3 days, 121 kilometres, 2,280 metres of elevation gain. I thru-hiked the trail in October 2025: here’s the journey, day-by-day.
Thinking about tackling the trail yourself? Check out my Great Glen Way: How-To post.
The Stats
Trip Summary
- Start date: 16 October 2025
- Days hiked: 3
- End date: 18 October 2025
Distance & Elevation
- Total distance: 121.42 km
- Average distance/day: 40.47 km
- Total elevation gain & loss: + 2,279 m / – 2,248 m
- Average elevation gain & loss / day: + 760 m / – 749 m
Time & Pace
- Total moving time: 24 h 2 m
- Average moving time / day: 8 hr 1 m
- Average moving pace: 11:52/km; 5.05km/hr
Budget (ex gear)
| Category | Total (£) | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | 120.21 | £62.88 (day 1); £26.4 (day 2); £30.93 (day 3) |
| Food | 64.15 | £13 (sleeper train breakfast); £10.90 (day 1 supermarket); £15 (day 1 dinner); £9.50 (day 2 brunch); £5.75 (day 3 supermarket); £10 (day 3 lunch); £13.40 |
| TOTAL | 184.36 | Average / day: £61.45 |
If you’re on a tight budget, it would be quite easy to do this trail for next to nothing by wild camping and pre-preparing your food at home. On the other end of the spectrum, you could have a more luxury experience by staying in hotels and B&Bs and opting for meals at local cafes and pubs.
For completeness, I also spent £269.79 travelling from London to Fort William, and then returning from Inverness via Edinburgh. It would be easier to make the journey from London cheaper – I got a private cabin in the Caledonian Sleeper train, but they also offer seats; or you could get a train to Glasgow and switch there to a train to Fort William. Similarly, the trip from Inverness-Edinburgh-London was longer and more expensive than usual, due to track works.
Trail Journal
Day 1 – 16 October 2025: Fort William to Laggan
Distance: 38.78 km | Elevation gain: 393 m | Moving time: 7h 23m | Average pace: 11:26/km; 5.2km/hr
Quiet start: grey skies, golden leaves
I woke around 7am in my private cabin on the Caledonian Sleeper train which I’d boarded in London the previous evening. As I ate my hot Scottish breakfast, the Highlands rolled past the window, bathed in sunrise shades of soft apricot and silver-grey. Shortly after 10am we pulled into Fort William alongside the famous Jacobite Steam Train. After a quick supply stop at the supermarket conveniently located just across from the station, I took my first steps on the Great Glen Way.
The first section was accompanied by grey skies and muted autumn colours, reflected in the still waters of the Caledonian Canal. The wide canal towpaths were popular with many walkers, mostly locals out and about, and made for a quick, effortless warm up.
At Gairlochy the trail finally diversified, narrowing into forest paths and lochside tracks, skirting the edges of quiet villages. A short but impeccable reroute around a new hydro station on Loch Lochy added a touch of elevation gain. The gentle descent which followed revealed that my knees were still protesting from the 50km ultramarathon I’d completed just five days earlier. That didn’t bode well for my plan to tackle the high routes.
Patches of blue fought through the overcast sky as I approached Laggan and my thoughts turned to dinner. Following the signs on trail toward the Great Glen Hostel, which I’d booked in advance, added a few hundred unnecessary metres to an already long day, but it was worth it to avoid the traffic on the main road. I arrived just as darkness fell, grateful to find that the hostel could squeeze me in for a cooked dinner – I hadn’t realised that advance bookings were normally required. After a hiker-sized bowl of pasta and a scalding hot shower, the first day on trail was done.
Day 2 – 17 October 2025: Laggan to Drumnadrochit
Distance: 49.59 km | Elevation gain: 1,247 m | Moving time: 10h 6m | Average pace: 12:14/km; 4.9km/hr
Sunrise to sunset; canal to fell
Today was always going to be my biggest on trail, so I was out the door with the sunrise at 8am; though it was light enough I could have left half an hour earlier. A grey morning greeted me as I rejoined the canal and entered the forest, hints of pink and blue slipping through the trees. A flicker of movement caught my eye: a red squirrel darting up a branch, my first sighting of one after over 2 years in the UK.
Following old railway tracks, I soon emerged into the warm embrace of a clear blue day. The canal shimmered in the autumn sun, perfectly mirroring the bordering mountains and trees. It was tempting to linger, but I had many miles left to cover before dark. The trail crossed to the north bank, bathed in warming sunlight, and I made quick time to Fort Augustus. A cafe stop just after 11am for a bacon and egg roll and coffee was the perfect fuel for the upcoming high route.
The trail climbed gently on forested switchbacks (a rarity in the UK) before opening onto the fell. I had the undulating path to myself, sweeping views of dusty purple heather, golden bracken, and boats tracing ripples across Loch Ness had me stopping frequently for photos.
Invermoriston appeared below, and the descent proved brutal: my knees protested every step, and my pace plummeted. The village, when I reached it, ended almost as soon as it began: all too quickly the climb on the far side was underway. The sky turned overcast as I reached the Viewcatcher, where I took a brief stop before continuing on to keep warm. More fell walking followed: still gorgeous, although the cold made my knees ache even more.
At the highest point on today’s section, Loch Ness stretched in both directions: it’s northern end lay out of sight. The descent began soon after; I stopped for a quick snack break and to layer up, which revived my energy. Moments later, I locked eyes with a deer on the path ahead until it darted back into the forest.
As daylight began to fade I followed minor roads into Drumnadrochit, taking a shorter route to save time. I arrived at the Loch Ness Inn just as darkness descended: a hot shower, a burger and a beer were the perfect finale to day 2.
Day 3 – 18 October 2025: Drumnadrochit to Inverness
Distance: 33.05 km | Elevation gain: 639 m | Moving time: 6h 33m | Average pace: 11:54/km; 5.0km/hr
Final climb: sunlit peaks, fading views
I woke early in my four-bed hostel dorm, relieved to find that two of my roommates were stirring, too; so there was no guilt about rustling around. By 7.30am I was walking under a rose and gold sky that promised a calm and beautiful autumn day ahead. I stopped briefly at the supermarket for breakfast and trail snacks, then made my way through a sleepy Drumnadrochit. The hike out of town followed a busy, fast stretch of road, although thankfully there was a dedicated footpath for hikers.
After a few kilometres I turned off the tarmac. Views of Urquhart Castle appeared briefly, before the path wound into quiet pine woods. The gradient was gentle thanks to long switchbacks, and after navigating a large blowdown I soon broke out onto open fell. The sun was trying its best to burn through lingering layers of cloud, giving the morning a soft silvery glow.
At the junction I took the high route option; honestly, this should be made the main trail. The climb was very modest, and the views were spectacular. The sun finally won its battle with the clouds: distant peaks glimmered in the morning light, and the burnished purple and gold fell landscape seemed to come alive. I soon reached the cairn marking the highest point of the entire trail, stopped for a break to take it (and some snacks) in. Unfortunately it was too chilly to linger long, so I soon began the descent through a tangle of storm-felled trees.
The path eventually flattened out near Abriachan Forest Centre, and from there the walking was easy, but a mental grind as views faded, to be replaced by long featureless stretches of road walking and forest track. Eventually the rooftops of Inverness appeared on the horizon, and the final stretch of trail wound through the outskirts of the city, along the Caledonian Canal and River Ness.
After crossing the beautifully maintained Ness Islands I followed the riverbank at pace, almost missing the final turn towards the official end at the castle. When I arrived, I had to laugh: the entire castle grounds were fenced off for construction. An anticlimactic finish to the trail, although soon remedied by a large, hot lunch in town.
Want More?
Curious about the practical side of the trail? Check out my Great Glen Way: How-To post for route info and planning tips.
Thru Horizons 
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