West Highland Way (Rowardennan to Inverarnan)

The West Highland Way (Rowardennan to Inverarnan) is a 23-km point-to-point trail in the United Kingdom, gaining roughly 457 m of elevation over a single demanding day of walking. Rated strenuous, it traces the wild eastern shore of Loch Lomond through ancient oak woodland and past the thundering Inversnaid waterfall, and is widely regarded as the toughest section underfoot on the whole route.

About the West Highland Way (Rowardennan to Inverarnan)

This 23-km stretch is the third stage of the famous West Highland Way, Scotland's first official long-distance footpath and a flagship route of the National Walking Network (NWN). The full Way runs 154 km from Milngavie, on the edge of Glasgow, to Fort William beneath Ben Nevis. The Rowardennan to Inverarnan section covers the most remote and rugged part of Loch Lomond's eastern shore, where the gentle lochside strolls of earlier stages give way to a genuinely wild, root-tangled path.

Measured GPS distance for the section is about 22.5 km (14 miles), and most walkers round it to 23 km. Despite a modest total ascent of 457 m, the constant short climbs, slippery roots, boulder scrambles and exposed tree-root staircases make progress slow. Walkers routinely take 5 to 7 hours to complete it, far longer than the distance alone suggests. The trail is managed by the West Highland Way Management Group, and the entire stage falls inside Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

This is point-to-point hiking at its most committing: there are no road crossings, no shops and no escape routes between Rowardennan and Inverarnan except the small ferry at Inversnaid. If you enjoy testing remote sections, you may also like our write-up on the dramatic Theth to Valbona trail in Albania, another rugged single-day crossing with a similar wilderness feel.

The character of the walk changes sharply at Inversnaid. South of the waterfall, forestry tracks and a well-graded path make for steady going, and a high-level alternative just past Ptarmigan Lodge lets you trade lochside scenery for easier ground. North of Inversnaid, the trail narrows to a thread of boulders, exposed roots and tiny wooden footbridges that hug the water for nearly 6 km. Many walkers describe this northern half as more clambering than walking, and it is the reason the official guides flag this stage as the one to start early and never underestimate. The reward is solitude: once past the hotel, you may not see another building until Cailness, and the only sounds are the loch lapping the shore and birdsong in the oak canopy.

Route Overview & Stages

Although the Rowardennan to Inverarnan walk is a single official stage, it breaks naturally into three sub-sections divided by Inversnaid and the bothies. The table below splits the 23 km into manageable legs so you can pace water stops and rest breaks.

Total: approximately 23 km with 457 m of cumulative ascent and 463 m of descent. The numbers look gentle, but the terrain between Inversnaid and Doune Byre is the slowest mile-for-mile walking on the entire 154-km Way.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Inversnaid Waterfall — The Arklet Water plunges in a frothing cascade beneath the road bridge by the Inversnaid Hotel, a thunderous spectacle after rain and the unofficial halfway marker of the stage.
• Rob Roy's Cave — A jumble of boulders north of Inversnaid said to have sheltered the outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor in the early 1700s; look for the faded white "CAVE" daubed on the rock.
• Rowchoish Bothy — A restored stone shelter in the oak woods about 7 km in, free to use and maintained by the Mountain Bothies Association for basic overnight stays.
• Doune Byre Bothy — A second simple stone bothy near the head of the loch, a welcome lunch stop and the last shelter before the final push to Beinglas.
• Cailness — An isolated whitewashed cottage reached by a footbridge, one of only a handful of inhabited buildings along this otherwise empty shoreline.
• Ardleish & the loch head — Where the trail finally leaves Loch Lomond behind, with a tiny passenger ferry signal and views back down Scotland's largest loch by surface area.
• The Drovers Inn, Inverarnan — A famously atmospheric 1705 coaching inn with stuffed wildlife, open fires and kilted bar staff, a beloved finish-line reward.
• Ancient oak woodland — The whole eastern shore is cloaked in semi-natural Atlantic oakwood, a rare temperate rainforest habitat dripping with moss, ferns and lichen.

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

The walking season runs from April to October. May is the single best month to tackle this stage in 2026: daylight stretches past 15 hours, the oak canopy is fresh green, average highs sit around 15°C, rainfall is at its lowest, and crucially the dreaded Highland midges have not yet swarmed. The slippery roots that define this section are far safer on dry May ground.

June and September are strong alternatives. June brings the longest days but the first midges; September offers golden bracken, quieter paths and fewer biting insects, though wetter footing returns. July and August are warm and busy, with midge clouds at their peak near the water and along the bothy clearings, so carry repellent and a head net. As of 2026, the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs camping management byelaws still restrict informal camping along the loch shore between 1 March and 30 September, so book a pitch in advance if hiking in summer.

Avoid winter unless you are experienced. Between November and March the lochside path is slick with wet leaves, daylight shrinks below 8 hours, storms drive waves across the trail, and the slow technical terrain becomes genuinely hazardous in the dark. Many businesses along the Way, including the Inversnaid bunkhouse and parts of Beinglas Farm, also close or reduce hours over winter, so resupply and shelter options thin out considerably. If you must walk off-season, carry a headtorch, check the forecast for the western Highlands, and budget far more time than the summer estimate.

Practical Information

Accommodation

Beds cluster at the two ends of the stage. At Rowardennan, the SYHA Loch Lomond hostel and the Rowardennan Hotel offer dorms and rooms from roughly €30 to €120. At the midpoint, the Inversnaid Hotel and its separate bunkhouse provide the only indoor option en route, from about €28 in the bunkhouse. At Inverarnan, Beinglas Farm Campsite charges around €14 per person for a tent pitch or €55 for a wooden wigwam pod, while the historic Drovers Inn has en-suite rooms from roughly €100. The two free bothies, Rowchoish and Doune Byre, need no booking but require you to carry a sleeping mat, bag and stove.

Getting There & Back

The nearest railway station is Ardlui, about 5 km north of Inverarnan on the West Highland Line, with direct trains from Glasgow Queen Street in around 1 hour 40 minutes; the Ardlui–Ardleish passenger ferry can link it to the trail head. Glasgow Airport sits roughly 60 km south, about 1 hour 15 minutes by road. To reach the start at Rowardennan, take a bus or taxi from Balmaha or Drymen, or arrive on foot from the previous stage. Citylink and local services connect Inverarnan, Tyndrum and Crianlarich for onward travel north or back to Glasgow.

Permits & Fees

No permit is required to walk the West Highland Way, and access is free under Scotland's right to roam. The only charges you will meet are the Ardlui ferry (around €5), campsite pitches, and the seasonal camping byelaws, which mean wild camping along this shore between March and September must use a designated permit zone or a booked site. Full, current rules are published by the national park authority. Read the official stage notes on the West Highland Way route pages and the camping byelaws on the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park site before you travel.

Gear & Packing List

This stage rewards a light, well-balanced pack because the technical terrain saps energy with every awkward step. A 35–55 litre pack is ample for a one-day push or an overnight bothy stop. For ultralight thru-hikers, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Windrider handles a fast-and-light Loch Lomond crossing, while the roomier 3400 Windrider swallows a bothy sleeping system and stove. If you prefer a structured hipbelt for the rooty scrambles, the Fjallraven Abisko Hike 35 is a durable comfortable choice. Compare more options in our review of the best ultralight backpacks of 2026.

Essentials for this stage: waterproof jacket and trousers, sturdy boots with aggressive tread for slick roots, trekking poles, a 2-litre water capacity to bridge the Inversnaid-to-Beinglas dry stretch, a head net and midge repellent in summer, and enough high-energy food. Slow technical terrain burns more calories than flat trail, so plan portions carefully using our guide to how many calories you need hiking a full day.

Similar Trails You Might Like

If the wild eastern shore of Loch Lomond leaves you wanting more long-distance Scottish and British walking, these routes share the same blend of waymarked paths, big landscapes and history. The adjoining stages let you build the West Highland Way into a multi-day adventure, while the longer national trails offer fresh terrain.

• West Highland Way (Drymen to Rowardennan) — the gentler 23 km stage that feeds directly into this one along Loch Lomond's south-east shore.
• West Highland Way (Kinlochleven to Fort William) — the grand 24 km finale over the Lairigmor to Ben Nevis.
• Great Glen Way — a 120 km route from Fort William to Inverness following lochs and the Caledonian Canal.
• Hadrian's Wall Path — 135 km coast-to-coast along England's Roman frontier.
• Pennine Way (Middleton in Teesdale to Kirk Yetholm) — wild, upland walking on Britain's original long-distance path.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike Rowardennan to Inverarnan?
May is the standout month. You get over 15 hours of daylight, the lowest rainfall of the year, fresh oak foliage, average highs near 15°C, and almost no midges. The dry ground also makes the slippery root-strewn lochside path much safer. June and September are good alternatives, while July and August bring peak midges.

How difficult is this section of the West Highland Way?
It is rated strenuous and is widely considered the toughest part of the entire 154-km Way underfoot. Although total ascent is only about 457 m, the constant short climbs, slick tree roots, boulder scrambles and uneven ground make for slow, tiring progress. Sure footing, trekking poles and an early start are strongly recommended.

How long does the 23 km take to walk in a day?
Most walkers take 5 to 7 hours to cover the 23 km, far longer than the distance suggests because the technical lochside terrain limits speed to roughly 3 km per hour. Start early, especially in shorter daylight months, and allow extra time for the awkward scrambling stretch between Inversnaid and Doune Byre Bothy.

Where can I stay along the route?
Accommodation clusters at each end. Rowardennan has a SYHA hostel and hotel; Inversnaid offers a hotel and bunkhouse at the midpoint; and Inverarnan has Beinglas Farm Campsite (around €14 per pitch) plus the historic Drovers Inn (rooms from about €100). Two free bothies, Rowchoish and Doune Byre, provide basic shelter if you carry full sleeping kit.

Do I need a permit to walk this stage?
No permit is needed to walk the West Highland Way, and access is free under Scotland's right to roam. The only restriction is the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs camping byelaws, which between March and September require wild campers to use a permit zone or a booked campsite. Day walkers face no fees beyond the optional Ardlui ferry.