On The West Highland Way: Day Six – Across Rannoch Moor

Scottish Highlands scenery with green marshy land, country road and hills rising in the distance with mist.

Our destination today was the Glencoe Mountain Resort, on the other side of Rannoch Moor. We planned the route for our West Highland Way day six carefully. As my guidebook warns ramblers not to underestimate hiking across the Moor. Standing at 50 square miles or 130 square kms, it is the largest bog in Britain … Read more

On The West Highland Way: Day Five – Crianlarich To Bridge Of Orchy

Bridge of Orchy on the West Highland Way, photo of the stone bridge over a small river, pretty scenery

Finally, halfway through our West Highland Way hike, I was able to get a good night’s sleep. The lovely Craigbank Guest House in Crianlarich had an excellent cooked breakfast for us in the morning (what luxury). We were on our way by 10am. I felt sorry to be leaving the soft fluffy bed and warm … Read more

On The West Highland Way: Day Four – Doune Bothy To Crianlarich

Wild river coming down a hill in a green forest - Falloch river on the West Highland Way in Scotland near Crianlarich

Our fourth day on the iconic Scottish West Highland Way hike was to walk from Doune Bothy to the village of Tyndrum. But, befittingly in the words of the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns: ‘the best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men’. We never slept in Tyndrum and we did not even make it there … Read more

On The West Highland Way: Day Three – Sallochy To Doune Bothy

View of calm Loch Lomond on the west highland way, blue water with green gentle hills rising in the background

Our goal on the third day on the iconic West Highland Way hike was to reach the Doune Bothy and spend the night there. From Sallochy Campsite, the distance is cca 22 kilometres or 14 miles, so the longest daily walk so far. I was looking forward to the experience of spending the night in … Read more

On The West Highland Way: Day Two – Drymen To Sallochy Bay

Countryside outside Drymen on west highland way, rolling hills in the distance, green fields

Day two of our one hundred mile West Highland Way hike was walking the 12 miles or 20 kms from Drymen to Sallochy Bay. So slightly further than our first day, which was 10 miles or 16 kms from Milngavie to Drymen. My research said that only pre-booked campers are allowed on the Sallochy Bay … Read more

On The West Highland Way: Day One – Milngavie To Drymen

A solitary tree on a loch beach in scotland, carbeth loch on the west highland way

Day One of my first ever long-distance hike started pretty much in the middle of the night. I was on the Citylink Express bus service from my home in the West of Ireland to Dublin airport. My friend and hiking buddy Jane and I were meeting at the airport for the first flight of the … Read more

On The West Highland Way: How To Plan

View from a shaded areas across a grassy meadow and mountains in the distance on a bright sunny day on the West Highland Way

In many ways, Scotland is culturally and geographically similar to the West of Ireland. While both regions are of course distinct, you do not feel completely out of place in the Scottish Highlands if you’re coming from Ireland. Scotland is famous for many things: bagpipes, whisky, haggis, castles, Loch Ness monster, tartan, kilts, deep-fried Mars … Read more

The Most Important Things To Know Before Setting Off On The West Highland Way

Shaggy white sheep against a low stone wall in green grass in light rain on the west highland way

While the link may seem tenuous, I got inspired by the movie ‘Wild’ to walk a long distance nature trail. I looked up ‘easy hikes in Europe’. That’s how I found out about the Scottish iconic hike, the West Highland Way. I do not regularly hike, so I was looking for something challenging but suitable … Read more

On The West Highland Way: A Hundred Miles Hike

View of a mountain pass along the West Highland Way in Scotland, moor in foreground, hills with clouds in the background.

I walked the West Highland Way in Scotland. I completed a hundred miles hike. So happy! It’s a huge personal achievement for me, the sense of success and triumph I felt at the end of the trail, and still do, is just wonderful. I still quite can’t believe I did it! While I enjoy the … Read more