Welcome to Scotland!
This long-distance hike, opened in April 2002, runs through the heart of Scotland. From Fort William to Inverness, you’ll experience the highlights that make this region so appealing to walkers.
The trail passes at the foot of Ben Nevis (1,344 m), the highest mountain in the United Kingdom. You’ll walk along winding forest paths by the shores of Loch Ness and through a varied landscape of farmland, open moors, and woodland on your way to the capital of the Highlands, Inverness.
Along the way, you’ll also encounter historic forts and castles that bear witness to Scotland’s dramatic past—from the Iron Age to the Jacobite uprising led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, which was finally crushed at the Battle of Culloden.
The trail is easy to moderately challenging, with daily stages ranging between 13 and 29 kilometers (about 3.5 to 8 hours of walking). The route starts out relatively flat but becomes more demanding over the final three days, with short, steep climbs and longer ascents on the last day. To make things easier, you can choose to use an included taxi transfer on the final day, which skips the steep climb and starts about one-third into the day’s stage.
