Back West Highland Way Afrikaans West Highland Way Czech West Highland Way Danish West Highland Way German West Highland Way Basque West Highland Way French Slighe na Gàidhealtacht an Iar Irish Slighe na Gàidhealtachd an Iar Scots/Gaelic וסט היילנד ויי HE West Highland Way Italian
| West Highland Way | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Length | 154 km (96 mi) |
| Location | Highlands of Scotland |
| Established | 1980 |
| Designation | Scotland's Great Trails |
| Trailheads | |
| Use | Primarily intended for walkers[1] |
| Elevation gain/loss | 3,155 metres (10,351 ft) gain[2] |
| Highest point | Devil's Staircase near Kingshouse 56°40′35″N 4°54′49″W / 56.6764°N 4.9135°W, 550 m (1,800 ft) |
| Lowest point | sea level |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Season | All year |
| Hazards | Weather |
| Website | https://www.westhighlandway.org/ |
The West Highland Way (Scottish Gaelic: Slighe Taobh an Iar na Gàidhealtachd) is a linear long-distance route in Scotland. It is 154 km (96 miles) long, running from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, with an element of hill walking in the route.[3] The trail, which opened in 1980, was Scotland's first officially designated Long Distance Route,[4] and is now designated by NatureScot as one of Scotland's Great Trails.[2] It is primarily intended as a long distance walking route, and whilst many sections are suitable for mountain biking and horseriding there are obstacles and surfaces that will require these users to dismount in places.[1]
It is managed by the West Highland Way Management Group (WHWMG) consisting of the local authorities for East Dunbartonshire, Stirling, Argyll and Bute and Highland, alongside the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority and NatureScot.[5] About 120,000 people use the path every year, of whom about 36,000 walk the entire route.[6] The path is estimated to generate £5.5 million each year for the local economy.[7] As of 2019[update] about 100,000 people walked part of the Way each year, with 36,000 completing the route.[8]
Notable wildlife that may be seen includes feral goats (descendants of those left from the Highland Clearances), red deer, and around the peaks sometimes golden eagles.[citation needed]
- ^ a b "Frequently Asked Questions". West Highland Way Management Group. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
- ^ a b "Trails". Scotland's Great Trails. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
- ^ "West Highland Way". Scotland's Great Trails. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
- ^ "SNH Commissioned Report 380: Developing the network of longer distance routes" (PDF). Scottish Natural Heritage. 2010. p. 5. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ "SNH Commissioned Report 380: Developing the network of longer distance routes" (PDF). Scottish Natural Heritage. 2010. p. 17. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
- ^ "Scotland's networks of paths and trails: key research findings" (PDF). Scottish Natural Heritage. August 2018. p. 5. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- ^ "Scotland's networks of paths and trails: key research findings" (PDF). Scottish Natural Heritage. August 2018. p. 30. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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