Overview
Introduction to the East Highland Way
The East Highland way is an 82 mile trek which connects Fort William, the outdoor capital of the UK with Aviemore, famous for its mountains and ski resorts. This trail really does have it all, from beautiful forests and shimmering loch side tracks to stunning mountain scenery. It is a great rival to the West Highland Way just much, much quieter!
Highlights of the East Highland Way
- Walking by the side of Loch Laggan and its tranquil beaches.
- Views of Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest mountain.
- Following sections of The Wildcat Trail in Newtonmore
- Finishing in Aviemore in The Cairngorms National Park
What's Included with this Holiday
- Accommodation for 7 nights
- 6 Days walking
- A Qualified Mountain Leader
- A Full Information Pack
- Luggage transfer
- Maximum group size of 12
- Free transport back to Fort William
- Support Vehicle available (so you can skip a section)
- Free pick up and drop off to Fort William train station
Is the East Highland Way Right For Me?
The East Highland Way is very similar in difficulty level to the West Highland Way. Therefore, if you have enjoyed the West Highland Way you are very likely to love this trail.
The main differences are that The East Highland Way is much quieter, more remote and is not Way Marked. This also makes for a fantastic trek for the first timer, the scenery is every bit as good, if not better than The West Highland Way and the trail is interesting throughout. You do not need to be an experienced walker as your guide will do all the navigation for you, but you will need a good positive attitude as it is a not a walk in the park.
Read more about the East Highland Way on https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/east-highland-way.shtml
East Highland Way Gallery
East Highland Way Guided Walking Itinerary
Daily Plan
Each day you will be guided along The East Highland Way to the next B&B. There is no need for you to worry about being lost, we will be with you from the moment you set off in the morning to the moment you enter your B&B in the evening. You will only be expected to carry your daypack (what you will need to keep you warm, dry, fed and watered for the day). Everything else will be transported to your next B&B for you. Everything will be arranged for you so all you need to worry about is the walking itself!
Day 1: Arrive in Fort William
This is your chance to get to the start of the holiday by making your way to Fort William. We will have a B&B arranged for you so you just need to turn up and tell them your name. If you plan to get the train to Fort William and would like a lift to your B&B this can usually be arranged just let us know. In the evening you will usually get a chance to meet the rest of your group as well as your guides at a local pub for a drink or two.
Accommodation B&B in Fort William
Day 2: Walking to Spean Bridge - 12 miles
Today we will be walking to Spean Bridge. It is 12 miles of walking in total and offers a gentle introduction to the trail, being mainly on good paths which are generally flat. We will begin by getting fantastic views of the famous Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK. As we start to leave Fort William behind we be ascend through Glen Spean on very good forest tracks. We will eventually reach the road which we will walk along until we get to Spean Bridge itself. Usually your B&B will be located in Spean Bridge, meaning we can walk you straight to the front door.
Accommodation B&B in Spean Bridge
Day 3: Walking to Inverlair - 11.5 miles
Today we will be walking to Fersit which is just over 11 miles away. The day will begin gently, with excellent forest tracks taking us away from Spean Bridge. We will then be walking on a minor road for a short section, next to the River Spean, giving beautiful views to the hills in the south. Here our day begins to become more challenging as the paths become trickier through open fields, but it won't be long until we are once again on tracks walking though the Meall Laire plantation before dropping steeply into Inverlair. From here a section of quiet road takes us to Fersit itself Once at Fersit we will drive you back to your accommodation in Spean Bridge as there is no accommodation nearby.
Accommodation B&B in Spean Bridge
Day 4: Walking to Feagour - 20 miles
Today we will be walking to Feagour, and it is the most challenging day of the trek. Although the walking itself is not difficult and we will be using good forest tracks for much of it, it is 20 miles in length. So be prepared for a long, yet very rewarding day. The route will give you fantastic views throughout the day starting with views of the Moy reservoir to the north followed later by Binnein Shuas to the south and Creag Meagaidh in the north. An excellent day full of challenges but great experiences. Once you have finished walking we will drive you to your B&B as there is no accommodation in Feagour.
Accommodation B&B in Newtonmore
Day 5: Walking to Newtonmore - 14 miles
Today we will be walking to Newtonmore, which is 14 miles away. This day offers some of the best views of the trip, we will be ascending through the Black Woods to a fantastic vantage point. Much of the first section of the day is on good forest tracks until we reach the Spey dam where we will continue through farmlands before we reach Laggan village. After the village we will be walking along the road to Cluny Castle where our afternoon will be spent walking through forests, moorland and following the River Calder until we eventually descend into Newtonmore.
Accommodation B&B in Newtonmore
Day 6: Walking to Kincraig - 15.5 miles
Today we will walk to Kincraig, which is just over 15 miles away. We will start the day gently over a level cycle path, which will give you views over the broad floodplains of Badenoch. Soon after we will be following the paths of the Badenoch Way, which will take us through open moorland and broadleaf forests. Continuing onwards we will be passing small hamlets and descending through plantations to the shores of Loch Onsh before making our way to Kincraig. After your day of walking we will take you back to your B&B in Newtonmore.
Accommodation B&B in Newtonmore
Day 7: Walking to Aviemore - 10.5 miles
This is the last day of walking and we will be making our way to Aviemore itself. It is 10 miles of walking mainly on good forest tracks giving some excellent views of the Cairngorm foothills. We will be ascending steadily on the forestry tracks until we leave the plantation on a small footpath through ancient bog forest. We will be passing the island castle of Loch an Eilein before descending to Aviemore through fields and forest and a short, pleasant cycle path to finish our long, exhilarating journey. We will then take you to your B&B for a well deserved rest!
Accommodation B&B in Carrbridge
Day 8: Depature/Drive back to Fort William
Today we will pick you up from your B&B in Carrbridge and drive you back to Fort William or to a train station if you have arranged this with us beforehand. From here it is time to say goodbye and make your way home.
East Highland Way Accommodation Options
All our East Highland Way guided walking holidays are offered with B&B accommodation, this is our most popular option for all our treks.
Bed & Breakfast
The Bed and Breakfast option provides you with good standard Bed and Breakfast accommodation, with breakfast included within the price of the holiday. The B&Bs we use are located within small towns or villages and so you will have access to local shops as well as a choice of pubs to make sure you have plenty of opportunity to have an evening meal. In areas where there are no B&Bs or there are no facilities such as shops or pubs we will instead drive you out to another nearby village where a better overall experience can be achieved.
About the Local Area
For our B&B accommodation option you will usually be staying one night in Fort William, two nights in Spean Bridge, three nights in Newtonmore and then the final night in Carrbridge. This means you will not have to repack every day, however you will still get the opportunity to gain a great perspective of 4 different villages along the route by not just staying in one or two different places. Whilst we cannot guarantee your accommodation will be in these villages as listed, this is certainly the experience that most of our customers will get and we will do our very best to make sure you do too.
Fort William
This is the largest town you will be staying, it has a large variety for restaurants, pubs and shops. It also has outdoor gear shops so you have the opportunity to buy any extra items you need on the day you arrive. If you are planning to arrive early then The West Highland Museum is well worth a visit too.
Spean Bridge
This is a very small village, on the banks of the famous River Spean. However, it still has the important facilities you need, such as a couple of pubs/restaurants and a shop.
Newtonmore
This little village is famous for its wild cats. Not just a living wild cat population but also many of the houses and shops proudly display their wild cat statues. It also has a large shop and a few very good places to eat.
Carrbridge
Carrbridge is a small village just outside Aviemore and is known as the gateway to the Cairngorms National Park. There is a small shop there as well as multiple places to eat. It is a great place to celebrate completing The East Highland Way.
Dates & Prices
The dates of our scheduled treks can be seen below. We also off the option of private bookings for groups. Please get in touch if you'd like to book privately.
| Date of Trek | Availability |
|---|---|
| Sunday 12th May 2024 to Sunday 19th May 2024 | 3 spaces left |
| Saturday 7th September 2024 to Saturday 14th September 2024 | Spaces |
No Suitable Date?
If there are no dates on this calendar to suit you please let us know, sometimes we can add extra dates if there is enough demand for an extra trip to be added.
Waiting List
If a trek is full but you would like to be added to the waiting list, please do let us know. The waiting list is there so that if anyone drops out of the trek we will contact you and let you know, so you can take their place on the trek instead.
Future Dates
Our trekking calendar is released a year in advance each spring. Keep an eye on the 'Year Planner' in the menu above, or send us a request for an email alert when the latest calendar is published. If you are keen to book early and secure a trek on a date to suit you, do feel free to get in contact with us to suggest a date
Pricing
Price for Bed & Breakfast:
The price of this trip is £1229 per person (based on two sharing).
To book this trip we will require a £200 deposit per person with the rest to be paid a month before your trip.
If you are booking as a solo traveller and happy to share a twin room with another solo traveller of the same sex the price is £1229.
If you are a solo traveller and would like a single room to yourself there is a £45 per night single supplement (£315 in total).
How to Book
Booking is simple, you can either phone us, email us or use our online shopping cart below.
Book East Highland Way Online
What Happens Once you Have Booked
Once we have received your booking (either through the online shopping cart, email or phone). We will then confirm with you that your accommodation option and room type, single, twin or double, is available. We will then send you a full booking form and information about paying your deposit for your trek. All deposits can be paid by cheque, bank transfer or debit/credit card. Once we have received back both your booking form and deposit we will let you know and your place on the trip will be secure.