Scotland's original ultra: 95 miles from Glasgow to the Highlands on the West Highland Way
Other trail races within 196 miles
The West Highland Way Race traces Scotland's most beloved long-distance trail from Milngavie — just north of Glasgow — to Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis, covering 95 miles of Highland wilderness in a single continuous push against a 35-hour cutoff. Runners start at 1am on midsummer weekend to exploit Scotland's long summer daylight, crossing the shores of Loch Lomond, threading through dense forest, and breaching the vast expanse of Rannoch Moor before descending into Glencoe and climbing the Devil's Staircase into Kinlochleven for the final haul to Fort William. First run in 1985 when two Scottish club runners dared each other to race the full trail end-to-end, the event has grown into one of ultrarunning's most enduring classics without losing its friendly, volunteer-run character. Entry is limited to 300 runners by ballot each year, with every finisher earning an engraved crystal goblet presented at a Sunday ceremony where the whole WHW family gathers.
Experienced ultrarunners
Milngavie, Scotland, United KingdomJune 19, 2027
West Highland Way Race 95 Mile is a point-to-point trail race in Milngavie, Scotland, United Kingdom, held on June 19, 2027. The course covers 152.9 km, climbs 3,801 m, and has a 35h cutoff.
Must complete a qualifier within the qualification window
Qualifying window: January 01, 2024 – October 14, 2026
For 2026: must have completed an off-road ultra marathon of at least 65km within the 34 months before entry opens (1 November 2025). From 2027: minimum of 90 miles across no more than 2 off-road ultras within the preceding 3 years. All qualifying decisions are at the Race Director's discretion — no fixed list of qualifying races, but experience must suggest the runner can finish within cutoffs on remote, hilly trail.
| Location | km | Elevation | Cutoff | Crew | Pacers | Drop bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Start Start | 0.0 | 49 m | — | |||
Balmaha Aid Station | 30.6 | 43 m | 5h6:00 AM | Crew | Drop Bags | |
Rowardennan Aid Station | 43.5 | 12 m | 7h30m8:30 AM | Crew | Drop Bags | |
Inversnaid Aid Station | 56.3 | 17 m | — | |||
Beinglas Farm Aid Station | 67.6 | 13 m | 12h1:00 PM | Crew | Drop Bags | |
Tyndrum Aid Station | 85.3 | 227 m | 16h5:00 PM | Crew | Pacers | |
Bridge of Orchy Aid Station | 96.6 | 168 m | 18h30m7:30 PM | Crew | Pacers | |
Glencoe Ski Centre Aid Station | 114.3 | 328 m | 23h12:00 AM +1 | Crew | Pacers | |
Kinlochleven Aid Station | 130.4 | 12 m | 28h5:00 AM +1 | Crew | Pacers | |
Lundavra Aid Station | 141.6 | 217 m | 32h30m9:30 AM +1 | Crew | ||
Finish Finish | 152.9 | 5 m | 35h12:00 PM +1 |
Aid station details for this race are still being filled in. Cutoffs and access rules come from the race’s own published information and can change — check the official race details before planning around them.
Sign in for race-day weather at every station, points of interest, segment-by-segment analysis, pacing, and to save this race to your calendar.
Scottish Highland weather changes rapidly — runners may encounter sunshine, heavy rain, and cold temperatures within a single stage, even at midsummer
Exposed sections on Rannoch Moor and above Glencoe can be very cold overnight and in poor weather; bad weather kit may be called mandatory at any time
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