Overview
Introduction to the Scottish National Trail: Stage 4
At nearly 540 miles the Scottish National Trail is no small undertaking. From the foothills of the Cheviot in Kirk Yetholm to the wild Cape Wrath, the North-West tip of Scotland, this long-distance trail truly has it all. Over 3 summers (2022-2024) we will be walking the length of Scotland in 6 stages. We invite you to join us for all or part of this incredible journey.
Stage 4 leaves Kingussie by reversing a section of the East Highland Way through Glen Banchor. The route is followed through to Laggan, then Garva Bridge, before a big up-and-over on the Corrieyairack Pass to Fort Augustus. The following 3 days are shorter, but not without their challenges underfoot, as the route heads west before turning north for Loch Cluanie. One last day through the mountains of Kintail poses the final challenge before the we finish stage 4 in Morvich.
Highlights of the Scottish National Trail: Stage 4
- Continuing on this ambitious length of Scotland journey
- Hiking through the remote Glen Banchor on the East Highland Way
- Hiking on the historic Corrieryairack Pass to Fort Augustus
- A day on the Great Glen Way along the Calendonian Canal Loch Oich
- Remote and rugged Highland trekking
- Arriving in Morvich from the head of Glen Affric in the shadows of the mountains of Kintail
What's Included with this Holiday
- A qualified Mountain Leader guiding you on each day of the trek
- A Trek Manager to support the group
- A detailed Information Pack
- 7 nights B&B accommodation
- Luggage transfer
- Maximum group size of 8
- Support Vehicle available
- Free transport from Morvich back to Kingussie if required
What to Expect from the Scottish National Trail: Stage 4
The fourth stage of the the Scottish National Trail is suitable for more experienced walkers of good fitness. There will be a combination of longer and shorter, harder and easier days. Underfoot you will encounter smooth canal towpath, rocky cobbles, rough and rocky hill paths, as well as some significant boggy sections; variety is the spice of life afterall!
Is the Scottish National Trail: Stage 4 Right For Me?
This trek isn’t just for those who have completed stages 1 to 3 with us but open to newcomers as well. We would be delighted to share the trail with anyone who is up for the challenge.
Scottish National Trail: Stage 4 Guided Walking Itinerary
Daily Plan
Each day you will be guided along the Scottish National Trail so there is no need for you to worry about the navigation. Your guide will be with you from the moment you set off in the morning to the moment you enter your B&B in the evening. Your trek manager will be on hand to help with vehicle support and your accommodation.
Day 1: Arrival in Kingussie
This is your chance to make your way to your first night's accommodation in Kingussie. Or, if you have joined us on the preceeding Stage 3, it's a day to put your feet up!
Accommodation Kingussie
Day 2: Walking to Garva Bridge
Counterintuitively, today we make our onwards progress to the north-west tip of Scotland by heading south-west. First we pass the quiet Loch Gynack on the East Highland Way. We will then spend most of the morning following the River Calder upstream through Glen Banchor. At Dalnaseilg bothy we will leave the Monahdliath mountains for Laggan village. We finish the day on a quiet road aiming for Garva Bridge and the entrance to the Corrieyairack Pass. 33km (20.5 miles) 8.5-9.5hrs
Accommodation Kingussie
Day 3: Walking to Fort Augustus
We will take on the Corrieyairack Pass today; a big up-and-over into Fort Augustus. We will first pass Melgarve Bothy and begin the climb in earnest. You will be following General Wade's Military Road through the pass on good tracks, which pass the watershed before descending for 15km into Fort Augustus with good views of the southern end of Loch Ness. 29.5km (18.5 miles) 8-10hrs
Accommodation Fort Augustus/Invergarry
Day 4: Walking to Mandally
After two big days a shorter, more gentle day is in order. From Fort Augustus we will walk a section of the Great Glen Way to Loch Oich. The next section is the best of the day, with scenic views across the Loch to Invergarry Castle and along the path itself. We pass through the native woodland of the Letterfeirn Nature Reserve before finishing our day on forestry tracks to Invergarry. 19km (11.5 miles), 4-4.5hrs
Accommodation Fort Augustus/Invergarry
Day 5: Walking to Poulary
Another shorter day today and we head westwards for Glen Garry. We will walk through a mix of woodlands, populated with Highland Cows. After Garrygualach things become trickier underfoot, with an indistinct route and boggy ground conditions beside the River Garry. A tributary of this is crossed near the end of our day before our finish in Poulary. 19.5km (12 miles), 4-4.5hrs
Accommodation Invergarry
Day 6: Walking to Cluanie
On our 5th day of walking we combine two hill passes with a potentially tricky river crossing (dry feet will be unlikely today). The initial climb over Mam na Seilg gives excellent views of the surrounding hills and mountains. From here we descend on an indistinct path to the River Loyne and the aforementioned crossing. Some boggy ground leads to a better path for the second climb of the day. The reward for your efforts is the view back down Loch Loyne. We will finish the day walking the old "Road to the Isles" into Cluanie Inn. 17.5km (11 miles) 5-6hrs
Accommodation Cluanie/Morvich
Day 7: Walking to Morvich
Our final day's walking on this stage of our Scottish National Trail takes us into the mountains of Kintail. First we make a boggy start through An Caorann Mòr to remote Alltbeithe hostel. This sits in the upper reaches of the beautiful Glen Affric (We stay her on our Affric Kintail Way). Today they though we will continue our route west through the wild upper glen, passing Camban bothy, and finally making a scenic descent down Gleann Lichd into Morvich. Here the route links with the Cape Wrath Trail, and where we will begin our final two stages of our grand adventure in 2024. 26kms (16 miles) 6.5-7.5hrs
Accommodation Morvich
Day 8: Departure Day
Today we will leave the trail to return for stages 5 and 6 in 2024. You can make use of the return transport to Kingussie or take the bus to Kyle of Lochalsh for onward train services .
Scottish National Trail: Stage 4 Accommodation Options
This stage of the trail is 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.
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.
Notice: Dates for this trek comming soon.
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).
How to Book
Booking is simple, you can either phone us, email us or use our online shopping cart below.
Book Scottish National Trail: Stage 4 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.