Milestone Moments
This gallery takes you on a journey through the decades, looking at some of the highlights of Scotland’s first long-distance route. Click the buttons to find out more, view additional galleries and stories; afterwards, you will be directed back to this page.
The idea
Tom Hunter (1926-2016), a keen walker, first came up with the idea for a long distance walk post-WW2 to ensure that plenty of countryside remained for walkers of future generations.
The 1967 Countryside (Scotland) Act gave the Countryside Commission for Scotland (CCS) the power and duty to identify and propose Long Distance Routes (LDRs). Following designation by the Secretary of State for Scotland, the long cherished concept of a route north from Glasgow took the first steps towards reality. The summer of 1969 was devoted to the task of surveying an appropriate route, coordinated largely by individual walking clubs, including that of Tom and his wife Margaret. At this time, Fort William was identified as the northern anchor of the route and the name “West Highland Way” emerged.
The CCS surveyed the route in detail, with geographer Fiona Rose putting in about 1000 miles, and final proposals for the then 95-mile route were approved in 1974. The West Highland Way was officially opened to walkers by the Lord Mansfield, Minister of State at the Scottish Office on Monday 6th October 1980. It became the first officially designated LDR in Scotland.
An article in The Scotsman from 7 October 1980 quotes Lord Mansfield as saying,
“I believe that the West Highland Way will become popular with walkers from both this country and abroad and that it will take its rightful place among our tourist attractions.”
Tom Weir and his wife Rhona were also at the opening. Rhona, who at that time was head teacher at the school in Gartocharn, wrote in the school log book pictured and transcribed below:
“The headteacher, Mrs Weir, was allowed off school at 2pm to attend the opening in Balmaha of the West Highland Way long distance Walk. Heavy rain resulted in the ceremony being held in a marquee and the speakers had to compete with the battering of rain on the canvas. Later we visited the new indicator on the little hill above Balmaha Pier. It is hoped that this Walk will be preserved for today’s children.”
Rhona Weir unveiling the statue of her late husband Tom Weir, with Cameron MacNeish and Jimmie Macgregor in 2014
The Tom Weir Statue, part of Weir’s Rest, which is a popular picnic spot next to Balmaha Bay
The Early Days
We are delighted that Jimmie Macgregor, who did so much to raise the profile of the West Highland Way, granted us an exclusive interview, especially for the 40th anniversary.
In 1980, popular Scottish folk singer Jimmie Macgregor was coming to a halt in his music career and looking for new opportunities. As he explains in this video clip, he had the idea to make radio programmes for the newly created long-distance route.
Those radio shows, along with the TV versions that followed, put the West Highland Way firmly on the map.
1980s Walkers
Thanks to Michael McCallum who shared his photos from his walk during Easter 1982. He walked with his friends for charity raising £1200, a big sum in 1982.
West Highland Way Race
The West Highland Way Race was started in June 1985 by two runners, Duncan Watson and Bobby Shields. Slight differences in the route and format have been tried over the years but, after the 2019 race, a total of 1,429 people (affectionately known as ‘The Family’) have successfully completed the full race at least once.
The Highland Fling Race then followed in 2006 and the West Highland Way Challenge Race in 2013.
Ian Beattie, pictured below with his wife Sandra, has been WHW Race Director since 2010. Sandra sent in these photographs and shared a blog post with us that she wrote in 2015. Sandra’s blog covers her run in that year, together with some of the behind the scenes organisation that goes into the West Highland Way race.
1990s
The Caledonian Challenge was founded in 1996 by Angus MacDonald and Alex Blyth. Initially a munro challenge, it moved to the West Highland Way in 1998. Over 18,000 people took up the challenge and raised more than £14 million for charity over 21 years. Different formats operated over the years including The 54, from Gairlochy to Strathfillan in 24 hours, or The 24, from Glen Nevis to Glencoe in 12 hours.
1990s Walkers
Charlie Kavanagh from Greenock, who walked the West Highland Way for the 59th time in 2020, first walked the route back in June 1991 having been inspired by Jimmie Macgregor’s TV programmes. Robert Marshall, whose oil paintings are displayed in the ‘Your WHW’ gallery, first walked the Way in 1993.
Alan McAteer sent us a series of photographs to accompany his West Highland Way memories. Alan and friends first walked the West Highland Way in 1997 for his 30th birthday. Click below to read more.
2000s
In the early 2000s, the Foot & Mouth outbreak was a challenging time for rural areas including the West Highland Way. However, by 2004, it was estimated that the path was used by over 15,000 ‘whole length’ walkers per annum and 50,000 more day walkers. In 2005, the Way celebrated its 25th anniversary with a series of special events.
The West Highland Way 25th Anniversary Relay took place in June 2005. It covered the entire 95 miles of the route from Milngavie to Fort William.
The relay involved around 50 groups, totalling 1000 children and young people, walking sections of between one and five miles carrying a specially designed relay baton. The event concluded in Fort William on Friday 17th June at the Woollen Mill and the baton was then handed over to the State Street Caledonian Challenge.
East Dunbartonshire Council Provost, MSP Patricia Ferguson, Rhona McLeod (BBC Scotland Sports Reporter) and actor Ian Kelsey started the relay in Milngavie with 180 school children. Jimmie Macgregor also introduced the event and gave a talk.
At the other end of the route, Lochaber School Pipe Band took the lead in the final mile and Charles Kennedy gave a speech in Fort William thanking participants for their efforts and underlining the importance of the West Highland Way.
MP Charles Kennedy at Fort William
West Highland Way Tartan
Designed as part of the 25th Anniversary celebrations, the West Highland Way tartan was registered with The Scottish Tartans Authority in 2005. Created to be worn by participants and supporters of the walk, its design is inspired by the scenery and clans linked with areas along the route.
Memorial Bridge
Thomas Wilson contacted us with this story of a WHW bridge, erected in memory of one of his fellow Strathaven Striders who sadly passed away in 2003. The bridge was opened in 2005, click below to read the full story.
Memorial Bridge, near Milarrochy Bay, Loch Lomond
2010s
In 2010, the West Highland Way became the first European Chapter of the International Appalachian Trail (IAT). Founded in the 1990s, the IAT runs across the Appalachian Mountains of North America. These mountains share geology going back a billion years with others in Europe and Africa due to ancient supercontinents forming, breaking up and forming again.
The extra mile
In October 2006, Councillors had voted in favour of a plan to extend the WHW by an extra mile. There was then a public consultation, the outcome of which was the Sore Feet Statue and surrounding works in Fort William town centre to give a more fitting end point to the now 96 mile route. This was also unveiled in 2010, the 30th anniversary of the Way.
Picture sent in by Bill Hall
Picture sent in by Peter Mason
As the Way gained in popularity, more people walked it for good causes, such as comedian Fred MacAulay for the STV Appeal in July 2012. He was joined at points along the way by Scott Hastings, Clare Grogan, Greg and Pat Kane, former Miss Scotlands Jennifer Reoch and Katharine Brown, actor David Hayman and Still Game duo Jane McCarry and Mark Cox.
By the end of 2019, the Way was being completed by over 40,000 people each year with the same number again enjoying it in shorter sections. It is estimated to contribute >£12 million to the rural economy, supporting many local businesses and communities.
Funding was sought from LEADER for a project in 2020 centring on the 40th anniversary. Nobody could have predicted what was going to happen in 2020, but we could not let Covid-19 prevent us from celebrating the success of Scotland’s premier long distance route.
40 Years of History
From our Archives
Here are some photographs of treasures that we found in the West Highland Way archives, including some of the merchandise. Coming soon, we will have a new range of official West Highland Way merchandise.
A selection of West Highland Way memorabilia.
The reverse of a very bright t-shirt. Promoting the West Highland Way to walkers behind you!
The Countryside Commission for Scotland published regular surveys reporting early uptake of the route
Guides to the West Highland Way from throughout the years
West Highland Way tartan (story above) produced to commemorate the 25th anniversary.
The West Highland Way has been featured in many press and magazine articles from all over the world
40th Anniversary Official Passport
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the West Highland Way, we created an Official Passport to accompany your walk. Purchase in Milngavie or via our website and then get it stamped at Passport Points along the route.
The Future
Kenny Auld, Chair of the West Highland Way Management Group, talks about the Way forward. See also more from Kenny at Falls of Falloch in the ‘Along the Way’ section.
If you want to support the future of the WHW so that it can be enjoyed by generations to come, please make a donation here. Or find out more about how you could volunteer.
