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Loch Ness on the Great Glen Way in Scotland

Great Glen Way

Scotland – just like in a picture book

9 Days / 8 Nights
Walking
Loch Ness on the Great Glen Way in Scotland

As the most important trading route in the Scottish Highlands, the «Great Glen» has plenty of storys to tell. While the legend of Loch Ness probably belongs to the world of fantasy, this region has also been part of countless disputes and battles between clans Nowadays, little disturbs the peace that reigns in the «great glen». The Great Glen Way follows  the Caledonian Canal, takes  you to the shore of crystal clear lochs and in little towns with cosy pubs. This scenery is framed by green hills of the Scottish Higlands, which provides a wonderful contrast to the still waters. The Great Glen Way showes Scotland like in a picture book.

Marvellous moments of peace, picturesque sceneries and fabulous hiking paths – an unforgettable active break awaits you on our hiking holiday through the Scottish Highlands. In nine days and seven hiking stages, you will experience the magic of Scotland by foot and at the same time the important trade route of the region, the Great Glen Way, a 117 kilometre long-distance hiking trail. You start your hiking holiday in Fort William, located at the Southern end of the Great Glen and directly on Loch Linnhe. The route takes you to Gairlochy, Spean Bridge, into the village of Laggan, onwards to Fort Augustus, Invermoriston, Drumnachdrochit, Loch Laide and finally to Inverness, the final destination of your hiking holiday, as well as the cultural heart of the Scottish Highlands.

  • Picture-perfect sceneries: On day four of your hiking holiday, you hike up the Great Glen Way to wonderful viewpoints onto Loch Oich, a narrow lake situated between Loch Ness and Loch Lochy.
  • Legendary hiking routes: Day five of your hiking holiday takes you to the legendary Loch Ness, the largest freshwater lake in the Great Glen and also one of the waters most rich in fish in Great Britain. And who knows, maybe the renowned lake monster Nessie will make an appearance?
  • Inverness Castle: A tour of Inverness Castle is the perfect way to end your 9-day Great Glen Way hiking holiday. The castle was built of red sandstone in 1836 and is perched on a cliff above the river Ness.
  • Even more hiking adventures: A hiking holiday along the Great Glen Way is not enough for you? Then simply combine this holiday with our hiking tour on the West Highland Way. The city of Fort William is the final destination of the hiking holiday on the West Highland Way and at the same time the starting point for your hiking tour on the Great Glen Way.

Our hiking holiday on the Great Glen Way is assigned the level of difficulty of ‚Walking‘. The daily stages lead on well-paved hiking- and forest trails and, with a basic fitness level, become a wonderful experience in the beautiful nature of Scotland. The longer daily stages can easily be shortened by public transport.

Itinerary at a glance

Moors, waterfalls, and heathland: Scotland awaits you with magnificent landscapes and heavenly tranquility! Hike along the Great Glen Way to the famous Loch Ness and the imposing Inverness Castle – and find refreshment in a pub.
Day
01
Arrival in Fort Wiliam

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 second section leads to one of the highlights of the Via Albula/Bernina, the impressive Landwasser 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

Day
09
Departure or extension

Route information

Walking

Good physical condition is mandatory for the Great Glen Way. Occasionally there are steep climbs to overcome but the long stages are the biggest challenges in this long-distance hike. As in many other long-distance hikes, the Great Glen Way has occasional sections on asphalt roads. The entire route is perfectly sign-posted.

Prices & Dates

Category: 3***-hotels and inns

Prices per person in EUR

Services & Information

Further details about this tour

Included

  • Accommodation as already mentioned
  • Breakfast
  • Luggage transfer
  • Carefully elaborated route description

  • Detailed travel documents 1x per room
  • App for Navigation and GPS-data
  • Service hotline

Arrival / Parking / Departure

  • Edinburgh, Glasgow or Inverness airport. By bus to the city center and by train (www.nationalrail.com) in about 4.5 hours (Edinburgh) or 3.5 hours (Glasgow), or by bus (www.citylink.co.uk) in about 2 hours (Inverness) to Fort William.
  • Return journey from Inverness by bus or train to Glasgow or Edinburgh, duration approx. 3.5 hours, or by bus to Inverness Airport, duration approx. 30 minutes.
  • Please note that a valid passport is required for this trip.

Things to note

  • Tourist tax, if due, is not included in the price
  • Further important information according to the package travel law can be found here!
  • This tour is a partner tour.

Join us in achieving greater sustainability by choosing our digital route book, rather than the printed version. As a small thank you we will give you a discount of EUR 20 per room.

Valerie Haring

"I look forward to making your vacation dreams come true."

Valerie Haring
Travel Specialist
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