Running 154km between Milngavie and Fort William, the West Highland Way, Scotland's original long distance trail, is walked by many thousands every year. But while the route has plenty of mountain scenery, it manages to miss all the best bits - which, as any hillwalker knows, are up high. John Fleetwood rectifies that in a big way with this challenging summit-level, crowd-avoiding alternative.
I am sledging down the slope, gathering speed and blind without torchlight. Fingernails desperately claw at the grass, studded shoes dig into the dirt. Relief kicks in as I slow to a halt. I recover my poles, torch and my composure as I consider the situation.
I had elected to push on in the night to beat the oncoming storm and am part way down the imposing South ridge of Beinn Dorain. I feel my way through the blackness, torch almost extinguished. Step by step I inch down the slope, not wanting a repeat of the tobogganing incident. Legs creak as I stumble downwards, the distant light of the farm barely perceptible in the smothering darkness. I tell myself that I will get there – its just a matter of time. And it is – just quite a lot of it. Crags lead to scree, then grass, but there's no relief for legs turned to quaking jellies after a day that began at 6am and now become tomorrow. On and on it goes until eventually the slope eases. I cross a fence and, joy of joys, a muddy track takes me past the farm buildings and to the bridge. I am on the West Highland Way - solid, level and even.
Two and a half hours later, I awake to a chirruping dawn chorus, groggy and poorly rested. I determine to reach the comforts of Crianlarich before the predicted weather front arrives, so I don my wet socks and boots and set forth once more. The imposing grassy slope of Beinn Odhar looms above, the natural high-level continuation to Beinn Challum, but I know these hills. They are a rollercoaster of unrelentingly steep grass and I am not in the mood. Its my route and I can decide the rules. I abandon any thought of riding the rollercoaster and allow my muscles to recover by wandering up the bulldozed road to Glen Coralan.
The key difference from the official trail is that there's often no trail at all. It's also a lot more hilly
I pass under the iconic viaduct, so well seen from the West Highland Way, and examine the route of last night's descent for the first time. An auburn glow lights up the slopes of the glen as the track peters out in a steep, grassy headwall. This leads to a traverse of more steep grassy slopes, my sole companions the deer that appear and disappear on the trods that constitute my route until I can ignore the bulk of Beinn Challum no longer. I pick a way up the broken slopes to the summit where everything changes. Since leaving the tourist path up Ben Nevis I have seen just four people on the hill. Now I encounter twenty in short succession, all making their way up the trade route to Beinn Challum - an unmistakable line up the hill. The contrast is marked with all that has gone before, but nothing compared to what follows.
From the base of Beinn Challum, I must follow the West Highland Way for a few miles to the delights of Crianlarich. The very Scottish rain has now set in – a persistent drizzle that soaks in almost imperceptible way. The trail wends through pine forests with little view and little to relieve the tedium of walking in the rain. Yet a constant flow of walkers passes by, bound northwards on the West Highland Way. I give up exchanging greetings such are the numbers – 84 in total on this three mile stretch. I am not sad to leave the official trail and camp alone above the village.
Running 154km from the outskirts of Glasgow to the foot of Ben Nevis at Fort William, the West Highland Way has become phenomenally popular. From all over the world, people come in their thousands to walk this trail. While it passes through some superb mountain scenery, the Way is very crowded, and takes a relatively low level route that misses the best this area has to offer.
As a lover of the wild places, and mountains in particular, I sought something quite different. Many higher-level variations to the West Highland Way have been devised over the years. I've called mine the West Highland Highway. Representing a more mountainous alternative, this 176km route roughly traces the West Highland Railway line from Fort William to Arrochar near Loch Lomond. The key difference from the official trail is that there's often no trail at all. It's also a lot more hilly, taking a summit-level line that requires 13,500m of ascent, incorporating 24 Munros and several other hills.
This high-level enchainment of peaks is a world away from the signposts, manufactured paths and endless stream of people on the West Highland Way. This route, whilst far from perfect, is my solution. The journey is bookended by Ben Nevis at the start, and the much-loved peak of the Cobbler at the end.
The first two sections very largely mirror the equivalent two legs of the Ramsay Round, starting with Ben Nevis and continuing over high ridges to Loch Ossian. A crossing of the wilds of Rannoch Moor follows, leading to link-ups of groups of some of the best Munros in the Southern Highlands.
The route is most conveniently divided into six sections, allowing it to be completed using bothies, hostels and bunkhouses. This involves some demanding and long days, so taking a tent will allow greater flexibility and a more leisurely pace.
Day 1 - Fort William to Lairig Leacach Bothy, 26.2km, 2880m ascent
Starting big, this grand stage kicks off on Ben Nevis itself. From the highest point in the UK, follow the dramatic narrow crest of the CMD arete, then hike up and over the giants of the Aonachs, before a long and scenic finish along the shattered ridges of the Grey Corries.
Day 2 - Lairig Leacach Bothy to Loch Ossian Youth Hostel, 25km, 1780m ascent
Like the previous day, this section largely mirrors the 24 hour challenge, the Ramsay Round. A long and rough ascent of 'this yin and that yin' is followed by a circumnavigation of fjord-like Loch Treig, finally following a broad grassy ridge all the way to the expansive moor and thence to the hostel.
Day 3 - Loch Ossian Youth Hostel to Gorton Bothy, 34km, 1070m ascent
A relatively 'flat' day of some distance. Start up the broad shoulder of Munro, Carn Dearg. A long ridge leads down to Rannoch Station. Follow the railway for a little way to allow access to forest tracks through extensive plantations. Cross an untracked, tussocky summit to reach the bothy.
Day 4 - Gorton Bothy to Crianlarich, 36.9km, 2980m ascent
A day of two halves. The first takes you along high level ridges, with extensive views over Rannoch Moor to Glencoe and beyond. A brutal descent of Beinn Dorain takes you to the iconic railway viaduct. Walk up the glen to Beinn Challum and finish on the West Highland Way.
Day 5 - Crianlarich to Inverarnan, 20.3km, 1990m ascent
Don't be fooled by the short distance – this is a rough walk. Pass through the forest to gain Cruach Ardrain. Good navigation is needed to link the four Munros over rugged and steep ground. Descend the boggy track to enter the birch woods of Loch Lomond
Day 6 - Inverarnan to Arrochar & Tarbet, 28.1km, 2880m ascent
Leave the busyness of Loch Lomond for the backwater of Beinn Domhain, an entrée for the main fare of the Arrochar Alps. Steel your legs for calf-busting ascents and descents, before a final flourish on the summit block of the Cobbler.
Clearly, there are lots of alternative routes as this isn't a trail as such. Additional summits could also be included. For example, the Munro Chno Dearg could very easily be added and Beinn na Lap would not be a major diversion.
What to Expect
This is nothing like the West Highland Way! Most of the route is on small paths or is trackless, including long stretches of rocky, steep and tussocky ground. There are no waymarks, and you must be able to navigate accordingly. There are long sections of high mountain ridges which will pose a challenge in strong winds and rain. The ground is likely to be wet which means your feet probably will be too!
Extra seasonal challenges
In winter conditions the West Highland Highway would be a completely different ball game, requiring winter hardware and appropriate skills. In snow, day 1 includes some grade I winter mountaineering terrain. Whatever the weather (and it could be very wild!) much of the route would feel particularly isolated and serious in winter.
Accommodation
The hill-based nature of the route means that accommodation is very limited. Out of season in particular, you may have to be largely self sufficient.
It is possible to complete it without a tent by using bothies and hostels, but a stove, sleeping mat and sleeping bag will have to be carried in any case. Take a tent to give you more flexibility. Plentiful accommodation is available in Fort William including hotels, a camp site in Glen Nevis and several bunkhouses, as well as the Youth Hostel at Glen Nevis.
The Youth Hostel at Loch Ossian should be booked in advance, or else there is a bunkhouse at Corrour Station (this has been subject to closure over the years so check as to availability). There is a youth hostel and hotel at Crianlarich, as well as a camp site near Kirkton Farm. Inverarnan boasts a bunkhouse, hotel and large camp site at Beinn Ghlas Farm.
Food
Options to restock and refuel are likewise limited. Leave Fort William with at least two days of supplies. Loch Ossian Youth Hostel has a small shop offering camping meals and essentials. There is a tea shop at Rannoch Station offering lunchtime snacks. When closed an honesty system is in operation for the purchase of tea, chocolate bars and cold drinks. There is a good store in Crianlarich Village and a tea shop at Crianlarich Station, as well as various pubs and cafes. Evening meals can be purchased at Beinn Ghlas Camp Site or at the hotel at Inverarnan. There is also a small shop at Beinn Ghlas camp site. Celebratory fish and chips or an evening meal can be purchased at Arrochar.
Equipment
You will need to be self-reliant so lightweight is the name of the game. A midge net is advisable between late May and mid September, while at the colder end of the year you'd need to carry ice axe and crampons. Walking poles are invaluable for steep ascents and descents, for fording rivers and for avoiding injury in ankle twisting tussocks. Your feet will probably get wet whatever you wear, so unless it's winter on the ground I prefer running shoes which shed water quickly. A stove is highly recommended at any time of year, to make warming drinks and meals, and should be considered essential in winter.
Transport
Although a car can be used to reach Fort William or Arrochar, there's only one way to do this in style - train. The West Highland Line is one of the most scenic in Europe, if not the world, and provides a preview of what lies ahead on the route. The train leaves from Glasgow Queen Street and takes about four hours for the journey to Fort William and an hour and a half to return from Arrochar to Glasgow.
If you'd like to try the West Highland Way itself before thinking about John's high-level alternative, check out our Route Cards covering the trail:
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Comments
Some big days here John... in fact there's not really what you'd call easy stage among them. Love how you kick off with a casual Lochaber Traverse day one, and then there's still five hefty days to go after that. But what a route - looks awesome! And you (as in, me) could always break it into smaller chunks
Yes, a winter traverse in the right stable conditions would still be testing. Hang on a minute, the past week has had pretty good weather and not too much snow, although I imagine a headtorch would be more than essential!