Northbound on the West Highland Way

By: Paul Amess

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

The West Highland Way—a world-famous, jaw-droppingly beautiful long-distance footpath through the wilds of Scotland. A peaceful, awe-inspiring journey? Not when Paul and the gang are involved.

Setting off from the outskirts of Glasgow, the boys march headfirst into the hills, glens, and general chaos of the Scottish Highlands, uncovering all sorts of bizarre and brilliant stories along the way. From a train that wanted to be a plane to the legendary outlaw Rob Roy, from ghosts lurking in haunted pubs to the blood-soaked battlefields of history, this trek is packed with fascinating tales. Oh, and midges. Lots and lots of midges.

But let’s be honest—this isn’t just a history lesson. Our intrepid idiots manage to do everything wrong so you don’t have to. Who ends up in hospital? Who gets chased down by a drone? And who—despite all odds—has a run-in with a bear in Scotland? As they stumble through film sets, mountain passes, and far too many muddy puddles, things inevitably go south… despite the path going north.

Will they make it to the end? Read on to find out—and if you’re planning to walk the West Highland Way yourself, maybe take some notes (or at least prepare for absolute chaos).

Paul and the gang have tackled many of the UK’s greatest trails, including Hadrian’s Wall Path, The Cleveland Way, and Wainwright’s Coast to Coast. But this might just be their most ridiculous adventure yet.

Laugh out Loud Book

I really enjoyed this book. My husband and I are planning to hike the West Highland Way and as the author said from the beginning, this is not a guide book. The only downside to this was that it was read by AI who doesn’t always get the inflection or pronunciations correct, other than that it was a really good time. I laughed every few minutes at the author’s descriptions and sarcasm. This was truly a treat!

Was this written by AI?

The writing style really comes off as ai and the ai narrator doesn’t help much. I could be wrong. But it’s tough to listen to.

Realistic Hike

I was really excited to hear the story of a hike through the West Highland Way in Scotland.
In the beginning, I almost gave up. I didn’t enjoy the humor. I’m really glad I didn’t give up. I got to hear a realistic hike from guys who aren’t amateurs and aren’t expert hikers. They are regular guys who have a sense of adventure. The comments on the author’s suffering and hardships were relatable. I liked the historical facts read from local signs. I admire that they knew when they couldn’t keep going due to injury. Then planned a second trip to go later on. I liked hearing about local restaurant successes and fails. I enjoyed hearing about other hikers. I’d love to go myself, but I’m not sure my health would allow. I’m happy to live vicariously through this book.