Great Glen Way an overview of the Scottish walking route

An overview of walking the Great Glen Way in Scotland including links to walking information, walking equipment, walking holidays, walking maps and travel related to walking

The Great Glen Way was officially opened on the 30th of April 2002 by H.R.H. Prince Andrew, Earl of Inverness.

From Fort William to Inverness through Glen Mor, "the Great Glen", a geological fault line running south-west to north-east across Scotland. The route mainly follows the course of the Caledonian Canal, and the shores of Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness. The canal was built by Thomas Telford between 1803 and 1822 although James Watt was the originator of the ideal back in 1773.

Walking is typically on low-lying canal tow-paths, forest tracks and paths, but there are sections where the route climbs high above the shoreline, giving excellent views over Loch Ness.

Beginning at the Old Fort in Fort William the Great Glen Way skirts the shores of Loch Linnhe to Corpach, the Place of Bodies. Corpach was in ancient times the departure point for the bodies of important people destined for burial on the island of Iona. Bodies where brought here from as far away as Inverness all the way through the Great Glen.

At Corpach the Great Glen Way joins the Caledonian Canal for the first time at a set of eight locks called Neptune's Staircase. The series of locks take the canal from sea level to 19.2m above sea level in a distance of 500m.

The way follows the towpath to Gairlochy passing the Allt Sheangain Tunnel, the Loy Aqueduct and the Moy Swing Bridge on the way. Here it meets its second loch Loch Lochy. The route follows forest track along the western shore before rejoining the Caledonian Canal at Laggan Locks.


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Approx 4km before Laggan Locks at the ruin on the banks of the loch at Glas-dhoire you can take a detour to bag a couple of Munros, No 275 Meall na Teanga ( 918m / 3012ft ) and No 239 Sron a'Choire Ghairbh ( 937m / 3074ft ). Marked by a cairn a path starts to steeply climb up through the forest following the north bank of the Allt Glas-dhoire. The path having started in a north westerly direction turns west ever upwards to the summit of Cam Bhlealach. From here its left or right. If you intend to come back down the same way it doesn't matter too much. There is however an alternative route back down via Sron a'Choire Ghairbh so if this is your choice then turn left and steeply south to climb up onto the spur of Meall Dubh then cross over to the north ridge of Teanga via a shallow bealach. The summit cairn is just a a few hundred metres south from here.

At the cairn return from whence you came down to the Cam Bhealach and take the zig zag path up onto the south ease ridge of Sron a'Choire Ghairbh and walk along an easy track to the summit. Continue along the east ridge bagging Sean Mheall (887m) and Meall nan Dearcag (689m) on the way. From Meall nan Dearcag drop down to the Kilfinnan Burn and the magnificent Kilfinnan Falls.

Return to the Great Glen Way

Be aware that this detour can take between 6 to 9 hours to complete and they are Munros!!!

If you don't take the Munro route still take time out to see the Kilfinnan Falls. At the end of Loch Lochy the way rejoins the Caledonian Canal at Laggan Locks and continues along the towpath into Laggan Avenue a fine avenue of trees planted by Thomas Telford. There is a SYHA across the canal in Laggan.

This area is also the site of the Battle of the Shirts, a clan battle that took place in 1544. Clan Fraser had a bloody encounter with the combined forces of Clan Ranald and Clan Cameron on the shores of Loch Oich. Both the chief of Clan Fraser and his son were killed in the battle that ensued. Why was it called the Battle of the Shirts? Because the battle took place on a hot summers day many of the clan members dispensed with their traditional woollen plaids and fought in their shirts!

The towpath ends at the Laggan Swing Bridge. The Great Glen Way and the A82 cross the bridge. The route then joins the eastern shores of Loch Oich by way of a dismantled railway line up to Aberchalder. From here its back to the canal towpath for the next section of the way into Fort Augustus.

From Fort Augustus the Great Glen Way starts to climb away from the canal and away from the lochs up into the forest. An increase in height also increases the views both back towards Fort Augustus and over Loch Ness as the Great Glen Way follows a highish level route on forest track parrallel to the road and Loch Ness. The forest track meets a minor road coming up from the right and the route does a switchback into Invermoriston

with its waterfalls and Thomas Telford bridge over the River Moriston.

A steep climb on another minor road out of Invermoriston leads to another forest track taking you back towards the loch. Again highish level forest track runs in parrellel with road and loch below and lasts for about 8km before the way turns left out of the trees to the village of Grotaig.

Tarmac indicates the route out of Grotaig as the way follows the only road into or out of the village. After 4ish km the path departs from the black stuff and descends through Clunebeg Wood to the banks of the River Coiltie and Borlum Bridge.

Passing Lewiston enter Nessie Country, the home of the legend Drumnadrochit.

Follow the A82 east out of the village to Temple Pier. The Great Glen Way ascends a forest track again with views back towards Urquhart Castle. The climb becomes a traverse through the forest breaking out into open country before turning away from the loch and heading for Abriachan.

Out of Abriachan and having crossed over one minor road the way continues along the side and then through and then along the side again of more forest before merging with another pleasant minor road. Keep to this road for approx 5km. Although the tarmac under foot may wear you down the views over the distant mountains will be uplifting. At Blackfold the way leaves the road and enters Craig Leach Forest utilising forest track to emerge at a reservoir next to Leachkin Chambered Cairn.

Descending from the reservoir the route clips the outshirts of Kinmylies a suburb of Inverness. Extensive views over the Moray Firth and Inverness.

Join the Caledonian Canal for the last time but head south!

Cross over the canal by way of the bridge carrying the A82 road and take an immediate right turn down to the Inverness Floral Hall

. The road takes you down to the riverbank. Turn back north along the river before taking a series of footbridges linking the banks of the river via a series of islands in the middle. You should now be on the east side and the riverside path leads to the destination of the Great Glen Way, Inverness Castle.