Packing for the West Highland Way

Introduction to the West Highland Way
Packing for the West Highland Way
Glasgow
Milngavie to Conic Hill
Conic Hill to Rowardennan
Rowardennan to Inverarnan
Inverarnan to Tyndrum
Tyndrum to Inveroran
Inveroran to Kingshouse
Kingshouse to Kinlochleven
Kinlochleven to Fort William

Deciding what to pack is never easy especially if your new to long distance walking. My advice is to keep your bag as light as possible.

 Essentials for 1 Person

• Tent (Max 2 Kilos)
• Sleeping bag with a seasonal rating appropriate for the time of year.
• Camping stove with enough fuel to last the entire trip. (I use an MSR petrol stove)
• Light weight camping mat
• Pan, plate, cup, fork, spoon and camping knife.
• Water carrier, 2 litre capacity will keep most people going all day.
• Matches
• Water purification tablets or filter.
• Small steel flask.
• 2 x water proof compression sacks, 1 for your sleeping bag and 1 for your clothes.
• Warm fleece
• Light weight walking trousers, ones that convert to shorts are ideal in summer.
• 2 light weight shirts
• Underwear.
• Two pairs of good quality walking socks
• Waterproof breathable jacket
• Waterproof trousers
• Head torch (LED ones are the best these days)
• Broken in walking boots
• Compass
• Maps
• Enough food for at least 2 days, restock along the way.
• Camera.
• Midge Head Nets (Essential in midgy season).

There maybe other things that you wish to include in your pack but I consider the above the bare essentials for anyone wishing to camp along the way. I met a chap close to Drymen heading south from Cape Wrath, he was planning to walk all the way to Lands End in Cornwall. He didn’t even carry a camping stove but I like my morning coffee too much to sacrifice my stove.

The best way to pack your food is in small amounts, for example only take enough tea bags & coffee for 7 days. Mix museli with milk powder and divide into breakfast size portions so all you have to do in the morning is add water. Supermarket dehydrated savoury rice & beanfeast dishes make ideal main meals for backpacking, light and cheap. Don’t waste you’re money on expensive camping meals, most of them cost as much as eating out and taste vile.

 You will almost certainly be eating at many of the great pubs, restuarants and hotels along the way, so just remember this when packing your food.

The biggest factor that will influence your pack weight is the time of year you choose to walk the West Higland Way. Walk it in the Winter and your will need a lot more gear and you have to consider that many of the youth hostels, B&Bs and bunkhouses may be closed.

The best time of year to walk the West Highland way is Spring to Early Summer time. These months have the lowest rainfall and midges are less of a problem. I left in September and real problems with midge swarms, thousands invaded my camp every morning.