The Great Glen Way - A Walking Guidebook

The Great Glen Way is a 117km (73 mile) low-level route from coast to coast, between Fort William and Inverness. The route includes easy, level stretches alongside the Caledonian Canal, as well as stretches over rougher terrain. The route is an ideal introduction to long-distance walking.

The Great Glen Way offers walkers the chance to enjoy a low-level route from coast to coast, between Fort William and Inverness, at almost any time of the year. The Great Glen itself is one of the most remarkable features in the Scottish landscape – a ruler-straight valley along an ancient fault line through the Highlands. The glen is threaded by the scenic Caledonian Canal, which links Loch Lochy and Loch Oich with the famous Loch Ness.

The Great Glen Way measures 117km (73 miles) and its course includes easy, level stretches alongside the Caledonian Canal, undulating forest tracks, lakeside paths, old drove roads and military roads, as well as contrasting stretches over heather moorlands or through city suburbs. The route is an ideal introduction to long-distance walking, with a range of facilities along the way. Walkers can enjoy the scenery and wildlife, delve into the history of the Highland clans, visit crumbling castles, or keep an eye open to spot the elusive Loch Ness Monster!

The route is described both ways. Great Glen Way can easily be walked within a week, and most walkers will aim to complete the route in five or six days.