What is this 3-day itinerary?
Three days treats the Great Glen Way as a fast full walk. The trail body's own range starts at four, and this plan stays because the glen is the short one. The canal and Loch Lochy come first. The next day is Loch Oich, lunch in Fort Augustus, the climb out of the village, and the walk on above Loch Ness. Inverness is the third day, and it is still the longest official stage.
Read the Great Glen Way guide for the whole trail.
Will this 3-day split work for you?
- Walkers who already do long days and want the whole glen in three.
- Not a first long trail. The trail body's range starts at 4 days.
- People who can put both climbs, and the ground between them, on the middle day.
Fitness & effort
You should already walk long days and feel ready to do it again. The first day is the flat one, canal then forest track, and it is there to bank. The middle day joins Loch Oich, the climb out of Fort Augustus, and the walk above Loch Ness. The last morning is still the longest official stage. There is no easy day after the middle one. If that middle day is the problem, the four-day puts a night at Invermoriston and takes one climb off it.
Your 3-day route on the map
Wind behind you
Fort William to Inverness in 3 days
Fort William to Inverness, so the prevailing wind is behind you and the canal comes first.
| Day | Stage | Distance | Overnight / destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Fort William → South Laggan | 22.3 mi (35.9 km) | The Great Glen Hostel (opens in a new tab) |
| Day 2 Longest | South Laggan → Drumnadrochit | 32.9 mi (53.0 km) | Loch Ness Drumnadrochit Hotel (opens in a new tab) |
| Day 3 | Drumnadrochit → Inverness | 18.7 mi (30.1 km) | Great Glen Way Finish |
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Day 1
Fort William to South Laggan
22.3 mi (35.9 km) ↑ 690 m (2,250 ft) ↓ 660 m (2,150 ft)
The easy day of a hard plan, and it should stay that way. Towpath and Neptune's Staircase to Gairlochy, which you pass, then the forest track beside Loch Lochy. A hydro diversion until about 2030 adds 600 m. Nothing in this day makes tomorrow shorter, so eat and stop. The night is thin, on an A road with a 60 mph limit and no footpath. South Laggan is the bed to hold before you travel.
Example stay The Great Glen Hostel (opens in a new tab)
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Day 2 Longest
South Laggan to Drumnadrochit
32.9 mi (53.0 km) ↑ 2,090 m (6,850 ft) ↓ 2,090 m (6,850 ft)
The day the plan is built around. The middle day is the one that has to be long. Loch Oich and the canal bring you into Fort Augustus for lunch. The climb out of the village comes next, forest path or the steep high route, and then you go on above Loch Ness. A new path has replaced most of the old road near the finish, with one short stretch still on the public road. Start early. The shops are at lunch and at the night, and the hours between them are the work.
Example stay Loch Ness Drumnadrochit Hotel (opens in a new tab)
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Day 3
Drumnadrochit to Inverness
18.7 mi (30.1 km) ↑ 680 m (2,250 ft) ↓ 690 m (2,250 ft)
You finish on the longest official stage, the morning after that middle day. That is the ask. The first mile is pavement beside the A82, mostly at 60 mph, then the woods. The high route reaches 434 m, the highest point on the Way, and the low route tops out at 380 m. Abriachan has only a few beds, so you walk through. Carry food. The castle, the Ness Islands, and the river are the end. If yesterday was too much, the four-day puts Invermoriston back.
Finish Great Glen Way Finish
Cross-check: official routes page . The range on that page starts at 4 days. This plan joins the first two stages, then three stages into Drumnadrochit. Distances on the cards are from our trail geometry. The climb on each card comes from the track file, which runs higher than the published totals for the glen.
Toward Fort William
Inverness to Fort William in 3 days
The same nights, starting in Inverness. The climbs out of Drumnadrochit, Invermoriston, and Fort Augustus become descents.
| Day | Stage | Distance | Overnight / destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Inverness → Drumnadrochit | 18.7 mi (30.1 km) | Loch Ness Drumnadrochit Hotel (opens in a new tab) |
| Day 2 Longest | Drumnadrochit → South Laggan | 32.9 mi (53.0 km) | The Great Glen Hostel (opens in a new tab) |
| Day 3 | South Laggan → Fort William | 22.3 mi (35.9 km) | Fort William |
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Day 1
Inverness to Drumnadrochit
18.7 mi (30.1 km) ↑ 690 m (2,250 ft) ↓ 680 m (2,250 ft)
The castle, the river, and the Ness Islands are the start. The high route still reaches 434 m, in the Abriachan woods, and Abriachan is a pass-through. The day ends with the steep drop and that mile of pavement beside the A82.
Example stay Loch Ness Drumnadrochit Hotel (opens in a new tab)
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Day 2 Longest
Drumnadrochit to South Laggan
32.9 mi (53.0 km) ↑ 2,090 m (6,850 ft) ↓ 2,090 m (6,850 ft)
The new path comes first, then the high or low route and the drop into Fort Augustus, so the steep ground is the morning. The canal and Loch Oich fill the afternoon. The finish is the A road, with no footpath. It is still the long day.
Example stay The Great Glen Hostel (opens in a new tab)
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Day 3
South Laggan to Fort William
22.3 mi (35.9 km) ↑ 660 m (2,150 ft) ↓ 690 m (2,250 ft)
The A road comes first, then the forest track leads back along Loch Lochy, diversion included. Gairlochy is a pass-through. The towpath and Neptune's Staircase run down into town, under Ben Nevis.
Finish Fort William
3-day itinerary FAQ
Is three days too fast?
It is faster than the trail body's range, which starts at 4 days. It stays because the glen is the short one, and the long day sits in the middle. It suits people who already walk long days. A first full walk fits the six-day.
What is the middle day?
South Laggan to Drumnadrochit. The trail body's stages in between are Loch Oich and the canal, the climb to Invermoriston, and the longer walk above Loch Ness. Fort Augustus is lunch, between the two climbs. Start early and carry food for the hours after lunch.
What if I want one night more?
The four-day puts that night at Invermoriston. The climb out of Fort Augustus and the walk on to Drumnadrochit become two days, and the canal is still joined to Loch Lochy. The six-day also splits the canal off, and gives the climb its own morning.
Can I download a GPX for the 3-day Great Glen Way?
Yes. Open this itinerary in the planner (free, no account). Download a full-route GPX or per-day files for Garmin, Komoot, or your phone. You can export the preset unchanged or edit overnight stops first.
Personalise this itinerary
This 3-day itinerary is ready as it stands. Open it in the planner to keep these stops, or change where you sleep, then download the GPX for your watch or phone.
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Full-trip and per-day GPX files. Free, no account.
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