Hiking holidays Great Glen Way

The small town of Fort William is picturesquely situated on the deep blue Loch Linnhe. Behind the roofs of the town, the peak of Ben Nevis rises majestically into the air. The diverse landscape makes Fort William a popular starting point for excursions into the nearby Highlands.

Ben Nevis and the peaks of the surrounding Highlands provide wonderful scenery for the first few miles. The Great Glen Way takes you close to the water through the outskirts of Fort William and through small parks.

After a few kilometres you reach the Caledonian Canal, which you will follow to Inverness. The walk is flat until you reach the locks at Gairlochy. From here it is only a stone's throw to your accommodation in Spean Bridge.

The shores of Loch Lochy await you today. Keep your eyes open, because this loch also has its supernatural. "Lizzie" is less well known than “Nessie” the Loch Ness Monster. The wild shore of Loch Lochy inspires folklore tales. You walk the entire length of the loch and soon the first houses of Laggan village come into view.

A variation of the Great Glen Way takes you a little higher today and offers views over nearby Loch Oich. You will walk through tranquil woodland with a myriad of colourful thistles lining the path. At Aberchalder, the Great Glen Way rejoins the Caledonian Canal, which takes you through a beautiful floodplain to Fort Augustus.

Today you will reach the legendary Loch Ness. This stage is a little shorter than the previous ones, giving you the opportunity to take it easy on today's hike. In the village of Invermoriston you will find a small waterfall and some cafés and restaurants.

Today's stage offers two variants. The "high" tour leads you over steep steps to wonderful viewpoints. The "low" variant on the shores of Loch Ness involves less altitude gain, but it too climbs after a few kilometres. After the two paths have come together again, the path leads through untouched woods and moors to Drumnadrochit.

The long final leg of the Great Glen Way is split into two shorter stages. In the morning a transfer takes you to Loch Laide. From here you will walk through tranquil woodland and heathland back to Drumnadrochit. In the village you have the option of visiting the Nessie Visitor Centre, one of the nearby waterfalls or the ruins of Urquhart Castle.

In the morning transfer back to Loch Laide. The last stage leads through idyllic woodland with occasional views of the city of Inverness. After a gentle descent to the banks of the River Ness, this channel leads you into the city. Your destination is Inverness Castle, which towers picturesquely over the city and marks the end point of the Great Glen Way.