Great Glen Way (various tour options)
€1110
per person
The Great Glen Way from Fort William to Inverness via Loch Ness is one of the most popular long-distance hiking trails in Scotland. If starts at the base of Britain’s highest mountain (Ben Nevis) and reaches the western shores of the Loch Ness passing through charming highland towns until it finally reaches the town of Inverness. Do not miss the Loch Ness Experience in Drumnadrochit and the unique views from Urquhart Castle. An incredible self-guided walking tour through dense forests, peaceful canals, and wonderful lochs.
Level 3/4
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Destination
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Duration8 (7-9) Days I Level: 3/4 (of 5)
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What is includedHand picked B&B, guesthouse and small hotel accommodation incl. breakfast; Luggage transportation; People transfers to/from the trail when changes in overnight places require that; Detailed roadbook, maps and GPS tracks (1 set per reservation); Emergency phone support
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What is not includedTravel to the start or from the finish of the walk; Lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks; Travel Insurance; Personal equipment; Transport when you need to skip a stage.
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Best periodApril, May, June, July, August, September
1
Day 1. Arrival to Fort William
Individual arrival to the town of Fort William at the base of the Ben Nevis mountain. *Easiest arrival via Glasgow (3,45hrs train ride) and Edinburgh (4,45hrs train ride, 1 change in Glasgow) airports. Check the Traveline website for timetables.
2
Day 2. Walk to Gairlochy/Spean Bridge (18km, 5,30hrs, +125/-100m)
Your independent hiking tour begins at the shores of the river Lochy which you will follow downstream to Corpach where the Caledonian Canal meets the Atlantic. A short detour to the Old Inverlochy Castle or Ben Nevis Distillery is possible at this stage. Then, follow the canal towpath northeast to Banavie and the curious Neptune’s Staircase. Continue following your trail through the beautiful countryside above the Lochy River (transfer to your accommodation, and back to the trail on the next day, will be included in case of lack of availability in Gairlochy/Spean Bridge).
3
Day 3. Walk to South Laggan (19km, 5,30-6hrs, +470m/-470m)
After a hearty breakfast, you bid Gairlochy farewell and follow the banks of Loch Lochy on charming forest paths. You will pass by Achnacarry where one of the most severe and difficult commando training camps used to be located. There is now a museum which commemorates this part of the locality’s history. Continue walking above the Lochy Loch toward South Laggan and the locks, where you stay overnight.
4
Day 4. Walk to Fort Augustus (18km, 5,30hrs, +170m/-170m)
Today’s section of the self-guided hiking tour starts from Laggan Bridge, the highest point of the Caledonian Canal. Continue along the eastern shore of Loch Oich, one of the most beautiful and intact woodlands in Scotland. Cross Oich Bridge and continue towards Fort Augustus where your next overnight will be. This section of the canal and the wonderful Kytra Lock are one of the highlights of the walking tour.
5
Day 5. Walk to Invermoriston (12km, 3,30-4hrs, +430m/-480m)
Today you part ways with the canals at Fort Augustus and head for the shores of Loch Ness. There are some steep ascents along dirt roads and trails at this section of the hike. You will be rewarded with some breathtaking views over Loch Ness along the way. The overnight is in the beautiful little village of Invermoriston.
6
Day 6. Walk to Drumnadrochit (23km, 6,30-7hrs, +775/-810m)
You bid Invermoriston farewell and head towards Drumnadrochit. Today’s hiking route is more challenging as you follow forest paths on the steep side of the Glen high above the Loch Ness contemplating great views of the landscape. Your destination is Drumnadrochit famous for the Urquhart Castle and the popular attraction - Loch Ness Monster Experience.
7
Day 7. Walk to Inverness (29km (or 21km, read below), 7-9hrs, +650m/-650m)
Today you say your goodbyes to the Loch Ness as you follow the last section of your independent hiking tour to Inverness. Your route continues up toward Loch Laide and then follow a minor road towards Blackfold where you gradually start descending towards Inverness and the Moray Firth. The Caledonian Canal will meet you for the last kilometers of the Great Glen Way. You can follow the Caledonian Canal until the end of the trail or you can follow the River Ness to the center of Inverness where your last overnight will be.
*If you wish to cut the mileage short (making today's walk 21km instead of 29km) you can get a taxi from Drumnadrochit to Loch Laide and resume walking from there (thus you will also have more time for sightseeing Inverness in the afternoon; as a second option you can break this day in two stages and extend the tour with an extra night in order to allow time for that).
8
Day 8. Departure day
Onward travels.
TOUR LOCATION
Price
1110 Euro/person in twin/dbl room
Single room & Solo Traveler supplement
Single room supplement: 410 Euro
Solo Traveler supplement (incl. also sgl. room supplement): 600 Euro
Tips
Departures on any day of the week between the beginning of April and the end of September. One of the most popular long-distance treks in the UK - book early to avoid disappointment (accommodations on the way are pretty small)! One piece of luggage per person is allowed for the daily luggage transfers (20kg).
Getting to/from Fort William: By Air: Inverness and Glasgow Airports are the most convenient. From Inverness Airport catch the bus (2 hours) or arrange a private transfer to Fort William. From Glasgow Airport take the shuttle bus into Glasgow city centre and then the train (4 hours) or bus (3 hours) to Fort William. By Train: Between 3 and 4 trains run daily from Glasgow to Fort William and the journey takes around 4 hours. Widely regarded as one of the world’s great rail journeys this is a great way to start your trip. Visit Scotrail's website for timetables and tickets. By Bus: Scottish Citylink operates up to 8 departures per day from Glasgow to Fortwilliam (3 hours) and up to 8 buses per day from Inverness (2 hours) to Fort William. Visit Scottish Citylink's website for timetables and tickets. By Car: Fort William is 100 miles (approx. 3 hours) north of Glasgow on the A82. Parking (not secure) is available in Fort William. You can sometimes leave your car at the properties we use in Fort William, but please request this at the time of booking. Journey Planning: If travelling by public transport the website www.travelinescotland.com has an excellent journey planner.
Getting from Inverness: Inverness has excellent transport links by road, rail and air to destinations throughout Scotland and the UK. Use the websites listed above for timetables and tickets.
Midges: If you are travelling in the middle of high season, the notorious midges may be a problem. Midges favour still conditions in the morning and evening and are generally not a problem while you are on the move in the middle of the day. There are many repellents on the market (with mixed reviews), and also midge/mosquito head nets, but not leaving too much skin exposed seems to be the tried and tested way of dealing with them.
Accommodation
This tour includes overnight accommodation in a mixture of country inns, small hotels, guesthouses and B&B’s. We carefully select your accommodation to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay and all offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We book en-suite rooms as standard. If there are no en-suite rooms available in an overnight location, we may book a room with shared facilities, but we would always inform you in advance if this was the case. Breakfast is included each morning while lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Your accommodation will be more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Alternatively, your guidebook also includes details of local shops and convenient lunch stops on the way. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby pubs and restaurants and your info pack will of course have recommendations. Samples of the inns we would normally book (subject to availability), or similar category: Day 1: Fort William - Fassfern Guest House; Day 2: Spean Bridge - Inverour Guest House; Day 3: South Laggan - Forest Lodge; Day 4: Fort Augustus - Thistle Dubh; Day 5: Invermoriston - Bracarina House; Day 6: Drumnadrochit - Morlea B&B; Day 7: Inverness - Fairfield Lodge;
Send an enquiry about this tour
The reservation confirmation you will get right after placing an order only confirms that your booking is received and an agent has started working on it. It doesn't mean your tour is guaranteed! Wait to hear from us with final confirmation before booking flights or making any other arrangements, related to your holiday. The dates as listed below do not correspond with real-time availability!
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