The Great Western Loop (Headland of the Great Seas)
Distance
141 Mi.
(227 KM)Days
5
% Unpaved
55%
% Singletrack
10%
% Rideable (time)
85%
Total Ascent
10,357'
(3,157 M)High Point
1,138'
(347 M)Difficulty (1-10)
8?
- 5Climbing Scale Moderate73 FT/MI (14 M/KM)
- 8Technical Difficulty Difficult
- 8Physical Demand Difficult
- 6Resupply & Logistics Moderate

Contributed By

Nima Khorshidi
Guest Contributor
I’m a bike mechanic and a cycle trainer in Glasgow. I started cycling and going for long day trips from a very young age in Iran and soon it became my passion. In Scotland, I have cycled most of the established routes and am now enjoying exploring new ones and sharing them with fellow bikepackers. Find me on Instagram @milesandwheels.
The route travels over quiet paved roads, gravel, singletracks, and lochs, taking riders through the peninsulas of Ardnamurchan, Morvern, Sunart, Moidart, and Ardgour. There are four lochs to paddle, which are beautifully spread out through the route: Loch Shiel, Loch Moidart, Loch Sunart, and Loch Linnhe. Good bikerafting skills are essential as the rafting sections can be challenging. Three of the four lochs are sea lochs, which means understanding the tidal currents around the date of the trip is essential. This route has a good deal of riding on quiet paved and gravel roads, making it suitable for gravel bikes. There are also sections of hike-a-bike throughout the trail, including a mostly hike-a-bike 3.5-mile stretch from Loch Tearnait to the shore of Loch Linnhe.
Perfect camp spots are plentiful, and bothies and shelters are on the way or accessible by a diversion. Although remote, there are well-spread-out shops and cafes, so finding a place to sleep and somewhere to refuel won’t be a problem. This area of Scotland has great historical and geological value. Beyond hosting an amazing array of wildlife, which lucky riders might come across, witnessing some of the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises that Scotland has to offer is almost guaranteed. There’s a train station in Glenfinnan, where the route starts and finishes, with direct trains to Glasgow and Fort William, making the route easily accessible.
The West Highland Peninsulas are known for their dramatic mountains and coastlines, which share the stage with stunning lochs, historic castles, ancient woodlands, and heather moorland. They are made up of:
Ardgour (Gaelic: Àird Ghobhar: height of the goats) is the most easterly peninsula and the gateway to the West Highland Peninsulas. The area is bordered by Loch Eil, Loch Shiel, Glen Tarbert, and Loch Linnhe.
Moidart (Gaelic: Mùideart: muddy sea loch) is a designated National Scenic Area famous for its wildness and inaccessibility. Because of how remote it is, it remained strongly Gaelic-speaking until the mid-20th century. In the southwest of Moidart, you’ll find the ruins of Castle Tioram (pronounced Cheerum), which sit on the tidal island of Eilean Tioram (the Dry Island).
Ardnamurchan (Gaelic: Àird nam Murchan: headland of the great seas) is home to the most westerly point of the British mainland, Corrachadh Mòr. Its rocky northern coast is designated as a National Scenic Area. Its southern edge makes up the north shore of Loch Sunart, the longest sea loch in the Highlands. Ardnamurchan’s geology is of international importance, and as you ride a quiet paved road from the stunning beach at Sanna Bay, you will find yourself in the centre of a vast and ancient volcanic crater, whose ring dyke encloses the road for much of the way from the main village of Kilchoan.
Sunart (Gaelic: Suaineart: Svein’s fjord) is bordered by Loch Sunart and Morvern to the south, Ardnamurchan to the west, Loch Shiel to the north, and Ardgour to the east. Ancient oaks cover its south-facing hillsides to form one of the best surviving remains of the ancient Atlantic oak forest which once covered most of the west coast of Scotland. The main settlement in Sunart is the village of Strontian. The name Strontian is the anglicised version of the Scots Gaelic’ Sròn an t-Sithein’, which translates as “fairy point.” The village gave the name to the mineral Strontianite after it was discovered nearby around 1790.
Morvern (Gaelic: A’ Mhorbhairne: the sea-gap) is the most southerly peninsula. Morvern is approximately 200 square miles; its varied habitats include ancient woodlands, rolling hills, rivers, and sea lochs, and 20 miles of coastline. Morvern is one of the few places in the UK that has hardly been touched by modern life, and because of that, it boasts a great diversity of animals, birds, and flowers.
The Great Western Loop (HGS) invites bikerafters to ride and paddle their way through one of the least explored parts of Scotland. This is a challenging invitation, but the reward is witnessing some of the most incredible landscapes that the country has to offer.
Route Difficulty
This route has the overall dificulty of 8 out of 10. Physical demand (8.5). With a max gradient of 15.7%, this route has 10,357 feet (3,157 metres) of climbing over 141 miles (227 kilometres), which means approximately 73.5 feet per mile (14 metres per kilometre). This is a moderate climbing difficulty. However, the strenuousness of the rafting sections increases the physical demand grade. Technical difficulty (8.5). Bikerafting of sea lochs makes this loop technically challenging. Careful preparation, good strategy, and plausible contingency plans are key in the successful completion of the loop. Resupply and Logistics (6.5). Thanks to the train station, getting to the start and back from the finish is not a problem. There are resupply points on the way, though at times you will find yourself miles away from them.
Route Development: My work on this route started in the summer of 2022. Originally, the loop was going to be part of a bigger loop covering a greater area, but due to logistical difficulties, I decided to focus on the shorter version. This loop is a result of five solo bikerafting trips to the West Highland Peninsulas and hours of pre- and post-ride research. I have refined the loop many times and have ridden different versions of it. I’ve worked hard in order to come up with the most practical way to ride and paddle this amazing corner of the country. Capturing drone shots while paddling in these solo trips was particularly challenging! My work continues on a neighbouring loop in order to create the greater loop that I originally had in mind. Watch this space for Great Western Loop Part II.
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Highlights
Must Know
Camping
Food/H2O
Trail Notes
Resources
- Moidart is a designated National Scenic Area for its outstanding scenery and landscape. Paddling Loch Moidart to the tidal island of Eilean Tioram is an incredible experience. If timed well, you’ll observe some stunning sunsets.
- Castle Tioram sits on the tidal island of Eilean Tioram. The ancient fortress is surrounded by a five-sided curtain wall. The castle was built in the mid-13th century and extended in the 14th century as a testament to the independent rule of Rough Bounds by the Clanranalds, Lords of the Isles. Walking to the castle is possible in low tide.
- River Shiel Old Bridge is set on a beautiful section of paved road shortly before coming to the village of Acharacle. The area, surrounded by trees, is an ideal spot for a pit stop (and a dip if you need to cool off!). River Shiel passes under the bridge to a big pool. On the other side of the pool is a shelter, which is marked on the map.
- Ardnamurchan’s rocky northern side has an unforgettable view. As you cycle a link-up of gravel, pavement, and singletracks to the Ardnamurchan point, in the horizon, you can see the islands of Sky, Eigg, Rum, Canna, and Muck. A few miles before coming to the lighthouse, there is Sanna Bay with its distinctive white shell sand and turquoise sea: a dreamy location to set up a camp. Keep your eyes out for whales and dolphins.
- Ardnamurchan Lighthouse is high above the Hebridean Sea at the most westerly point of the British mainland. Both wild and calm, you can take a moment here to sit and witness one of the best panoramic views of the Hebridean Sea and its islands.
- Ben Hiant is the highest mountain on the Ardnamurchan peninsula. It is the remains of an ancient volcano that erupted over 60 million years ago and epitomises the complex geological history of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. You will see a magnificent view of Ben Hiant from the surface of Loch Sunart while crossing to the other side.
- Camas nan Geall is a beautiful sandy bay that holds many layers of history, having been occupied for at least 5,000 years. Here, you can find a chambered cairn dating back to Neolithic times, a standing stone from the Bronze Age (engraved with carvings from approx. 563 AD), and a spring known as “Tobar Chalum Chille,” which likely relates to the journey of St Columba as he travelled up this coast. It is believed that Vikings would have used the shelter of the bay to bring in their longships from the end of the 8th century.
- Ardnamurchan Distillery makes world-class single-malt whisky. The distillery is on the way to the second crossing option of Loch Sunart. Located in the centre of midge land, Ardnamurchan Distillery collaborated with Smidge, the UK’s No.1 midge repellent brand, to create a whisky that pays tribute to the infamous midge. There are rumours that this whisky itself has some midge repellency value. There is a visitor centre and shop in the distillery, where you can take a tour of the distillery and sample some of their “water of life.”
- Torr nan Con campspot. After crossing Loch Sunart via option one and riding 1.5 miles up a hill called Torr nan Con, you will come to a camp spot marked on the map. Getting to the exact location requires a short diversion, but the reward is great, as this is one-of-a-kind spot to wake up to.
- Loch Linnhe offers a unique rafting experience. From the surface of the loch, you will have a panoramic view of the Grampian Mountains. In good clear visibility, the high peaks of this mountain range, which includes Ben Nevis (the highest peak in the UK), are visible in the distance.
- Loch Shiel gravel road. Along the 10-mile homestretch back to Glenfinnan, you will have the best view of Loch Shiel and its surrounding hills. As you approach the trail’s end, the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct will be visible in the distance.
- Bikerafting knowledge is necessary. This route is only possible with a packraft.
- When to go: April to October are the best months of the year for cycling and paddling the Great Western Loop (HGS). Out of this period, you will most definitely face stronger winds and heavier rainfalls.
- Logistics: Glenfinnan, where the loop starts and ends, has a train station. There are regular train services to Glasgow passing through Fort William. If you are travelling from abroad, Visit Scotland is a good website for gathering information about your visit to Scotland.
- Scottish Outdoor Access Code: “Access rights extend to non-motorised water-based activities, such as canoeing, rafting, rowing and sailing. Make sure that the river, loch or reservoir is appropriate for your activity and the numbers involved, take care not to interfere unreasonably with other interests and avoid going close to water intakes, abstraction points or spillways.”
- Deer management: Stalking and fencing are the main deer management methods currently used in Scotland. Red deer stag (male) stalking currently takes place between July 1st and October 20th, with increasing activity from August. The first three weeks of October are the busiest time of the stag stalking season and a key period of the year to achieve reductions in deer numbers. Red deer hind (female) stalking takes place from October 21st to February 15th, with the end of the season often being a key period when deer managers work hard to achieve their cull targets. General advice for visiting the hills during this period is to plan ahead and pay close attention to signage on arrival and throughout your visit and use established roads and tracks. The Great Western Loop (HGS) only uses established routes.
- Put-ins and take-outs: You may need to have a look for the best spot, which may be different from what is shown on the map due to the changing nature of the sea lochs’ sides.
- Wind direction: Scotland has a maritime climate that is strongly influenced by the oceanic waters of the North Atlantic and prevailing southwesterly wind.
- Weather and emergency plan: Scotland’s weather can change very quickly. As the route takes you to very exposed areas of the West Highland Peninsulas, it is necessary to have the right kit and strategy. There is good phone signal reception throughout the trail. However, a satellite communicator is a must-have when crossing sea lochs.
- Tide: Three of the four lochs along the route are sea lochs, with the paddling of these lochs greatly affected by the tidal currents. Understanding the tides and monitoring the tide timetable is crucial. Two of the sources I used during the development of the Great Western Loop (HGS) are Met Office Beach Forecast & Tide Times and BBC Tide Table Scotland (find out more in the trail notes).
- Loch Linnhe and Glensanda Port. The longest rafting section of the loop is the 7.7 miles along the remote shore of Loch Linnhe to the take-out point of Loch a’Choire. This is a remote section of the loop that requires the right preparation, strategy, and contingency plan. At 2.5 miles through this section, you will pass Glensanda Port. Glensanda is a single berth port in regular use by ships of between 100 and 110,000 m/t. Loch Linnhe is a popular location for canyoning, kayaking, and paddle boarding. The general safety advice while passing the port is to have a safe distance from the port and any docked vessels. MyShipTracking is one of the free websites and apps which allows you to monitor the port’s activities, such as any arriving and departing vessels. Good phone signal reception along Loch Linnhe enables you to monitor the port and loch’s traffic live.
- Water Level: During periods when water level is low, seasonal islands and obstructions can emerge that are not shown on maps. And during the time when water level is high, coastlines and loch sides can be flooded. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is in charge of monitoring and recording water levels on lochs, rivers, and coastlines.
- Bike Type: Bikes with tyre width of 2.2 to 2.6″ are suitable for the Great Western Loop (HGS). The loop was developed using a rigid mountain bike with many eyelets, allowing me to attach all my gear to the bike.
- There are many good camping spots on the way. These spots are all marked on the map. Five of the highly recommended spots are as follows (these spots have been given a name to make them recognisable on the map): Silver Walk, 23.3 miles along the loop, by Loch Moidart take-out. Glen Drain, 44.5 miles along the loop. Sanna Bay, 48.5 miles along the loop. Torr nan Con, 72.7 miles along the loop. Camas Chrònaig, 99.7 miles along the loop, on the shore of Loch Linnhe
- Bothies: Leacraithnaich Hut, Resourie Hut, and Corryhully Hut are the three accessible bothies on the way of the loop or by a diversion. Corryhully at the start and end of the loop needs a 2.5-mile diversion to get to. This bothy has electricity with plugs so you can charge devices. Leacraithnaich Hut by Loch Tearaint is at the start of a tricky 4.32-mile section to the shore of Loch Linnhe. Resourie Hut is accessible by a 3.9-mile diversion from the loop, a few miles before coming to the Loch Shiel. There are also three basic shelters marked on the loop.
- Campsites on the route include: The Ardnamurchan Campsite in Kilchoan. Sunart Campsite in Strontian.
- Some of the paid lodging options are: Back Track Bothies at Glenfinnan. Loch Shiel Hotel in Acharacle. Corrie Beag Holidays in Kilchoan. Lochaline Hotel in Lochaline. The Ariundle Centre in Strontian.
- There are resupply points and cafes in the following locations: Viaduct View Cafe and Visitor Centre Cafe in Glenfinnan. Acharacle shop and East to West Bakery. Ardnamurchan Lighthouse Cafe. The Ferry Stores and Puffin Coffee in Kilchoan. Lochaline Stores, The Hub Cafe and the Snack Bar. Convenience store, DC Ryan Village Shop, Cafe Sunart and Ariundle Centre Cafe Restaurant in Strontian.
- Fresh water is in abundance in the Highlands! Take a water purifying filter and tablets in case you come across a dodgy stream as your only source
These trail notes provide a guide for the whole route, split into four stages (these stages do not reflect suggested days).
location Glenfinnan to Tioram Castle
Stage 1 (23 miles)
Leaving Glenfinnan train station, follow the map to Dragonfly Trail and Loch Shiel Forestry Gravel Road (the Dragonfly Trail bridge over Callop River is closed for maintenance temporarily, take this 2.6-mile diversion to join the Loch Shiel gravel road).
Here, you enter the West Highland Peninsulas of Ardgour. You will ride 11.2 miles of gravel road on the northern edge of Ardgour to a right turn that takes you to the side of Loch Shiel. Now you can prepare and put in your raft for 2.1 miles of paddling along and to the other side of Loch Shiel to the Moidart Peninsula. Towards the end of this crossing, you will see an island in the middle of the loch called Eilean Fhianain. This island has been the local burial ground for centuries (visiting the island is permitted). Parallel to the island on the north side of the loch, there is a little bay called Port an Eilean, which is the first take-out option for Loch Shiel. There are two more suitable take-outs farther down the loch marked on the map.
You will now be standing on the Moidart Peninsula. Pack here and ride 5.9 miles of mixed-surface track to Kinlochmoidart. Shortly after making it to Glen Moidart, you will join the A861 for a short section before coming to a gate that opens to the Loch Moidart put-in spot. Rafting of Loch Moidart is only possible in high tide as the loch dries out in low tide. The best way to do this is to set off towards the end of the rising tide or by the time the ebb tide begins. Here is the link to Loch Moidart Tide Table. Take-Out for Loch Moidart is marked on the map and is by Eilean Tioram.
location Tioram Castle to Camas nan Geall (Bay of the Pledges)
Stage 2 (44 miles)
Taking your raft off the surface of Loch Moidart means that you are standing on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula. You will start this stage by joining a quiet and scenic paved road by the side of Loch Moidart and River Shiel. Three miles later, you will come to River Shiel Old Bridge in a very picturesque spot. Shortly after the old bridge, you will cross over Shiel New Bridge to a three-way junction. Take the right to carry on with the loop (half a mile to the left is Acharacle village).
Here, we start our ride along the amazing north side of the peninsula. Another 1.8 miles farther on this paved road will get you to a gravel road. This 4.5-mile gravel road travels along the shore of Kentra Bay and over some hills to the start of a singletrack trail. A mix of riding and pushing through this 1.7-mile singletrack will take you back onto a gravel road. Now, you will ride a further 7 miles on a mix of paved and gravel roads to Fascadale Bay. You will come off the bay by a short hike-a-bike up a hill to a singletrack. After 3.8 miles on this mostly singletrack will bring you to Glendrain and its camp-spot. Shortly after the Glendrain camp spot, you’ll join a paved road that takes you to Sanna Bay. After the bay you will ride a short singletrack and a gravel road to join a paved road (B8007). Now, you can take a 5.5-mile diversion to and back from the Ardnamurchan Lighthouse (the westernmost point of the UK mainland) over a paved road. Back from the lighthouse, you will ride on the B8007 for 3.5 miles to Kilchoan village, a good place to resupply. Eight more miles on the paved road will take you around Ben Hiant to the end of stage 2 at Camas nan Geall.
location Camas nan Geall to Leacraithnaich Bothy
Stage 3 (26.5 miles)
This stage starts with the crossing of Loch Sunart to the Morvern Peninsula. There are two options for this crossing. The best way to cross Loch Sunart using either of the options is to set off by the start of the rising tide. Here is the link to the Salen and Loch Sunart Tide Table.
Option 1: Take a right turn off the paved road down to the Camas nan Geall beach. Put in your raft and follow the line for 2.45 miles around Cnoc Breac and across Loch Sunart to Loch na Droma Buihe inlet. Here, the rising tide will push you through the inlet into the calm of Loch na Droma Buihe. Some 1.3 miles farther, there are two take-out spots marked on the map. Welcome to Morvern.
Option 2: Here is the link to option 2. This option is a safer bet in windy conditions as 0.7 miles through the crossing and in the middle of the loch, you will find yourself in the protection of Carna, an island in Loch Sunart. However, the cost of this protection comes later in the form of a tricky 1.5-mile hike-a-bike.
From Camas nan Geall, follow the paved road to Glenborrodale and Laga, passing Ardnamurchan Distillery. Find the mark on the map that shows you where to turn right to Laga Bay. Put in your raft and paddle the line for 2 miles on the east side of the island of Carna to Loch Teacuis inlet. Another 1.5 miles through the crossing, the rising tide will come to your assistance to push you through the inlet. Pay attention to the waypoints on the map as they show you the rocks and shallows through the inlet. Two miles farther, you will arrive at the first take-out option of Loch Teacuis, and 1.3 miles farther, there is the second take-out of the loch. Pack up and follow the line over a gravel road and a singletrack to rejoin the main line at the side of Loch na Droma Buihe.
Now, you will ride 6 miles on a gravel road on the north and west sides of the Morvern peninsula to Bonnavoulin. Here, you are surrounded by breathtaking views of Loch Sunart, Ben Hiant of Ardnamurchan, and the mighty island of Mull. After 1.6 miles of uphill through this section, you can take a diversion on the right side of the road to Torr nan Con camp spot. From Bonnavoulin, you are on a quiet paved road for 10 miles to a junction, where you can take a right turn to Lochaline for resupply. This 10 miles is on the west side of the peninsula with the Sound of Mull and the Island of Mull on your right side. From the junction, you will ride a further 2.6 miles over a mix of gravel and paved roads to a right turn that takes you to Ardtornish Estate. After passing through the estate garden you will come to a gravel road that takes you to Loch Tearnait and Leacraithnaich Bothy.
location Leacraithnaich Bothy to Glenfinnan
Stage 4 (47.7 miles)
Stage 4 starts with a mix of riding and hike-a-bike to the shore of Loch Linnhe. Here, you are about to enter a very remote section of the loop. Leaving the bothy, you will ride a short gravel road on the side of Loch Tearnait to the start of a singletrak trail. A mix of hike-a-bike and riding will take you off this 3.6-mile singletrack to Loch Linnhe. You will need to use your navigation skills towards the end of this section, as the track can disappear at points. By the end of summer, parts of this singletrack will be quite overgrown. Halfway through this singletrack, you will be welcomed by views of the Grampian Mountains rising beyond Loch Linnhe in the distance.
The longest rafting section of the loop is the 7.7-mile paddling stretch along the shore of Loch Linnhe to Loch a’ Choire and Kingairloch Estate. If you start this section towards the end of the day, 1.5 miles through this line, there is a little bay called Camas Chrònaig (marked on the map), where you can land to rest and camp. The beach line of this bay can be narrow in high tide but you will find enough space for setting up your camp. There is also a stream of fresh water for resupply. 1.5 miles out of the bay, you will have to pass Glensanda Port. This is a single berth port in regular use by ships of 100 to 110,000 m/t. Make sure to give yourself a safe distance to the port and any docked vessels. Thanks to good phone reception along Loch Linnhe, you can monitor the port and loch’s traffic with the free app: MyShipTracking. After passing the port you will find beaches along the shoreline where you can land for rest and resupply of H2O. Another 3.6 miles down the line after the port, you will arrive at Loch a’ Choire mouth. Steer left into the loch to paddle a further 1.2 miles to your take-out points. There are two spots for take-out marked on the map on each side of the loch.
Here, you have landed at Kingairloch Estate. Pack here and ride a mix of gravel and paved roads for 5.7 miles to a junction. On the way, you have a camp spot and a basic shelter marked on the map. Take the right at the junction and ride this very scenic paved road for 8.8 miles to the village of Strontian. There are marks on the map showing a camp spot and the Ariundle Centre in Strontian. Welcome to the Highland Peninsula of Sunart.
From Strontian, there is a climb over a paved road that brings you up to near the top of Beinn Ruighe Raonail (418 metres) with a great view of the surrounding hills. From the top, you will ride 4 miles to the Polloch hamlet, passing Loch Doillean. Just before the loch at Kinlochan, you can divert over a 3.9-mile gravel road to Resourie Bothy; here is the link to this diversion. By passing over the River Polloch on a bridge to the hamlet, you have re-entered the Ardgour peninsula and soon will be rejoining the Loch Shiel gravel road. The 13.8-mile gravel road, which was our gateway to the peninsulas, will now take you back to the finishing point at Glenfinnan. Throughout this section, you will be rewarded by the magnificent views of Loch Shiel and the surrounding hills.
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