Evening light over Kingshouse Hotel and Buachaille Etive Mor
RB Photo · Evening at Kingshouse Hotel · CC BY 2.0 · cropped

Kingshouse to Kinlochleven

The Devil's Staircase, then a long drop into Kinlochleven.

  • 14.2 km 8.8 mi On trail
  • 4–5 h Walking time
  • ↑430 m 1,400 ft Ascent
  • Harder Difficulty

Example stay Tailrace Inn (opens in a new tab)

Cross-check: official Kingshouse to Kinlochleven section . We use their settlement names and amenity list as a cross-check. Distances are from our trail geometry, not their mile table.

The walk

You leave Kingshouse toward Buachaille Etive Mor. The old military road runs beside the A82 to Altnafeadh, at the foot of the mountain. There the Way turns right and climbs the zigzags of the Devil's Staircase to the highest point on the trail, 550 m, marked by a cairn. Views back to the Buachaille and north to the Mamores. Then the path crosses exposed moor and drops a long way to Kinlochleven, a village with a shop at the head of the loch.

  1. Start of section

    Kingshouse

    The hotel is the place. Isolated, booked out in summer, and the usual night before the Devil's Staircase.

    56.6510, -4.8402 Google Maps for Kingshouse (opens in a new tab)

  2. Toward Altnafeadh

    The old military road leaves Kingshouse and runs toward Buachaille Etive Mor, beside the A82. At Altnafeadh, close to the foot of the mountain, the Way turns right. Miss that turn and you leave the trail.

  3. The climb

    The Devil's Staircase

    Zigzags to 550 m, the highest point on the Way, marked by a cairn. The name comes from soldiers hauling kit, not from the grade. The path is clear. Views back to the Buachaille and north to the Mamores.

  4. Down to Kinlochleven

    After the cairn the path meanders across high moor, then drops more than 500 m to sea level. Straightforward, hard on tired knees, especially in the wet. Kinlochleven is a working village: shop, pubs, and beds.

  5. End of section

    Kinlochleven

    A working village with a shop, pubs, and beds after the staircase.

    56.7139, -4.9628 Google Maps for Kinlochleven (opens in a new tab)

Section overview

The ground

  • Stony path
  • Zigzag climb
  • Exposed moor
  • Long descent

The climb is short and zigzagged. The sting is the long descent and the exposed moor after the cairn. Rannoch was exposure without a climb. The rocky north shore was slow underfoot. This is the steep pull, then a long drop into a village.

Stops

Refreshments

  • Kingshouse
  • Kinlochleven

Toilets

  • Kinlochleven

Before you go

Get there

Southbound, you finish at Kingshouse and leave by coach on the A82.

Opposite direction

Kinlochleven to Kingshouse

If you walk the Way from Fort William to Milngavie, this is the stretch that climbs out of Kinlochleven first, crosses the high moor, then drops the Devil's Staircase to Altnafeadh. Same cairn, same zigzags. Kingshouse is an isolated night under the Buachaille.

End of section

Kingshouse

The hotel is the place. Isolated, booked out in summer, and the usual night before the Devil's Staircase.

56.6510, -4.8402 Google Maps for Kingshouse (opens in a new tab)

Kingshouse to Kinlochleven FAQ

How do I get to the start in Kingshouse?
Citylink coaches stop on the A82 by the hotel. There is no train. Maps and coordinates are under Get there in Section overview.
How hard is Kingshouse to Kinlochleven?
It is a harder official section: a short, steep zigzag climb to the highest point on the Way, then exposed moor and a long drop into the village. The name is worse than the grade. Rannoch is the empty weather day. The rocky north shore is slower underfoot.
How long does Kingshouse to Kinlochleven take?
Most people take 4–5 hours. It is Day 6 on the 7-day, Day 7 on the 8-day, and Day 8 on the 9-day. The 5- and 6-day walk the staircase as the second half of a longer day from Bridge of Orchy.
Does the West Highland Way go over the Devil's Staircase?
Yes. At Altnafeadh the signed path turns right and climbs the zigzags to a cairn at 550 m, the highest point on the Way. Then it crosses high moor and drops to Kinlochleven.
Where should I stay after this section?
Kinlochleven is the usual night on the 7- to 9-day splits: a shop, pubs, and beds. Book ahead in summer. The 5- and 6-day also sleep here, after a longer day from Bridge of Orchy.
Can I download a GPX for Kingshouse to Kinlochleven?
Yes. Open the 7-day itinerary in the planner (free, no account). This section is Day 6. Download a full-route GPX or per-day files for Garmin, Komoot, or your phone.

Walk this as a day

Used as Day 6 on the 7-day. Open the planner on that preset, then export a full-trip or per-day GPX.

Open in planner Read the 7-day itinerary

Full-trip and per-day GPX files. Free, no account.

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