Top Tips For Hiking The West Highland Way 

For what it's worth, here's my tip for the West Highland Way: take your time. The guidebooks recommend taking a week to 10 days, and that seems about right. It's not a race. The objective is not to get from Milngavie to Fort William in as short a time as possible. You are walking through some of the best scenery that the world has to offer - savour it like a connosseur with a fine old malt. Don't bolt it down like an underage teenager with a bottle of cheap cider. I did it in a week, doing mostly 15 miles, or 2-3 sections each day. If I was doing it again, I would reduce that to 1 section each day, to allow time to stop for photos and create memories. And there are so many sidesteps that people miss out, particularly between Milngavie and Beinglass - climb Dumgoyne, explore Mugdock Country Park, take a boat to Inchcailloch, explore the cleared villages above Sallochy and Inversnaid, climb Ben Lomond, check out the Ardess Hidden History Trail at Rowardennan, with its reconstructed traditional turf cottage, climb up to the waterfall at Beinglass - there's so much to see.

Tick removal tool and the knowledge of how to use it. Tick populations are booming and with that Lyme disease is spreading. I suggest taking a photo of any ticks you get on you so if the doctor doesn't believe you weeks later when you feel mysteriously dreadful, you have proof. Knowing how to remove a tick properly is critical. No cigarettes, Vaseline or normal tweezers. How you check yourself completely might be a problem if going solo. LD is very serious, I speak from experience, having lost 2 years of my life and had many days of stress dealing with doctors who had no idea what they were dealing with. Great videos, such enthusiasm. Brilliant. Thank you.

Thank you again for you WHW-Videos. It was a great motivation and inpiration to walk it by myself. Greetings from Poland.

Every time Abbie smiles I feel like I should say "thank you".

Wow! how lucky you are. Really enjoy your walks. . via the internet! Go well and thank you for sharing. Irene in Zimbabwe

Thank you Abbie always makes me smile

Great tips for most trails! Thanks, Abbie! 🙋🏻‍♀️😎

Loving your videos. They are very informative and useful 👏🏻

Good tips for hiking what I reckon is my favourite hike if I'm honest. I recently just completed my 6th journey along the West Highland Way but southbound this time and as you say you'll probably do it again I urge you to go try it. The landscape takes on a whole different perspective as you are looking at it whilst walking what you'd normally be looking back at and I spotted things I'd never seen on my previous 5 outings..! Unfortunately I also seen a huge rise in litter, I put this down to the whole lockdown and the increase in day hikers in the area, not to mention the neds (our version if chavs) heading out for a weekend piss up in the woods. Notably the honesty box you showed in your video was not full of goodies but rather an extention of the bin next to it as folk seen fit to lose some of the baggage they were carrying as I assume they expected someone else would get rid of it. I really hope this won't last, I had limited bags with which to collect other people's rubbish as I was finishing up 9 weeks of hiking around the UK but gathered what I could that was loose and carried on. The West Highland Way really is a jewel though and I was partly glad and partly sad to see the improvements that have been made since I last hiked it, glad to see it more accessible for people but sad because I liked the early ruggedness of it, sections along the banks of Loch Lomond, Crianlarich, the Devil's Staircase have all been made more manageable which I suppose means folk getting into hiking can manage it a little easier but again, I loved the rugged nature of what it once was but it really does offer a huge glimpse into what Scotland has to offer in 5-7 days.

Super helpful thanks Abbie!

Thanks! That's super helpful.

Great tips Abbie. Cheers and stay Wild from BC Canada ✌🍁

Abbie awesome video. Must be so nice to have so much footage to build the supplemented parts to your points of interest. I am truly inspired :)

Enjoyed your WHW video, thanks

Thanks - a really helpful video.

Absolutely loved watching your journey! ❤ you put a lot into ur vlogs, well done u! ❤ new fave channel!

Thank you for all your motivational videos Abbey! I'm finally off on my first thru hike on the West Highland Way in 2 weeks time. So excited and nervous. Not sure if I will make it to the end but even if I don't I wouldn't have even considered doing anything like this 5 years ago. So thanks 😁

Awesome tips, especially the food, which was my biggest concern, thanks 😊

Hi there , very good video, thank u for sharing ! I also make some bushcraft

Very sound advice

Really great, veteran advice. Good to know there are other hiking boot fans out there. I find that I need them for ankle support. I am no spring chicken, and between years of running and hiking, the ankles need the support at this stage. Also, similar to your advice on food re-supply, it's good to know what about the prevalence of water sources where you are going to hike. It looks like there is plenty of fresh water along the WHW, which is good. If you can gather and filter/treat water as you go, you can avoid massive water carries, which will negate any weight-savings you get from a slim base-weight. Ideally, no more than two liters is all you want to carry at one time (three if it's a dry section). Water is heavy.

On the Bucket list!! Love you Videos especially WHW. Someday I will hike back on Sinclair soil.

hey I find you really inspiring, thank you , just found your videos and I'm hooked, I love Great Britain so beautiful, I need to get out and see this and show my sons, isle of wight pretty close to me . You're awesome, love the way you smile though it all and your knowledge. Happydaze all the best don't stop

Each their own. Had multiple pairs of hiking boots before and switched to trail runners last year. Not because I am going for ultralight but because at the end of the day I was always in pain, had hotspots, bruises from pressure and was very prone to injury to my ankles for some reasons so the "support" I got on my ankles actually hurt me more than it was useful. Trail runners were more comfortable, no pressure spots, no hotspots, obviously lighter which was also nice, and if you do pay a bit of attention to where you are stepping and don't have super weak ankles, the likelihood of getting hurt isn't that much higher to wearing boots

Great video, very informative as I am going to do the trail in March/April next year if Covid will allow it. Keep up the great work and I have subscribed 👍

Abbie great advice, thank you. We have been trying the detol and baby oil mix to stop the midges. It works, Better than all others Yes you smell of detol but it grows on you. Keep posting the videos

God bless you...you amazing magic woman. You are totally awesome...(and a bit scary) .. Just keeping up with how fast you speak (totally) wastes me! So good...such sensible and practical advice. Dartmoor and aboutd is my usual stomping ground of choice but this looks beatiful. Another great video. Many thanks.

Great tips. My tip is to plan your days properly and take account of the fact that some terrain is harder. Lots of people seem to bite off more than they can chew along Loch Lomond- multiply distances by 1.5 along there as 10 miles is like at least 15! Totally agree with the advice to find out about where you are. There's loads of interest. For example very few WHW walkers know about the standing stones just off the route on the first day....

thank you!

5days is admirable Abbie! I’d personally recommend six or seven days to guarantee success !

Great video. I was talking to a guy recently about midges in Fort William. He has completed the whw a few times and swears by vicks for keeping the midges away.

🙃👍🤠Hello.Smart videos promoting England,Scotland,Irland.Beautiful views and nature. Super (Poland)🙃👌👍✌.

Good video as usuall abs. Ive done it twice but last time was 20 years ago and recently I got the idea to do it again but ive been told that there are to many folk doing it now and the atmosphere isn't the same. Oh, and dont get me started about the litter! Btw Abs, love my, Stay Wild T shirt, its cracking. 😊

Can't get too much good advice! I'm planning on flying over from Belfast and walking/wildcamping the WHW in the next few weeks (providing there's no lockdown). It's information that people need, not just nice photos/vids - keep em' comin' ATB Sinco

Tip top info abbie

I bought a pair of Vasque Sundowners 23 months ago. The outsole is almost worn out on the heel, but I've logged (GPS) over 500 miles in them. I have a pair of plantar fasciitis insoles in them, and I've put Fiebing's neatsfoot oil and kiwi shoe polish on them. They are the best boots I've ever had. They require thick socks, because the heel of the boot has a stitch pattern that is like a cheese grater. With thick socks, they're great. With thin socks, your heal will more than blister. They are definitely one of the best pair of boots I've ever owned.

Any tips on the rob roy way I'm hiking it in two weeks time oh and loving all the vids abbie keep them coming ☺

I've not watched yet but had to comment. You read my mind, I've watched your WHW vlogs at least 4x now & it's inspired me to walk it next Easter with my hubby, 11 & 13 year old. I've been binge watching everything WHW related for weeks so this video is perfect x thank you x

Ì started the great glen way Saturday, walked through a flood outside fort william and got bad blisters so had to leave it at Fort Augustus. I would recommend this as a beginners trail as it's very flat compared to the west highland way.

Was meant to do the west highland way this year but for obvious reasons I couldn’t, fingers crossed for next year tho, but as always some great advice Abbie ✌️

Here’s my hint: Take anti-itch cream or calamine lotion or something to put on the bites! The itching drove me crazy and no one anywhere had anything to put on AFTER you were bitten!!!

A very useful video, love the shirt so comfortable to wear and easy to wash.. 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿👍

When you are finished the WHW remember to climb Ben Nevis for the full experience.

Looking like a beekeeper is, to me, a bonus.

Avon so soft, military swear by it, ill 2nd that. Banging bit of kit Abbie, brilliant video 👍👍

Wow, that is a busy route, about 1 person per mile then, by my rough calcs What an epically beautiful walk tho

I wonder if an option for timid newbies might be to start from Fort William. Maybe even climb Ben Nevis. that way they are almost guaranteed the highlight parts (Glencoe etc). Glasgow - top of Loch Lomond is a bit of a slog. many probably chuck it at those parts.

Best advice I can give is get a pair of arma skin inner socks you will never get another blister real game changer,I used to suffer with blisters on my left heal what ever I wore sock wise since wearing arma sock under my hiking sock not one blister

Great video! Is there a specific guidebook you recommend? My daughter is solo hiking and wild camping next June and I have it on my bucket list! :)

Skye midges are the worst. Camped there at the end of May, people were wearing woollen balaclavas! One couple who had obviously been there before, were wearing beekeeping hats! Top tip - pack Anthisan or hydrocortisone cream.

Thanks for the tips Abbie, I'm planning next year to do the WHW, what time of year do your recommend to do the trial?

Thank you, Abbie. I am planning the WHW with my 15 year old son as our first thru-hike without my husband supporting us at checkpoints and as shuttle bus to home. He managed the Skåneleden 3 really well but the 17 stages were almost 30 half-day walks. My 12 year old dropped out half-way but now wants to complete that route. If you would ever like to come to Southern Sweden there are six long distance trails around Skåne that l am sure you would enjoy.

Abbie, what do you think about wearing sock liners as a way to prevent blisters?

Hi Abbie, I love your hiking and tips videos! I've watched many of your documentaries multiple times. Regarding water, would you recommend taking a filter on the WHW? You mostly seem to get by filling up your water in pubs and cafes etc. I'm just thinking that maybe this might be a limited option post corona lockdown?

can you also walk these longer trails and just go to hostels at each stop/town?

Very useful - will walk for 1st time in July. Silly Q - Can you get lost or is it pretty much signposted the whole way(yes I will take a map) ?

What kind of tent do you carry? What is it’s weight?

Abbie, what is your hat? Is it a Tilley? Ta.

06:43 : "Predators" ! More they are little , more it's difficult to fight them.

I'd anticipated a more impartial view regarding footwear & waterproofs, it's all very textbook. Whilst an ultralight approach to backpacking does have recognised merits, even in the UK environment. I'd encourage you to move beyond the old "boots versus trail runners" argument. It isn't helpful, very divisive & was resolved decades ago. There's many ways to walk your walk, be safe & comfortable, not suffer & have a fab time. ☮💕&😊trails

Water management is far more of an issue than food.

Peppermint oil 🤣

:-)

#What3Words emergency app just in case 👍

Avon changed their formula. As a beauty brand they have zero incentive to maintain its reputation as an insect repellent. Stick with "Smidge"

When every step becomes unbearable agony you will wish you stayed at home.

Humans these days a so weak, do you really think men in kilts living in the high lands running up and down mountains worried about blisters 700 years ago with English soldiers after them. 🤣🤣🎅🎅🎅🤔