Milngavie – West Highland Way, Trails and Culture

Milngavie combines the start of the West Highland Way with varied trails, art and local offerings. The town is the starting point of the famous long-distance trail. At the same time, flat paths around the Milngavie and Craigmaddie Reservoirs, green spaces and cultural attractions invite you to shape your trip in different ways. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Milngavie, you can use your preferred mix of hiking, nature, city visits and local discovery as a guide when choosing your accommodation.

Hiking from the Starting Point of the West Highland Way

The section from Milngavie to Drymen provides a relatively easy start to the West Highland Way. It follows footpaths, tracks and minor roads and does not involve any major climbs. This means you can plan the start of the long-distance trail as a separate part of your trip without committing to the entire route. A detailed brochure also lists eight popular local walks that begin at the West Highland Way obelisk in the central area of Milngavie.

The area offers an impressive selection of routes for walkers and cyclists: almost 63 kilometres of paths away from road traffic have been recorded in the Milngavie area. The West Highland Way provides pedestrians and some cyclists with a traffic-free connection to Milngavie’s green spaces. Depending on your travel plans, you can therefore focus on longer sections of the route, shorter local tours or a combination of outdoor activity and exploring the town.

Flat Paths around the Reservoirs and Access to the Allander Water

Flat, surfaced paths for walking, running and cycling run around the Milngavie and Craigmaddie Reservoirs. These paths offer views of Glasgow. This creates a distinct contrast with the character of the West Highland Way: the focus here is not only on long-distance hiking, but also on surfaced paths and an experience of the landscape that can fit into a holiday with a varied pace.

Lennox Park, south of the town centre, provides access to the Allander Water. If you enjoy combining different landscape experiences when planning a trip, you can consider the park, the paths around the reservoirs and the starting point of the West Highland Way as separate destinations. This is useful for a trip involving several interests, as it allows for shorter stays in green surroundings in addition to hiking.

Art, History and Local Goods

Milngavie also has interesting places to visit away from the trails. The Lillie Art Gallery holds exhibitions throughout the year and displays works from its collection, including paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures and ceramics. The Art Nouveau-style monument at Commissioner’s Cottage commemorates James Gale and adds a notable historical detail to the town’s cultural side.

At Gavin’s Mill in Milngavie, the community project runs an ethical shop and a community café. Fair-trade, sustainable and local goods are sold or offered there. This provides a change of pace from the routes when planning your trip: art, a café visit and local goods can each have their own place alongside outdoor activities.

Choosing Milngavie as Your Accommodation Base

When looking for accommodation, you should consider which focus will shape your days. If the West Highland Way or one of the eight local walks is your main priority, the exact location of the holiday apartment within Milngavie may be an important selection criterion. For trips to the reservoirs, Lennox Park or the Lillie Art Gallery, it is also worth considering the location and how you want to structure your days, without assuming a particular proximity to individual destinations.

Milngavie is directly connected to Glasgow Queen Street station by regular ScotRail train services. If you are travelling by train or would like to include Glasgow in your trip, you can take this connection into account when choosing your holiday location.

Further Places to Consider for Your Trip

If you would like to consider destinations in addition to Milngavie, you can also include Bishopbriggs, Balgrochan, Lennoxtown, Bearsden and Campsie Glen in your research.

For the higher-level travel overview: East Dunbartonshire.