🏴 A 50th Anniversary Adventure
Scotland & Iceland — August/September 2027
A Gift Wish for Sid & Arline — Celebrating 50 Years Together
"After 50 years of building a life together, this is the trip of a lifetime —
a dream my wife has carried for many years. We would be deeply grateful
for your help making it real."
The Big Picture
| Travelers | Sid & Arline |
| Anniversary Date | August 14, 2027 — 50 Years |
| Trip Duration | ~3 weeks |
| Departure | Portland, OR (PDX) via Icelandair |
| Destination | Reykjavik, Iceland + Scotland |
| Hiking Route | West Highland Way — 96 miles across the Scottish Highlands |
| Travel Style | Backpacking, wild camping, hostels, public transport |
| Total Budget Goal | ~$4,000 USD for two people |
Why This Trip?
The West Highland Way is one of the world's great long-distance walks — 96 miles from the outskirts of Glasgow through breathtaking Highland scenery to Fort William, in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain. We'll hike it at a comfortable 14-day pace, camping under the stars in some of Europe's last true wilderness, stopping in small villages along the way.
Scotland's Scottish Outdoor Access Code gives hikers the legal right to camp on most land — a freedom almost unheard of elsewhere — making this a genuine wilderness experience, not a resort trip.
After the trail, we'll spend a week exploring the wider Scottish Highlands: the Isle of Skye, the Glenfinnan Viaduct (the famous "Harry Potter viaduct"), the seafood harbour town of Oban, and the vibrant city of Glasgow.
Flying with Icelandair gives us a free stopover in Reykjavik — so Iceland comes along for the ride too.
Full Itinerary at a Glance
Pre-Trip — Portland
Depart Portland late August 2027
Iceland Stopover — 2 Nights in Reykjavik
| Day | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive Reykjavik. Walk Laugavegur Street, visit Hallgrímskirkja church, evening at Harpa waterfront. |
| Day 2 | Golden Circle day tour — Þingvellir National Park (two tectonic plates), Geysir, Gullfoss waterfall. |
| Day 3 | Fly Glasgow. Train to Milngavie. Rest before trail. |
West Highland Way — 14 Days on the Trail
Milngavie → Fort William | 96 miles | ~7 miles/day
| Days | Section | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Milngavie → Drymen | Gentle farmland and forest — easing into the trail |
| 3–5 | Drymen → Rowardennan | First views of Loch Lomond, Britain's largest loch |
| 6–8 | Rowardennan → Inverarnan | Walking the wild eastern shore of Loch Lomond |
| 9–10 | Inverarnan → Tyndrum | Opening up into classic Highland scenery |
| 11–12 | Tyndrum → Kingshouse | The dramatic Rannoch Moor — one of Europe's last great wildernesses |
| 13 | Kingshouse → Kinlochleven | Over the Devil's Staircase — the trail's high point |
| 14 | Kinlochleven → Fort William | Arrival at trail's end, Ben Nevis on the horizon |
Accommodation: Primarily wild camping under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (free). Hostel nights in Drymen, Tyndrum, and Kinlochleven. Loch Lomond camping permits (~$5/person/night) apply for shoreside camping March–September.
Off-Trail Scotland — 7 Days
| Day | Location | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort William | Rest day. Ben Nevis Distillery, pub lunch, gondola up Aonach Mòr. |
| 2 | Fort William → Mallaig | Jacobite Steam Train over Glenfinnan Viaduct. Fish & chips at Mallaig harbour. |
| 3 | Mallaig → Isle of Skye | Calmac ferry to Armadale. Armadale Castle gardens. |
| 4 | Isle of Skye | Old Man of Storr hike, Kilt Rock sea cliffs, lunch in Portree. |
| 5 | Skye → Oban | Travel south via Kyle of Lochalsh. Arrive Oban — McCaig's Tower views, fresh seafood dinner. |
| 6 | Oban → Glasgow | Morning in Oban. Afternoon train to Glasgow. Kelvingrove Art Gallery (free). |
| 7 | Glasgow → Home | Fly Glasgow → Reykjavik → Portland. |
Budget Breakdown
One-Time Pre-Trip Costs
| Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| US Passports × 2 | ~$360 |
| Travel Insurance | ~$250 |
| Gear upgrades (as needed) | Variable |
| Subtotal | ~$610 |
Trip Costs — Two People
| Category | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Flights PDX → GLA → PDX (Icelandair, 2 people) | $1,210 | $1,570 |
| Iceland — accommodation, food, Golden Circle tour | $350 | $530 |
| West Highland Way — permits, hostel nights | $120 | $270 |
| Off-trail Scotland — accommodation, transport, ferries, activities | $480 | $820 |
| Food — full 3 weeks | $600 | $900 |
| GRAND TOTAL | $3,320 | $4,750 |
Target budget: $4,000 — comfortably mid-range. Every dollar contributed goes directly toward this once-in-a-lifetime journey.
How You Can Help
Every contribution, large or small, means the world to us.
| Contribution | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| $15 | One night of wild camping permits on Loch Lomond |
| $50 | One night in a Scottish hostel |
| $80 | The Golden Circle day tour in Iceland |
| $130 | One US passport application |
| $200 | A full week of trail food for two |
| $300 | A ferry, train travel, and a day on the Isle of Skye |
| $600 | One round-trip flight |
| $1,000 | One full week of the adventure |
Contributions can be made via [Venmo / PayPal / Honeyfund — add your link here]
A Note From Us
We never expected to be celebrating 50 years with a trip like this. But if not now, when? Scotland has been on [wife's name]'s heart for many years, and the West Highland Way feels like exactly the kind of challenge and beauty we want to experience together while we still can. We are healthy, we are ready, and we are deeply grateful for the family who has walked beside us all these years.
Thank you for being part of our story.