Haggis, whisky and wild camping: Scotland’s most iconic hiking route is a dream come true!
The West Highland Way is Scotland’s oldest and most iconic hiking route. The 96-mile trail begins just above the country’s biggest city (Glasgow) and stretches to its tallest mountain (Ben Nevis), passing its largest lake (Loch Lomond) along with miles of stunning forests, quaint valleys and wistful paths.
I’ve hiked this route several times now and can confidently say it’s among the most awe-inspiring places I’ve been lucky enough to get lost. Sure, the weather can be tricky, the road is often tough and the midges are a downright nightmare, but the joy of this hike is that it’s up to you how hard you want to take it.
Depending on where your pain-to-fun threshold is, you can approach the West Highland Way as a leisurely stroll between picturesque hotels – catching the train at times and letting someone else carry your bags, or as a full-on wilderness marathon – drinking from waterfalls, eating hand-picked mushrooms, stomping for 10 hours each day and sleeping under the stars. It’s up to you.
There’s a huge sense of freedom that comes with wild camping, as there’s something so magical about setting out in the early morning and not knowing where you’ll be sleeping that night. It might be by the river or a waterfall, or deep in the mossy woods. You wake up to birdsong and open the tent to see untouched wilderness. Bliss.
Non-residents may not know this, but the United Kingdom is actually very lacking in wild spaces that are free to camp at. While there are abundance of national parks and areas of outstanding beauty to be enjoyed, pretty much every single hillside, field and patch of grass is owned by someone – usually the crown or the church. As such, camping without permission is illegal and comes with hefty fines, and more than that, is just generally frowned upon.
There are only two places in the whole of the UK where wild camping is legal and free. The first is Dartmoor National Park, in the south of the country, close to Cornwall – but even this freedom has come under threat recently. The second, and by far the grandest in terms of size and splendour, is Scotland.
Yes – almost. There are limits. You can’t just pitch up outside someone’s bedroom or on that nice billionaire-owned golf course (alas!). But rest assured that while on the West Highland Way, you’ll be able to enjoy the majestic surroundings as you wild camp almost the entire route. There is a section toward the beginning where you’ll either have to get a permit or plan your stays carefully, as restrictions apply during the busy months, so I recommend hopping from campsite to campsite for the first few days. But once you’re past that section, it’s freedom all the way!
You might think that Scottish food is famous for all the wrong reasons (deep-fried Mars Bar, anyone?), but trust me, after a long day of hiking over mountains in the rain, it’s exactly what you need.
Haggis in particular is hearty and delicious. For those who don’t know, haggis is a traditional Scottish dish – probably the most Scottish of all – made from all the unwanted parts of a sheep, including the bladder and the brain. When made well, the flavour is a unique blend of peppery meat and rich, whiskey-infused sauce that assails the senses like a choir of bagpipes.
Along the West Highland Way route, you’ll find dozens of places where you can get a delicious traditional meal. From farm restaurants and old-world pubs to high-class hotels, there’s a fair range of choice, though I have to admit vegetarian and gluten-free options were pretty thin on the ground.
Of course, you don’t have to eat at these places, as you can shop and cook for yourself along the way. At pretty much every stop, you’ll find a small supermarket or farm shop selling camping food and supplies. Those in the know can also try foraging for their food. On one of my trips, we found and harvested ‘chicken of the woods’ – a cool-looking yellow mushroom that tasted almost exactly like smoky chicken. Obviously massive caveat here, as eating wild mushrooms when you don’t know you’re doing is... well, let’s just say it takes the fun out of fungi and puts it in funeral instead.
