The West Island Way can be walked at any time of the year. During the winter months, this trail is usually only completed by the hardiest of walkers due to the short days, unpredictable weather and less available accommodation and baggage transfer. During spring, April-June, there can be many days of dry, warm weather. For this reason May tends to be the most popular month for walking the West Highland Way.

The summer months, June, July and August, experience the highest temperatures on the trail and many hours of daylight. The only drawback to hiking in the Scottish highlands during these months are the infamous midges….swarming, biting insects that can drive you mad especially when camping. A strong midge repellent and head nets are highly recommended during the summer months.

The West Highland way is a waymarked route, however it is important not to rely too heavily on these way markers for navigation purposes. Unlike in other countries, the way markers on this trail don’t include distance or timings, they are usually just the West Highland Way symbol. Having a map and compass is important to navigate when way markers are spread out to calculate distance and timings.

Being Scotland’s most popular long distance trail, the West Highland Way is well set up with many accommodation options. Close to the trail you will be able to find everything from bunkhouses and hostels to hotels and B and B’s. For the more adventurous, camping is always an option. There are many well-resourced campsites along the trail, some pubs and hotels will also allow camping in their grounds. Thanks to the Scottish outdoor access code, you can wild camp on the majority of the route. However, do be aware that wild camping is banned on the eastern side of Loch Lomond between March and October.