West Highland Way (Inveroran to Kingshouse)

The West Highland Way (Inveroran to Kingshouse) is a 16-km point-to-point trail in the Scottish Highlands of the United Kingdom, gaining roughly 320 m of elevation over a single day. Rated moderate, this exposed crossing of Rannoch Moor delivers one of Europe's last great wilderness walks, ending beneath the pyramid peak of Buachaille Etive Mòr at the gateway to Glencoe.

About the West Highland Way (Inveroran to Kingshouse)

The West Highland Way is Scotland's first official long-distance footpath, opened in 1980 and running 154 km from Milngavie near Glasgow to Fort William beneath Ben Nevis. The Inveroran to Kingshouse section is the sixth of its eight traditional stages and, at 16 km (10 miles), it is one of the wildest. It is managed by the West Highland Way Management Group and forms part of the United Kingdom's National Walking Network (NWN), a collection of major waymarked national trails.

This stage carries walkers across Rannoch Moor, a vast expanse of blanket bog, lochans and granite that is frequently described as one of the last great wildernesses of Europe. The route never strays from a clear, hard track, so navigation is straightforward, but the ground is utterly exposed: there is no shelter from the moment you leave Forest Lodge until you reach the Glencoe Mountain Resort some 14 km later. The reward is a sense of remoteness rare in Western Europe, capped by the dramatic reveal of Buachaille Etive Mòr (1,022 m) as you descend toward Glen Coe.

The path follows the line of an old Parliamentary Road built by the engineer Thomas Telford in the early 19th century to replace an earlier military road; it remained the main route through the region until 1933. Walking it today, you trace the same gentle gradients that horse-drawn coaches once used, which is why this section feels long but never genuinely steep. Total ascent across the stage is modest — around 320 m of net climbing, with the high point near 446 m — yet the open, weather-beaten character makes it feel more serious than the numbers suggest.

For most walkers this stage is the emotional heart of the entire 154 km route. Having spent earlier days threading through the wooded shores of Loch Lomond and the farmland of the southern Highlands, you finally step onto ground with no roads, no fences and no buildings for hours at a time. The silence is broken only by red deer, golden plover and the wind moving across the heather. It is the kind of landscape that has drawn writers, painters and walkers for two centuries, and it remains every bit as raw today as it was when Telford's road carried the mail north.

Route Overview & Stages

The Inveroran to Kingshouse stage is usually walked in 4.5 to 6 hours. The table below breaks the 16 km into three natural segments based on the main landmarks along the Parliamentary Road.

The first kilometres are easy walking on a quiet road past Inveroran Cottage and across Victoria Bridge. Beyond the stone-built Forest Lodge the public road ends, a gate marks the start of the moor, and the trail climbs gently and almost imperceptibly across open country to its 446 m high point. From there it drops toward Glen Coe with Buachaille Etive Mòr filling the horizon before reaching the Kingshouse Hotel at 244 m.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Inveroran Hotel — A whitewashed former coaching inn dating to 1707, the traditional start of the stage and one of the oldest hostelries on the route.
• Victoria Bridge — An elegant stone bridge over the River Tulla, crossed early in the walk before the road gives way to track at Forest Lodge.
• Forest Lodge — A fine stone house marking the end of the public road and the gateway onto Rannoch Moor proper.
• Rannoch Moor — A 130-square-kilometre plateau of blanket bog, lochans and granite, considered one of Europe's largest and most pristine wild moors.
• Ba Bridge — The classic midpoint rest stop, spanning the River Bà beside the ruins of Ba Cottage in the heart of the moor.
• Glencoe Mountain Resort — Scotland's oldest ski centre, roughly 14 km in, offering a café, shop, toilets and a water tap — the only facilities between Inveroran and Kingshouse.
• Buachaille Etive Mòr — The iconic 1,022 m pyramid guarding the entrance to Glen Coe and Glen Etive, revealed dramatically as the trail bends north.
• Kingshouse Hotel — A historic 17th-century coaching inn at the foot of the Buachaille, the stage's end and one of Scotland's oldest licensed inns.

Best Time to Hike the West Highland Way (Inveroran to Kingshouse)

The walking season runs from April through October. May is the single best month to tackle this stage: daylight stretches past 16 hours, average highs reach 13–15 °C, rainfall is at its lowest of the year, and the notorious Highland midge has yet to emerge in force. Spring also brings firmer ground underfoot on a moor that can otherwise become waterlogged.

June and September are strong alternatives. June offers the longest days of the year but the first serious midge activity, while September brings crisp air, autumn colour and far fewer biting insects, balanced against a higher chance of Atlantic rain. July and August are the warmest and busiest months but also the peak of midge season — a serious consideration on exposed Rannoch Moor where there is nowhere to escape them on a still, damp evening.

Winter walking (November to March) is for experienced hikers only. As of 2026, the moor can hold snow and ice well into spring, daylight shrinks below seven hours, and the total absence of shelter for 14 km turns a routine moderate walk into a genuine mountain undertaking. Whatever the season, this stage is highly exposed to Atlantic weather systems, so always check the Mountain Weather Information Service forecast before setting out and carry full waterproofs even on a fair morning.

Practical Information

Accommodation

Because the stage is short, most walkers stay at one end and start fresh. At the Inveroran end, the historic Inveroran Hotel offers en-suite rooms from roughly €110 per night, and there is a popular free wild-camping area near Forest Lodge (no facilities — leave no trace under Scotland's access rights). At the Kingshouse end, the rebuilt Kingshouse Hotel has comfortable rooms from around €130, while its adjacent bunkhouse provides dormitory beds from approximately €25 per person including breakfast access. The walkers' bar serves meals and is open to non-residents. Glencoe Mountain Resort, a short detour from the trail, has camping pods and a basic café but no hotel rooms. Booking months ahead is essential in summer, as beds in this remote corridor are scarce.

Getting There & Back

The nearest railway stations are Bridge of Orchy (about 5 km from Inveroran) and Tyndrum, both on the scenic West Highland Line from Glasgow Queen Street, with journey times of roughly 2 hours 45 minutes. Citylink coaches on the Glasgow–Fort William route stop at the Glencoe Mountain Resort and near Kingshouse, giving a practical way to return to the rail network or start point. The nearest international gateway is Glasgow Airport (GLA), about a 2.5-hour drive south. Many walkers use the Bridge of Orchy and Glencoe stops together to bookend the stage without a car. If you are coming from farther afield and want to compare this to a continental wilderness route, see our guide on how to hike the Theth to Valbona trail in Albania.

Permits & Fees

No permit and no fee are required to walk this stage of the West Highland Way. Scotland's statutory right of responsible access, established by the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and set out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, allows free walking and wild camping across the moor provided you follow leave-no-trace principles. The only costs are accommodation, food and transport. Full route details are published by the trail authority at westhighlandway.org, and access rules are explained by Scottish Outdoor Access.

Gear & Packing List

The defining hazard on this stage is exposure, so prioritise weather protection and self-sufficiency over speed. Full waterproofs (jacket and trousers), an insulating mid-layer, gloves and a hat earn their place even in summer, because wind chill on the moor can be brutal regardless of the calendar. Carry at least 1.5 litres of water — there is no reliable safe source until Glencoe Mountain Resort — plus enough food for a self-contained day, since the only café is 14 km in. A midge head-net from May to September is close to essential.

Because the day is short and the track is good, a lightweight daypack is ideal. The 2400 Windrider and larger 3400 Windrider both shed Rannoch Moor's rain well, while the ADV Skin 12 suits fast-and-light walkers covering the stage in half a day. If you want to understand how pack choice affects an exposed multi-day crossing, our roundup of the best ultralight backpacks of 2026 tests seven options head to head. To plan your food weight against the day's effort — this stage burns serious energy in the wind — read how many calories you need hiking a full day, then build your load on HikeLoad's gear and food tools.

Similar Trails You Might Like

If the wild Highland character of this stage appeals, the rest of the West Highland Way offers more of the same, and the United Kingdom has several other long-distance routes with comparable scenery and waymarking. The adjoining stages share the same dramatic terrain, while the longer national trails below extend the experience across days or weeks.

• West Highland Way (Kinlochleven to Fort William) — 24 km
• West Highland Way (Rowardennan to Inverarnan) — 23 km
• West Highland Way (Drymen to Rowardennan) — 23 km
• Great Glen Way — 120 km
• Hadrian's Wall Path — 135 km

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike the Inveroran to Kingshouse stage?
May is the best month, with long daylight, average highs of 13–15 °C, the year's lowest rainfall and minimal midges. June and September are excellent alternatives. Avoid July and August if biting insects bother you, since Rannoch Moor offers no shelter from midges on still, damp days.

How difficult is this section of the West Highland Way?
It is rated moderate. The track is good and gradients are gentle, with only about 320 m of net ascent over 16 km. The real challenge is exposure: there is no shelter for 14 km, so wind, rain or poor visibility can quickly make an easy walk demanding. Carry full waterproofs and navigation tools.

How long does the Inveroran to Kingshouse stage take to walk?
Most hikers complete the 16 km in 4.5 to 6 hours, including breaks at Ba Bridge and Glencoe Mountain Resort. Fast, fit walkers manage it in around 3.5 hours. Because the stage is short, many people combine it with the previous or following section for a fuller day on the trail.

Where can I stay along this stage?
Stay at either end. The Inveroran Hotel offers rooms from about €110, and the Kingshouse Hotel from around €130, with a bunkhouse from roughly €25 per person. Wild camping is permitted near Forest Lodge under Scotland's access laws. Book months ahead in summer, as accommodation in this remote corridor is very limited.

Do I need a permit to walk this trail?
No. Walking and wild camping are free under Scotland's right of responsible access, established by the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. No permit or fee applies to any part of the West Highland Way. Your only costs are accommodation, food and transport, provided you follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and leave no trace.