The West Highland Way Challenge In Scotland!
Will you challenge yourself to complete Scotland’s first officially designated Long Distance Route?
A long distance footpath opened in 1980 in Scotland covering 154 km (96 miles), running from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands. The trail is now designated by Scottish Natural Heritage as one of Scotland’s Great Trails.
About 120,000 people use the path every year, of whom about 36,000 walk the entire route. The path is estimated to generate £5.5 million each year for the local economy. Notable wildlife that may be seen includes feral goats (descendants of those left from the Highland Clearances), red deer, and around the peaks sometimes golden eagles.
It is usually walked from south to north, making it a journey from the Lowlands to the Highlands. The route is commonly walked in 7 to 8 days, although many fitter and more experienced walkers do it in five or six. The route can be covered in considerably less time than this, but a less hurried approach is the choice of the majority of walkers, allowing for appreciation of the countryside along the Way. The best time for hiking West Highland Way is spring and early summer.
The Challenge
For this travel challenge you have to trek the full route. To complete the challenge you must:
- Trek from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William.
- Take a photo before you start your trek.
- Take a photo crossing the finish line in Fort William.
- Upload your favourite photos, videos and stories from the trek.
If you want you can also share your health stats for the days, your overall time in days, your experience and adventures along the way as well as tips and information to help others complete this travel challenge.
Tag @travelmedals on Instagram or Facebook on each picture.
After completing the challenge you can reward yourself with a West Highland Way themed Travel Medal!
Click on the medal to be redirected to our store or click here.
Additional Information
The WHW Wikipedia page is a good place to start your research. The dedicated website WestHighlandWay.org is an amazing resource for planning a trip along this route. The site covers maps, essentials, accommodation and has a very useful infosheet with important information for anyone taking on the trek. The Walk Highlands site is another good site which details a good stage breakdown of the route.
For those interested in a tour, check out Absolute Escapes who have packages available to relieve you of the planning details and let you get on with the important task of completing the trek!
For those extra adventurous souls who aren’t content with a long distance trek alone, the finishing line is in Fort William – Gateway to Ben Nevis the highest peak in the United Kingdom. While your there why not take on the Ben Nevis Challenge for double the glory!
Beautiful Scotland
The West Highland Way: The Official Guide
