Overview
Introduction to the Great Glen Way
The Great Glen Way is a 76 mile trek which begins in Fort William and finishes in Inverness. The trail follows a beautiful low level path that offers a fantastic introduction to long distance walking. Not only are the scenery and views fantastic but so are the paths underfoot. This means you can happily walk and look around rather than look at where to place your feet.
Highlights of the Great Glen Way
- Walking along the side of Loch Ness, home of the legendary monster.
- Views of Ben Nevis, the UKs highest mountain.
- Following Caledonian Canal, one of the world’s greatest waterways.
- Finishing in the beautiful city of Inverness, by following the River Ness through to the official end marker.
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 Great Glen Way Right For Me?
The Great Glen Way is the perfect trail for people who want to experience the Highlands of Scotland and enjoy the outdoors and the beautiful scenery without challenging themselves too much. Remember it is still a 76 mile walk, however the fantastic quality of paths and the relatively flat nature of this trail make it easier going than some of our other walking holidays.
Great Glen Way Gallery
- Traditional wooden bridge on The Great Glen Way
- Lunch stop at a picnic bench on The Great Glen Way
- Guide and customers at the start of The Great Glen Way
- A group at the Start of The Great Glen Way
- Customers walking along The Caledonian Canal on the Great Glen Way
- Great Glen Way Path on a cloudy day
- Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness on the Great Glen Way
Great Glen Way Guided Walking Itinerary
Daily Plan
Each day you will be guided along The Great Glen Way to the next accommodation, 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 accommodation in the evening. You will only be expected to carry your day bag (what you will need to keep you warm, dry, fed and watered for the day). Everything else will be transported to your next accommodation 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 accommodation 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 accommodation 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 in Fort William
Day 2: Walking to Gairlochy - 11 miles
Today you will be walking to Gairlochy, it is 4-5 hours of walking and 11 miles in length. You will see highlights such as the innovative Neptune’s Staircase, a working canal lock, and Ben Nevis, Scotland's biggest mountain.
Accommodation in Fort William
Day 3: Walking to Laggan - 11 miles
Today you will be walking to Laggan, your next 11 mile section. This will take slightly longer than the day before, around 4.5 to 5.5 hours of walking. You will get to walk along the side of Loch Lochy, said to be the home of Lizzie, the sister of the Loch Ness monster, so keep your eyes peeled!
Accommodation in Fort Augustus
Day 4: Walking to Fort Augustus - 11 miles
Today is the gentlest day so far, you will be walking to Fort Augustus. It is 11 miles long, it will take around 4.5 hours and again will be nice and flat. Much of the day will be spent walking along the famous canal and you will walk the length of Loch Oich, one of the most scenic lochs in Scotland. You will also see the ruins of Invergarry Castle before reaching your destination of Fort Augustus.
Accommodation in Fort Augustus
Day 5: Invermoriston - 7.5 miles
Today is the shortest day of The Great Glen Way and so it is a good opportunity to take it easy on the 3.5 – 4 hours of walking. You will be walking to Invermoriston which is just 7.5 miles away. Today's highlight is the views over Loch Ness, the final of the three majestic lochs on the trek and the home of the famous Loch Ness Monster!
Accommodation in Fort Augustus
Day 6: Walking to Drumnadrochit - 14.5 miles
Expect it to take around 5-6 hours to get to Drumnadrochit, it is 14.5 miles of walking with 495 meters of ascent, however it is well worth the effort. You will head through pine forests and get views over more of Loch Ness. This area is abundant with wild life and you may spot a bird of prey or a red squirrel.
Accommodation in Inverness
Day 7: Walking to Inverness - 19 miles
This is the last day of walking and it is the hardest, you will be walking for 7- 9 hours, covering 19 miles and 480 meters of ascent before arriving at the finish in Inverness. It will be a day of great variety, walking through forests and farmland and gaining views of the mountains of the Cairngorms as well as more glimpses at Loch Ness. Before reaching the marker at the end of our journey.
Accommodation in Inverness
Day 8: Depature/Drive back to Fort William
Today we will pick you up from your accommodation in Inverness 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.
Great Glen Way Accommodation Options
We offer The Great Glen Way holiday with 2 different accommodation options to suit your budget and needs.
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.
Camping
We provide a camping option for those who wish to get closer to nature. Your first night (your arrival night, in Milngavie), and your last night (the night before your departure, in Fort William) will be in B&B accommodation. But for the rest of the trek you will be camping out in local campsites, giving you the chance to really escape from the modern world. You will need to provide your own tent and camping equipment, which gives you the ability to use a tent that is familiar to you. However, don’t forget that all of this equipment will be moved for you, you will not need to carry any of it. Many people also bring their own stove so they can cook in the evening, but this is entirely optional as all the campsites will be within walking distance to a pub. Although the campsites are remote small campsite they will all have toilet and shower facilities, and some also have drying rooms and washing machines as well.
For both of our Great Glen Way accommodation options (B&B and camping) usually you will be staying in Fort William for two nights, Fort Augustus for three nights, then Inverness for the final two nights. While we cannot guarantee this will be the same for all our customers this is the way we most frequently arrange the accommodation. That way you do not need to repack pack each day and feel you can settle in, but you also have the opportunity to explore 3 very different places along the route.
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 14th April 2024 to Sunday 21st April 2024 | 1 space left |
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 £1079 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 £1079.
If you are a solo traveller and would like a single room to yourself there is a £35 per night single supplement (£245 in total).
Price for Camping:
The price of this trip is £799 per person.
To book this trip we will require a £200 deposit per person with the rest to be paid a month before your trip.
There is no single supplement for solo travellers.
How to Book
Booking is simple, you can either phone us, email us or use our online shopping cart below.
Book Great Glen 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.