliver unforgettable experiences on the trail.

Being experts on hiking the West Highland Way, it’s unlikely that there's a question that we’ve not been asked before! We like a challenge though...so please contact us if you have one or some. In the meantime, check out our blog 'Frequently Asked Questions' which has a wealth of information and questions we've already answered. Top questions include:

Q: When is the best time to walk the West Highland Way?

Q: Should I take my trekking poles?

Q: How long is the West Highland Way?

We are the largest operator on the West Highland Way, with exceptional knowledge of its paths, people and places. With our local partnership, we donate $5 per customer to help support and maintain its 96 miles of paths as well as the bridges, gates, signage and drainage which are regularly hampered by the famously wet, Scottish weather, and the increasing severe weather events.  

Each year we also volunteer to help maintain the trails, bringing us closer to the paths that are the very lifeblood of our business and heritage. Learn more about the importance of  trail maintenance.

Toughest Section - The jury is out on this, but here in the office, we think it’s the section from Rowardennan to Inveroran. The path twists and turns and there are roots, rocks and steps which require a lot of concentration. However, the path leads you along the beautiful ‘bonnie’ banks of Loch Lomond.

Toughest place name to pronounce - The first stop on the West Highland Way is probably the toughest to pronounce. Milngavie is actually pronounced Mul-guy. Strange eh?! Another one is Drymen (Dri-min). The most ‘-ch’ part of a word is pronounced like you're gently clearing your throat, however a hard -K sound will do, i.e. Lock Lomond, but the gravelly -‘ch’ will make you sound like a local!

As for the rest of the tough questions…call us, our team will be able to assist.