The West Island Way is a waymarked long distance footpath on the

Isle of Bute The Isle of Bute ( sco, Buit; gd, Eilean Bhòid or '), known as Bute (), is an island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is divided into highland and lowland areas by the Highland Boundary Fault. Formerly a constituent is ...

. The route opened in September 2000 as part of Bute's millennium celebrations, and was the first waymarked long distance route on a Scottish island. As of 2018 it was estimated that between six and seven thousand people were using the trail each year. The route is designated as one of

Scotland's Great Trails Scotland's Great Trails are long-distance "people-powered" trails in Scotland, analogous to the National Trails of England and Wales or the Grande Randonnée paths of France. The designated routes are primarily intended for walkers, but may have se ...

NatureScot NatureScot ( gd, NàdarAlba), which was formerly known as Scottish Natural Heritage, is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government responsible for the country's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and ...

Description

It is a fairly easy walk of approximately , passing through seashore, moorland, farmland and forest. The route begins at Kilchattan Bay in the south of the island, and finishes at

Port Bannatyne Port Bannatyne ( gd, Port MhicEamailinn) is a coastal village on the Isle of Bute, Firth of Clyde, Scotland that is home to many steamers. Port Bannatyne developed into the 1900s as a quieter and more unusual alternative to Rothesay. It is a pop ...

in the north, with

Rothesay Rothesay ( ; gd, Baile Bhòid ) is the principal town on the Isle of Bute, in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies along the coast of the Firth of Clyde. It can be reached by ferry from Wemyss Bay, which offers an onward rail ...

, the main town on Bute, as a central point. The hike can be completed over two fairly lengthy walking days, or four shorter days. The official map and guide of the route is available from the Bute Discovery Centre in Rothesay.

Footnotes

External links

Official Website
{{Long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom Scotland's Great Trails Isle of Bute Footpaths in Argyll and Bute