Jim Manthorpe is a wildlife cameraman and writer. He has written and updated dozens of Trailblazer guidebooks over the years, from Ladakh to Canada. But it is the Highlands, where he is based, that he spends most of his time in. He has a particular love for wild places and wildlife and has filmed eagles, otters and orcas for various BBC shows including Springwatch.

He is also the author of the Scottish Highlands Hillwalking Guide, South Downs Way, Pembrokeshire Coast Path and Tour du Mont Blanc - all from Trailblazer.

INTRODUCTION

The Great Glen Way
About the Great Glen Way 7 – History of the Great Glen Way 8
How difficult is it? 10 – How long do you need? 12 – When to go 13

PART 1: PLANNING YOUR WALK

Practical information for the walker
Route finding 17 – Accommodation 18 – Food and drink 21
Money 23 – Other services 24 – Information for foreign visitors 24
Walking companies 26 – Walking with a dog 28
Other options for the Great Glen Way 28

Budgeting 29

Itineraries
Village and town facilities 30 – Which direction? 31
Suggested itineraries 32 – Day and weekend walks 33
Hillwalking side trips 34

What to take
Keep your luggage light 34 – How to carry it 34 – Footwear 35
Clothes 36 – Toiletries 37 – First-aid kit 37 – General items 37
Camping gear 38 – Sources of further information 38 – Money 39
Maps 39 – Recommended reading 40

Getting to and from the Great Glen Way
National transport 41 – Getting to Britain 42
Local transport 43 – Public transport map 45

PART 2: MINIMUM IMPACT WALKING
& OUTDOOR SAFETY

Minimum impact walking
Economic impact 47 – Environmental impact 48 – Scottish outdoor
Access code 50 – Access 51

Outdoor safety
Avoidance of hazards 53 – Weather forecasts 54 – Water 54
Blisters 54 – Bites 55 – Hypothermia 56 – Hyperthermia 57
Dealing with an accident 57

PART 3: THE ENVIRONMENT & NATURE

Conserving Scotland's nature
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) 59 – The Great Glen Fault 59
Campaigning & conservation organisations 59
PART 3: THE ENVIRONMENT & NATURE (continued)

Flora and fauna
Trees 61 – Flowers 65 – Mammals 67 – Reptiles 70
Butterflies 70 – Birds 70

PART 4: ROUTE GUIDE AND MAPS

Using this guide 74

Fort William 76

Fort William to Gairlochy 81 (Lochyside 82 – Caol 82
Corpach 86 – Banavie 87 – Gairlochy 87 – Spean Bridge 90)

Gairlochy to junction by Laggan Locks 94
Side trip to the Loch Lochy munros 98

Junction by Laggan Locks to Fort Augustus 101 (Junction by Laggan Locks to Aberchalder via Laggan and Loch Oich 101
Laggan 101 – Junction by Laggan Locks to Aberchalder via Invergarry, Invergarry link route 105 – Invergarry 106 – Aberchalder to Fort Augustus 110 – Fort Augustus 111)

Fort Augustus to Invermoriston 116 (High route from Fort Augustus to junction of routes 118 – Low route from Fort Augustus to junction of routes 120 – Junction of routes to Invermoriston 120
Invermoriston 120)

Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit 123

Drumnadrochit 131

Drumnadrochit to Inverness 136

Inverness 144

APPENDICES

A: Gaelic 151
B: GPS Waypoints 153
C: Taking a dog along the Way 155
D: Glen Nevis and Ben Nevis 157
E: Map key 165
F: Distance charts 166

INDEX 170

OVERVIEW MAPS & PROFILES 177