WHW Map

[Olivia Lo]

Hi guys,

I'm going to walk the West Highland Way and I want to know if a map is a necessary item? Is the path obvious all along the way?

I heard that there are milestones along the way. Is it like every mile or kilometer there is a milestone or are there some places where there are no milestones at all?

Will google map be enough?

I'll bring my compass so I can roughly know which direction I am heading for and I have plenty of mountaineering experiences but this is the first time I hike alone.

Where can I buy a paper map? (Even if I don't really need it, I'd like to keep it as a souvenir)

Thank you.

[bootsandpaddles]

http://www.harveymaps.co.uk/acatalog/West-Highland-Way-YHWRWH.html

The path is mainly easy to follow although there are places where people go wrong. There aren't any milestones but there are many signposts along the way. I think you would find a map useful for planning your walk. As a Volunteer Ranger in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park I meet a lot of people who have clearly done very little planning, don't seem to have much idea of the distances involved each day or of the facilities that are available at different points along the way. And it does make a good souvenir.

[Caberfeidh]

There are a few books available, perhaps if you just select one... https://www.amazon.com/West-Highland-British-Walking-Guides/dp/1905864507

[jac the lassie]

Take a map. I found three groups of people lost at the very beginning in Mugdock park. Not one person had a map Good for figuring distances to shops/pubs/ where to stop for the night etc.

[Marty_JG]

If you're getting a map you might as well get a waterproof one. The WHW XT40 is on a plasticy paper and you can get it for a tenner from EBay.

Or if you have a smartphone you can get a GPS app and download the GPX from this site, make sure it works offline. You'll need a portable battery recharger of course.

[Old Bill]

I took the official guide with me - https://www.amazon.co.uk/West-Highland-Way-Official-Distance/dp/1841831328

It has OS maps in it, and I like OS maps and lots of usual info about the stuff on the way. Which I don't usually read until I've gone past it! But it's all self-contained, fits in a big pocket and I got mine for about 99p on eBay.

OB

[President Weasel]

Not sure if you've walked it already and my advice is too late, but for anyone thinking of doing the Way, I walked it at the start of August. I took the XT40 map (recommended by someone else on here) which I didn't end up needing but which was immensely reassuring to have, and the Rucksack Readers guide, which I found very helpful. With the route description in the guide I didn't need to refer to the map. I also found the guide a good read, and it might make a nice souvenir, I certainly intend to keep mine rather than ebay it.

http://www.rucsacs.com/books/west-highland-way/

I turned 42 just after the Way. My mum gave me the guide when she heard I was going to walk the Way