The West Highland Way, which passes through some of Scotland’s finest scenery, has been named among the greatest walks in the world by a top travel guide.
The 96-mile long trek was the only British walk to be named by Wanderlust in its list of 37 “world class walks.”
The guide chose the best walks from each inhabited continent and other geographical regions of the world such as the Middle East.
The West Highland Way was one of only seven walks chosen for Europe. The footpath runs from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William in Lochaber, with some hill walking on the route.
It is managed by the West Highland Way Management Group consisting of East Dunbartonshire Council, Stirling Council, Argyll and Bute Council, Highland Council and Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority.
More than 85,000 people use the path every year, of whom more than 30,000 walk the entire route.
Other walks from Europe chosen by Wanderlust were Sentiero degli Dei on the Amalfi Coast in Italy; Tour du Mont Blanc which passes through parts of France, Switzerland and Italy; Camino de Santiago in Spain; Laugavegur, which is Iceland’s most iconic walk; the Lycian Way in Turkey and Faulhornweg in Switzerland.
Of the West Highland Way, the guide recommended it should be done over six to seven days – though the course race record was set in June by Paisley man Paul Giblin who did it in 14 hours, 20 minutes and 11 seconds.
It describes the route’s difficulty as “moderate, though it’s weather dependent.”
“From just outside Glasgow to the UK’s highest peak, the West Highland Way is the perfect Scottish primer. Utilising many old pathways – from drovers’ roads to disused railway lines – it crosses pastoral lowlands, skirts Loch Lomond and negotiates bleakly beautiful Rannoch Moor before delving into great glens and finishing beneath 1344m (4409ft) Ben Nevis – a summit of which provides the ultimate finale,” say Wanderlust.
The West Highland Way opened in 1980 as the first official long distance footpath in Scotland. It remains the best and most popular long distance walk.