East Highland Way
Highlights:
Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis
Picturesque beaches of Loch Laggan
Ancient Caledonian forests
Charming town of Aviemore
Brief:
⏱ Duration: 6 - 8 Days
🗺 Distance: 144 km
⛰ Grade: Moderate to Hard
🗓 Best Time: March - October
🛏 Accomm: Bed & Breakfast; hotels
Walk Overview
The East Highland Way is a relatively recently established route. The popularity of the West Highland Way spawned the idea of developing a route into the East Highlands from the end of the West Highlands Way at Fort William. Aviemore was the obvious destination as it sits on the eastern edge of the Highlands and is an attractive mountain ski resort town with plenty of tourist amenities.
The scenery and terrain of the East Highland Way are similar to the West Highland Way although it is much quieter and more remote. The trail is interesting throughout however it is important to note that only short sections of the path are waymarked so good navigation skills are required for those walkers opting for a self-guided holiday.
Aviemore is also a trailhead for one of “Scotland’s Great Trails”, the Speyside Way, that runs for 135 kilometres from Aviemore to Buckie on the North Sea. So, now three of Scotland’s best long distance walks are connected.
The complete East Highland Way covers 144 kilometres (90 miles) and generally takes about six to eight days of walking. Your total trip duration then depends on whether you incorporate rest days and, if so, how many.
Assistance and further information:
For assistance in walking all or part of the East Highland Way, click the button below:
For more information on walking in the East Highlands, click the button below:
A seven day itinerary for the East Highland Way is described below.
Itinerary
The walk takes about 6-8 days to complete. A typical 7 day itinerary completing the entire trail is shown below.
Day 1
Fort William to Spean Bridge
Distance: 19.5 km
Time: 6 hours
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 2
Spean Bridge to Inverlair
Distance: 19.5 km
Time: 6 hours
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 3
Inverlair to Moy Bridge
Distance: 19.5 km
Time: 6 hours
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 4
Moy Bridge to Laggan
Distance: 26.5 km
Time: 8 hours
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 5
Laggan to Newtonmore
Distance: 16.5 km
Time: 5 hours
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 6
Newtonmore to Kincraig
Distance: 25 km
Time: 8 hours
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Day 7
Kincraig to Aviemore
Distance: 18.5 km
Time: 6 Hours
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast; hotels
Walk Options
Guided
Some tour operators offer the East Highland Way as a guided trip. You can choose to do the entire 144 kilometres (90 miles) walk or opt for shorter versions. The tour operators that offer the full walk generally follow the seven day walking itinerary described above.
Tour operators that offer guided trips generally operate on the basis of scheduled departure dates during the walking season.
Typically, the package offered by the guided tour operators includes:
8 Day tour with professional guides, 7 days of walking
8 Nights accommodation
All meals
Transfers between the track and the accommodation (where applicable)
Assisted self-guided
Several tour operators offer the East Highland Way as a self-guided trip.
Typically, the service includes:
Track notes, maps and information pack
Accommodation, usually with ensuites (the range and quantity of accommodation available in some villages is limited; also, the basic package offered by some tour operators might not always extend to ensuites)
Luggage transport between accommodation (and sometimes, where necessary, vehicle transfers between track and accommodation)
Breakfasts and optional packed lunches
24/7 Support
The duration of the self-guided options varies depending upon how far you wish to walk each day. Accommodation options range from comfortable through to luxury, again depending upon the size of the village or town and the purchased package.
Independent
There are camping options along the route that make camping on all or most nights a possibility. It’s also quite feasible to book accommodation along the route yourself and, if you require luggage transfers, to arrange that independently.
For those considering this option, it’s worth noting that the self-guided tour operators often have preferred rates with accommodation providers and luggage transfer companies. They also often have reserved allocations at the best-located/most suitable accommodation for the particular walk, so sometimes when accommodation shows no availability to an independent inquiry there’s still availability through a self-guided operator.
Essential Information
Access
The starting point for the East Highland Way is Fort William.
The finishing point for the East Highland Way is Aviemore.
Each of Fort William and Aviemore has both train and bus links to Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Best time
The best time to do the walk is between March and October.
It is important to note that the summer months are the most popular time to do this walk and consequently there is a high demand for the various accommodation options during this period.
Difficulty
This walk is rated at a difficulty level of moderate to hard. While the walk is a “highland” walk, it generally avoids ascending mountains. The path is not waymarked and includes some rough and muddy sections. Guidebooks and maps need to be carefully monitored.
Accommodation
In most areas there are plenty of bed and breakfasts, guesthouses and hotels. However, there are stretches where there are limited or no services, so careful planning is required.
Some self-guided tour operators offer an upgrade option which involves more comfortable country hotels or luxury B&Bs.
Many of the accommodation providers, particularly those near to the route, are attuned to walkers’ needs or offer amenities suited to walkers.
We can assist walkers in choosing the accommodation options which best suit their needs.
Other activities
As a popular tourist destination, the East Highlands region offers many attractions in addition to the East Highlands Way.
Many walkers choose to add extra days to their trip so that they can explore these other attractions. Some will do that through rest days along the trail; others prefer ‘add-ons’ at the end of the walk. Some do both!
Fort William has plenty of attractions, including the opportunity to climb the mighty Ben Nevis. Other Fort William attractions include the Jacobite Steam Train (the inspiration for the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter novels) and the historic Ben Nevis Distillery.
Newtonmore is a good choice for a rest day. Its locale was the setting for the popular TV series ‘Monarch of the Glen’.
Aviemore has plenty of attractions and is a delightful spot to relax at the end of the walk. A popular excursion is to take the Cairngorm Funicular Railway to the top of Cairngorm Mountain for great views and the highest restaurant in Britain.
We can assist walkers to explore the many attractions of the East Highlands region.
Assistance
We can assist walkers with various aspects of their walking holidays.