Few things, to me at least, are as inspiring as walking long distances in wild places. We’re lucky to live in a world where we “still” have many to choose from. While all of them surely have stunning scenery I have to believe Scotland ranks among the very best after returning from walking the West Highland Way. Haven’t heard of it? Boy you’re in for a treat…
While I typically condense my trips into 2-3 posts, I felt this pilgrimage of sort deserved to be dissected into its proper sections so to speak. You’ll get to literally walk into my hiking boots for the 7 days it took me to traverse the better part of the Scottish Highlands, a fair pace that allows walkers to soak in as much of this magical region as one can in a week off work!
The start of the “Way” (as I’ll refer to it from now on) is just 20 minutes outside of Glasgow which makes it far easier to reach than your usual trek. It had been a while (almost 12 years!) since my last time in this artful city and a half day was way too short to properly do it justice. A quick fill of art nouveau architecture and a delightful meal reminded me just how underrated this culinary gem is.
Before we start walking, let’s just get the logistics out of the way. First off, you don’t need to be an experienced hiker to do the Way. The whole trail is on well-maintained paths with obvious markings so you absolutely can’t get lost (plus you’ll rarely if ever be alone). There are a few climbs above 1000ft especially in the second part but you’re free to take as long as you need. I did it in 7 days which is considered the standard, moderately challenging pace though most walkers will opt to do it anywhere between 6 and 10 days or even more if you really want to savor the scenery (and you should).
The main walking season is between April and October. I decided to go in April to avoid both the summer crowds and especially the midges (haven’t heard of them? Most annoying flies in all of Europe that start showing up in Scotland in June to ruin everyone’s fun for a few months.) April is also one of the most unpredictable months in terms of weather but I like to live dangerously (!) and it totally paid off….you’ll see. The only other main thing to consider and it’s one of the most important is where you’ll sleep. There are essentially two options: backpacking and pitching your tent in gorgeous terrain along the way or booking a room at one of the charming/historical inns and B&Bs that are located at each end of the Way’s sections.
While camping sounds wonderful, nights in April still drop below zero and the few backpackers that were in our “herd” froze and didn’t get much sleep so… I went with option two. And here comes my last bit of advice – if you want to book accommodations, you need to be organized and early. It’s a popular walk and the villages you’re passing through have very limited rooms which get booked months in advance. Nearly all the walkers go through a travel operator to arrange the logistics for the Way i.e., book your accommodations AND move your luggage to your next one so all you have to carry is your day pack. Trust me, this is the way to do it to avoid many headaches!
Milngavie – The official start of the West Highland Way
After a good night’s rest in Glasgow, it’s time to hit the road. The Way officially begins in Milngavie (pronounced “mullguy”), a 20 minute cab ride or train ride north from Glasgow. The main shopping district was rather sleepy at 8:30am except for the buzz of walkers getting their carbs and caffeine fix at Costa Coffee right by the entrance to the path, the only place opened so early on a Saturday morning.
The sun was shining bright on this cool April morning – an auspicious beginning? After the obligatory snap by the obelisk marking the official start, we set off for today’s 12 miles stage.
A gentle start, the path undulates through wooded parks and suburbs before leading us into genuine countryside.
Within the first hour we met the first of many sheep and got our first distant views of the Highlands, getting us properly pumped for the days ahead.
Highland cows with their fluffy coats graze in the distance and the presence of other creatures catches our attention. I learned that day that “haggis” wasn’t just a savory Scottish pudding…
Down at the valley bottom, we followed a flat trail for a while along a disused railway through farmland until we caught sight of the distinct white building of the Glengoyne Distillery. Would be a shame not to… wouldn’t it?
It’s a quick detour to visit a unique whiskey distillery in operation since 1833, and since today is an easy day on the trail a no brainer really.
They have tours almost every hour but we had just missed one so we opted for a wee dram in the beautiful shop instead. I bought a few mini bottles for the road, surely this gorgeous weather wouldn’t last and I’d be glad to have something to keep me warm…
Half an hour later we arrived at our lunch stop at Turnip the Beet, a “World Cuisine deli” catering very well to walkers as it sits directly on the Way. They have amazing home cooked food with global flavors, camping necessities, and most importantly restrooms! Yes, it is a luxury to have a sit down lunch on a long trek but absolutely recommended here. Today is the easiest day with plenty of spare time and we knew the second half of the Way wouldn’t have such amenities in the wildest parts.
The afternoon portion of the walk was a leisurely stroll through the pretty hamlet of Gartness and its sandstone cottages.
We followed a quiet country lane through family farms for the last few miles of the day.
Towards the end you’re treated to wide views of the Highlands to the north with Conic Hill in the middle (which we would climb tomorrow).
Arriving in Drymen
We arrived late afternoon to the village of Drymen where we would spend the night and settled in our self-contained garden studio at the Braeside Guest House.
Right across the street was the Clachan Inn which claims to be Scotland’s oldest licensed pub, established in 1734.
It’s a convivial and popular place for food and drinks and we happily celebrated completing our first day with a local feast of cullen skink (an absolutely delicious smoked fish and potato soup), steak and a gargantuan burger.
A little walk around the charming village was required after such a heavy dinner and we quickly collapsed after preparing our gear for the next day’s walk.
Day 1 closing: Today was an easy intro for sure. With the gorgeous weather and minimum elevation gain the 12 miles felt more like a casual day walk than a hike with an equal mix of urban and natural areas. It felt good to have this warm up as we knew tomorrow would be a bit more physical and today gave us enough teasing of the mountainous terrain ahead to get me properly excited. Onwards!
