Hiking
3 day west highland way
Contributed by Bish
Scotland
Walking the west highland way in 3 days
- Stages
- 2
In June this year, we returned to Scotland to take on one of our toughest challenges yet — completing the entire 96-mile West Highland Way in just three days.
Having completed the route in seven days in 2025, we wanted to push ourselves further and see just what we were capable of.
Two former REME soldiers, supported by a former Royal Corps of Transport veteran, set off from Milngavie with one goal — reach Fort William within three days.
Our first day alone saw us cover over 53 miles in 21 hours. Through exhaustion, aching muscles, difficult terrain and very little sleep, we kept putting one foot in front of the other.
Three days after setting off, we walked into Fort William, having completed what we’d set out to achieve.
But this was about more than just walking. It was about friendship, determination, the military spirit that never really leaves you, and raising money to support fellow veterans.
Over £3,000 raised for charity and memories that will last a lifetime.
And if you thought that was the end of our West Highland Way adventures…
Wait until you see what we’ve got planned for 2027!
🇬🇧 Always a little further.
Stage 1: Day 1, one long day!
53 official miles. Almost 21 hours on our feet. One hell of a day!
After a drive of over four hours just to reach the start, Paul and I set off from Milngavie at 3am, ready to tackle what would become one of the toughest days either of us had experienced.
The plan was ambitious — reach Tyndrum before the day was out.
The Scottish weather certainly wasn’t going to make it easy. We endured plenty of rain, difficult terrain and miles of relentless walking.
By the time we descended Conic Hill, the first real problems were already appearing. My knees were beginning to suffer badly on the descent, while Paul’s calves were giving him serious trouble.
And we still had over 30 miles to go!
There was no magic solution. We simply had to dig deep, manage the pain and keep moving.
Loch Lomond brought another unwelcome surprise. The low path along the loch was closed, forcing us to take a longer alternative route, adding more distance and climbing to an already punishing day.
As the hours passed, daylight began to disappear, fatigue set in and every mile became a battle of determination.
Even our GPS tracker eventually gave up, dying at just over 51 miles, meaning the recorded distance didn’t tell the full story of what we’d actually covered.
But we weren’t stopping.
Through the rain, the pain and the darkness, we kept pushing north, knowing that Tyndrum was still waiting for us.
Just before midnight, almost 21 hours after setting off, we finally reached Tyndrum.
The official route distance for the day was 53 miles, although the diversion around Loch Lomond meant we’d actually covered more ground.
We were exhausted, battered and aching, but we’d achieved what we set out to do.
And perhaps the most daunting thought of all?
That was only DAY ONE of our three-day West Highland Way challenge!
🇬🇧 Always a little further.
Stage 2: Day 2, So cold
After the punishment of Day One, covering over 53 miles and reaching Tyndrum just before midnight, we woke up knowing there was still a very long way to go.
Day Two would take us from Tyndrum to Kinlochleven, through some of the most spectacular scenery Scotland has to offer. But it would also bring one of the lowest points of our entire challenge.
We were already carrying the aches and pains of the previous day, but it wasn’t the distance or the climbing that nearly defeated us.
It was the cold.
The stretch between Kingshouse and the foot of the Devil’s Staircase was absolutely brutal. The wind was bitter, cutting straight through us, and I remember looking down at my hands and seeing my knuckles completely white with cold.
It was genuinely one of the worst sections of the entire three-day walk.
For the first time, I seriously considered calling it a day. We could stop at the foot of the Devil’s Staircase, recover and pick up the challenge the following morning.
And believe me, at that moment, it was a very tempting option.
But we’d come too far to give in.
So we pushed on.
Then, almost unbelievably, as we started climbing the Devil’s Staircase, the wind dropped. Despite climbing higher, we actually began to feel warmer. What had seemed almost unbearable just minutes earlier suddenly became manageable.
We reached the summit, and with both of us having taken enough painkillers to make our battered legs feel reasonably cooperative, something rather unexpected happened.
We started running! 🤣
After everything we’d put ourselves through, there we were, running for a mile or so across the Scottish Highlands. You really couldn’t make it up!
By this point, I had one thing firmly on my mind.
Fish and chips! 🐟🍟
I was absolutely desperate for some proper hot food, and Kinlochleven couldn’t come quickly enough.
As we made our way down towards the village, we were treated to another unexpected highlight — what appeared to be a Eurofighter Typhoon flying through the valley. An incredible sight and something neither of us expected to see.
We eventually made it into Kinlochleven with just minutes to spare before the chippy closed.
Mission accomplished. Fish and chips secured! 🤣
After the freezing winds, the pain, the doubts and the miles we’d covered, I don’t think a meal had ever been quite so welcome.
Day Two had tested us in a completely different way to Day One. It wasn’t simply about physical endurance anymore. It was about finding the determination to carry on when stopping seemed the much easier option.
Two days down. One to go. Fort William was now within reach.
🇬🇧 Always a little further.
Stage 3: Day 3, Fort William here we come!
Two days down. One final push. Fort William was waiting.
After everything we’d put ourselves through over the previous two days, Paul and I set off from Kinlochleven knowing that the end of our three-day West Highland Way challenge was finally within reach.
But Scotland wasn’t about to give us an easy finish!
The weather was foul for pretty much the entire day. Rain, miserable conditions and two pairs of legs that had already taken an absolute battering.
And then there was the climb out of Kinlochleven!
Anyone who’s walked that section will know it’s quite a slope. On fresh legs it’s challenging enough, but after the miles we’d already covered, it certainly got our attention.
Once up onto the higher ground, the terrain wasn’t particularly forgiving either. Rough, uneven and awkward underfoot, every step required concentration, especially with tired and aching legs.
Despite the weather, there were still some absolutely beautiful views. The Highlands have a way of reminding you why you put yourself through all this, even when you’re soaked to the skin and wondering why on earth you thought walking 96 miles in three days was a good idea! 🤣
But one of the best moments of the entire challenge was still to come.
As we began our descent towards Fort William, we received an incredible surprise.
Two of our walking companions from our seven-day West Highland Way challenge in 2025 had been following our progress on the GPS tracker.
And rather than simply waiting to congratulate us afterwards, they actually came out to meet us on the trail!
What an absolutely brilliant thing to do.
After three days of relentless walking, very little recovery time, aching bodies and some truly miserable weather, seeing those familiar faces gave us exactly the lift we needed.
It’s difficult to explain just how much a gesture like that means when you’re physically and mentally exhausted.
That, to me, is what these challenges are really about. The friendships, the camaraderie and the people who turn up when you need them most.
With renewed spirits, we made our final descent and headed into Fort William.
96 official miles. Three days. Challenge completed. 🇬🇧
From the 3am start in Milngavie, through the pain of Conic Hill, the long haul to Tyndrum, the bitter cold at the Devil’s Staircase and finally the rain-soaked approach to Fort William, we’d achieved what we’d set out to do.
We’d pushed ourselves further than we had the year before, raised money for a cause close to our hearts and made memories that will stay with us for a very long time.
A massive thank you to everyone who supported us, followed our progress, donated and encouraged us along the way. And a special thank you to our two walking companions who came out to meet us on that final stretch. You probably don’t realise just how much that meant.
2025 – Seven days. 2026 – Three days. 2027 – Twice the distance, with two challenges and one shared goal.
Because there’s always another challenge waiting around the corner.
🇬🇧 Always a little further.
Closing thoughts
So, looking back on our three-day West Highland Way challenge, how would we sum it up?
Hard. Very hard! Physically and mentally demanding, with moments when we really had to dig deep and question our sanity. 🤣
But what an experience!
Breathtaking scenery, spectacular mountains, glorious sunshine one minute and absolutely foul weather the next. Aching legs, freezing winds, relentless rain and enough midges to make you wonder whether Scotland actually wants visitors! 😂
We had deer, haggis, fantastic people, plenty of laughs and memories that will stay with us forever.
There were highs, lows and moments when simply putting one foot in front of the other felt like an achievement.
But that’s the beauty of a challenge like this. It’s not just about reaching the finish line. It’s about everything you experience along the way, the friendships you make and discovering just how far you can push yourself.
Would we recommend it? Absolutely.
Would we do it again? Without hesitation.
And after 96 miles in just three days, what more could we possibly ask for?
Well… how about doing it TWICE in SEVEN DAYS? 😂😂
WEST HIGHLAND WAY 2027 – THE YO-YO CHALLENGE IS COMING! 🇬🇧💪
Always a little further.