West Highland Way (Inverarnan to Tyndrum)

The West Highland Way (Inverarnan to Tyndrum) is a 19 km point-to-point trail in the United Kingdom, climbing through Glen Falloch and Strath Fillan with around 440 m of elevation gain over a single walking day. Rated moderate, this central stage of Scotland's flagship long-distance path follows an old military road past tumbling waterfalls, a medieval priory and wide Highland glens.

About the West Highland Way (Inverarnan to Tyndrum)

The West Highland Way is the United Kingdom's best-known long-distance footpath, running 154 km from Milngavie on the edge of Glasgow to Fort William beneath Ben Nevis. The 19 km section between Inverarnan and Tyndrum is its fourth stage, and it marks the moment when walkers leave the wooded shores of Loch Lomond behind and step into the open, mountain-ringed Highlands proper. It is part of the National Walking Network (NWN), a major national hiking trail, and is managed by the West Highland Way Management Group.

This is a point-to-point trail rather than a loop, so most hikers walk it as one of several consecutive days on the full route, though it works perfectly well as a standalone day walk. The path follows the line of an 18th-century military road built to move troops through the glens, which means the gradient is steady and the surface is mostly firm underfoot. From a low point of around 17 m near the River Falloch, the trail rises to a high point of about 336 m before dropping gently into the village of Tyndrum at roughly 237 m.

What makes this stage distinctive is its variety. In a single 19 km day you pass a series of waterfalls, walk beside two rivers, cross grazing land worked by Highland cattle and sheep, and skirt the ruins of a 13th-century priory linked to Robert the Bruce. The scenery opens out dramatically as you approach Tyndrum, with the peaks of Beinn Dorain and the Crianlarich hills filling the horizon.

Historically, the glen has always been a corridor. The military road you walk on was constructed in the 1750s as part of General Wade's network to link Highland garrisons, and the same line was later used by drovers moving cattle to the lowland markets. The Drovers Inn at Inverarnan, dating from 1705, is a surviving reminder of that trade. Walking this stage therefore traces more than three centuries of Highland travel along a single, well-trodden route, and the steady engineering of the old road is exactly why the gradients feel so manageable today.

Route Overview & Stages

The Inverarnan to Tyndrum stage is usually walked as a single day, but it breaks naturally into three logical sections divided by the Crianlarich junction and the crossing of the A82. The table below shows how the distance and ascent are distributed across the day.

Total walking time is typically 6 to 7 hours at a steady pace, including short stops. Because the trail runs close to the A82 road and the Glasgow–Oban railway for much of its length, it is one of the easier stages to escape from if the weather turns or you need to cut the day short at Crianlarich.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Falls of Falloch — A powerful waterfall on the River Falloch about 3 km from Inverarnan, where the river funnels through a rocky gorge into a deep pool. A short signed detour leads to the best viewpoint.
• Glen Falloch cascades — The early kilometres run beside a long series of smaller cataracts and rapids, framed by ancient Caledonian pine remnants on the glen's flanks.
• Derrydaroch — A farm and bridge crossing where the path switches sides of the glen and begins its climb away from the river onto higher forestry ground.
• Crianlarich junction — The roughly halfway point, where a spur path drops about 1 km into the village of Crianlarich, the only mid-route settlement with a shop, station and accommodation.
• St Fillan's Priory — The ruins of a 13th-century priory at Kirkton Farm, associated with Robert the Bruce, beside a graveyard with origins reaching back to the 8th century.
• Strath Fillan — A broad, flat-bottomed glen grazed by Highland cattle, where the path crosses the River Fillan and follows the River Cononish toward Tyndrum.
• Auchtertyre / Strathfillan — A working farm with a wigwam campsite and small shop, a popular overnight stop roughly 4 km before Tyndrum.
• Tyndrum gold — The hills above Tyndrum hold one of Scotland's few commercial gold deposits at Cononish; visitors can still try recreational gold panning in the burns near the village.

Best Time to Hike the West Highland Way (Inverarnan to Tyndrum)

The practical hiking season for this stage runs from April to October. Spring brings the longest spells of settled weather and the lowest midge counts, while late summer offers warmth and very long daylight but a much higher chance of biting midges in Glen Falloch and Strath Fillan, where damp, sheltered ground is ideal habitat.

The single best month to walk it is May. As of 2026, May continues to deliver the most reliable combination on this part of the route: average daytime temperatures of 12–16°C, drier-than-average ground after the winter, hillsides bright with new growth, and crucially a midge season that has barely begun. June is a strong second choice for daylight and warmth, but the midges arrive in force from mid-June onward.

Winter walking (November to March) is possible for experienced hikers, but expect short days, boggy or icy sections on the higher forestry ground near the 336 m high point, and frequent rain or snow. The wider 2025 strict camping rules around Loch Lomond, which run March to September, also affect where you can pitch a tent in the early kilometres, so plan overnight stops carefully in the shoulder seasons. For pacing food and energy across a full day in cool, wet Highland conditions, our guide on how many calories you need hiking a full day is a useful planning tool.

Practical Information

Accommodation

Inverarnan, Crianlarich and Tyndrum all offer beds, which makes this stage flexible for planning. The Drovers Inn at Inverarnan is a famous historic start point. Crianlarich, at the halfway spur, has a youth hostel and several guesthouses. Tyndrum, at the finish, has hotels, inns, a bunkhouse-style hostel and a large campsite, plus shops and places to eat.

As a rough guide for 2026, expect to pay around €25–€40 for a hostel dorm bed or hostel-style bunk, €30–€45 per pitch at a managed campsite or the Strathfillan wigwam farm, and €90–€150 for a double room in a guesthouse or inn. Wild camping is permitted along most of this stage outside the Loch Lomond management zone, but you should still follow leave-no-trace practice and avoid pitching on farmland.

Getting There & Back

This stage is unusually well served by public transport. Both Inverarnan (via nearby Ardlui) and Tyndrum sit on the Glasgow–Oban/Fort William railway line, and Tyndrum has two stations, Tyndrum Lower and Upper Tyndrum. Direct trains from Glasgow Queen Street take roughly 2 hours to Tyndrum, and Crianlarich is a railway junction served by the same network. Scottish Citylink coaches on the A82 also stop at Crianlarich, Tyndrum and Ardlui. The nearest major airport is Glasgow International, about 90 minutes by road from Tyndrum. Because the rail line shadows the trail, you can walk the stage one way and simply take the train back to your starting point.

Permits & Fees

No permit or fee is required to walk the West Highland Way; access rights in Scotland are guaranteed under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. The one restriction that affects this stage is camping: within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park byelaw zone, wild camping is only permitted at campsites or designated permit areas between 1 March and 30 September. Most of the Inverarnan to Tyndrum stage lies just north of the strictest zone, but always check the current boundary before relying on a wild pitch. Full official guidance is published by the West Highland Way Management Group and the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority.

Gear & Packing List

This is a one-day stage on well-made paths, so a light, comfortable pack matters more than heavy expedition kit. Waterproofs are non-negotiable in any season, and gaiters help on the boggier forestry ground near the high point. For a single day or a self-guided multi-day walk where you carry everything, a 35–55 litre pack is the sweet spot. The Fjällräven Abisko Hike 35 suits a day or fast-and-light overnight, while the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Windrider and the larger 3400 Windrider are excellent ultralight choices if you are carrying camping gear for the full West Highland Way.

Footwear should be waterproof with good grip for wet rock and mud. Pack a midge head net between June and August, trekking poles for the descents, and plenty of high-energy snacks. If you are weighing up which pack to carry for the longer trail, our roundup of the best ultralight backpacks of 2026 compares seven tested models. You can build and weigh your own kit list using the HikeLoad gear database before you set off.

Similar Trails You Might Like

If you enjoy this stage, the rest of the West Highland Way is the obvious next step, and the United Kingdom offers several other classic long-distance routes with similar Highland and historic character. The adjoining sections share waymarking, transport links and scenery, so they slot together easily into a multi-day trip.

• West Highland Way (Rowardennan to Inverarnan) — the wild Loch Lomond-side stage that leads directly into this one, 23 km.
• West Highland Way (Drymen to Rowardennan) — an earlier stage over Conic Hill with classic Loch Lomond views, 23 km.
• West Highland Way (Kinlochleven to Fort William) — the dramatic final stage beneath Ben Nevis, 24 km.
• Great Glen Way — a 120 km route from Fort William to Inverness, a natural continuation north.
• Hadrian's Wall Path — a 135 km historic coast-to-coast trail along the Roman frontier in northern England.

For something further afield with the same mountain-pass character, the Theth to Valbona trail in Albania is a spectacular alpine alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike the Inverarnan to Tyndrum stage?
May is the best single month. As of 2026 it offers the most reliable mix of dry ground, daytime temperatures around 12–16°C, and very few midges, which only build up from mid-June. April and September are good quieter alternatives, while winter walking is possible but demands experience and proper kit.

How difficult is this section of the West Highland Way?
It is a moderate stage. The path follows a graded old military road, so gradients are steady rather than steep, with about 440 m of total ascent over 19 km. The main challenges are distance, boggy ground near the 336 m high point, and Scottish weather, but no scrambling or technical terrain is involved.

How far is the walk and how long does it take per day?
The stage is 19 km and is normally walked in a single day of 6 to 7 hours at a steady pace, including stops. If that feels long, the Crianlarich spur path at roughly the halfway point lets you split the walk over two shorter days or break out to the village for refreshments and accommodation.

What accommodation is available along the route?
You have good choice at both ends and the middle. Inverarnan has the historic Drovers Inn, Crianlarich offers a youth hostel and guesthouses, and Tyndrum has hotels, a hostel, a campsite and the nearby Strathfillan wigwam farm. Expect roughly €25–€40 for a dorm bed and €90–€150 for a guesthouse double in 2026.

Do I need a permit or pay a fee to walk it?
No permit or fee is needed to walk the trail, thanks to Scotland's statutory access rights. The only rule to watch is camping: within the Loch Lomond National Park byelaw zone, wild camping is restricted to campsites and permit areas from 1 March to 30 September, so check the current boundary before planning a wild pitch.