Time on Feet

Route details

There is a large car park at the Glenfinnan viaduct and monument visitors centre if you plan to visit these too, but there is a charge, so if you get there early you’ll get a spot in one of the few small lay-bys in the village, just park respectfully and don’t block anyone.

The first 3 miles are on a fairly flat smooth tarmac road and you could just do this if you wanted a shorter or flatter run. It may be very busy up to the viaduct but when I walked these hills I hiked 6 hours and saw only 6 people past the viaduct, with near 600 waiting south of the viaduct when I returned, so it will soon be a quiet run!

Near Glenfinnan lodge you go past the Corryhully bothy/cottage and here the track becomes gravel rather than tarmac, so it will be less smooth from here. The gradient climbs for the next two miles up to the bealach between Streap, a cracking Corbett, and Sgurr Thuilm, a munro, with the walls rising steeply (I can confirm horrendously steeply having descended to and ascended from this bealach on a large outing one summer, where I chose the direct route over adding significantly more miles). The views will be brilliant on a clear day, worth a quick pause to catch your breath, and if you look carefully there are huge herds of deer that patrol these remote hills.

Return the way you came and enjoy fantastic views, with the famous viaduct and the monument coming in to view with Loch Shiel behind. Make sure you finish before 3:30PM so you can visit Glenfinnan Coffee Company, it’s a brilliant coffee hut run by a few locals.