Walk the famous Great Glen Way trail from Fort William to Inverness
Opened in April 2002, this long-distance walking trail travels right through the very heart of Scotland. From Fort William to Inverness, you'll discover the highlights that make this area such a magnet for walkers. Pass by the foot of Ben Nevis (1344m), the highest mountain in the UK. Follow undulating forest tracks along the shores of Loch Ness and walk through a mixture of farmland, exposed high moorlands and woodland as you make your way to the capital of the Highlands, Inverness. Along the route you will also encounter the forts and castles scattered along the way that lay witness to Scotland's turbulent past, from the Iron Age to the Jacobite Rebellion led by Bonnie Prince Charlie who was finally defeated at the Battle of Culloden.
It is easy to moderate, walking approx. 8 miles/ 13 km to 18miles/ 29km (3.5-8 hours). The route starts fairly flat but gets harder over the last 3 days with short steep hills and longer hills on the last day of walking. The last day of walking can be reduced by taking optional taxi transfer (included in the price) to a point about a third along the trail, missing out the steep climb.
Highlights of the Great Glen Way Walking Tour
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Great Glen Way Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Fort William
Make your own way to Fort William. Train links to Glasgow and Edinburgh.
There are only traces left of the original fort built to keep the dreaded Highlanders at bay. Today the town is the “Chamonix” of Scotland with a proliferation of outdoor shops, cafes, bookshops and bars to entertain you if you arrive early. If you have an extra night here and you are an experienced hill walker, you could go and climb Ben Nevis, or you could take a boat trip to “Seal Island” to see the grey seals loitering around.
Overnight Location: Hotel/BB in Fort William
Distance: None
Meals: None
Day 2 Fort William to Gairlochy
Today’s walk is very easy which will give you the opportunity to do several side trips. The first one being Old Inverlochy Castle, which is one of Scotland’s earliest stone castles, built in 1260. Continue on with your walk before taking a short diversion to Corpach sea loch, with its lock-keepers’ cottages and pepper-pot lighthouse. You then head up to the tow path of the Caledonian Canal following it past “Neptune’s staircase” (a flight of 8 locks) to the small village of Gairlochy. You will be staying at Spean Bridge, which is another 3.5 miles hilly walk as there is no accommodation on the route. Normally the guesthouse will be able to collect and transfer you for a fee by prior arrangement, if you prefer not to walk.
Overnight Location: Hotel/BB in Gairlochy
Distance: 17km
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 Gairlochy to South Laggan
A mainly easy walk today, but it does have some short steep ascents. You will be walking on a mixture of tarmac, forest paths and tracks, mostly shared with the Great Glen Cycle Route. Two miles after the start of your walk, you could take a side trip to Clan Cameron Museum and Cia-aig waterfall before rejoining the Way at Clunes (an extra couple of miles or so) but note that the museum is only open in the afternoons. From Clunes all the way to Kilfinnan, you walk on forest tracks, you will get splendid views of Loch Lochy with the mountains behind.
Overnight Location: Hotel/BB in South Laggan
Distance: 17.5km
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 South Laggan to Fort Augustus
An easy walk today. The terrain is a mixture of tarmac, railway track bed, old military road, then a canal towpath. You enter the Leiterfearn nature reserve, enjoying the wonderful ash, birch, elm and hazel woodland. If you have time you could walk up Meall a’Cholumain from Fort Augustus, which is a great viewpoint. Fort Augustus was largely built in 1729 as the hub of General Wade’s military road building programme to calm the highlanders after Culloden and there are 5 locks at the centre of town on the Caledonian Canal and several museums. There are some great restaurants here, you may even have enough time for a short cruise on Loch Ness.
Overnight Location: Hotel/BB in Fort Augustus
Distance: 20km
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 Fort Augustus to Invermoriston
A harder day today with steeper ascents. You will climb through a forest of birch and pine, beside a stream and uphill to a forest track. You should get some dramatic views of Loch Ness at intervals through the woods. Walk through the village of Invermoriston with its little bridge built by Thomas Telford. The Invermoriston Hotel is a great place to eat and has several types of malt whisky. They also have great beer from The Skye Brewery. There are nice leafy walks down by the river. Note our route describes the low level option for this leg.
Overnight Location: Hotel/BB in Invermoriston
Distance: 13km
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit
A moderate day of walking with some steep sections. There is quite a bit of undulation today, but hopefully you’ll be used to the walking now! For strong walkers in good weather you could ascend Meall Fuar-Mhonaidh from where you may get views from Ben Nevis all the way to Inverness. You can take excursions to Urquhart Castle with commanding views over Lochness, with a stop at the café or an interpretational centre. You end up at Drumnadrochit, an attractive ‘Green Village’, which has a Loch Ness Monster visitor’s centre…or two! Note our route describes the low level option for this leg.
Overnight Location: Hotel/BB in Drumnadrochit
Distance: 22km
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 Drumnadrochit to Inverness
Today is normally a long day: 19 mile/30.5 km, which may be too much, especially if you want to see something of Inverness. So the tour is shortened by an optional taxi transfer taking you from the town to Loch Laide, famous for its very clean water. Descend then to Blackford and the Great Glen once again meets the Caledonian Canal before reaching Inverness, a beautiful city of past and modern, although mostly Victorian. If the taxi option is taken then this is a 21 km/14 mile walk.
Overnight Location: Hotel/BB in Inverness
Distance: 21-30km
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 Departure day
Arrangements end after breakfast.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast
This self-guided tour is always run as a private tour for your group only.
2024 Departures
The departures are available daily, from March 27th to October 14th. All the prices below are per person.
- Solo traveller: $1,350 USD
- Single room (travelling with group): $1,275 USD
- Sharing a double room: $850 USD
Accommodation on Great Glen Way
There is a variety of accommodation along the route ranging from bed and breakfasts, lodges, pubs and small hotels. They are run by cycling-friendly hosts offering en-suite or private facility rooms with a tasty breakfast to get you ready for the day ahead. Further facilities such as washing and drying facilities, packed lunches and packed lunches are available in some accommodations, you will be advised on your listing of what is available.
In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other comparable accommodations.
Single Rooms and Solo Travelers
Rooms are double occupancy. You can pay a supplement to have a private room in a hotel where possible. Solo travellers may be required to pay a supplement.
Hotels on Standard Tour
Hotel/BB along the Great Glen Way
Stay in a cozy BB accommodation along the Great Glen Way Trail in England.
What’s Included in the Great Glen Way Tour?
Meals
7 breakfasts are included. Packed lunches can be booked and paid for on arrival at your accommodation.
Accommodations
Accommodations for 7 nights are included.
Transportation during the Tour
This tour includes luggage transfers for your luggage; however, you are in charge of any personal transfers needed.
Also Included
- Detailed documents, guides, route maps, and GPX tracks
- Emergency telephone support hotline for the duration of the tour
- Pre-planned route
Not included
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Visas if required
- Guide services
- Meals, drinks, or snacks not previously mentioned
- Tourist hotel tax, payable each night at hotel
- Airport transfers
- Gratuities for drivers, servers, or other staff if desired
Optional Extras
- Single occupancy upgrades
Frequently Asked Questions about Great Glen Way Walking Tour
Great Glen Way Walking Tour Map
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