The Whangie walk is a medium-length, family-friendly hike in Scotland’s Kilpatrick Hills, near Loch Lomond. It’s known for its unusual rock formation, open hill views, and kid-friendly route. It’s a popular hike for the rock passage and views of Loch Lomond, but kids will especially like it for the rocks, which are easy and fun to climb on.
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The Whangie Hill Walk Highlights
We enjoyed many excellent family-friendly hikes in Loch Lomond National Park. Although it’s just outside Loch Lomond, the Whangie walk was one of our favorite family hikes during our family trip to Scotland. One of the reasons it was so enjoyable was the three distinct stages the hike goes through:
The first section slowly climbs Auchineden Hill. Walking north the views of Loch Lomond National Park and its surrounding hills and mountains are unobstructed.
Of course, the Whangie rock formation is the highlight of the hike. The rock formation is as impressive as it is beautiful, and kids will love exploring it.
The easy meander through the flowing grasslands from the summit of Auchineden Hill down to the carpark is so enjoyable. The sky seems so big and the views of the Scottish lowlands are remarkable.
The Whangie Hill Walk Stats
Hoe Long is the Whangie Hill Walk?
The total round trip of the Whangie walk is 3.5 miles / 5.6 km.
How Steep is the Whangie Hiking Trail?
The walk to the Whangie rock formation is a slow and steady incline up the side of Auchineden Hill. Although the uphill never lets up, it’s really not that hard. The section between The Whangie and the summit of Auchineden Hill is the steepest, but it’s not very long. We recorded the total elevation gain of this hike as 670 feet / 205 m.
How Hard is the Whangie Walk?
We’d rate The Whangie walk as a ‘moderate’ hiking trail. It’s actually a pretty easy hike, but we’ll rank it as moderate due to its length.
Our 3 & 5 year old kids did this entire hike themselves, with very little difficulty. We encountered many families on the trail and all the other kids were doing the hike themselves as well.
How Long Does the Whangie Hill Walk Take?
This hike took us 3 hours and 10 minutes to complete, which is slightly slower than their typical pace. Without kids, this hike would feel quite a bit faster, but our family pace was much slower because we stopped often to explore.
The Whangie Location
The Whangie is located in the Kilpatrick Hills, just south of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. There is a decent-sized parking lot, which was full by midday (parking fees apply).
The Whangie Walk Parking Lot Location
The Whangie Trail Map
You can download The Whangie trail map on your phone by using the AllTrails hiking app. Once in the app, search for “The Whangie & Auchineden Peak”. Simply download the Whangie trail map of the area on your phone before you head out for your hike.
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The Whangie Hill Walk – Detailed Description
Auchineden Hill
The hike begins by hopping over an old stone fence to get to a marshy meadow; you keep your feet dry by walking on a wooden pathway. Hopping over yet another fence takes you to the actual trail which slowly works its way up the side of Auchineden Hill.
The Whangie hiking trail is nice and wide, allowing for easy family conversation. The trail is lined with about a million ferns and lots of wildflowers, including several very showy pink fox gloves.
The hills of the Scottish Highlands loom large in the distance to the north and once you get high enough, Loch Lomond and its many islands come into view as well. The large hill on the right of the Loch is Conic Hill (where you can enjoy another enjoyable family-friendly Loch Lomond hike called the Conic Hill Walk).
The Whangie Rock Formation
At the far end of the loop, you turn a corner and run right into “The Whangie”; a super-fun rock formation which literally appears out of nowhere.
There is a huge cliff face up against the hills, with many large rocks laying at its feet (presumably they have broken off over the years). The rocks are the perfect size for kids to run around, explore and climb up and over. It’s a natural playground – your kids will love it!
The cliff face looks like it’s embedded into the side of the hill, but it’s not. You can walk behind it through a very narrow little ravine!
Finding the ravine was such a great surprise and it was a lot of fun walking through it. Finding large patches of clover inside the canyon was a fun bonus for the kids – no four-leaf clovers though…
Walking through the canyon takes you back to the spot where you first encounter The Whangie, so you’ll need to walk through the rocks again to continue along the loop.
Descend Auchineden Hill
The trail continues upwards a short while longer until you reach the summit of Auchineden Hill, allowing for amazing 360-degree views of the land where the Scottish Lowlands meets the Scottish Highlands.
The Whangie trail starts to descend slowly at this stage and the views remain spectacular as the trail is lined with mainly grass and small shrubs. The trail is perfect for kids to run ahead as you can see them for miles. Just watch out for big puddles of mud that randomly appear throughout the hillside.
Hiking The Whangie with Kids
Hiking the Whangie walk was one of our favorite things to do in Loch Lomond with kids. Here are a few things you should know about this enjoyable kid-friendly walking trail:
There are no bathrooms or water fill stations at the parking lot. Be sure to take care of both before you leave home. There are a few places your kids can go along the way, but it’s a reasonably busy hike, so you may struggle to find privacy.
The trail surface on this hike varies quite a bit. There are sections of smooth gravel, trampled grass and uneven rocks jutting out of the dirt. A good pair of shoes is sufficient for this hike, but real hiking shoes would be better.
There is no tree cover on the Whangie walk, so you will be fully exposed to the elements, especially the wind. Be prepared for anything; wear clothing in layers, bring lots of water, sunscreen, rain gear, and something to repel the midges if they are out.
This trail is not stroller accessible due to the stone stile, muddy ground, uneven terrain, and rocky sections. Many parents throughout Loch Lomond had their little ones on their backs in one of these best carriers for travel with babies or toddlers.
Dogs are allowed on The Whangie. We didn’t see any on a leash, and they were all very muddy with huge smiles on their faces! Dogs owners should follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and keep dogs under proper control, especially around livestock and wildlife.
Before you head out, read our best tips for hiking with kids and see what we actually pack in our guide to hiking gear for kids.
Where to Stop for Lunch or a Break
You can stop just about anywhere on this hike for a break, but the best spot for a picnic is at the Whangie. Simply pick your favorite rock and sit and enjoy.
What Does Whangie Mean?
I admit the 7-year-old in me snickered when I heard about this hike… But more mature adults may be interested to know “Whang” in the Scottish dialect means “thick slice”, referring to the thick slice of rock that juts out of the hill to create the narrow ravine.
Whangie Safety Cautions
There are a few small sections of the trail which have half-buried barbed wire sticking out of the ground.
The Whangie rock formation is beautiful but there are piles of garbage and rusty cans beneath many of the rocks. Just keep an eye on your kids and don’t let them explore these areas.
Follow Along our Family Trip to Scotland
We arrived in the Loch Lomond area after starting our Scotland vacation with three days in Glasgow with kids. After Loch Lomond, we explored the area around Fort William with kids, where among other things, we got to see the famous Harry Potter train bridge.
If you are planning a family trip to Scotland, check out our comprehensive Scotland packing list for families. For inspiration, don’t miss our favorite things to do in Scotland with kids.
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Dan Brewer is an intrepid family travel blogger with a passion for exploring the world's most captivating destinations. With 62 countries under his belt and a sense of wanderlust that knows no bounds, he has made it his life's mission to share his travel experiences and insights with fellow families who love to travel.
When Dan isn't traveling with his wife and kids, he's either out enjoying the Canadian Rockies he calls home or working on one of his three travel sites (Family Can Travel, Travel Banff Canada and Ultimate Sports Road Trip).