West Highland Way Baggage Transfer

If the thought of hiking the West Highland Way weighed down by a heavy pack is a miserable one. Don’t make that a reality. Did you know that you can pay for a West Highland Way baggage transfer?

Bag transfers along long distance treks are now common place. The West Highland Way is no different. There are many West Highland Way baggage transfer companies that service the trail and these are inexpensive and easy to organise.

There should be no shame whatsoever if you choose to organise a baggage transfer along the West Highland Way. Trekking is not reserved just for the ultra fit or the purist hiker. Sure there are many trekkers who would never dream of having a bag transfer – I used to be one of them. However when I trek multi day trails now I often take a baggage transfer, especially if I’m trekking with my 70 year old Mum or my teenage daughter. Make life a bit easier. Enjoy the trail and the time with your companions.

Everything you need to know about a West Highland Way baggage transfer 

There are loads of companies that organise WHW baggage transfers. Baggage Freedom and Travel-Lite are the main ones but there’s also Sherpa Van and Ginger Routes.

Simply go onto one of their websites and put in your stops. It will then calculate the cost. Generally it is around £5 per stop and there are some rules on weight and size that you need to be aware of.

The companies also deliver to campsites and are very flexible if you need to book accommodation slightly off the beaten track. For example one year I booked late and couldn’t get into Inversnaid – the one place I could get a reservation for was the Tarbet Hotel which was a shlek across the loch on a ferry ….. but doable and at this point I was desperate. Baggage Freedom were super laid back and insisted it would not be a problem for them to deliver there. Legends!

So how a West Highland Way baggage transfer work?

Here are the main steps to understanding how a West Highland Way baggage transfer works.

It really is that easy. The biggest decision is whether to stay in Milngavie or Glasgow on the night before the off as it’s crucial to be at the drop off point in Milngavie before 9am.

If you are staying in an Airbnb in Milngavie or not in any of the listed accommodation on the baggage transfer company’s list, the night before your trek then there will be a meeting point where you need to drop your bags off the morning you will depart on the hike. For Baggage Freedom this is the train station where their staff will be between 8-9am everyday throughout the whole peak trekking season.

This means that if you want to arrive in Milngavie on the morning of your trek without staying the previous night in Milngavie then your train will need to arrive before 9am if you want a baggage transfer for that day.

If your train arrives later than this then you would need to carry your bag for the first day and the baggage company will pick it up from your accommodation on the morning of your day 2.

Is it possible to organise a West Highland Way baggage transfer if I am camping?

Baggage Freedom will drop at campsites and also well used wild camping spots. If you are planning to camp but want to have your bag transferred you would need to book all of your campsites in advance so that the baggage company can plan their pick ups and drop offs.

How much is a West Highland Way baggage transfer?

A baggage transfer currently costs £65 for the whole trail for up to 7 stops or £85 for up to 10 stops with Baggage Freedom.

I want my WHW luggage to be transferred to to the end of the trek in Fort William. Is this possible? 

Absolutely. All of the West Highland Way baggage transfer companies offer a service whereby they hold your luggage for you whilst you are completing the trek and then they can deliver it to your Fort William hotel the day you finish your trek.

This is particularly useful for international trekkers who are continuing on their travels in the UK or Europe post trek and have bags that need storing whilst they do the trek. Bag storage is around £5 per day and then there is a small fee (Baggage Freedom charges £15) to transport your bag or bags to the end of the trail to be reunited with you on the day you finish the trek in Fort William.

Baggage Freedom is a well oiled machine. I’ve used them myself and can testify to how smooth their operation is, as well as welcoming, friendly staff. From the easy booking system online (top tip – can also be used as an accommodation finder tool!) to thorough instructions and reliable bag drops.

Baggage Freedom collect at Premier Inn in Milngavie or Bearsden with their ‘bag and tag’ happening at approximately 07.45am. For the rest of you, you’ll need to get to Milngavie train station between 8am-9am to meet their crew for the bag and tag operation. Then you’re off, super lightweight, on the trail.

Each morning just leave your bag the same place you found it from the day before, If unsure just ask the reception.

If starting your baggage transfers after setting off (this often happens as walkers decide they will carry everything and then it gets too much -which isn’t a problem as its easy to arrange a bag transfer) and you haven’t got a bag tag just attach some paper onto your bag and write your full name with “for Baggage Freedom”. Once they identify your bag they will properly tag it up for you.

If you are returning from Fort William back to Milngavie/Glasgow with Baggage Freedom they pick up outside Wetherspoons between 3-5pm. Once everyone arrives they can go early. Do double check this information with Baggage Freedom as it can change.

If you would like Baggage Freedom to leave your bags in the lockers at Fort William train station this is possible. They ask you to leave £5 coins in a bag attached to your baggage on the morning you start walking to the end point. Once your bags have been delivered into the lockers they will get a code from the locker which they will text or email you. If you arrive early you can also give them a text and they will meet you outside the train station to avoid paying the locker fee.

If you are returning with them the same day you arrive into Fort William then they will already have your bags in the van. If you already have your bags in Fort William bring them to the return point with you.

The biggest rule for any of the bag transfer companies along the West Highland Way is to make sure you have bookings in place all along the route. Not many places are wild camping friendly so book accommodation or well known campsites otherwise some places may refuse to have your bags to be dropped with them.

Places who accept wild camping bags are…Rowardennan youth hostel, Rowardenan NTS, Bridge of Orchy Hotel and Inveroran Cottage.

At Inveroran all bags are dropped at the Inveroran cottage. Just walk past hotel and you will see the cottage. You need to leave your bags back here the next morning for collection.