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I have been asked if I would be interested in doing the WHW, its something I have thought a lot about doing over the years, but never really fancied doing it on my own, even though I do a lot of solo walking.
I have done a lot of solo wild camps and the odd one or two 2 overnighters, but nothing like the WHW. The basic plan is going to be getting the train up to Glasgow, then walking over 8 days and wild camping in July, so I know the midges will be out in force!
I am guessing there will be a few of you on here that have done it, any advice?
It's not particularly tough, the name is a bit misleading, it doesn't go very high.
8 days is plenty of time and quite leisurely.
It's a bit of a slog along the banks of Loch Lomond, probably the hardest bit.
The best stretch is from Bridge of Orchy to Glencoe. On a good day it's absolutely beautiful.
It can be quite social, quite often you end meeting the same groups in the pub who are walking similar legs to your own group.
The baggage transfer is well worth it, unless being completely self sufficient is how you want to go.
The midges will eat you alive wild camping in July. The best time I had was in late April, lucky with the weather and no midge.
I'd say 8 days is TOO much if you have any degree of fitness or experience, could be spending a lot of time twiddling your thumbs in the midgies!
Alternatively you could use that time for some spectacular diversions e.g. over the Mamores into the head of Glen Nevis or detour through Glen Kinglas and up Glen Etive to rejoin at Kingshouse.
Or take it easy, enjoy what will probably be a very sociable walk with lots of pub stops and just try not to plan to stop too early each day as you might be confined to the tent by midgies 🙄
I did it last year with my eldest daughter. It wasn't hard, but as noted above, the section along Loch Lomond is a bit of a rocky slog - heaven knows how people ride it!
It's very well serviced for campsites and resupply. 8 days is a very easy stroll. My favourite bit was over the Devil's Staircase and down to Kinlochleven - the only bit that feels like mountain hiking.
The train from Fort William back to Glasgow is a spectacular railway journey.
You don’t ride that bit (I think you’d need to be trials god to ride a lot of it)…it’s a horrible slog pushing or carrying your bike. It was awful when I did it. It ls a lovely walk but will be busy and as you say the midges will be grim. 8 days does seem a wee bit too long
I got halfway through it, it was raining a lot and my new Berghaus GTX boots leaked, I got footrot, I carried too much gear, "slept" in a bivvy bag with a midge net, but couldnt walk any further, now Id like to do the other half, over rannoch moor etc
If you were staying in accommodation then you could have fun doing it over 8 days. 8 days camping is going to involve a lot of sitting around in potentially wet and midgy campsites! And carrying all the kit for 8 days will get to feel like a trudge. 8 days = 12 miles ish a day which taken at a leisurely pace is still only about 6 hours activity. How will you fill the other 14 hours of daylight? 😀
From the top of Loch Lomond to Bridge of Orchy the route is only yards away from one of the busiest roads in the highlands. If you are camping and have solo walking experience there are far better routes to do with a week. In summer I'd probably aim to include a bothy or two as well to avoid sitting in the tent away from the midgies.
But if you want to do it just because it's the WHW and you can get a pub pretty much every evening then fair enough.
How will you fill the other 14 hours of daylight?
The Swedish Girls?