Trip Itinerary – May 29-June 8, 2026

Depart from the US airport of your choice for Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Be sure to make your travel arrangements such that you arrive in Edinburgh by early morning of May 29, 2026.

May 29, 2026: Arrive and Explore Edinburgh

We ask that you arrive by 2pm on this day, though if you need flexible arrangements on the timing please contact us to let us know as soon as you can. We will start out by meeting at Roots to see the space where everything happens. While there, we will have some snacks and get to know each other and a bit more about Roots. After that, we will take a quick tour of Edinburgh and end with a dinner with the entire Roots team to celebrate everyone’s safe arrival and this incredible journey we’re about to depart on! After that we will head to our first night hotel at Central Edinburgh Travelodge on Waterloo Pl (Travelodge) and get ready for our early morning the next day!

May 30, 2026: Milngavie to Drymen 12 miles / 19 km: 5.5 - 6.5 hours

We will meet at 7am at the hotel lobby in Edinburgh to depart for the train station. We will travel by train to Milngavie to the start of the West Highland Way. This first day on the trail will see us heading away from the urban suburbs of Glasgow and into the Lowland hills of Scotland. The trail on the first day is relatively flat and a good warm up. Then, we will stay at Buchanan Arms hotel in Drymen (http://buchanan-arms.co.uk/)

May 31, 2026: Drymen to Rowardennan 15 miles / 24 km: 6 - 7.5 hours

Our hike along the West Highland Way will leave Drymen behind as we head through dense wood to Garadhban Forest. The track then approaches Conic Hill, the boundary point between the Lowlands and the Highlands known as The Great Divide. The climb over Conic will present us with some tremendous views of Loch Lomond, which, at 27 square miles, is the largest body of water in the UK. Then it follows the shoreline of Loch Lomond all the way to the Rowardennan Hotel where we will stay for the evening (www.rowardennanhotel.co.uk).

June 1, 2026: Rowardennan to Inverarnan 14 miles / 22.5 km: 7 - 8.5 hours

While very scenic, many hikers consider this section to be the toughest along the West Highland Way because it can be quite rough and rocky at parts. We will follow right at a fork in the path to take the easier route that follows a track in the forest high up in the trees above the loch, which eventually descends and rejoins the more difficult route. We’ll follow along the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond till we reach the Drover’s Inn where we’ll spend the night (https://www.droversinn.co.uk/) 

June 2, 2026: Inverarnan to Tyndrum 12 miles / 19 km: 5.5 - 6.5 hours

After a tough previous day, we’re rewarded with a bit of a shorter day, where we’ll follow the river along the valley that is Glen Falloch. We’ll pass through woodland and over farmland throughout the day. This is the approximate halfway point of the West Highland Way and we’ll get some great views of Ben More to the east. We’ll continue from there into the village of Tyndrum where we will stay at Muthu Ben Doran Hotel where they provide next day laundry services for a small fee. (https://www.muthuhotelsmgm.com/muthu-ben-doran-hotel)

June 3, 2026: Tyndrum to Inveroran 10 miles / 16 km: 4 - 6 hours

This will be the shortest day of the trip, so we will enjoy a longer lunch at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel. This morning we’ll continue along the old military road we were on the previous day. This will be easy, clear hiking with lovely views, especially of Ben Odhar and Ben Dorain. After lunch, we will climb a small hill till we can see the Inveroran Hotel in a gorgeous descent to our accommodation (https://www.inveroran.com/)

June 4, 2026: Inveroran to Kingshouse 12 miles / 19 km: 5.5 - 6 hours

We will leave our secluded hotel to then climb out onto Rannoch Moor. We will be hiking in a fairly exposed path with incredible views. A cairn marks the summit at 445m and from here there are some of the best views into Glencoe. From there we will descend next to Glencoe Ski Centre till we reach our accommodation at Kingshouse Hotel. (https://www.kingshousehotel.co.uk/) 

June 5, 2025: Kingshouse to Kinlochleven 9 miles / 14.5 km: 3 - 4 hours

This is another one of our shortest days, but it’s not to be taken lightly. It starts flat along the road, but soon we’ll find ourselves at the foot of the Devil’s Staircase. This steep switchback path leads to a cairn at 548m and marks the highest point on the West Highland Way. The views at the top make the ascent well worth it and we might even be able to see Ben Nevis on a clear day. From there we will slowly descend into Kinlochleven where we will stay at the TBD. 

June 6, 2026: Kinlochleven to Fort William 16 miles / 24 km: 7 - 8.5 hours

Our final day will be one of our longest, but we will all be pro-hikers by then, so it won’t seem too daunting. We start with some gentle elevation changes for the first half of the day, but the second half will be defined by the incredible views of Ben Nevis (the highest peak in Scotland) as we hike around it. We will end the West Highland Way in Gordon Square right in the center of Fort William. Here you will find a statue of 'Sore Feet Man' which has marked the end of the hike since 2010 - a perfect place for team photos to mark our completion of this incredible 96 mile trail through the Scottish Highlands. After that we will make one final short hike to our accommodation (Travelodge) for the night.

June 7, 2026: Fort William to Edinburgh

Our first day of no trail hiking and our last full day together! We will take a train out of Fort William to travel back to Edinburgh (Travel time: 5 hours). Once back we will have one final celebratory dinner together before heading back to the hotel for a good night sleep.

June 8, 2026: Departure Day

Now that we’re all safely back in Edinburgh, the trip has officially concluded and it’s time to take our next steps into whatever adventure God calls us to next. Depending on people’s travel plans, the Roots team will be available to help people get to the airport or navigate the train station at any point during the day to make sure that everyone’s travel plans run smoothly.

The West Highland Way is a 96-mile route which will be completed in 8 days. The longest day's trek will be on day 8 from Kinlochlevin to Fort William which is 16 miles long and is estimated to take 6-8.5 hours to complete. There’s a bag drop service which will shuttle your baggage from accommodation to accommodation which means you will only have to carry your essentials for hiking. The route itself mostly follows a well made path, but some sections are extremely rocky and can be quite technical. These parts of the trail are not too difficult, but must be taken seriously when preparing for the trip.

The minimum physical requirement, therefore, is that you can hike 16 miles in a day and hike an average distance of 12 miles a day through the trip's duration. Some sections may be difficult if you struggle with steep gradients either up or down, so we highly recommend using hiking sticks to help mitigate this. We believe that this trail can be done by anyone who enjoys hiking, but it can be extremely challenging and proper training and preparation is essential.

TRIP COST: $2,300 + Airfare

TRIP COST INCLUDES:

• All in-country transportation (including tickets from Edinburgh city center to start and end of trail)
• Hotel accommodations 
• Two experienced trail guides who serve with Roots
• Breakfast and dinner on the trail (lunch to be purchased by each individual)
• Team hat
• Bag carry from hotel to hotel

Additional personal expenses:

• Airfare to/from Edinburgh (see suggested list of travel agents below)
• Passport (must be valid within 6 months after the date of our trip)
• Personal gear
• Trip insurance (see suggested list)
• Lunches while on the trail (there will be shops along the way to purchase lunches)
• Meals to/from Edinburgh

TRIP REGISTRATION DEADLINE:

We anticipate the 22 spots available for this trip will fill up quickly, so don't delay! To secure your spot for this life-changing adventure, submit your $500 deposit by September 15, 2025.

Register

Note: Your deposit is non-refundable. All trip fees are due to CMF 75 days (March 16, 2026) prior to departure. A suggested trip payment schedule will be provided.

TRIP LEADER:

Brett McClain
brettmcclain@cmfi.org

Brett has been on the Roots team since 2020, and hiked the West Highland Way for the first time in 2023 and has led this trip before in the summer of 2025. Brett is from Arkansas in the United States, but found a new home in Scotland. Prior to working for Roots, he worked for 3 years at a thriving campus ministry at his alma mater, Georgia Tech. God has given him a passion for serving university students in Scotland. Brett will be your primary point of contact for the preparation and fundraising, providing regular updates and helping you physically prepare for the trek. 

CMF Trip Cancellation Policy 

We understand that unexpected changes can happen, and we want to be as transparent and fair as possible while stewarding the financial responsibilities of organizing a global adventure. Please review the following policy, which applies to all CMF Adventure Trips: 

Important Note: The initial registration deposit is non-refundable. 

Refund Guidelines:  

More than 75 days before the trip start date (before March 16): 

• • All trip fees (excluding the non-refundable deposit) are fully refundable.
• • All funds raised for ministry support are non-refundable and non-transferable and will be used for CMF ministry organizing the trip.

Within 75 days of the trip start date (on or after March 16): 

• • All trip fees are non-refundable due to prepaid, non-recoverable expenses.*
• • Participants are strongly encouragedto purchase travel insurance upon registration, as many policies provide full or partial reimbursement in the event of a cancellation. 
• • CMF is happy to recommend trusted travel insurance providers and to provide documentation to support your reimbursement claim if needed.
• • Participants may choose to convert their trip fee payment into a tax-deductible donation to support a CMF missionary, ministry, or another trip participant.

Please note: CMF no longer offers the option to hold funds for future trip participation, as CMF Adventure Trips vary from year to year and are not guaranteed. 

Travel Agent & Insurance Recommendations 

While CMF does not officially endorse these vendors, many of our travelers have used them successfully:  

We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance that includes coverage for trip cancellations due to injury, illness, or personal emergencies. This protects your financial investment in case unforeseen circumstances prevent your participation in a CMF Adventure Trip. 

*Exceptions to this policy may be considered on a case-by-case basis in the event of extreme hardship. 

We encourage you to have fun with this part of the adventure, trusting that you won’t go through fundraising alone. As a team, we’ll share tools and ideas to help you raise the funds to benefit the discipleship journey of students at Roots, starting with how to share this opportunity with friends, family, coworkers, and church groups.

CMF has created an easy, user-friendly fundraising tool to help you raise the $3,000 commitment support for this trip. You will be sent simple instructions to create your own unique fundraising page. These funds will be due by May 29, 2026.

If you need assistance at any time, please contact adventure@cmfi.org.

Arrive early or stay late to add any of the following suggested adventures to your trip.

• Explore Scotland: Discover the beauty of Edinburgh and its neighboring cities with a variety of available tours and attractions. Dive into the rich history and cultural landmarks of Scotland.
• Religious Sites: Delve into the religious heritage of the British Isles, with a highlight being Iona, an island in the Inner Hebrides. Visit the historic abbey where St. Columba first landed in Scotland in 563 AD, spreading Christianity across the region. Plan for a 2-day journey each way and allocate ample time to explore Iona.
• European City Tour: Enhance your trip by adding an overnight stay in a European city of your choice en route to or from Edinburgh. Experience the vibrant culture, rich history, and delectable cuisine with minimal added expenses for accommodation, transportation, and meals.
• Plan Your Route: Familiarize yourself with the West Highland Way using the official website: West Highland Way website.
• Training Hikes: Discover nearby training hikes to prepare for your adventure using the resources available at alltrailscom.

Download a PDF of the packing list here!