From Kinlochleven to Fort William

Start from Lochaber Road, on the right bank of the River Leven.

Official WHW signposting: signposts featuring a thistle flower + signposts with a yellow arrow for changes of direction + directional signposts.

(S) Follow Lochaber Road north-north-west, preferably on the left-hand pavement (the right-hand one is patchy). Cross a river.

(1) Leave the road and take a path branching off to the right towards Fort William. Head uphill through the woodland. At a Fork in the road, take the left-hand path.

(2) Cross a small road and continue along the path opposite, still climbing. Ignore a path coming from the left and veer to the right. Navigate several hairpin bends.

(3) Cross a footbridge over a torrent. You’ll reach open ground and continue climbing.

(4) You’ll come out onto a track and follow it to the left: this is a former military road, which you should follow for about ten kilometres. Start by descending gently.

(5) Climb gently between peaks reaching around 750m on the left and 950m on the right.

(6) Pass an unnamed pass and begin the descent. Pass the ruins of an old fort and continue downhill.

(7) Pass through a gate and continue along the path heading north-west.

(8) Go round a cattle paddock on the left. Continue along the path through a wooded area that has recently been heavily thinned.

(9) Cross a track and, at the information sign with a map, turn right onto a path that leads uphill. Climb a small hill and you will reach a junction (not shown on the map).

(10) Continue straight on through the ferns and then along the hillside. Climb a small hill and descend slightly into a thinned-out woodland.

(11) Cross a footbridge and continue north-east, alternating between short ascents and descents. Note the view of Ben Nevis (Britain’s highest peak) opposite.

(12) Cross another footbridge and continue north-east.

(13) Pass a signpost and begin an ascent.

(14) You’ll come out onto a wide track; follow it to the right and climb a little further.

(15) At the junction, carry on straight ahead and downhill towards Braveheart Car Park.

(16) You’ll come to another track; follow it to the left.

(17) At the junction, carry on straight ahead towards Braveheart Car Park (temporarily leave the WHW, which branches off to the right; this ‘detour’ will save you a good kilometre on tarmac).

(18) At a fork in the road, turn right and cross the car park to come out onto a road.

(19) Follow the road to the left, using the kerb on the left-hand side (there is no kerb on the right-hand side). After about 1.25 km, you’ll reach the roundabout which marks the original finish point of the WHW.

(20) Go round the roundabout on the left and continue straight ahead towards the town centre.

(21) After about 1 km and just before a roundabout, turn right. Walk along the main road on your left-hand side and turn right to reach the entrance to Fort William railway station (E).

Equipment:
Waterproof walking boots. Rain protection: rain cape, rucksack cover, etc. Protection against the cold, depending on how sensitive you are to the cold. Midge repellent.

Guidance:
The route is relatively straightforward and the route is very well signposted at junctions. A paper map is useful (at the very least the one accompanying this description) or a route track on a smartphone (remember to cache the base map beforehand).

Food and drink:
Make sure you have a supply of water and a packed lunch before setting off.
(E) In Fort William, there are bars and restaurants, various shops and a supermarket.

Accommodation on arrival (E):
Plenty of accommodation options available; search using your favourite search engine.

To return to Glasgow:
- Daily trains to Glasgow Queen Street Station. Timetables: see the ScotRail website. Fares are around £32 per person (August 2019).
- Daily buses. Timetables and fares: check the Citylink website.
The train and bus timetables mean you can plan to return to Glasgow straight after completing this stage if you wish.

- From (4) to (8): stunning, wild landscapes at the foot of very high hills.
- From (11) to (17): beautiful views of the Ben Nevis massif, Britain’s highest peak.