Hiking Tours on the West Highland Way

West Highland Way

Highlights
  • Wild beauty awaits hiking the WHW, Scotland’s most famous long-distance trail
  • Hike north from striking Glasgow to beautiful Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis
  • Enjoy cozy lodgings, daily bag transfers and the expertise of a Scotland-based team
  • Experience dramatic Highland history with famous castles, crofter’s huts and ancient battlefields
  • Pass Loch Lomond and moody Rannoch Moor, and hike up the Devil's Staircase and Conic Hill for incredible views

Scotland's West Highland Way trail is its longest and most famous, offering a spectacular south to north 96-mile journey through the wild beauty of the Scottish Highlands. Starting near Glasgow, it takes hikers over heather clad moors and past windswept mountains to Fort William. It covers some of the most impressive scenery of western Scotland, with adventurers being treated to mythical lochs, dappled woodlands, lush glens, and a natural rugged landscape that's captivated generations of travelers over thousands of years. On a self-guided Macs adventure, hikers enjoy charming local inns, daily baggage transfers and the freedom to hike on their own, at their own pace.

The West Highland Way was the first tour Macs offered, and since 2003 we've sent thousands of travelers its way. We are proudly B Corp certified, and we donate $5 per customer toward West Highland Way trail maintenance to make your journey and the future more sustainable. Macs was founded just a few miles from the start of the trail, and with headquarters in Glasgow every year members of our team hike the WHW, conduct volunteer trail maintenance and visit our valued accommodation and luggage partners.  This provides us with in-depth knowledge and extensive experience on this iconic route, and we pass that expertise on to you, our hikers!

Curious to know more? Download our Macs Guide to the West Highland Way

 

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Discover West Highland Way

  • Two Tough Questions

    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.

    Two Tough Questions
  • Which WHW tour is right for me?

    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.

    Which WHW tour is right for me?
  • Download your Macs West Highland Way Guide

    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.

    Download your Macs West Highland Way Guide
  • Why book a West Highland Way tour with Macs?

    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.

    Why book a West Highland Way tour with Macs?
  • West Highland Way FAQs

    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?

    West Highland Way FAQs
  • West Highland Way Trail Maintenance

    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.

    West Highland Way Trail Maintenance
  • Two Tough Questions

    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.

    Two Tough Questions
  • Which WHW tour is right for me?

    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.

    Which WHW tour is right for me?

  • West Highland Way, Adventure Your Way

    Countless happy hikers have completed The West Highland Way with Macs since we first operated it back in 2003. It remains a firm favorite with us at Macs and is still one of our most popular trails.

    For a taste of the experience we have put together this short feature about a father and daughter on their West Highland Way adventure.

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  • A View into The West Highland Way

    In this gorgeous video, Ewan - with the backdrop of the world-famous Loch Lomond and sounds of the bagpipes - discusses some of the finer points of hiking The West Highland Way.

    He explains the accommodation, baggage transfers and how hassle free Macs Adventure make your vacation along The West Highland Way.

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  • West Highland Way Video Diary

    Dan from the Macs team hiked the full West Highland Way.

    In Dan's lovely video, he includes stopping points you shouldn’t miss (the distillery being the first!), what’s in his backpack, the red deer he saw and much more.

    Sit back and enjoy this video which gives you a great flavor of what’s in store for you on the West Highland Way.

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