[Closed] West Highland Way hiking

It's popular for a very good reason. If you are camping then you at least have the choice of where to stop overnight, otherwise booking is essential and you're probably too late.

Walking up the Ben should be fine in May, even if there is snow. It's usually more like slush by then anyway and given this years snowfall it's unlikely you'll encounter any.

I tried it once.Lasted 3 days, in a bivvy bag , in the pouring rain. Got a shower,somewhere, was a pub nearby so I went for a pint.
There was this guy in there, with bangles, a yorkshire accent,I recognised, and long white hair.
I got my foto taken with him.
But I got footrot, in my new Berghaus goretex boots,so couldnt walk any more

As scotroutes says, it's popular because it's good. But by heck it's popular these days.

Personally I would avoid the crowds - Speyside Way, Kintyre Way or some of Cape Wrath trail interest me. Or just plan my own weeks walking.

If you haven't already, check out below.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/long-distance-routes.shtml

We rode south from Fort Augustus on the GGW on Sunday then on the WHW on Monday. There's very little snow on the Ben even on the main climbing ground of the north face. There's a few snow patches around the zig-zags but obviously couldn't see on to the summit plateau. Here's a shot from the top of the Devil's Staircase, the Ben in the background:

There were a lot of walkers on the WHW, quite a few looked to be camping. It would be worth finding the main stopover spots and trying to camp an hour or so beyond those then you are out of "traffic".

Bear in mind the loch Lomond camping restrictions

I was reading somewhere that a lot start the route in a Saturday, so I was thinking of travelling up on Thursday and starting the walk on a Friday so I’d be ahead of the Saturday crowds.

Yep, smart thinking.

It attracts about 85,000 people every year, of whom more than 30,000 walk the entire route. Despite being so popular it is still possible to walk for miles along the 96-mile route between Milngavie and Fort William and pass only a few people.9 Mar 2018

Any body else think that's a bit of a stretch? 30000 do the entire route?

say even take 6 months of the year, that's saying 162 people start it each day?

It gets lots of people all year round, I cycled it and met loads of folk. Its great to do, brilliant scenery and in some places a good challenge.

30k doesn't seem a stretch.

That does sound like a lot hiking the route. Good to know the snow isn’t too bad on Ben Nevis either, looking forward to doing it.

Trying to do it out of sync with the crowds is a very good idea. It is very busy these days. Trying to get in before the midges come out to play properly is also a good call, especially if you’re camping. Haven’t walked it for years. I did cycle it north to south last September, which was a long day. Good fun, but the bit down to inversnaid was tough. Walking north to south probably not such a great plan as you’d have the boring stuff to look forward to - though it was quite welcome in the dark on the bike.

Will probably backpack and camp it and plan to go early May.

Worth noting that the Scottish Six Days Trial and Pre-65 Trial take place from 3rd to 11th May and use parts of the WHW (between Ft William/Kinlochleven and Kingshouse/Bridge of Orchy). You could end up sharing the trail with 270+ bikes.

@seosamh77 - we must have passed somewhere near 100 walkers heading up the Kinlochleven descent, probably missed loads whilst grabbing something at the Co-op and then another hundred as we went over the Devil's Staircase.

It sounds a lot but two hundred riders over four hours or so averages out at less than one a minute and most were in groups so actually less often than that. We were still passing lots of walkers as we headed over Rannoch Moor in the afternoon. There were also a lot of walkers from abroad - Americans, Germans, Italians, Spanish.

say even take 6 months of the year, that’s saying 162 people start it each day?

Having been sat the last couple of years on WHW in May for a couple of hours at Tyndrum and Crianlarich, watching our DofE groups, that's a very believable number.

Aye, the section between Tyndrum and BoO is always mobbed when you drive past.

It's a cracking route, I know lots of folk will say it's too busy, but I enjoyed the camaradery of meeting the same folks every now and again. **** camping though, that would make it miserable for me, at least try and get a bunkhouse or something for a couple of nights.

I'm planning a wee solo WHW in a day ride this summer, been meaning to do it, and I'd rather do it at my own pace than with others, something cathartic about a solo challenge too. 4am start seems to be the time to start, and get to FW before the indian shuts!

When I lived up in Scotland I did it a few times.

The worst part is up the side of Loch Lomond, surprisingly hard work and not much to look at.

Your luck with the weather makes or breaks it, last time I did it, it was early May and the weather was perfect and no midges. Do not underestimate how bad they can be in the summer.

As others have said, I would break up the camping with the odd stay in a bunkhouse. You used be able to get a cheap single room in the Kingshouse but it looks like they have finally got round to a refurb and I guess the £30 a night room has gone.

Having been sat the last couple of years on WHW in May for a couple of hours at Tyndrum and Crianlarich, watching our DofE groups, that’s a very believable number.

I'd agree, especially if you bear in mind that some (maybe 20%?) will start in FW and head South; and most people do it in a group so its probably more like 30-40 groups a day leaving Milngavie. Even if they all leave in the "morning" between 0800 and 1300, theres going to be 5-10 minutes between each little pack. Thats consistent with what I've seen at various points along the route.

so I was thinking of travelling up on Thursday and starting the walk on a Friday so I’d be ahead of the Saturday crowds.

If that is going to involve either of the May bank holiday weekends you will still have 4 of the busiest days in there, but actually making sure you aren't on the tourist route up the Ben on a bank holiday sunday would be my higher priority if you don't like crowds.