From Rowardenann to Inverarnan, West Highland Way

Start : Rowardenann Hotel (G63 0AR)

The official WHW waymark to follow: waypost with the "iconic little logo of a thistle with arrows on either side" + waypost - waymark with a yellow arrow when there is a change in direction."

(S) Walk North on the road then follow a path parallel on the right side.

(1) When you reach a car park, turn right towards the youth hostel. Leave a small building on your left-hand side and follow a shady wide path. Join the loch again and carry on North.

(2) When you get to a Y junction, take the wide path right (the one on the left brings you to the youth hostel). At the following Y junction, turn left. Further along, ignore on your right a "B&B" access and carry straight on the wide path. Cross over a river and carry on in the wood along the wide path. Soon you join the lochside again and go straight for almost 2Km.

(3) At a Y junction (private access on the left), take the path right, go past an iron gate and go uphill. Reach the junction with two WHW available paths. "N.B. The location of the junction is not accurate on the OpenStreetMap."

(4) Here, two options are available. They both join waypoint (7) :
- Follow the low road down, as the signpost indicates,
- Follow the high road, as it is on the map and described here. So, take to the right on the good path which goes up into the woods. The incline is constant and moderate. Go through the forest of oaks, then reach the flat part, a pine forest.

(5) A few meters on the left, spot a beautiful viewpoint of the loch. (Bench)Then, carry on the good path which goes down a forest with a mix of oaks and birch trees.

(6) Ignore a path on the left and carry on a light climb. Go downhill and later on find the other route that could have chosen coming from the left ("Here, again, the OpenStreetMap layer is not accurate.")

(7) Carry on going downhill. Cross a river then go up and down. Join the Lochside again then cross the river using the footbridge. Cross another footbridge to cross Cailness Burn.

(8) As soon as you reach the end of the footpath, walk diagonally left and cross a space where the ferns are abundant. Walk up tone stairs made of stone. Cross several boardwalks and alternate between long climbs and downhill, while staying close to the lochside. Past an information board about the Great Trossachs Path, cross Arklet Water using a gateway (waterfall). Go down the stairs on the left to reach Inversaid Hotel.

(9) Leave the hotel on your right-hand side and diagonally cross the car park left to find the WHW waymark. Start on the good path, past a water treatment plant and Inversnaid National Reserve information board.

(10) Go round the right of a boathouse, go diagonally left and use a footbridge. After another footbridge, the path goes between rocks and roots. Go past the bottom of the cliffs and reach a junction (here you can take a quick detour towards Rob Roy's Cave.)

(11) Carry on the path right. Stay close to the loch on the winding gravel path which alternates between going up and down. This part can feel quite boring...

(12) Go up a wooden ladder then a footbridge to cross a waterfall. Then carry on the path on the riverside.

(13) The path leaves the lochside and carries straight on in the wood. Slowly go up between the small Creag a Mhadaig hills on the left-hand side and bigger on the right hand. Leave the wood and walk on flat ground. Go downhill leaving two old buildings on the left-hand side.

(14) Reach back the lochside. Carry on the path and cross a few rivers.

(15) Leave the lochside again and start going uphill. Cross a footbridge. As soon as you crossed a wooden stile, reach a junction.

(16) Carry straight on towards Inverarnan. Walk along a wall made of stones and carry on going uphill : first, it is quite a steep incline then it becomes more moderate.

(17) Reach a flat bit and cross a few wetlands (boardwalks). Leave a pond on your left-hand side (Dubh Lochan).

(18) Past a few ruins and start the last descent. Past under a powerline and carry on going downhill. Cross Ben Glas Burn and quickly reach Beignglas Farm (E).

Gears :
Waterproof walking shoes. Waterproof gears. Warm clothes depend on how you handle the cold. Spray against midges.

Terrain :
This walk is relatively simple to follow and the route is well-signed at the junctions. An OS Explorer map is recommended or route on a smartphone. (Think about downloading your map offline before departure.)

Food and drink :
Take water and food with you from the start.
(11) Inversnaid Hotel : hotel-pub-restaurant. Tel : + 44 - (0)1 877 386 223.
(E) Beinglas Farm : snacks available

Accommodation at the end of the walk (E)
- Beinglas Farm. Tel : + 44 - (0)1 301 704 281. Pub-restaurant and campsite.
- Drovers Inn, if you wish more comfort and a warm pub atmosphere. The B&B is located around 700m further : at Beinglas Farm, take the minor road on the left and cross the bridge over Falloch river, then follow the road left A82 until you reach the B&B. Tel : + 44 - (0)1 301 704 234. Pub-restaurant.

- Several viewpoints of Loch Lomond along the way
- Beautiful perspectives of the elevations surrounding the loch on its left side (Ben Lomond massif)
- Several waterfalls and streams
- At waypoint (11), detour to Rob Roy's Cave, the cave where, recording the legend, there was hiding the outlawed Robert Roy McGregor (1661-1734).