Notices

WHW and Covid19/Coronavirus

COVID protection levels in many areas across Scotland will change again from midnight on Friday 5 June. As the situation in Glasgow has continued to stabilise, the city will move to Level 2. However a number of other areas are not yet meeting the criteria for transition to Level 1 so will instead remain in Level 2 for now. These areas include the southern stretches of the WHW in:

East Dunbartonshire
Stirling

The following areas will move to Level 1:

Highland
Argyll and Bute

Level 1 allows for meetings in indoor public places of eight people from three households, and outdoors of 12 people from 12 households.

As always, more information and the latest guidance on Coronavirus can be found on the Scottish Government or NHS websites.

Please check the latest Scottish Government guidance on travel and transport for more information.

As long stretches of the West Highland Way are within the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park, please read their advice to visitors.

While restrictions are now easing, please remember some facilities and businesses will not yet be open fully or operating as usual, so ensure you plan ahead.

The West Highland Way Management Group is monitoring the Coronavirus situation closely and following advice from the Scottish Government and the NHS. We recommend that you do the same.

Any further updates will be added to this page www.westhighlandway.org/notices

Top up taps

There are now three Scottish Water ‘Top up taps’ along the route of the West Highland Way. These are in Milngavie, Balmaha and Fort William. You can now fill up water bottles before you leave as well as on the route. The taps are a part of the wider Your Water Your Life campaign.

Updated 05/07/21

Maintenance and construction traffic on WHW at Kinlochleven

From Monday 31^st May until Monday 21^st July there will be a vehicular traffic on the access track from Kinlochleven up to Blackwater dam during the annual maintenance works on the site. The first section of the track from the village up to the lower penstock cottage is also shared by the West Highland Way.

Contractors have been made aware to look out of walkers and cyclists during this time.

See map below for site location.

Works are being undertaken on behalf of www.greenhighland.co.uk

Updated 01/06/21

West Highland Line Maintenance

Contractors will be carrying out some vegetation clearance and culvert works on a section of the West Highland Line adjacent to the West Highland Way during the week commencing 7th June, works are not expected to impact the footpath.

Updated 09/06/21

WHW Race Cancelled for 2021

For more information follow link below from the race director:

www.westhighlandwayrace.org

Updated 30/03/21

Update from The Mountain Bothies Association

Please follow link below for an update from The Mountain Bothies Association.

https://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/

Updated 30/03/21

West Highland Way path repair work

Contractors will be repairing 2 short sections of the path near Crianlarich over the next 2-3 weeks. Work will be taking place at Keilator Farm (by the A82 underpass) and also at Ewich North where the path descends from the A82. Local options for diversions etc. are limited – if you wish to use the path please make yourself known to the site workers & follow any site signage.

Updated 08/03/21

Tree Harvesting Works – Ewich Forest

From the 25^th January 2021, harvesting work is commencing in the Ewich forest (Crianlarich). The main WHW route through the forest will be largely unaffected, however tree felling is taking place on the Drover’s Loop/WHW spur (linking into Crianlarich). For safety reasons, this short link will be closed to public access for approx.. 1 – 2 weeks – please follow the local diversion and adhere to any guidance from the foresters.

Updated 18/01/21

Scottish Six Day Trials – 2021 Cancelled

The Edinburgh and District Motor Club has taken the decision, as a result of the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, to cancel the 2021 SSDT and the Pre’65 Scottish trials.

Updated 11/01/21

Highland Fling Ultra Marathon – 2021 Cancelled

Message from race organisers 10th September 2020:

The main reasons for this decision are as follows:

1) We do not want to be responsible for facilitating ANY spread of Covid-19 within the population.

2) The event takes over 12 months to organise and at present it is impossible to confirm various important bookings for April 2021. All the businesses integral to the event were massively supportive when we cancelled this year’s event back in March and we cannot ask them to take our bookings, knowing there is a high possibility that the event will again not go ahead and they will again lose out financially.

We know that runners love doing races and this news may be disappointing but safety has always been our main priority at the event. During the current pandemic this priority also extends to the wider population.

Further information on Highland Fling

Updated 11/01/21

Route Update –Blackwater Dam Hydropower Development

Construction work is due to start at beginning of Dec 2020, and the targeted completion date is Autumn 2021. During this time various activities will be undertaken on a daily basis including access track construction, penstock (pipeline) burying, and intake construction.

The West Highland Way will remain open through out this time but there may be occasions that you will be asked to wait until the excavator is clear of path before continuing along the route, banksmen will be present (please take instruction from them) and there will be signage erected to help guide you safely across the site.

Notices will also be displayed at both Altnafead and Kinlochleven informing walkers of the works.

Contact details for the development are:

Phone – 01738 493110
Email – info@greenhighland.co.uk

See below for map of location.

Updated: 01/12/2020

Route Update

The West Highland Way between Inversnaid and Crianlarich sustained some storm damage at the end of Summer 2019. The section has remained open, however extra care should be taken especially in poor weather conditions.

Please follow the diversion signs that maybe in place on this section due to any repair work taking place.

Useful numbers:

Ardlui Hotel: 01301 704243
The Drovers Inn: 01301 704234
Beinglas Campsite: 01301 704 281
Cruise Loch Lomond: 01301702356
Citylink Buses: 0141 352 4444
Waterbus timetable
Scotrail

Any further updates will be placed on www.westhighlandway.org

Updated: 29/09/2020

Timber Harvesting – Duntreath

Timber operations are due to start towards the end of the week commencing 24^th June on Duntreath Estate. There is a section of the site that requires an access road for timber lorries to cross over the West Highland Way. Please see map below showing the areas of operations.

Contractors will ensure that all approaches, on the path and access road, have the appropriate warning signs in place and will continuously monitor these to ensure they stay in place.

Added: 25th June 2019

Top up taps installed on West Highland Way

Scottish Water have installed a top up tap in Milngavie at the start of the West Highland Way and another in Fort William at the end of the route.

Scottish Water have produced this short video about the taps.

Added: 2nd April 2019

Livestock on West Highland Way

Please be aware that sections of the route go through working farms where livestock will be present, not all sections are able to have diversions.

Please pay particular attention when walking with dogs as there will be sheep with lambs and cows with calves along the route. Both can be easily disturbed and also could potentially be a danger, see advice below:

The information below is a short summary of the key things to remember from the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

The Access Code says:

Access rights apply to people walking dogs as long as their dogs are kept under proper control. Your main responsibilities are:

Farm animals:
- Never let your dog worry or attack farm animals.
- Don’t take your dog into fields where there are lambs, calves or other young farm animals.
- If you go into a field of farm animals, keep your dog(s) on a short lead or under close control and keep as far as possible from the animals.
- If cattle react aggressively and move towards you, keep calm, let the dog go and take the shortest, safest route out of the field.

For further information see the Scottish Outdoor Access Code website here

Scottish Six Day Trials

The Scottish Six Day Trials are an annual event which has taken place in the area around Fort William since 1977.

The event itself has little impact on the West Highland Way, but you are likely to come across spectators who may use the path to access the Trials route. You may find that while the Trials are taking place, Fort Williams can be busy with spectators and support crews.

You can find more information on the trials at http://www.ssdt.org/.

Keep it clean

Our forests are at risk from tree pest and diseases. Tree diseases can travel. That’s not new but the increase in global trade and the impacts of climate change mean the foresters are tackling an increasing number of problems at once.

Pests and diseases can hitch a ride in mud and debris on your shoes, dog’s paws and bike tyres, ending up in new forests. We’re doing everything we can but we need your help too.

Before a forest visit, make sure you’ve cleaned your shoes, your bike, your kit and your dog too.

This helps slow disease spread, preserving our woodlands now and for future generations. Together we can help control the spread of diseases.

For more information visit https://forestryandland.gov.scot/keep-it-clean