Hiking the West Highland Way was a very personal challenge for me.

Since my first wildcamp I had been a weekend warrior, walking 10km, camping for the night, and then going home again the next day.

Sometimes I went with a friend, one time with two, but mostly my trips were about finding peace and solitude amongst the hills.

I liked it but I knew there was more to it.

Time for a challenge

After five years at the same job I was entitled to a sabbatical. It was unpaid, so it would cost me in missed wages, but I’d built up some savings to use and the opportunity to take a break was too good to miss out on.

I’d read about the Cambrian Way and thought it seemed suitable. The route starts in the south of Wales and ends in the north, not far from where I’m currently living.

The only problem?

It’s 479km (298 miles) long and takes about 3 weeks.

Which is 2 weeks and 6 days longer than I’d ever been out before.

Then I noticed that all the UK Youtubers that I watch were all walking the West Highland Way, calling it an “easy first multi-day trip” and saying that the support system around it was very good. The route was well sign-posted and there would be plenty of places to stock up on supplies along the way.

It was 154km (96 miles) and the suggested itineraries ranged from 5 to 8 days.

Which sounded much more reasonable to me.

Goals

My primary goal was to complete the route.

I’d never walked that far before so I had no idea how long it would take me, nor did I really care. When I set out I wasn’t sure I would even make it to day three, and if I did then I had been out longer than I ever had before.

Completing the route meant I was a real hiker, one who could handle a multi-day trip.

Wild camping is legal in Scotland, but that wasn’t really an aim of mine, since I can do that at home. I was ok staying at camp sites, making the most of the facilities, plus I felt like I was actively contributing to the local economy this way. I would pay my dues for the local population to put up with the countless hikers, including myself, invading their roads and trails.

I also didn’t really care about talking to anyone. I didn’t go to make any friends, I just wanted to prove to myself I was a real hiker and that I could do this.