Great Glen Ways

The Great Glen Way stretches 73 miles from Fort William to Inverness, following one of Scotland's most dramatic geographical features - a massive fault line that splits the Highlands clean in two. You're walking alongside lochs, canals, and ancient glens where the landscape does most of the talking for you.

Most people don't tackle the whole thing. Fair enough - it's a proper undertaking. Instead, walkers base themselves near Inverness and do sections of it, which makes absolute sense if you're camping at Inver Coille or Loch Ness Holiday Park nearby. The stretch between Inverness and Drumnadrochit is manageable in a day, with Loch Ness looming alongside you the entire way. The towpath sections are easy on the legs; the moorland bits demand a bit more fitness.

This isn't about dramatic peaks or sudden views - it's about sustained, rolling scenery and the kind of walk where your mind settles after the first couple of hours. History threads through it constantly: the Caledonian Canal, built by Thomas Telford, runs much of the route, and you're constantly aware you're walking through terrain that shaped Scottish clan warfare.

Walkers will get the most from it. Families with younger kids might find the longer sections tedious unless you're breaking it into short hops. Spring and early summer are best - fewer midges, longer light, and the landscape's actually alive. It's free, and you can start or finish wherever suits your schedule. Coming here for a week-long park stay and doing the Great Glen in sections is precisely the right approach.