Stage 6 of the Great Glen Way covers 30.6 km from Drumnadrochit to Inverness, with 489 m of ascent and 504 m of descent. The highest point is 381 m. Allow about 8.5 hours of walking, plus breaks.
Distance, climb and elevation come from the Outest route data. Difficulty and time are estimates from distance and climb; your pace will vary with heat, pack weight and photo stops.
Simple campsite and café at Wester Laide, right on the trail above Abriachan, about 12 km from Drumnadrochit. It has no website and its 2026 opening could not be confirmed, so do not rely on it.
Heated camping pods for four or six people and small-tent pitches in woodland above Loch Ness near Abriachan village, about 1.5 km off the trail and 12 km from Drumnadrochit; handy for splitting the long last stage. No open fires; book online.
Small independent hostel on Culduthel Road, about 100 m from Inverness Castle and the end of the trail, with mixed pod dorms, female dorms, twins, doubles and an apartment, plus a kitchen and garden.
Campsite by Bught Park and the River Ness, about 2.5 km before the end of the trail, with 80 backpacker tent pitches, showers, laundry and a small shop. Open Easter to mid-September.
Backpackers' hostel on Culduthel Road, about 100 m from Inverness Castle and the end of the trail. Its website looked poorly maintained when checked, so confirm by phone.
Hostelling Scotland hostel on Victoria Drive, about 1.5 km from Inverness Castle, open all year, with dorms, private, en-suite and family rooms and a large self-catering kitchen. Book online.
Checked online in October 2026. Places marked "listed, not confirmed" appear on a public listing (OpenStreetMap, Scottish Canals or walkers' trip reports) but could not be confirmed on their own website. Gairlochy and South Laggan have only a few beds, and many campsites and some B&Bs close from October to March: book ahead, especially from May to September.
Emergency: call 999 or 112 and ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue (Coastguard on Loch Ness). Urgent medical advice: NHS 24 on 111. Emergency & health guide
Pharmacies, ATMs, shops and stops: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hospitals and health centres checked online.
The full stage works offline in Outest, with the route, elevation, water and village points, and a trail guide you can ask about conditions and the next place to sleep.