West Highland Way 2027: when to book, and which nights go first
The West Highland Way has no central booking system and no opening day. Every hotel, B&B, hostel and bunkhouse takes bookings directly, most of them all year round. What decides your dates is a handful of small stops where one full building leaves you 20 km from the next bed.
The nights that go first
Where the Way crosses empty country there are only one or two places to sleep. Book these before anything else:
- Rowardennan, on the loch shore, with few beds
- Inveroran and Bridge of Orchy
- Kingshouse, alone at the head of Glencoe
- Kinlochleven
From the Treksup route research. The official directory lists every place to stay along the Way. West Highland Way, official accommodation directory
How far ahead
Independent guides consistently advise booking about six months ahead for a walk between May and September. That figure is theirs, not an official one, but the pattern behind it is real: the small stops fill first and the towns last.
Baggage-transfer companies carry bags between overnight stops for most of the season. Book them together with the beds, not after.
Camping on the east shore of Loch Lomond
From 1 March to 30 September, the National Park’s camping byelaws cover its popular lochshore areas. There you camp in a campsite or with a permit: £4.50 per tent per night, bookable up to four weeks ahead.
The Park is reviewing these byelaws in 2026, with a public consultation over the summer, so the rules for 2027 may change. Check the Park’s page before you plan your camping nights.
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Get a permit
In what order to book
- Pick your dates and a second set a few days later.
- Book the scarce nights first: Rowardennan, Inveroran or Bridge of Orchy, Kingshouse, Kinlochleven.
- Then the towns: Drymen, Inverarnan, Tyndrum, Fort William.
- Baggage transfer, if you want it, with the beds.
- Camping permits four weeks before, if you camp on the loch shore.
The full plan is free in the app
The West Highland Way is open in full in Treksup, free on iPhone: every stage, the places to sleep with their links, water, food, and trail conditions from the official notices, checked every week.
Get Treksup on the App StoreThe West Highland Way stage by stage →
Questions
When should I book the West Highland Way for 2027?
There is no opening day: most places take bookings all year. Independent guides advise about six months ahead for May to September, and the small stops at Rowardennan, Inveroran, Bridge of Orchy, Kingshouse and Kinlochleven go first.
Is there a central booking system for the West Highland Way?
No. Every hotel, B&B, hostel and bunkhouse is booked directly with the place itself.
Do I need a permit to camp along Loch Lomond?
From 1 March to 30 September, in the National Park’s camping management areas, yes: you camp in a campsite or with a permit.
How much is a Loch Lomond camping permit and when can I book it?
The National Park lists £4.50 per tent per night, bookable up to four weeks ahead. The byelaws are under review in 2026, so check before you go.
Is the West Highland Way free in the Treksup app?
Yes. It is one of the routes that is open in full, free on iPhone.
Sources
- Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Get a permit: https://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/things-to-do/camping/get-a-permit/
- Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Camping (byelaw review): https://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/things-to-do/camping/
- West Highland Way, official accommodation directory: https://www.westhighlandway.org/places/
Page updated 29 September 2026.