- On trail 18.7 mi 30.1 km
- Walking time 8–9 h
- Ascent 680 m 2,250 ft
- Descent 690 m 2,250 ft
- Difficulty Hard
The long section: the A82, the highest point, then the castle.
Section 6: Drumnadrochit to Inverness map
Example stay Great Glen Way Finish
Cross-check: official stage page . Opened 19 October 2026. The distance at the top of this page is measured between these ends. The climb comes from the track file, which runs higher than the published totals for the glen.
The walk
The longest gap between major settlements, and these plans walk it in one go. The first mile is pavement beside the A82, mostly at 60 mph, then the climb out of the village. The high route reaches 434 m in the Abriachan woods, the highest point on the Way. The low route through those woods tops out at 380 m. Abriachan has only a few beds, so you walk through. Inverness Castle is the finish, by the Ness Islands and the river.
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Start of section
Drumnadrochit
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The A82
The first mile out of Drumnadrochit is pavement beside the road, mostly at 60 mph. It is the blunt start of the longest section.
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434 m
The high route in the Abriachan woods, which the trail body calls the highest point on the whole Way. The low route through the same woods tops out at 380 m.
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Inverness Castle
The Way ends at the castle, after the Ness Islands and the River Ness. Abriachan, with only a few beds, is behind you by then.
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Official finish
Inverness
Section 6: Drumnadrochit to Inverness overview
The ground
- A82
- Highest point
- River Ness
The long section. A fast road, a climb, then the city. The longest of the six official stages. Every plan here walks it in one day. A longer holiday splits it by taxi back to the same bed, and that loop is not a section of the Way.
Stops
Refreshments
- Drumnadrochit at the start. Abriachan has only a few beds. Carry what you need from the village. Inverness has the finish
Toilets
- No source used for this section names a public toilet
Before you go
Opposite direction
Inverness to Drumnadrochit
Inverness Castle, the river, and the Ness Islands are the start. The high route still reaches 434 m, in the Abriachan woods. The section ends with the steep drop into Drumnadrochit and that mile of pavement beside the A82.
End of section
Drumnadrochit
Drumnadrochit to Inverness FAQ
How long is Drumnadrochit to Inverness?
The trail body's stage page lists 18.8 miles (30.2 km) on the low route and 19.6 miles (31.5 km) on the high route. It is the longest gap between major settlements. The distance at the top of this page is our line from the village to the castle.
Can I split this section at Abriachan?
The stage page says a small amount of accommodation can be found there, or a taxi can set up a second night back in Drumnadrochit. These plans do not stop. Abriachan has only a few beds, and a taxi back to last night's bed is not a night further along the Way.
Walk this as a day
Used as Day 6 on the 6-day. Open the planner on that preset, then export a full-trip or per-day GPX.
Open in planner Read the 6-day itinerary
Full-trip and per-day GPX files. Free, no account.
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