The Scottish weather is unpredictable and anyone coming to walk in Scotland should come prepared for this. It can be wet, cold and windy one day, then warm, dry and sunny all in the course of a few hours. The particular season usually keeps things in check but these days you really can get anything! My wife and I found ouselves apologising for the rain to some walkers on the West Highland Way earlier this year only to discover they were from Israel and they loved it. The weather hones the landscape and the waterfalls are at their best in the pouring rain. When it is cooler it is often more comfortable for walking but when the sun shines, the place takes on a different feeling and everywhere looks great.
The West Highland Way passes through some of Scotland's most majestic and awesome scenery. Although the distance by foot is only 96 miles, what may suprise you is not only the change in the landscape in that distance but also the difference in weather. This will be especially true in the early and later months of the year. Accordingly, please do your research before you embark on The Way and take a look at the seasonal graphs included in this website. Make sure you have adequate footwear, clothing and provisions. Do take the time to look at the other resources available online which will give you much more detail on preparation for the walk and the various stages of it. I have produced this website in good faith using publicly available resources to help the visitors to the area. Please enjoy it and I hope it is of some help. The forecasts, rain and wind maps are updated regularly but please consider them as guides. It is worth checking other proprietary resources such as the BBC Weather or the UK Met office websites.
While this site concentrates on the local weather, I ought to mention the local midges. If you’re coming in the summer, make sure you pack insect repellent as you’ll need it to stave off these persistent little blighters!
In the main walking season of April - September, the average daily high temperatures are between 13°C and 19°C. Of course these are averages and the actual daily temperature can fall below 13°C and go into the high 20's on a good summer day. Winter can be wet and windy but due to our position by the North Atlantic Ocean, we don't usually experience the extreme low temperature that you will get in parts of North America or Scandinavia. Having said all of this you, should be aware that the weather can change quite significantly as you move further north on the West Highland Way.
Snowfall is unpredictable in winter, however the chance of snowfall increases as you go north and reach higher ground. In these parts it could snow anytime between October and April of a year, so be prepared. In recent years the month of March has often had the greater falls of snow.
Prepare yourself for rain which can fall at any time of year. The charts on this website show you the extent of rainfall in 2022 in the Milngavie area. This will be a reasonable indicator for those planning to walk the West Highland Way. Good waterproof clothing and footwear are essential all year round.