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First time doing west highland way

First time doing west highland way


Postby Shelley226 » Sun Jun 17, 2018 11:16 am

Myself and a friend are doing the west highland way next year and looking for a bit of advice regarding best equipment we’ll need, lightweight tents, sleeping bags, hiking boots etc. Never done anything like it so we’ll get lots of practice in between now and next year :D
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Re: First time doing west highland way

Postby Caberfeidh » Sun Jun 17, 2018 11:31 am

Best if you include what kind of budget you aim for, as you can buy the most expensive stuff for a fortune, which you could use to climb Everest, or go on a budget and have a cheap time of it but still enjoy yourself. I would advise not carrying too much food as you can buy a day's worth along the way. Have plenty of paper hankies which come in handy water-proof separate plastic packs and fit in pockets. They are more adaptable than bog roll. Stop frequently to bathe your feet in the burns to prevent blisters, wear big thickly-padded knee-length socks with extra padding on the toes, heels and soles - available from huntin', shootin', fishin' shops. A wee pocket radio gives something to listen to in the tent, cheese and crackers keeps better than cold meat and bread. A bottle of tawny port helps cheer you up - and goes well with cheese. Hot chocolate powder - available in wee sachets from supermarkets everywhere- makes for good night-time drinks, and oxo cubes make a nice beefy hot drink too. Isotonic drinks powders are available to mix with burn water as you go. Have fun, don't forget to stop and smell the flowers.

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Re: First time doing west highland way

Postby Shelley226 » Sun Jun 17, 2018 11:52 am

Caberfeidh wrote:Best if you include what kind of budget you aim for, as you can buy the most expensive stuff for a fortune, which you could use to climb Everest, or go on a budget and have a cheap time of it but still enjoy yourself. I would advise not carrying too much food as you can buy a day's worth along the way. Have plenty of paper hankies which come in handy water-proof separate plastic packs and fit in pockets. They are more adaptable than bog roll. Stop frequently to bathe your feet in the burns to prevent blisters, wear big thickly-padded knee-length socks with extra padding on the toes, heels and soles - available from huntin', shootin', fishin' shops. A wee pocket radio gives something to listen to in the tent, cheese and crackers keeps better than cold meat and bread. A bottle of tawny port helps cheer you up - and goes well with cheese. Hot chocolate powder - available in wee sachets from supermarkets everywhere- makes for good night-time drinks, and oxo cubes make a nice beefy hot drink too. Isotonic drinks powders are available to mix with burn water as you go. Have fun, don't forget to stop and smell the flowers.

Rannoch Moor Heather.jpg


I haven’t even thought of a budget 😄
Maybe £600? I definitely want to invest in better quality stuff as I hope this will be a new hobby and will be using it a lot.
First thing on my list will be the port! 😄
I read somewhere to use tape on your feet to help prevent blisters, have you tried it?
Thanks for the tips 😊
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Re: First time doing west highland way

Postby Caberfeidh » Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:24 pm

Shelley226 wrote:I haven’t even thought of a budget 😄 Maybe £600? I definitely want to invest in better quality stuff as I hope this will be a new hobby and will be using it a lot. First thing on my list will be the port! 😄 I read somewhere to use tape on your feet to help prevent blisters, have you tried it?


Pliz don't put tape on your feet. There are blister dressings which look like clear sticky tape, I hear they work well but it is better to have good thick socks and well-fitting boots rather than resort to dressings. Where did you grab the figure of £600? That's just a silly waste of money. Track suit trousers are good as they keep you warm even when wet and dry out easily, also they do not 'wick' the water up but drain downwards, and are easily wrung out. Gaiters may be unnecessary as you can tuck your trousers into your socks. A three season synthetic fill sleeping bag- this keep you warm even when damp and we are talking about Scotland you will likely get damp. Do not wear cotton T-shirts as these just get soaked in sweat and keep the dampness next to your skin. Man-made fibres wick the sweat/condensation away. Layers rather than one garment works better. A base layer (long-sleeved nylon top), a fleece top and a waterproof with spares and a hat/gloves/snood combo in case of crappy weather. Nor do you need the latest in space-age hi-tech gas stoves. A meths burner works better for cooking on. I am about to get shouted down by a lynch-mob so I'll leave you to it. Has anyone mentioned chocolate yet?

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Re: First time doing west highland way

Postby Arthurs Eat » Mon Jun 18, 2018 10:09 am

Firstly get your accommodation options sorted out asap. bearing in mind there are camping restrictions on parts of the WHW. Get a Harvey's WHW map which includes lots of useful information including a route planner. The hardest thing about the WHW is the effects it has on your feet. being able to walk 20 miles in a day is fine. But getting up the next day with sore feet and doing it again and so on. So make sure you train! You don't need awfully expensive kit either. Make a list and keep your eye on items. Vango do some reasonably light and cheap tents, ask here about anyone who has bought one? Having done it three times in April/May, the weather has been generally good and the midges have never been out. Most of all enjoy.
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Re: First time doing west highland way

Postby Shelley226 » Mon Jun 18, 2018 12:58 pm

Caberfeidh wrote:
Shelley226 wrote:I haven’t even thought of a budget 😄 Maybe £600? I definitely want to invest in better quality stuff as I hope this will be a new hobby and will be using it a lot. First thing on my list will be the port! 😄 I read somewhere to use tape on your feet to help prevent blisters, have you tried it?


Pliz don't put tape on your feet. There are blister dressings which look like clear sticky tape, I hear they work well but it is better to have good thick socks and well-fitting boots rather than resort to dressings. Where did you grab the figure of £600? That's just a silly waste of money. Track suit trousers are good as they keep you warm even when wet and dry out easily, also they do not 'wick' the water up but drain downwards, and are easily wrung out. Gaiters may be unnecessary as you can tuck your trousers into your socks. A three season synthetic fill sleeping bag- this keep you warm even when damp and we are talking about Scotland you will likely get damp. Do not wear cotton T-shirts as these just get soaked in sweat and keep the dampness next to your skin. Man-made fibres wick the sweat/condensation away. Layers rather than one garment works better. A base layer (long-sleeved nylon top), a fleece top and a waterproof with spares and a hat/gloves/snood combo in case of crappy weather. Nor do you need the latest in space-age hi-tech gas stoves. A meths burner works better for cooking on. I am about to get shouted down by a lynch-mob so I'll leave you to it. Has anyone mentioned chocolate yet?

Rannoch Moor R.jpg



Going to be honest, the £600 was just a complete random guess as how much it might be for everything 😄😄 glad to hear it won’t cost much!
Thanks for the tips, it’s appreciated.
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Re: First time doing west highland way

Postby Shelley226 » Mon Jun 18, 2018 1:04 pm

Arthurs Eat wrote:Firstly get your accommodation options sorted out asap. bearing in mind there are camping restrictions on parts of the WHW. Get a Harvey's WHW map which includes lots of useful information including a route planner. The hardest thing about the WHW is the effects it has on your feet. being able to walk 20 miles in a day is fine. But getting up the next day with sore feet and doing it again and so on. So make sure you train! You don't need awfully expensive kit either. Make a list and keep your eye on items. Vango do some reasonably light and cheap tents, ask here about anyone who has bought one? Having done it three times in April/May, the weather has been generally good and the midges have never been out. Most of all enjoy.


I never even thought about camping restrictions, Thanks I’ll have a look for that map. We were planning doing it outwith midgie season so prob April/may, think it’s maybe best when it’s not quite summer.
Hopefully i’ll get a good trek done most weekends until then. Thanks for the advice, I’ll start looking into accommodation where I think we might need it 😊
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Re: First time doing west highland way

Postby Scottk » Mon Jun 18, 2018 3:18 pm

I would go for May, longer days, better chance of dry weather and less chance of snow. Keep your eye out for a second hand tent as they quite often come up for sale and they have hardly been used. A 2/3 man tent split between you will be quite light. Sleeping bag-look at Alpkit and depending on how warm you sleep you will need something that is comfortable to 0 degrees.
Plan your trip round camp spots and maybe figure in a campsite or B&B so you can get a good wash and clean your clothes.
The blister plasters are compeed and are great. Apply them as soon as you feel a hot spot. I rarely get blisters (if my feet are wet or damp and I don't change socks) but I always carry these in my first aid kit.
Learn how to go to the toilet outdoors-one of the worst things I saw on the WHW last year was dirty toilet paper as I was preparing to fill my water bottle!!
It's great fun and I really enjoyed it but I did see several people with huge rucksacks struggling.
Practice with your rucksack and the gear you will use before leaving including sleeping in your tent.
Good luck, Scott
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Re: First time doing west highland way

Postby Arthurs Eat » Mon Jun 18, 2018 3:39 pm

Shelley226 wrote:
Arthurs Eat wrote:Firstly get your accommodation options sorted out asap. bearing in mind there are camping restrictions on parts of the WHW. Get a Harvey's WHW map which includes lots of useful information including a route planner. The hardest thing about the WHW is the effects it has on your feet. being able to walk 20 miles in a day is fine. But getting up the next day with sore feet and doing it again and so on. So make sure you train! You don't need awfully expensive kit either. Make a list and keep your eye on items. Vango do some reasonably light and cheap tents, ask here about anyone who has bought one? Having done it three times in April/May, the weather has been generally good and the midges have never been out. Most of all enjoy.


I never even thought about camping restrictions, Thanks I’ll have a look for that map. We were planning doing it outwith midgie season so prob April/may, think it’s maybe best when it’s not quite summer.
Hopefully i’ll get a good trek done most weekends until then. Thanks for the advice, I’ll start looking into accommodation where I think we might need it 😊


Seeing your previous quote about dodgy knees, there are also a couple of companies who will carry your kit for about £50. Travelite have been good in the past.
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Re: First time doing west highland way

Postby Shelley226 » Mon Jun 18, 2018 5:41 pm

Arthurs Eat wrote:
Shelley226 wrote:
Arthurs Eat wrote:Firstly get your accommodation options sorted out asap. bearing in mind there are camping restrictions on parts of the WHW. Get a Harvey's WHW map which includes lots of useful information including a route planner. The hardest thing about the WHW is the effects it has on your feet. being able to walk 20 miles in a day is fine. But getting up the next day with sore feet and doing it again and so on. So make sure you train! You don't need awfully expensive kit either. Make a list and keep your eye on items. Vango do some reasonably light and cheap tents, ask here about anyone who has bought one? Having done it three times in April/May, the weather has been generally good and the midges have never been out. Most of all enjoy.


I never even thought about camping restrictions, Thanks I’ll have a look for that map. We were planning doing it outwith midgie season so prob April/may, think it’s maybe best when it’s not quite summer.
Hopefully i’ll get a good trek done most weekends until then. Thanks for the advice, I’ll start looking into accommodation where I think we might need it 😊


Seeing your previous quote about dodgy knees, there are also a couple of companies who will carry your kit for about £50. Travelite have been good in the past.


That’s the first time I ever felt that and I’m sure it’s prob down to bad footwear and attempting to do Ben Lomond with no hillwalking experience 😄
Do you need to have booked accommodation for them to drop it off or If we’re camping do they meet you somewhere?
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Re: First time doing west highland way

Postby Shelley226 » Mon Jun 18, 2018 5:43 pm

Scottk wrote:I would go for May, longer days, better chance of dry weather and less chance of snow. Keep your eye out for a second hand tent as they quite often come up for sale and they have hardly been used. A 2/3 man tent split between you will be quite light. Sleeping bag-look at Alpkit and depending on how warm you sleep you will need something that is comfortable to 0 degrees.
Plan your trip round camp spots and maybe figure in a campsite or B&B so you can get a good wash and clean your clothes.
The blister plasters are compeed and are great. Apply them as soon as you feel a hot spot. I rarely get blisters (if my feet are wet or damp and I don't change socks) but I always carry these in my first aid kit.
Learn how to go to the toilet outdoors-one of the worst things I saw on the WHW last year was dirty toilet paper as I was preparing to fill my water bottle!!
It's great fun and I really enjoyed it but I did see several people with huge rucksacks struggling.
Practice with your rucksack and the gear you will use before leaving including sleeping in your tent.
Good luck, Scott


Oh god who leaves used toilet roll lying around! That kind of thing makes me so angry, no need for it.
Thanks for the tips, not sure how heavy the rucksack will be so defo need a few practice runs!
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Re: First time doing west highland way

Postby davekeiller » Mon Jun 18, 2018 8:27 pm

I think you need a clear picture of what you're planning to do. It's possible to do the whole thing staying in hostels/B&B/bunkhouses in which case you won't need any camping equipment (but may need a sleeping bag). If you stay on organised campsites, it's possible to use a baggage transfer service so you don't need to carry all of your camping equipment (this would make weight less of a consideration).

If you're planning on backpacking then some of the basic kit you'll need would be:
rucksack (approx 65 litre capacity)
sleeping bag (3 season is probably about right)
sleeping mat (either a foam mat or self-inflating)
tent (can be shared between two or three people)
stove (again, can be shared)
dry bags ( as your rucksack won't be waterproof)

Best thing to do is to have in mind how much you're willing to spend and then to go into some of the shops and have a look at things. Make sure you try on things like rucksacks or boots to ensure that they fit, and if possible ask to see tents pitched to see how easy it is/how much room is inside. There's lots of choices, but as a general rule, the budget to mid-range kit is likely to be perfectly adequate for something like the WHW.
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Re: First time doing west highland way

Postby thatweebirdie » Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:40 pm

Travel-Lite are brilliant. You do need to have a drop-off point indoors; but you don't have to be actually stayed at the venue; but he won't leave your kit on the roadside, and he doesn't have time to hang around for you. For example, we got our stuff dropped off at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel but we camped in the Forestry Commission. We may have thanked the hotel by spending rather a lot of money behind their bar.....

We did it in early April and I am glad we combined camping with staying in huts etc because some days we were so tired and wet and it was lovely to be inside and have a chance to dry the tent and our coats, have a shower etc. For us, the hardest days were the walk to Inversnaid, and then the walk from Beinglas to Tyndrum because it was really wet and muddy (there is a LOT of cow poo on the way to Tyndrum, be warned not to wear your lovely beige high performance trousers that day, I kid you not, it is like a LAKE) so it was really nice to be able to cosy up and 'pamper' ourselves by letting our clothes and tent dry out!

We did it over 9 days because we are lightweights (before anyone says you are nobody unless you do it over 3 days wearing the equivalent of a small house on your back - WHW Suffering Olympics are a thing!)

Night 1 was camping in Drymen (Drumquhassle Farm), not the best place but OK

Night 2 was Millarochy Bay (we were going to stay at Sallochy Bay but it was shut for drainage works) - fab place.

Night 3 was Inversnaid Bunkhouse - we were going to wild camp but it was a long, very wet and miserable day and the bunkhouse is fabulous and we got to dry our kit. DON'T WALK UP THE HILL, phone from the creepy hotel and they'll send a minibus down for you.

Night 4 was Beinglas, stayed in a pod, it was fab. You can camp there.They have a bar, and The Drovers is just down the road.

Night 5 was Tyndrum By The Way. Again, we were going to camp but it had lashed down all day and we were feeling sorry for ourselves so we stayed in a chalet hut thing. Friday night in Tyndrum is an, err, experience.

Night 6 was camping in the Forestry Commission, Bridge of Orchy.

Night 7 was supposed to be camping next to the Kingshouse but it was raining so hard that they were worried the burn would burst so they weren't letting us stop. By miracle, they had a cancellation so we stayed in the hotel.

Night 8 was Blackwater in Kinlochleven. We were going to camp, but they had this cute Hobbit house and, well, it seemed rude not to.....

Night 9 was the Premier Inn right next to the finish line, and LOTS of whisky. :lol: :lol:

Moral of the story - try and be open to ideas and not too fixed on what you're going to do. A lot might change with the weather, your mood etc so if you can have a slush fund to let you sleep in a bed / pod etc if your sanity needs it, it is worth doing. You're doing this for fun, to make amazing memories - not suffer every single inch of the way - so if you go with a flexible idea, so much the better. Apart from The Kingshouse, the other places we had pre-booked for camping, so we knew we had a place to stay, and we just upgraded when we got there to stay in something a bit cosier.
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Re: First time doing west highland way

Postby Caberfeidh » Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:41 am

If you have a look at the website www.decathlon.co.uk and peruse their stuff, go along to their massive warehouse shop at Braehead and try on some stuff you like, they do sizes differently so you have to try it on or it just wont fit. They are inexpensive and have lots of stuff you need ; but don't buy too much! It's tempting. There's a Go Outdoors out at Clydebank which is good too, I got an excellent pair of trousers for hiking for less than £20. There's no need to buy very expensive kit, you're not climbing Everest, and it will get muddy and torn on the heather and rocks.
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