Great Glen Way loop is back on track after forestry works

The route along the former railway line at Invergarry has been closed on safety grounds since 2023 as a steep slope above the path was cleared of trees.

The closure meant the Great Glen Way was diverted onto the east side of Loch Oich for two years – so after seeing that the route had just reopened, I had to go and revisit this classic circuit.

The loop around Loch Oich is very much a route of two halves – the flat railway path on one side is direct and keeps fairly close to the water, while the far side meanders high into the forest and skirts well away from the loch to pass through Invergarry.

I debated whether to tackle the route on the mountain bike or to run it, and finally settled on a long but gentle paced run.

Heading down the A82, I parked the car at the most northerly point of the route at Bridge of Oich, where there’s a small car park just beyond the swing bridge at a corner. Jogging back down to the canal bridge, I was halted almost before starting my run as the light started flashing and the barriers came down.

I stood and watched in the cold but perfectly clear morning as a few boats coasted through the opening and out into the loch before the bridge slowly closed and allowed the cars then myself to cross.

The path begins as you turn right immediately after the bridge to pass through a metal gate – some fencing and a small container were still here from the recent works but the way through was clear, and I was soon on the old familiar path alongside the canal then through a wooden gate on the shore of Loch Oich.

There were clear views over to the Munros I’d been on top of the previous weekend, in sharp contrast to the conditions encountered then! Today, the air was cool but where the morning sunshine was hitting it was starting to warm up.

The path bends left to go through another gate where you turn sharp right to join a bridge, now on the route of the old Invergarry to Fort Augustus railway. This line was originally built to mainline standards as part of a plan to create a railway route through the Great Glen to Inverness, but the northern section never came to pass, and this section closed in 1946.

Remnants of the railway are clear to see, notably a large tunnel cut into the rock and further on an old chimney from one of the workers’ shacks alongside the railbed.

Beyond the informal camping area at Leitirfearn, there are also views across the loch to the ruins of Invergarry Castle, as well as Ben Tee and the Munros of Meall na Teanga and Sgur a Choire Ghairbh.

It’s easy to spot the clearfelled slope up to the left as you approach the former station platform at Invergarry. Local volunteers have continued to work at the site – with permission from Forestry and Land Scotland – when safe to do so in their project to develop a museum and heritage station at the site.

This project needs donations and now that the public access has been restored, hopefully passers-by will be encouraged to chip in as they enjoy looking at this fascinating project centred on the station platform.

Beyond the work area, the Great Glen Way follows a quiet road past the water park then out to meet the A82 close to the Laggan swing bridge. Don’t follow the GGW marker across the road towards Laggan Locks and Fort William; instead, turn right and run along the pavement, across the bridge on the pedestrian walkway then cross the main road carefully at the marked crossing point ahead.

Passing the road junction to Kilfinnan, the return route joins the forestry track off to the left just beyond it. Go around the gate and the track begins to climb straight away – something that becomes all too familiar on this half of the route!

Eventually the ascent does end (for now, at least) and there’s a long run downhill, following the blue marker posts and the green diversion signs that also remained in place on my visit.

Where the forest track drops to meet a minor road near Invergarry, there’s a potentially confusing marker post with a hand-drawn arrow suggesting you can travel either way. The waymarked way goes right to follow the road all the way to the village, but there’s a nicer way to get there by going left.

Almost immediately, look out for a rusty old iron gate off to the right, which gives access to some fishing beats. The path leads alongside a fence down to the river, where you turn right through another rusty gate and take the nice little grassy path to meet a footbridge.

The bridge has some structural issues and a sign warns that no more than five people should use it at any time. I was on my own, so I was happy to walk across and I paused to admire the view up and down the river from this high vantage point.

On the far side, there’s another choice. Heading diagonally up to the right is the most direct way – this leads to the road which you then follow on a pavement until just before the hotel.

However, I decided to take the nice riverside path to the right. This continues behind some houses and all the way to just before the main road bridge in the village – when you see that single arch, cut left up a slope to meet the main road, but don’t follow the GGW marker in front of you here. The route goes left, back along the road past the hotel, then picks up the route across the road beside a phone box.

It’s a really steep climb here as the path zigzags high up into the forest again to pick up an old vehicle track. There’s nice running up here once you get your breath back, and the route is well marked all the way.

At one point the track drops close to the road again but you are then directed left onto a narrower path that offers some great single-track trail running for the last few miles, with views over the north end of Loch Oich once again.

The climbing continues but the very last stretch drops down nicely to emerge right next to the car park at the Bridge of Oich, which it is worth taking a closer look at before your journey is done.

Route details

Loch Oich loop

Distance 11 miles / 19 km

Terrain Well marked paths, tracks, short stretches of pavement, trunk road crossings

Start/finish Bridge of Oich

Map OS Landranger 34; OS Explorer 400

A fine run around Loch Oich on this popular Great Glen Way section that has just reopened after prolonged forestry work

Click here to see the route in OS Maps

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