In terms of scenic beauty, the West Highland Way is certainly one of the finest walks in Britain. Starting in the Lowlands of Scotland, a mere 11.4km (7 miles) from the country's largest city, Glasgow, it stretches northwards for 152km until it eventually reaches the historic town of Fort William, which sits at the head of Loch Linnhe. The landscape changes dramatically from open rolling countryside to barren heather moorland, and finally into the brooding peaks of the Grampian Mountains.
The path is not difficult to follow, nor is it particularly difficult to complete. It passes along a mixture of Land Rover tracks, estate drives and forestry roads, making it hard for you to get lost. Many of these tracks were originally ancient drovers' roads on which cattle were herded to market, although part of the path runs along an old military road built to help the troops control the Jacobite rebellions of the 18th century.
If you are lucky, you may glimpse a golden eagle as you travel north, and on Rannoch Moor you will almost certainly see red deer. However, the only wildlife with which you are likely to come into really close contact are midges. These small, mosquito-like insects are harmless but exceptionally irritating, so be sure to bring plenty of repellent with you.
Generally, you are advised to travel the West Highland Way from south to north, as this will mean that you have the sun at your back. It can usually be walked at any time of year, but in winter the path is often covered by snow and ice, making the trip considerably more hazardous. Waterproof, windproof and warm clothing is therefore recommended in the winter months, with layers for insulation, and walkers may find a metal-tipped walking stick useful if it gets snowy or icy. Freezing gales do not improve matters either. The best weather conditions are normally found in August and September, but these months also mark the shooting and stalking seasons, so it is important not to venture off the prescribed route.
It is almost impossible to fit the whole of the West Highland Way into a comfortable seven-day walk, so you may want to consider cutting out the early stage, which is essentially just a suburb of Glasgow, and instead begin several kilometres north of Milngavie, the official start.
Day 1: Drive from Glasgow to Drymen
25 minutes
This version of Scotland's most popular and historic walk begins 24 km north of Glasgow, in the small village of Drymen - known as one of the gateways to the Highlands. It was once a haunt of the famous 17th-century brigand Rob Roy, who came to the village to collect his protection money from Lowland farmers. A 25-minute drive from Glasgow, your first night is spent in the cosy 17th-century Winnock Hotel, which is conveniently situated just across the square from the country's oldest pub, the Clachan. The hotel often holds ceilidhs at the weekends and provides a lively start to the trip.
Day 2: Drymen to Rowardennan/Inverbeg
22.4km; five-and-a-half hours
Shaggy Highland cattle watch you with mild curiosity as you wind your way up over Conic Hill, with its panoramic views stretching from Stirling to Glasgow, and then down to Loch Lomond, the largest body of inland water in Britain. The loch is home to salmon, sea trout and brown trout, as well as freshwater herring. The latter are fairly rare in Britain and it is thought that they were left in the loch during sea-level changes after the last series of glaciations. The walking is easy-going, particularly on the undulating paths at the loch side, where you have the chance to see a staggering array of trees, wildflowers and ferns.
At Rowardennan you make your way to the little pier for the ferry which takes you across the loch to the acclaimed Inverbeg Hotel, with its spectacular views and award-winning restaurant, where you can expect such delicacies as home-cured salmon or roast quail with apricot and walnut stuffing. If you are feeling really energetic you can climb Ben Lomond, Scotland's most southerly Munro (mountain over 914m/3,000 ft).
Day 3: Inverbeg to Crianlarich
16km; four-and-a-half hours
To fit this whole trip into a week and to avoid some pretty boring walking through endless Forestry Commission plantations, start the day with a taxi ride up to Ardlui, where you catch another ferry across the northern end of Loch Lomond to Ardleish. Here you rejoin the West Highland Way for an attractive walk up Glen Falloch, through farmland and woodlands and past waterfalls and peat-tinted streams. This part of the path was once a cattle drovers' track and the walking is generally straightforward, although it can become more testing if the path is wet and muddy. The night is spent at the three-star Ben More Lodge, where the restaurant specializes in dishes using local products, in particular fresh game and fish.
Day 4: Crianlarich to Inveroran
25.5km; six-and-a-half hours
This is the longest day's walk but, if the idea of the distance horrifies you, it is possible to peel off earlier at the Bridge of Orchy, 22.4km and hop into a taxi for the remainder of the trip. However, as it is downhill most of the way, the walking is not too exhausting.
Passing through forestry plantations, rolling farmland and the famous ruins of St Fillan's Chapel, you will arrive at the magnificently bleak Rannoch Moor. There is minimal shelter here and the weather conditions are mercurial, so it is important to take lots of layers and waterproof clothing. However, the views are dramatic as you gaze into great corries once filled by glaciers; this day also provides the best opportunities for spotting red deer, which thrive in this remote location. The Inveroran Hotel, on the banks of Loch Tulla, provides a welcome resting place.
Day 5: Inveroran to Kings House Hotel
19.3km; five hours
Previously walking for the longest day, you now face the most testing day as you make your way across the western edge of Rannoch Moor. The scenery is outstanding, but the weather is usually foul. In the distance you can see the intimidating silhouette of Glencoe, infamous from the massacre of the MacDonalds by the Campbells in 1692. About 1.6km from the foot of this unforgettable glen you come to the Kings House Hotel, which was once used as a barracks by soldiers of George III after the Battle of Culloden. It is considerably more hospitable and comfortable now which is lucky, because in this remote area it is the only available accommodation!
Day 6: Kings House Hotel to Kinlochleven
14.5km; three-and-a-half hours
Short and sharp is the best way to describe today's walking. The exceptional beauty of the landscape provides a welcome distraction as you climb your way up the aptly named Devil's Staircase. Once at the top, however, the views are outstanding, and if the weather is clear you can see the outline of Ben Nevis in the distance.
As you tackle the dramatic but knee-cracking descent to Kinlochleven it is easy to understand why Robert Louis Stevenson used it as the setting for his book Kidnapped. Kinlochleven itself is a fairly unmemorable little town, but continuing up the West Highland Way for another 20 minutes you come to Mamore Lodge. With its original Victorian wood panelling, bay-windowed dining room and extremely well-stocked bar, it is a particularly charming stop-off point.
Day 7: Kinlochleven to Fort William
22.4km; six-and-a-half hours
The last leg of the trip follows Victorian hunting tracks and General Wade's old military road as you wind your way over Lairigmor Pass and through dense coniferous forest to Glen Nevis. It is worth the short detour after Blar a'Chaorainn to visit Dun Deardail, a Stone Age fort with vitrified walls, before the final push towards Fort William. From here onwards Scotland's highest peak, Ben Nevis, 1,344m, fills the skyline in front of you. The route ends at the Bridge of Nevis. From here you walk 1.6km north of the town centre to the Glenlochy Guest House, a family-run B&B that provides a warm place for you to put your feet up after this 120km wander through the Highlands.
Day 8: Journey home
Contact: Sherpa Expeditions; tel: +44 (0)20 8577 2717; fax: +44 (0)20 8572 9788
· A Place to Walk, by Eloise Napier, will be published by Conran Octopus this October.
