Great Glen Way – Following the Fault Line from Coast to Coast in the Scottish Highlands

The Great Glen Way Trail

A Quieter Walk Through Waterways, History, and Highland Forests

After walking Wainright’s Coast to Coast, the Pennine Way, and the West Highland Way back-to-back, we arrived in Fort William physically soaked and emotionally saturated. We weren’t sure whether we had the energy to continue - but a local bookseller convinced us that the Great Glen Way was quieter, more peaceful, and offered a different kind of path through Scotland. That was all the encouragement we needed.

So we set out once again, this time tracing the geological rift that forms the Great Glen a valley carved by tectonic forces and glaciers, linking Loch Linnhe, Loch Oich, Loch Ness, and the Caledonian Canal. Opened in 2002 as Scotland’s fourth official long-distance trail, the route spans 79 miles (126 km) between Fort William and Inverness, connecting the Atlantic and North Sea in a four-day hike through history, myth, and the ongoing tension between slow travel and tourism growth.

Why Walk the Great Glen Way?

• Coast-to-Coast in the Highlands: Walk from sea to sea entirely on foot across one of Scotland’s most famous geological features.
• Canal and Loch-Side Tranquility: Much of the route follows quiet towpaths and forest tracks alongside the Caledonian Canal and Scotland’s legendary lochs.
• A Calmer Trail: Less crowded than the West Highland Way, with more opportunities for birding, solitude, and self-paced reflection.
• Scotland’s National Trail System: Recognized as one of Scotland’s Great Trails and linked to national conservation efforts.
• Ties to Canadian Trails: Twinned with the Rideau Canal, a route we followed while crossing Canada on the Trans Canada Trail.

Trail Details

• Origin: Fort William (Atlantic Coast)
• Destination: Inverness (North Sea)
• Distance: ~126 km / 79 miles
• Time Required: 4–7 days (we completed it in 4)
• Best Seasons: May to September
• Terrain: Towpaths, gravel roads, forest tracks, canal bridges, and increasing ascents due to trail re-routes
• Difficulty: Moderate – Easy terrain, but long stages and forestry re-routes make it more strenuous than it seems

Our Walking Itinerary and Stages

We walked the Great Glen Way in four days, often combining standard stages to give ourselves room later for Hadrian’s Wall. Here’s how our journey unfolded:

About the Great Glen Way

Beginning the Great Glen Way : Fort William to Laggan

Hiking Loch Ness : Fort Augustus to Drumnadrochit

Final day on the Great Glen Way : Drumnadrochit to Inverness

Reflecting on the Great Glen Way

Reflections from the Glen

Compared to the West Highland Way, the Great Glen Way was quieter, more bird-rich, and at times far more introspective. We hiked beside barges on the Caledonian Canal, watched mist roll over Loch Ness, and camped in peaceful spots that reminded us of trails in Canada.

Yet, this trail is also in flux. We encountered multiple forestry re-routes, closed castles, and detours through clear-cut lands and residential roads. The quiet was welcome, but the shifting nature of the trail - seeking to rebrand itself as more than a canal walk - meant that at times we weren’t sure where we stood: in wilderness or in working timberlands.

Despite these challenges, moments stayed with us: the Eagle Barge at Laggan, an unexpected forest café with warm hospitality and hot cake, and the satisfying sense of connecting one coast to another entirely on foot.

Completing a Scottish Chapter

The Great Glen Way was our final Scottish trail before heading south to tackle Hadrian’s Wall Path. It formed a northern arc to our UK hiking adventure—a route through history, solitude, and a shifting landscape that asks what it means to walk a national trail today.

This walk connects to our wider archive of global slow travel experiences:

• Trekking coast-to-coast on Canada’s 28,000 km long Trans Canada Trail
• Crossing Spain and Portugal on the Camino Frances, Camino Primitivo, and Camino Portuguese
• Rail adventures like VIA Rail’s Canadian and Ocean
• Ocean crossings aboard the Queen Mary 2 and Wind Surf

From lochs to legends, from fortresses to forests, the Great Glen reminded us that even in transition, we’re always moving forward - one path at a time.

See you on the Trail!