Q: When should I travel to Glasgow?
Q: Where can I find accommodation if I decide to travel the day before the walk begins?
Q: How should I pack my luggage and what happens to it if I'm walking on Saturday?
Q: How do I identify my transport?
Q: What if I am going to be late?
Q: How long does it take to get to Fort William and what happens when we arrive?
Q: What about lunch on the first day?
Q: Will we get a chance to stop for a break?
Q: Where can I visit the toilet?
Q: How hard will the walking be?
Q: How long will we be walking each day?
Q: How will I feel throughout each day?
Q: What if I have any medical problems during the day or night?
Q: What will the weather be like during the summer months?
Q: Can I drink the water from the streams & Lochs along the Way?
Q: What can I do to look after my feet?
Q: What is the Hostel accommodation like?
Q: What happens to our baggage and what's the routine on reaching the accommodation?
Q: What about our meals? What about lunches for the next day?
Q: When do we start and finish each day?
Q: Why do we sometimes have to travel back and forward to our accommodation?
Q: Is the accommodation likely to change from the program?
Q: What happens when we reach the finish?
Q: What happens the next day?
Q: When will I book my trip back home?
* Please if you have any questions you would like answered outwith the above please do not hesitate to get in touch.
A: We strongly recommend that you travel to Glasgow on the Friday before your walk, this not only ensures that you won't be delayed by trains etc, but leaves you only a small journey on Saturday morning, to Glasgow Central Station. If you choose to stay overnight on Friday this will ensure that you have a good night's rest before the walk begins on Saturday morning - Highly recommended!
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A: We can certainly pass on details of accommodation providers in and around Glasgow City Centre, you just have to let us know at your time of booking of what your requirements are.
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A: Just pack your luggage as normal using either a suitcase or large holdall, though you must set aside your items for walking such as your boots, small daysack etc and what ever you feel you might need for your first days walking. We recommend that you are dressed for walking when you are collected as there are no suitable changing facilities when you arrive in Fort William. Your luggage will be transported on ahead of you from Fort William to your first nights accommodation.
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A: You will be collected by the Ptarmigan Treks minibus which is white and clearly marked with the company name, it may also display the charity logo in the front window.
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A: If you think you are going to be late on Saturday morning for whatever reason, you must contact us immediately on the contact numbers you have been provided with. If you have booked accommodation for Friday please ensure that you have their number with you also to inform them of your possible late arrival.
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A: On average it takes around 2 ½ to 3 hrs to travel up to Fort William from Glasgow depending on traffic etc. When we arrive in Fort William we will have a tea & coffee break before our short introduction and safety briefing, here we will cover the format for the week and answer any questions that you might have. We will complete any outstanding admin at this point, take the group photo, then we're off - on foot!
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A: Your first days lunch will be given to you on arrival at the start in Fort William. When you book you will be given a 6 day lunch request form to complete, this must be submitted no later than 4 weeks before the event, if you don't complete this form we will make up lunches for you!
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A: Yes, there will be regular stops and breaks throughout the day to allow for you to have a bite to eat and to answer that call of nature. The transport will also meet us at certain locations along the Way, to let us have some light refreshments such as tea, coffee, orange juice and replenish our water bottles.
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A: There are some public toilets along the way though rather infrequent, but there are bushes, trees, ferns, walls etc to use at your discretion. There is also the odd pub or inn you could visit though the landlords sometimes take a dim view of people just coming in to use their facilities without making any purchases!
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A: The walking will be fairly easy over the first couple of days along the canal paths, but becoming a little more demanding as the ground becomes more undulating as the week progresses though the tracks remain good, the walking will be kept at a leisurely pace throughout based on the pace of the slowest members - Remember it's not a race!
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A: Approx 10 to 12 miles a day and around 5 to 7hrs of walking with one longer day. The longer day, the last day which is around 18 miles (Drumnadrochit to Inverness) will take a little longer, although the tracks are excellent on this day.
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A: You should feel fairly comfortable each day provided you look after yourself; by doing such things as ensuring a good nights sleep, having a good breakfast, eating meals and eating and drinking throughout each day also, and most importantly looking after your FEET!
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A: Your Guides are fully trained first aiders, and provided that your illness or injury is nothing too serious, will treat you with what ever is necessary at the time, they all carry first aid packs and are experts on blister care & prevention which can be the biggest concern on a trip such as this, due to the amount of time on your feet. The Guides will always be in radio contact with each other, and also the support vehicle, should anything more serious occur when walking.
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A: Who knows! We organise The Great Glen Way trips from May to September but though we can't organise the weather! Within these months you can get allsorts of weather - so be prepared! The worst thing that you will probably experience on your trip outside the weather, will be the dreaded Scottish Midge so make sure you have plenty of repellent with you, its also worth considering purchasing a Midge hood from any good outdoor shop, which can be invaluable when under full attack!
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A: No! Although some of the streams that run directly off the mountains, we would advise against doing so, for example there may be something rather unsavoury further upstream, imagine a dead sheep or deer lying in it further upstream, which I think would make you rather unwell.. Fresh water will be available in morning and hopefully once or twice throughout the day. Everyone should be carrying at least 2ltrs with them each day.
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A: As I mentioned previously blisters are the greatest concern on a trip such as this, although a relatively minor injury, the blister can cause discomfort and disability out of all proportion to its medical significance. We recommend that a pair of well broken in boots are used in conjunction with a quality pair of walking socks (Thorlo's) and that they are washed and changed regularly. Also the use of foot powder is strongly recommended, and should be applied in the morning before you start walking, and at least once or twice throughout the day. Should you feel any symptoms of a blister starting such as a rubbing or hot spot beginning to develop, put your hand up, and one of the Guides will sort you out - Do not leave it too late! Remember keep your feet in good order by - Keeping them clean, making sure that toenails are kept short, clean socks each day, use of foot powder, well fitting boots, laces not too tight or too loose, wearing of flip flops or sandals in the evening to give your feet a chance to breathe and recover, and finally, it may be possible to wear training shoes on some days, ask your Guides and they will advise you.
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A: Most people imagine bunkhouses and hostels to be like a massive dormitory with wooden floors and rows of beds - wrong! Hostels and bunkhouses are nothing like that at all, they have both male and female wings, with the rooms ranging from 2 bedded rooms, up to 10 bedded rooms and family rooms also. The rooms are carpeted and the beds have both clean linen and duvets, all are well maintained and comfortable. Within the hostels there are shower facilities, separate dining and kitchen areas.
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A: When you reach your accommodation, you will be given a key to your allocated room which you will share with other members of the party, if there are other individuals sharing the same room outwith our party, your bags will be kept under lock and key in another room of ours until your arrival, from here you are in your own time to have a shower, go to the local inn for a drink (if any nearby) - or go to bed! Its up to you.
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A: A two course meal will be served at each overnight location at a nearby inn or hotel, transport will be provided to and from these locations where necessary. You may be provided a meal ticket to present to the hotel/inn staff, these will be issued at the end of each day. Breakfast will be a continental breakfast, Cereal, toast, butter, jam, marmalade, fruit juice and tea & coffee prior to your walk - Packed lunches will be distributed each morning after breakfast, and will have your name written on them.
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A: 9.30 - 10am is the normal start time of each day, and look to finish anytime between 2pm and 4pm. The exception is to day 6 the last day (Drumnadrochit to Inverness 18m) when we will make a start around 9am, this should have us into Inverness for 4.30pm.
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A: The reason we have to do this is that, The Great Glen Way is very limited to accommodation that can support groups, therefore we sometimes have to go off route slightly to find such accommodation, or as in most cases, using the same accommodation for 2 night's. Whatever the case we try our very best to make sure that you are comfortable and that we cause you the least amount of inconvenience.
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A: Perhaps slightly, though if it does change you will be informed and it will be before your trip even starts, though it will have no impact on the trip format. You will normally spend 2 nights at Loch Lochy, 3 nights at Loch Ness and 1 night at Inverness.
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A: When we finish at Inverness, we'll have a quick celebration (a wee drink!) and the presentation of certificates, before we head off for our accommodation in Inverness. Then its time for showers and out for our evening meal in Inverness before we head out for the night! The bus will be on hand after the evening meal to take anyone back to the accommodation who would rather just relax on the last night.
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A: Hopefully not too many hangovers! We normally look to leave Inverness at around 10am for our rather long journey back to Glasgow, there will be a stop off at Urquhart Castle on the shores of Loch Ness (optional) this normally involves an entry fee of around £5 per person (I recommend just taking some pictures from the car park and saving yourself a fiver!)
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A: We would advise that you make sure you book your return trip back home, for Friday evening (as late as possible) or you may wish to stay overnight to Saturday, if you do wish to stay please let us know when you book your trip, and we can pass on accommodation providers.
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