the west highland way with a 3 year old

in april 2024 i set off with my then 3 year old daughter to attempt the west highland way, attempting to hike & wild camp the whole 96 miles, completing 17 days later.

the west highland way was scotlands first official long distance route. which takes in 96 miles of incredible landscape from milngavie, outside glasgow, to fort william, at the base of ben nevis.

FAQ

how long did it take?

it took us 17 days in total to complete the whole 96 miles; 12 days walking, 5 days resting.

did your 3 year old really do it?

yes! she walked about 95% of the way herself but there was certain sections, especially in the first day or two while we were finding our rhythm, where she needed a little break & it was easier to carry her. we just took our time & went at her pace.

according to a few locals on route she is one of, if not thee youngest, to ever complete by walking herself.

did you use a baggage transfer?

no, i carried all our gear.

i would've utilised this service it was possible but because i wanted to wild camp for flexibility on route it wasn't an option for us. the baggage companies need a set point to drop off / pick up on set days, like a campsite or hotel, so it's not possible with wild camping unfortunately.

how much did it cost?

our total cost for the 17 days was £461.38. there was a few unexpected costs (extra night in campsite, extra hotel stay) which weren't planned, but were necessary.

campsites - £128.14

wild camping permit - £4.20

food - £237.25

travel - £80

hotels - £95.99

is the route safe for kids?

in my opinion, yes. there are some sections of the loch lomond stretch which many have struggled with due to drops, roots to climb & the general toll it takes on the body, but personally we were fine. we took our time & broke it into more manageable sections but it's all personal discretion.

have you done multi day hikes before?

no, this was both our first time doing a first long distance hike.

i have been taking my daughter hiking & camping since she was 6 months, but nothing to this level.

how did you find the route?

it is extremely well sign posted, every potential place you could go wrong has signing showing you you're on the right track. it is also super busy, so you're never too far from a fellow hiker or village.

can i have advice / help planning something similar with my kids?

of course. you can reach out to me via the contact form or any of my social sites where i'd be happy to help however i can.

would you do it again?

definitely. i learned a lot from this experience & would love to redo without the initial stresses. especially now because my gear is also half the weight it was originally lol