I have many three word phrases which summarise my time on the West Highland Way: languid lochside camps, moody misty woodlands, majestic mountain vistas, potato scone nachos (take my money), hostel drying room (be glad you can’t smell a blog). This iconic long distance trail is popular for a reason.

At 96 miles, with train stations at the start in Milngavie and the end at Fort William, a gravel path to follow most of the way and a relatively modest elevation gain of 3,000 metres, the West Highland Way is a superb option for those looking for their first long distance trail.

But what really made this trail was the camaraderie, the people I met along the way. It felt like a tiny slice of what I imagine the Pacific Crest Trail in America would be like. There’s plenty of serenity and solitude, but it was wholesome to see the friendly, familiar faces of other hikers at the various hiker hangouts. And when you’re all soggy and seeking shelter in the form of a pub, it’s impossible not to bond with your fellow sufferers.

Day 1 - Milngavie to Garadhban Forest, 16 miles

Walkers with loaded packs disembark from the train at Milngavie, sharing nods and tentative smiles - you can spot a fellow thru-hiker a mile off. I met a chap called David just as we were setting off, and we bumped into each other every couple of days, even meeting at the end for a celebratory beer before he continued his journey to the Cape Wrath Trail. Me, a chatty young-ish lass, David, a more reserved, retired Australian chap. I think this is a true testament to the people you meet and connect with on the trail.

Easy miles on day 1; country park, gravel trail, dreamy wooden lodges and a few miles of tarmac - though the plentiful honesty boxes offering baked goods and ice cream made this delightful. Later on, I pitched in the woods, and many others not stopping at Drymen did the same - I could see the odd tent poking out among the trees, and hear friendly laughter in the air.

Day 2 - Garadhban Forest to Inversnaid(ish), 16 miles

I woke to the sound of a cuckoo, which became the mascot of my WHW journey - I heard it every day. Sunrise seeped over Conic Hill and to my surprise, trail runners streamed past - it was the Highland Fling 53 mile ultra. I stayed out of their way and cheered them on, then the favour was returned as the spectators rang their cowbells for me too, jubilantly shouting “wooo, hiker!” Such energy warmed my soul, as did the first spectacular view of Loch Lomond.

The path clings close to the shore, with pebbly beaches, clear water, and cool wooded areas shading me from the surprisingly fierce April sunshine. I nested in a pub on the loch, chatting to more hikers, before wandering into the woods for a lochside camp.

Day 3 - Inversnaid(ish) to Crianlarich, 16 miles

I will never get bored of eating breakfast by the loch, watching the sunrise tint the mountains gold. The scale of Loch Lomond blows my mind. I tackled the tough section between Inversnaid and Inverarnan today, squeezing between rocks and tripping over tree roots before leaving the loch and heading to the hills - the landscape shifting to something new.

One of the joys of the WHW is stumbling across a pub or cafe in the middle of nowhere, inevitably full of other hikers enjoying the respite; Beinglas at Inverarnan being one of them and where I discovered potato scone nachos. I still think about them today.

The meandering but exposed gravel trails for the last few miles seemed unending and I was stoked to reach the hostel at Crianlarich, a couple of miles off the trail. I’m halfway through so time to treat myself to a bed, shower, and good conversation with fellow travellers - the best part of hostelling!

Day 4 - Crianlarich to Bridge of Orchy, 13 miles

My luck with the good weather has run out and the day started with a misty, atmospheric (aka tipping it down) walk through the woods. There were a lot of soggy hikers in the cafe at Tyndrum - another WHW icon - trying to make their hot drinks last as long as possible.

No shelter on the next section all the way to Bridge of Orchy, and it was difficult to see anything through sheets of rain, until I spotted a familiar backpack. Inachis, who I met at the hostel, and trudging through the rain together yelling over the weather made the miles mercifully fly by.

We took refuge at the Inn at Bridge of Orchy, despondently looking at the map for a sheltered place to camp - we’re coming into the notoriously open Rannoch Moor section - but no such luck. Everyone was in the same boat. With a stroke of luck, the hostel at Crianlarich still had space in the same dorm room we’d just left. Somehow I called what must have been the only taxi for 30 miles and we bundled in, herding as many bedraggled hikers into the wee car as we could. Despite the rain, the many hours in the pub had helped and there was much hilarity in the situation.

It was worth backtracking for the luxury of a warm bed again, but blimey, the smell of the hostel drying room was potent.

Day 5 - Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven(ish), 19 miles

Despite its remoteness, Crianlarich has a train station and we were able to jump on the fancy Caledonian Sleeper to take us back to Bridge of Orchy - carrying on from where we left off.

Inachis and I parted ways so we could hike our own hike and headed into Rannoch Moor. The vast emptiness of this section had a raw beauty; just you and the silent hills, and the changing landscape heading into Glen Coe was striking.

I was overjoyed to find every hiker I’d met over the last few days at the Kingshouse in Glen Coe, and we all sat together, inviting more to the group as everyone spotted their own hiking friends. It felt like serendipity to have everyone together in this remote place. I gave Inachis a rough location where I thought I might camp that night and a vague description of my ‘green pyramid tent’ and headed out once again into the jaw dropping landscape.

This section is just incredible, following the old military road up the Devils Staircase and the highest point on the WHW. The vista that opened up on the other side was nothing short of magical and I set up my camp barely able to tear my eyes away from the view.

Later, to both our surprise, Inachis managed to find me - it was the perfect end to one of the best days on the trail, just our two little tents lit up orange by a flaming sunset, mountains standing sentry all around.

Day 6 - Kinlochleven(ish) to Fort William, 16 miles

We said our goodbyes and I headed off into a perfect morning, practically skipping through the mountain pass descending into Kinlochleven. It was already a hot one and I languidly lounged on a bench enjoying a breakfast bap. After hauling myself up a hill, splashing my face with cool stream water at every opportunity, an incredible valley opened up and I was treated with many miles of easy gravel walking through spectacular scenery.

I got my first glimpse of Ben Nevis - a sign that the end was near - but it didn’t get any closer and Glen Nevis forest was a slog for the last few miles, particularly as it was heavily logged and offered no shelter. Eventually, I descended and joined the road into Fort William. The sudden busyness was a shock to the system, but I was grinning from ear to ear, catching the eye of other hikers who were doing the same, and took my place next to the statue of ‘the man with sore feet’ at the end of the WHW; a fitting finish to a truly iconic walk.

A taste for long miles and big skies?

Itching to get your feet on a long distance trail? Here’s some other suggestions for ideal starter long distance walking trails:

Cumbria Way - 71 miles. Traverses the Lake District but stays fairly low-level. Think lakeside walks, valley trails, natural stopping points… aka, pubs. Public transport friendly, with a train station at both ends (Ulverston and Carlisle).
Isle of Anglesey Coast Path - 135 miles. You’ll find serenity and solitude on this peaceful, low level trail. Hidden coves, empty, sandy beaches, with little villages and services scattered throughout this circular route. There are buses to the Menai Bridge start/end point from Bangor train station.
Yorkshire Wolds Way - 79 miles. Gentle, rolling hills, market towns and tranquil countryside, this underrated Northern gem of a route is well-waymarked and public transport friendly too, with a train station at both ends (Hessle and Filey).
Cotswold Way - 102 miles. An icon of British countryside with its charming cottages and woodlands, this route is well way-marked but surprisingly hilly and wild camping isn’t the easiest. You won’t be short of quaint villages and pubs, and can reach the start point in Chipping Campden by bus from Moreton-in-Marsh (nearest train station) and there’s a train station at the finish point in Bath.
Jurassic Coast - 95 miles. Get a taste of the South West Coast Path by walking a section of it from Exmouth to Poole. Bit more challenging on the knees with its constant ups and downs but this path offers plenty of seaside charm as well as rugged cliffs and fossil beaches. There are train stations at both ends.