Sparkes - Self Guided West Highland Way

The West Highland Gate is situated on the main road through Milngavie (near the Police Station). From Milngavie railway station, exit onto Woodburn Way and turn left. Follow this road for 800 yards/725 metres and the Premier Inn be on your left. For the start of the Way cross over Main Street and retrace your steps for 355 yards/325 metres then bear left into Milngavie’s shopping precinct. Proceed through the precinct to the central clock tower. Bear right and you will arrive at the start of the West Highland Way in around 100 yards/90 metres.

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On the latter stage of the route from Milngavie to Drymen you will be walking along a country road. Shortly after leaving this road you will arrive at the A811 road (you will have walked through a field and crossed a stile). At this point make your way into Drymen village (signposted). With the village square in front of you turn right and pass the Clachan Inn which will now be on your left. Continue a short distance up hill and you will see the red sandstone of Ashbank on your left hand side.

Drymen is a small village in the west of Scotland forming the gateway to East Loch Lomond. In the 1700s Drymen found itself on the route of the military road from Stirling to Dumbarton. The Clachan Inn, on a corner of The Square, dates back to this period and carries signs proclaiming that it was first licensed in 1734. The area – steeped in history – is Clan Buchanan country. Rob Roy McGregor was a ‘local’ and this is the area in which he carried out his famous (or infamous) exploits against the Duke of Montrose.

The West Highland Way will take you directly on to the main road which runs through the tiny village of Balmaha. You will see the Oaktree clearlysignposted across the road on your left.

Balmaha is a picturesque village on the eastern shores of Loch Lomond in Scotland, known for its stunning scenery, tranquil atmosphere, and outdoor activities like hiking and boating.

The Way leads directly to the hotel.

The largest freshwater lake in Britain, Loch Lomond is over 23 miles long and 5 miles wide at its widest point. Loch Lomond’s beauty has drawn visitors from all over the world. Famous writers such as Boswell, Johnson, Sir Walter Scott, William Wordsworth and John Keats have all visited its shores – and Queen Victoria sailed on a steamer from Inversnaid in 1869. Steamers used to provide the main form of transport, linking the loch side with Balloch.

The small village of Rowardennan on the east shore of Loch Lomond nestles at the foot of Ben Lomond This is Rob Roy country. One of Rob Roy’s sons brought a kidnapped heiress to the Rowardennan Inn and forced her to go through a ceremony of marriage; a plot for which he was hanged in Edinburgh.

The Inn served as a wayside halt for the drovers who brought their highland cattle across the loch by ferry on their way to the markets of Stirling and Falkirk. Rising from the east shore of Loch Lomond, to a height of 974 m (3,193 ft), is Ben Lomond, the most southerly ‘Munro’ in Scotland. The road along the eastern shore of Loch Lomond stops at Rowardennan and the only way to continue along the shore is on foot.

The Way leads directly to the Inversnaid Hotel since it is situated directly on the route in the tiny village of Inversnaid.

The West Highland Way continues northwards from Rowardennan along the ‘bonnie banks’ of Loch Lomond, sometimes close to the water’s edge and sometimes well up the slopes. Inversnaid is a small rural hamlet located on the eastern banks of Loch Lomond in Scotland. It is known for its scenic beauty, with rugged landscapes, dense forests, and picturesque waterfalls. The area is popular for outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, and wildlife watching.

Approximately 6.5 miles/10.5 km after the stage of Inverarnan, you will arrive at a stile across the path. The Way signs lead left but you should take the signs to the right for Crianlarich. This is a spur path which takes you to the outskirts of the village. When the path ends, you will be at the main (A82) road. Cross the road and follow the underpass (sign posted village centre) which takes you downhill past the train station and the Youth Hostel and then meets up with the A85 road. At this point, turn left and walk for a short distance until you see the Crianlarich Hotel on the left hand side of the road (at the junction of the A85 and A82 roads).

Crianlarich is a notable stop on the West Highland Way, a famous long-distance hiking trail in Scotland. It marks the junction where the West Highland Way splits into its northern and southern routes. Hikers passing through Crianlarich can enjoy its amenities and scenic surroundings before continuing their journey through the breathtaking landscapes of the Scottish Highlands.

The hotel is easy to find since it is situated directly on the Way.

The story of Bridge of Orchy is a story of travel and of travellers. In the years after the 1715 and 1745 Jacobite uprisings the government put a huge amount of effort into building roads and bridges over the length and breadth of the Highlands. Until then drove routes had existed to move cattle to the lowland markets. However, most travel took place by sea and the majority of significant settlements hugged coasts or major rivers. A bout of road building during the eighteenth century was intended to provide a means of moving troops quickly around the interior to suppress the rebellion. These were the military roads built by General Wade and later by Major Caulfield.

The Way leads directly to the Kingshouse Hotel.

Originally built in the 17th century, Kingshouse Hotel is believed to be one of Scotland’s oldest licensed inns. The building was used after the Battle of Culloden (1746) as a barracks for troops of George III, hence the name Kings House. It was their task to keep the Highlanders under subjection and to capture their elusive champion, Bonnie Prince Charlie. The Hotel’s history is colourful and varied. Dorothy Wordsworth wrote in 1803 ‘Never did I see such a miserable, such wretched place – long rooms with ranges of beds, no other furniture except benches, or perhaps one or two crazy chairs, the floors far dirtier than an ordinary house could be if it were never washed.’ By the 21st Century, the old building has been altered considerably and the owners together with their staff assure you of a warm welcome. The mountain situated right across from the hotel is the Buachaille Etive Mòr at the head of Glen Etive. Nearby is Glencoe (Gleann Comhann in Gaelic) one of the most spectacular places in Scotland. With a wild and haunting beauty, Glencoe is often said to mean ‘Glen of Weeping’, perhaps with some reference to the infamous Massacre of Glencoe which took place there in 1692. However, ‘Gleann Comhann’ does not translate as ‘Glen of Weeping’ rather the Glen is named after the River Coe which runs through it and bore this name long prior to the 1692 incident.

On approaching Kinlochleven you will arrive at Wades Road. Continue all of the way along Wades Road until you reach the entrance to the Grey Mare’s Waterfall on the right-hand side and immediately afterwards you will see a turning to the left for Kearan Road. Turn left onto Kearan Road, stay on the pavement on the right-hand side and continue to the end of the road when you will reach a T-junction. Turn right onto the B863 and walk for a very short distance until you reach a turning for Lochaber Crescent on the right. Turn right into Lochaber Crescent and you will soon see Little Yoke clearly signposted on the right-hand side of the Crescent.

Kinlochleven, at the head of Loch Leven, 20 miles south of Fort William and 90 miles north of Glasgow, is a unique village, rich in natural resources and with a strong industrial heritage. The village developed in the 1900’s when the North British Aluminium Company built a hydro scheme and smelter in the area. As the smelter developed, so the population grew. At its peak the smelter employed over 800 people. The smelter closed in April 2000 but the sense of community continues. Now the growing popularity of the West Highland Way brings a steady stream of visitors to the village. Loch Leven is one of the most attractive lochs in Scotland and the village is surrounded by imposing mountains. To the north lie the Mamores, while to the south are the mountains guarding the north side of Glencoe.

The easiest directions are from the train station which is adjacent to the bus station. Turn left outside the train station on to the main road. Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing, turn left and continue along Belford Road past the hospital until you reach Craig Nevis Guest House clearly signposted on the right hand side of the road (just before the Lochaber Leisure Centre). Alternatively, it is a very short, and inexpensive, taxi journey from the train and bus stations.

Fort William sits on Loch Linnhe with the majestic Ben Nevis, at 1344m Britain’s highest mountain, as its backdrop. The town takes its name from the fort that William Prince of Orange built in 1690. Fort William was successfully held by government troops during the Jacobite uprisings of 1715 and 1745. However, the surrounding area saw great turmoil. Today, such a bloody past is difficult to imagine and the town is the main centre for visitors to the Western Highlands.