The West Highland Way - Day 2 - Hiking in Scotland

The West Highland Way (Scottish Gaelic: Slighe na Gàidhealtachd an Iar) is a linear long distance footpath in Scotland. It is 154 km (96 miles) long, running from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, with an element of hill walking in the route.
The trail, which opened in 1980, was Scotland's first officially designated Long Distance Route, and is now designated by Scottish Natural Heritage as one of Scotland's Great Trails. It is primarily intended as a long distance walking route, and whilst many sections are suitable for mountain biking and horseriding there are obstacles and surfaces that will require these users to dismount in places.
It is managed by the West Highland Way Management Group (WHWMG) consisting of the local authorities for East Dunbartonshire, Stirling, Argyll and Bute and Highland, alongside the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority and Scottish Natural Heritage. About 120,000 people use the path every year, of whom about 36,000 walk the entire route. The path is estimated to generate £5.5 million each year for the local economy.
In September 2019 I set out on my first ever attempt at hiking the West Highland Way. I did this to raise funds for Therapet Scotland, in memory of my dog Belle who sadly passed away from cancer.
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If you are hiking, walking or backpacking in the outdoors then the west highland way walk in Scotland is definitely for you. It stretches 96 miles, almost 100 miles ( 154km kilometres ) , starting in Milngavie and finishing in Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis. After Drymen you will climb Conic Hill where you will witness the bonny banks of Loch Lomond before descending into the village of Balmaha.
There are many options for camping and wild camping is permitted. I'd recommend pitching a tent at Bridge of Orchy. Visit the famous Green Welly Stop shop when you make it to Tyndrum, Inverardran and Crainlarich. Maybe you're planning on thru hiking from Glasgow to Rowardennan when walking the west highland way for beginners? Dont do this. It would be too far in one go. That would be my hiking advice anyway. Stick to Inversnaid, Inverarnan, and Inveroran and if possible try to stay at the Kingshouse Hotel. I would even consider Hammock or tarp camping in Kinlochleven or Kinlochmore.
You'll be climbing the tips of highlands mountains such as glen nevis, glen coe and the devils staircase as long as you avoid the 10 mistakes I made and follow my hiking tips.
Whether you are an expert in 2020 or needing hiking tips for beginners in 2021 please don't make the same hiking mistakes that I did in 2019.
Stay safe and happy hiking
Ewan Priest ( AKA Ewan Goes Hiking )
#westhighlandway #hikingscotland #ewangoeshiking

[@EwanGoesHiking]

In September 2019 I set out on my first ever attempt at hiking the West Highland Way. I did this to raise funds for Therapet Scotland, in memory of my dog Belle who sadly passed away from cancer.. This is the video of day 2, where I walked from Rowardennon to Inverarnan.

[@ronniesaunders388]

God bless you mate I know how it feels to lose a special dog I lost my dog lucky at the end of last year, cheers for the heads up cause Ile definitely need to attempt it on my own and watching this means Ile have a good chance of getting to the end 👍

[@Itsthejourneynotthedestination]

Found myself here after watching your 10 mistakes vids. It's interesting watching as you go on how your moral seeps away from you. Don't be hard on yourself, the WHW is the toughest thing I've ever done and was sheer bloody mindedness that got me through the Loch Lomond stretch. Good luck on your next attempt, there is no shame in failure, thousends before you have also succumbed.

[@LeesOutdoorOdyssey]

Hi Ewan, i had to finish at Beinglas the first time i tackled the WHW due to an achilles injury on the inversnaid section. I came back the following year and completed the walk. Would love to watch you have another attempt. 👍

[@EwanGoesHiking]

The return to the WHW is definitely on the cards. Glad you managed to finish it the next time around Lee.

[@runforfunken]

Well done buddy. You made the right decision. The biggest part of adventure is health & safety first. The WHW is very underestimated by most & isn't easy by any stretch of imagination. Good honest video & well put together.

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Thanks Kenny. I appreciate that. I'm definitely looking forward to getting back out there once I'm ready again. I'm considering making a video about the things I would have done differently. I figured it may be of use to some people who are planning their first WHW trip..?

[@carolynstewart9103]

Well done ewan.thanks for videos.really enjoyed them.hope your knee has recovered.🌈👋

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Really appreciate that Carolyn. The knees much better now. Thanks for asking. 😊

[@OutandaboutwithSpencer]

I came across your videos after searching for WHW. I watched the 10 things you did wrong then the walk. Well done for getting as far as you did and it was the right thing to stop. You shot some great footage and photos, really enjoyed it and will be watching more of your videos. ATB, Spencer

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Really appreciate that Spencer. I'll definitely be going back out on the WHW this year. Looking forward to it. Thanks for taking the time to watch the videos and for leaving a comment. 😊

[@SmithyGolfandSmithyWalks]

Good crack on the vids. Not done the West Highland Way but tried the Cleveland Way last year .not camping so just a rucksack. Did it last minute .didnt bother with a map as I was good at orienteering at school and took the wrong path up on the moors. Walked 38 miles instead of 21 and couldnt move the next day. just done Smithy Walks Wales.first 75 miles of Wales Coastal Path. Feet are goosed .had to bin my walking shoes and back to trainers. WHW on my to do list .might end first day in Drymen lol

[@robertgeorge4880]

Don't be disheartened my first attempt my daughter and I only managed to get to humdrum which took 5days i was so unfit and we had too much stuff since then and with lessons learned we have completed WhW twice Never Give Up

[@kerrybutler2927]

Enjoyed your videos Ewan! Shame about the injury but stuff happens! I'm thinking of doing this on my next trip to Scotland....planning to try for next year ....all being well with the covid virus. All the best x

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Thanks Kerry. Good luck with it.

[@Buszkraftowski]

Thank you for sharing, although it did not work out for you in the End. You tried and you came far as you could. Well done!

[@markgibson2519]

Well done Ewan, I was exact same when i tried it 2 yrs ago going back in July this year going to have 2 or 3 stops before beniglass farm. Hope you give it another bash 👍🏻

[@EwanGoesHiking]

I'm heading back out on the WHW this year. Still trying to organise when though. Good luck for July. 👍

[@aleeharris7151]

I could tell you 10 more things on not what to do on this walk 😂 the house you passed is a bothie, i stayed in it 3 years ago... It was creepy haha! Love the videos 😁

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Thanks Alee. Much appreciated. Yeah that Bothy did look like a creepy cabin in the woods. 😂

[@WanderingJay]

such a shame injury put paid, but right call, health comes first..always..but enjoyed it nevertheleass, looking forward to following more of yr adventures |ATB WJ

[@Fludded]

This is so helpful. I want to work towards doing this hike... but I realise now I need proper kit, pack weight is important and training is essential.

[@EwanGoesHiking]

A little bit of prep goes a long way. Don't let my shortcomings put you off though. I hope you manage to get out on the WHW. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. 👍

[@raellawrence7116]

I also found myself arriving at Inversnaid with a knee injury (and a broken bike). Shame nobody there told you that you could have taken a boat from there to Tarbet to catch the train. That's what I did with my bike otherwise I would have been totally screwed.

[@harrykennedy9778]

Good effort you done the hardest part of the walk I’ve done it twice and the length of Loch Lomond is defo hardest 🕺🏻

[@harrykennedy9778]

✌️

[@EwanGoesHiking]

You're not kidding there! 😂

[@franmckenzie7400]

I completed it last week in 7 days. The point you got to was where I wanted to quit too, my pack was killing me and all the slippery ups and down. I would recommend to anyone to take the high path between Rowardennan to Inversnaid and not the low route by the Loch. If I did it again I would also take an extra day and stay in Inversnaid. For the last 3 days I used Travel Lite for my pack and it was like a whole different trip! Without carrying all my camping gear it was so much easier and faster.

[@senorcharrleh5146]

Last time i did it was with someone new into hiking i knew they had never done the WHW before and they knew i was a mad hiker and i had did the whw multiple times at that point i had walked it 5 times and cycled it 3 times my quickest walking was 3 days who better to be your guide they thought. Anyway we decided to do it backwards to make it a new experience for both of us. It should have taken us about 6 hrs as it's an easier walk backwards, it took us just over 12 hours to get to Kinlochleven. It had also been lashing down with rain the whole day. I won't go into the faff of putting the tent etc. So that night i decided to call it as the other person had bitten off far more than they could chew it was hard for me to call it as i had previously completed it so many times before but with the weather that was forecast and the sections left i decided it was to dangerous to take that person out into the backcountry again. I actually kept the gps file of that ill fated walk as a reminder to the lessons learned. Just take the lessons learned and go again as with failure comes experience.

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Awesome advice...and I'm amazed at the 3 day completion. Super impressive. My hats off to you. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@davelaw2679]

Unlucky mate . 👍👍👍👍

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Cheers Dave. I treated it as a learning experience.

[@harrykennedy9778]

✌️

[@williamlorimer060867]

Sorry you didn’t finish the walk you’re not the first or will be the last have seen it all before pack too heavy trying to walk 20 mile days having done the walk many times the nicest way to do it get a company to take your gear and plan the walk over 7 days this is what I did after taking advice I have done it unsupported as well just needs more planning and training with a heavy pack don’t let this experience put you off learn from it good luck 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👍

[@EwanGoesHiking]

It definitely was a learning experience and gladly it didn't put me off. I like to think I'm much wiser these days (when it comes to hiking anyway). Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@jamesmccann2087]

I just had a fractured ankle about 2 months ago,still doesn’t feel 100% right.anyway was planning doing the whw next month lockdown permitting of course,but don’t know if I will do damage to my ankle. I have done a few 10 mile walks during lockdown and it’s mostly fine. Only feel it a wee bit sore going over rough ground,loch Lomond path looks worrying though.

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Yeah that part is pretty up and down. I'd maybe recommend trying some steep hill walks to see how you get on first? Wishing you the best of luck.

[@gofrgo]

Hi Ewan; I'm sure you'll succeed next time. By the way I think you need to lighten your pack to avoid knee injuries. When I hiked the WHW this summer my base weight was 6kg and with food and water my pack was always under 8kg. I met a young man with a pack weighting 15kg. He couldn't finish the hike with knee injuries and stopped in Kinglochleven so close to the end.

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Yeah pack weight was a definite issue. I address this in my '20 mistakes I made on the West Highland Way' video. Next time I'll be travelling MUCH lighter 😂. I'm impressed you got your pack so light. I'd most of your kit super-lightweight?

[@SirPrancelot1]

Tough luck the knee going bad like that. Blisters can be dealt with but you can risk permanent injury walking with something like that.

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Couldn't agree more. It felt awful having to cut the walk short but avoiding long term injury is more important than slogging through it and hoping for the best. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@liesbethvanderburgh8423]

Hi Ewan, I really enjoyed your videos. Such a pity, but the only wise decision, to give up your hike. I’d love to go hiking in Scotland one day, but for I turned 60 last November, I can’t postpone it much longer. I wonder if the WHW will be too heavy for my 60 year old knees. In the mean time I enjoy watching your struggles. Hope you can continue the path soon. Looking forward to watching more of your videos. Keep walking!

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Thank you Liesbeth. Really appreciated. So long as you plan the hike sensibly and take as many days as needed you should be able to do it no problem. 😊

[@colinnicolson7359]

Hi mate, enjoyed video. Like you I had to stop at Beinglas last year due to damage to one of my feet. Will finish it off once I have recovered from a hip replacement I am waiting to have. Wishing you luck if you decide to finish at some point in the future.

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Thanks Colin. I'm hoping to get it done again real soon. Good luck with your op.

[@splotty777]

Good effort Ewan. The WHW is very variable and weather dependent on how rigorous it will be for you. It takes it out of you especially carrying an injury. You're not the first to decide to put your health first so don't get too down on yourself. Glad you made it to Beinglas at least. Top lads in the bar. You look far younger than me so I'm sure you'll be back soon.

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Yeah the guys at Beinglas really took care of me. They sorted me out last minute with a pod and kept the kitchen open for me. Can't thank them enough. Can't wait to get back out there but it probably won't be till spring next year now. Cheers for the comment Jim. Appreciate it. 👍

[@kayyleiggh]

Really enjoyed your video! I’m planning on attempting it this autumn, really looking forward to it...and found your 10 mistakes video very helpful. Hope you try it again 😊 x

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Planning on doing it again this year (lockdown permitting of course)

[@richsmartin]

A good decision to abandon the hike when you did. The second half of the Loch Lomond stretch is really tough even when fully fit. It’s been known to reduce people to tears. Get fit soon and get back out there! Nice video!

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Thanks Richard. Looking forward to it. 😊

[@zarmewoelfin]

Hey man, how is your knee today? I just sit in the office (work) at the moment and wanted to watch some scotland videos alongside to feed my wanderlust. I'm from Germany and I love Scotland and lost my heart there in the highlands years ago. So... just watched some videos and ended up here with yours. It was nice to see the way in pictures and videos again - I already walked the whole way back in 2017. First try was in 2016 but.... YES... the knee of my exboyfriend hurted that bad that we had to stop at day 4 at strathfillan wigwam. The second try was more successful and I'm very glad I did it and tried again. And I will do it definitely again in the next few years. :-) You will try it, too? I would love to see the other daily videos, too. :-D Greetings, Sandy

[@pauladams6969]

At least you tried mate. 1st time I tried, I had a siezure at the 7 mile marker. That ended it. 2nd try, I was going dizzy most of the day but that started going to Bridge or orchy. I ended it again as dizziness is the 1st symptom of siezures. Trying again in June/july time. Hopefully 3rd time lucky. Never give up

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Jeez that's awful mate. 3rd time is a charm so keeping my fingers crossed for you. All the best 👍

[@Andy-LucyGSD]

Hi Ewan, really enjoyed the video. Even though that was clearly a tough few days, I bet you learned so much from it. Sometimes I think it's good to go through experiences like you did, even if it's just to work out what you would change for next time. I did the same a while back, I changed so much after that, lots of gear changes, frequent stops, early starts and a slower pace. I'm sure you're researching different gear now, one of the biggest changes for me was switching to trail shoes. I now use the Altra lone peak 4.0, so so comfortable and light. They aren't waterproof, but let your feet breath and dry out really quickly. Have just subscribed. Keep the videos coming. Recommend the South downs way, similar distance but easier going.

[@EwanGoesHiking]

Thanks for the comment and the sub. Greatly appreciated. Couldn't agree more. I can't believe how much I've come on in terms of experience and knowledge since then. Definitely a learning experience. Hoping to do the South Downs way eventually. Its definitely on my list. 😊