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West Highland Way: Kings House to Kinlochleven
West Highland Way: Kings House to Kinlochleven
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Our view
"Climbing the Devil's Staircase"
Walk directions
Cross the old bridge behind Kings House, and follow the Old Glencoe Road towards the wide pass at the head of Glen Coe. At a gate on the right, the main route follows the old military road, a little way up the flank of the hill. It gives a grand view of the Buachaille, and climbers may be seen on one of the classic routes, such as the Crowberry Tower or Great Gully. An older path followed the River Coupall but is now pretty much vanished under the heather. Either way, arrive at Altnafeadh just above A82.
From here there is a view down into the head of Glen Coe, redolent with history and rich in wild scenery. Turn right up the steepening hill path, the Devil's Staircase.
Take your time on the ascent: the views back across Rannoch Moor are superb, and closer at hand the two Buachailles, Mor and Beag, are dominant either side of the deep trench of the Lairig Gartan. Major Caulfeild's carefully built zig-zags are still there; please walk them and do not take short cuts, so that this fine old route will be preserved.
At the summit of the pass (and of the whole walk, at 1,800ft/549m) there is a cairn. A short climb to the west onto Stob Mhic Mhartuin gives an even better prospect of the area, especially the whole new aspect to the north. Above the glorious serrated peaks of the Mamores rises the unmistakable hunchback shape of Ben Nevis. Your final target is within sight. The path descends gently, then contours to the left, before a slightly steeper descent leads to the track at the top of the hydro-electric pipes that run down to Kinlochleven.
Turn left on the track, which descends steeply through beautiful birch woods. After a long descent the track rejoins the great pipes and runs down with them into Kinlochleven. Across the pipes, keep ahead on a path to a bridge over River Leven, then left on Wades Road (it should be Caulfeild's!) into Kinlochleven.
Since the aluminium smelter closed down in 1996, walkers on the West Highland Way have provided a welcome boost to the local economy. Despite the splendour of its surroundings, no one would pretend that Kinlochleven itself is very attractive, but it does provide a chance to shop, eat (it has one of the best fish and chip shops in the West Highlands), and stay overnight before tackling the final stage of the journey.
Terrain
- Clear, wide paths, then steep descending track, no stiles
Landscape
- High mountain pass at 1800ft (550m)
Dog friendliness
- Good; on lead or under close control if passing cattle
Parking
- Altnafeadh; Aluminium Story visitor centre, Kinlochleven
Toilets en route
- Kinlochleven – community run toilets at River Leven bridge, or publicly available at Ice Factor
About the walk
The walk starts with a grandstand view of one of Scotland's most magnificent mountains, Buachaille Etive Mor (leave Kings House early to get the light on its rocky towers). There's also a glimpse down into the head of Glen Coe. Leaving Altnafeadh, you face the long haul over the Devil’s Staircase,... built by Caulfeild’s troops in 1750. The high highway The earlier route to Fort William was by the Pass of Glen Coe, the shore of Loch Leven, and the ferry at Ballachulish, to rejoin the West Highland Way's route for the final pass through the Lairig Mor. The poet Coleridge passed that way in 1803, on what was a combined West Highland Way and Great Glen Way walk two centuries before either of them existed. But when Major Caulfeild planned his military road, he did not want it to be dependent on local ferry transport, so he carved this high and direct line to Kinlochleven. For his soldiers, paid a miserable sixpence a day bonus for this work, the passage over the high pass must have been even worse than the section over Rannoch Moor: it was they who nicknamed it the Devil's Staircase. Deadly passage Sixty years before the soldiers built the path, the pass was used by some of the MacDonalds fleeing through snow and darkness as the Massacre unfolded in the glen below them. Many more died of exposure than were actually slaughtered by the Campbell and Lowlander soldiers. Much later, early in the 20th century, some of the 3000 navvies building the Blackwater Reservoir dam took this route to a relaxing evening at Kings House. Returning through the snowdrifts, many of them never arrived at their wooden huts, and were only found as spring thawed out the snowdrifts. Tales of those days are of hard living and hard drinking, of death and disappearance, of 10-hour drilling shifts: a different world. The reservoir is seen behind you as you descend. It is nearly 8 miles (13km) long and its dam is over 80ft (24m) high. Its hydro-electricity fed the aluminium works in Kinlochleven, which itself dramatically transformed a tiny Highland village into a town. There might be motorbikes In early May each year (since 1907), the Scottish Six Days Trial is held in the area around Fort William and Kinlochleven. This is a noisy affair, with 270 scrambler motorbikes competing for various trophies. The event draws hundreds of bikers and enthusiasts, and the local economy benefits as a result.
Cross the old bridge behind Kings House, and follow the Old Glencoe Road towards the wide pass at the head of Glen Coe. At a gate on the right, the main route follows the old military road, a little way up the flank of the hill. It gives a grand view of the Buachaille, and climbers may be seen on one of the classic routes, such as the Crowberry Tower or Great Gully. An older path followed the River Coupall but is now pretty much vanished under the heather. Either way, arrive at Altnafeadh just above A82.
1 of 4
From here there is a view down into the head of Glen Coe, redolent with history and rich in wild scenery. Turn right up the steepening hill path, the Devil's Staircase.
Take your time on the ascent: the views back across Rannoch Moor are superb, and closer at hand the two Buachailles, Mor and Beag, are dominant either side of the deep trench of the Lairig Gartan. Major Caulfeild's carefully built zig-zags are still there; please walk them and do not take short cuts, so that this fine old route will be preserved.
2 of 4
At the summit of the pass (and of the whole walk, at 1,800ft/549m) there is a cairn. A short climb to the west onto Stob Mhic Mhartuin gives an even better prospect of the area, especially the whole new aspect to the north. Above the glorious serrated peaks of the Mamores rises the unmistakable hunchback shape of Ben Nevis. Your final target is within sight. The path descends gently, then contours to the left, before a slightly steeper descent leads to the track at the top of the hydro-electric pipes that run down to Kinlochleven.
3 of 4
Turn left on the track, which descends steeply through beautiful birch woods. After a long descent the track rejoins the great pipes and runs down with them into Kinlochleven. Across the pipes, keep ahead on a path to a bridge over River Leven, then left on Wades Road (it should be Caulfeild's!) into Kinlochleven.
Since the aluminium smelter closed down in 1996, walkers on the West Highland Way have provided a welcome boost to the local economy. Despite the splendour of its surroundings, no one would pretend that Kinlochleven itself is very attractive, but it does provide a chance to shop, eat (it has one of the best fish and chip shops in the West Highlands), and stay overnight before tackling the final stage of the journey.
Terrain
- Clear, wide paths, then steep descending track, no stiles
Landscape
- High mountain pass at 1800ft (550m)
Dog friendliness
- Good; on lead or under close control if passing cattle
Parking
- Altnafeadh; Aluminium Story visitor centre, Kinlochleven
Toilets en route
- Kinlochleven – community run toilets at River Leven bridge, or publicly available at Ice Factor
About the walk
The walk starts with a grandstand view of one of Scotland's most magnificent mountains, Buachaille Etive Mor (leave Kings House early to get the light on its rocky towers). There's also a glimpse down into the head of Glen Coe. Leaving Altnafeadh, you face the long haul over the Devil’s Staircase,... built by Caulfeild’s troops in 1750. The high highway The earlier route to Fort William was by the Pass of Glen Coe, the shore of Loch Leven, and the ferry at Ballachulish, to rejoin the West Highland Way's route for the final pass through the Lairig Mor. The poet Coleridge passed that way in 1803, on what was a combined West Highland Way and Great Glen Way walk two centuries before either of them existed. But when Major Caulfeild planned his military road, he did not want it to be dependent on local ferry transport, so he carved this high and direct line to Kinlochleven. For his soldiers, paid a miserable sixpence a day bonus for this work, the passage over the high pass must have been even worse than the section over Rannoch Moor: it was they who nicknamed it the Devil's Staircase. Deadly passage Sixty years before the soldiers built the path, the pass was used by some of the MacDonalds fleeing through snow and darkness as the Massacre unfolded in the glen below them. Many more died of exposure than were actually slaughtered by the Campbell and Lowlander soldiers. Much later, early in the 20th century, some of the 3000 navvies building the Blackwater Reservoir dam took this route to a relaxing evening at Kings House. Returning through the snowdrifts, many of them never arrived at their wooden huts, and were only found as spring thawed out the snowdrifts. Tales of those days are of hard living and hard drinking, of death and disappearance, of 10-hour drilling shifts: a different world. The reservoir is seen behind you as you descend. It is nearly 8 miles (13km) long and its dam is over 80ft (24m) high. Its hydro-electricity fed the aluminium works in Kinlochleven, which itself dramatically transformed a tiny Highland village into a town. There might be motorbikes In early May each year (since 1907), the Scottish Six Days Trial is held in the area around Fort William and Kinlochleven. This is a noisy affair, with 270 scrambler motorbikes competing for various trophies. The event draws hundreds of bikers and enthusiasts, and the local economy benefits as a result.
