Conic Hill & the West Highland Way trail from Garadhban Forest — Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park
Conic Hill & the West Highland Way trail from Garadhban Forest — Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park
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Conic Hill & the West Highland Way trail from Garadhban Forest — Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park
04:36
15.7km
410m
Hiking
Embark on a rewarding hike along the Conic Hill & the West Highland Way trail from Garadhban Forest, a moderate route spanning 9.8 miles (15.7 km) with an elevation gain of 1342 feet (409 metres), typically taking 4 hours and 36 minutes to complete. You begin with a tranquil woodland ascent through Garadhban Forest, where paths are firm and well-defined, before transitioning to open moorland. The climb up Conic Hill is notably steep, featuring rocky steps and requiring careful footing, but it rewards you with stunning panoramic views of Loch Lomond, its islands, and the distant Ben Lomond.
This trail is generally considered moderate to hard, with the ascent of Conic Hill demanding good fitness and sure-footedness, especially on steep, rocky sections that can be tricky when wet or icy. While parts of the route through Garadhban Forest are accessible for various skill levels, the challenge increases significantly as you approach the summit. The path is popular and well-marked with the distinctive West Highland Way thistle emblem, guiding you along this well-trodden route.
Conic Hill is a prominent feature situated directly on the Highland Boundary Fault line, a major geological division separating the Scottish Lowlands from the Highlands, visible in the alignment of Loch Lomond's islands. This section forms a significant part of the iconic West Highland Way, Scotland's best-known long-distance trail. The initial forest environment also offers a peaceful experience, home to wildlife like roe deer and red squirrels, before you reach the breathtaking 360-degree views from Conic Hill.
Last updated: April 23, 2026
Tips
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Waypoints
Start point
Parking
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4.82 km
Burn of Mar Footbridge
Highlight • Bridge
Tip by
6.87 km
View of Loch Lomond from Conic Hill
Highlight • Viewpoint
Sometimes it can be a bit crowded, as many day trippers from Balmaha also venture the climb.
Translated by Google •
Tip by
9.13 km
The Oak Tree Inn, Balmaha
Highlight • Rest Area
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Tip by
14.1 km
View of Loch Lomond from the Pond
Highlight • Viewpoint
Tip by
15.7 km
End point
Parking
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
6.31 km
5.19 km
2.32 km
1.82 km
< 100 m
Surfaces
9.60 km
2.98 km
2.01 km
679 m
431 m
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Elevation
Highest point (330 m)
Lowest point (20 m)
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Weather
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Tuesday 5 May
13°C
4°C
18 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 15.0 km/h
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This route was planned by komoot.
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Trail Reviews
Conic Hill is a very popular hike. The view is very good over Loch Lomond but you might want to avoid the masses by not going on a Saturday. Also I think this hike is far better anti clockwise cos then you get the Loch views.
Strenuous tour. Going up is much easier than going down. New stones are being laid there. The descent is really tough! But the view from Conic Hill is unique!
Loop starting from Balmaha, Up Conic Hill and following the West Highlands way.
Yesterday we arrived in the Southwest Highlands. And today we were going straight to a local highlight - Conic Hill with its fantastic view over Loch Lomond. The climb was a really great start to the tour. First through loose forests and paths with dense undergrowth on the left and right and small, gurgling streams on the occasional occasion. Then the view opened up for the first time to Loch Lomond and the back of Conic Hill. The path there meandered beautifully through the landscape over the sheep pastures. Small bridges crossed the rushing streams, high steps led up the path and later the water just ran along the path 😊. At first the wind mostly came from behind or to the left. When we then went around the mountain it came strongly from the front or to the right. It basically went straight around the mountain. It got really crazy when we climbed the summit (almost climbed it) and were hit by strong gusts at the top. The view was really wonderful. Across the entire loch and the towering, green, harsh mountains in all directions. A fine Highland feeling. The cold wind wasn't the best when we were so wet and we quickly started the descent and came straight to Balmaha via the adventurous stairs. After a little refreshment and warming up, we went back along the road to our parking lot.