If you’re in the Highlands on a business trip, and have a few days to spare here’s an idea for a personalised tour we could put together for you and your group.
Mary Jane Shankel and her son, Josh, were over in Aberdeen with her husband, who was unfortunately working so he couldn’t enjoy the same freedom to explore as them. They contacted us and we put together the following tour for them which Mary Jane has reviewed on TripAdvisor.
This trip took place at the end of April 2015 so don’t be surprised to see snow on the ground for the hikes – it wasn’t too much of a shock for the Shankels as they had come over from Canada.
The timing of Mary Jane’s trip was tight so their first day started late (around 11am – due to the travel time from Aberdeen)
Day 1: Hiking in the Aviemore area: arrive at Fraoch Lodge on the train from Aberdeen, via Inverness to Aviemore station, where Mary Jane and her son were met by Andy in our VW Caravelle. Andy brought the 2 Canadians back to Fraoch Lodge where they changed into hiking gear and chatted to him about the route for the day, the gear they needed and then they made up a lunch packet and set out for a half-day hike in the Cairngorms.
Ascent of Meall a’Bhucaille.
Mary Jane and Josh enjoying some predator free hiking in Scotland. In Canada, there are bears, wolves etc – serious predators to worry about. Here in Scotland we just need to worry about the wee predators (midges and ticks). On a day like this in the Spring, even they are not around, so hassle free hiking.
Day 2: A pub, a castle and a hill walk: Mary Jane had proposed in her first email to us that ideally she would like to include a pub and a castle in with the hiking as it was to be her son’s first experience of Scotland. By including this visit to Perthshire (a short drive from Fraoch Lodge – less than 2 hours) Andy hit all these highlights.
Mary Jane and Josh outside Blair Castle, Perthshire. The Duke of Athol is the only person entitled to retain his own private army.
On top of the world – an ascent of Ben Vraikie, Perthshire. A prominent viewpoint above Pitlochry.
The final tick – a pub complete with own brew and a log fire. What more could you ask for at the end of a busy day of culture (castle) and hiking (Ben Vraikie). The whole bucket list in a nutshell courtesy of Scot Mountain Holdays.
Day 3: a sad farewell – heading back to Aberdeen.
Here’s what Mary Jane had to say in her 5 star review of the trip:
“Andy and Rebecca are the most fabulous hosts, they made us feel like we were old friends on a short visit. We packed in really, really full days of hiking and sight-seeing. Being short of time, Andy skillfully managed our wish list of 2 half day hikes, a tour of a Scottish Castle and a trip to a traditional pub. Andy’s breadth of knowledge seems unbounded; Scottish history, geology and ecology kept us tuned in to the beautiful landscape and people of Scotland. Topping off the day with Rebecca’s wonderful cooking and wandering through their organic garden made the trip a seem like we had found a little piece of heaven. Weeks later we are still talking about it and planning a return trip…a longer one this time!”
Mary Jane and Josh enjoyed a private guiding package with Scot Mountain Holidays. They had no transport themselves so were able to benefit from our transport as well as Andy’s local knowledge. On their own and on their first tour, they would not have been able to complete their tick list. It’s only a shame that Mary Jane’s husband was not able to join them. Perhaps on a future trip they can tempt him to explore more widely when he is not as busy with work issues.
If you are short of time and want to pack in as much as you can on your visit to the Highlands, please contact us for a quote. Our trips are most frequently based from our own home in the Cairngorms National Park, but we can work further afield. Based with us you can access a wide variety of top attractions: a distillery, Loch Ness, beautiful scenery, castles galore, historic sites and boundless hiking opportunities as well as wildlife spotting.
Hiking Vacations across the Highlands of Scotland
Adventure vacation in Scotland for all the family
NB: 2018 update: The Potting Shed cafe at Jack Drake’s (Inshriach Nursery) has closed it’s doors for good.
A close encounter with the wild Reindeer roaming the Cairngorms National Park
This route can be done in either direction or turned into a circuit for older riders.
If you have younger or less fit riders with you who only want to do the route in one direction, this route would be a good one to do with Scot Mountain Holidays who can offer the support/pick up for each end of the route.
We cycled this route on the Sunday of the Harley Davidson rally in Aviemore so we were treated to the splendid sight of the Harleys on their ride out to Cairngorm Mountain as we set out from the reindeer centre in Glenmore.
We parked along the side of the road opposite the reindeer centre then followed the path (with the treasure hunt signs) towards Loch Morlich. We kept to the mountain side of Loch Morlich heading away from the road but in the direction of Loch an Eilean. (If this is part of a mountain biking weekend with Scot Mountain Holidays we will provide the relevant map.)
The path from the reindeer centre to the main path around Loch Morlich is relatively flat and pretty good under the bike. Very little mud. It’s a well-maintained path with very few ruts or tree roots to negotiate. There is one wee uphill section just before you join the wide path which runs along the side of the Loch. This section may mean that one or two members of the party will get off their bikes for 10m or 20m, unless they can master their gears in time. Once on the main wide bridlepath going is extremely easy and virtually flat, or slightly downhill most of the way until the next junction. The views are great over Loch Morlich and back towards the beach.
You’ll pass the path junction locally known as Picadilly and also the path heading into the Lairig Ghru on the way to Loch an Eilean.
Even the youngest of riders can attempt this route. There are plenty of adaptations.
Once you reach Loch an Eilean, you’ll turn left through the gate and follow the path skirting the edge of the Loch. (If anyone needs the loo at this point you can make a detour to the right and head up to the loos by the information centre on Loch an Eilean where you can also pick up a coffee if you’re gasping.)
When you reach the end of the Loch, you’ll find a wee path heading to the left past Loch Gamna. You’ll need to take this path to go in the direction of Jack Drake’s but at this point the path deteriorates for a while and there are a lot of roots to cross. When the path gets too muddy, you’ll have to walk the bikes for a short section at the bottom of Loch G until you start to head up over the hill. It’s only for a wee while though and pushing the bikes here is not too much of a chore. You’ll soon pick up a forestry track which is easy to follow before a long downhill section leading almost directly to the cake shop where you’ll have a great stop. Jack Drake’s potting shed do an amazing array of cream cakes, teas and coffee. If you can bag a seat at the counter by the big glass window looking out over the bird/squirrel feeders time will fly past.
Phone for your pick up or nominate a designated cyclist to pick up your vehicle at the reindeer centre.
Self-guided Mountain Biking breaks
Email us if you think we can help plan your vacation in Scotland – we can hit all the Highland hotspots and include some off the beaten track surprises you might not know about.
For inspiration check out our Pinterest board and our Flickr account.
Many gear shops will automatically sell you a leash as an essential and permanent accompaniment to your ice axe. Here we look at the pro’s and con’s of having a leash on your walking/general mountaineering axe. We discuss when and where it is appropriate to use one.
There is at least one recorded instance where loosing grip of the axe during a sliding fall resulted in head injuries due to the axe flailing uncontrollably at the end of a leash. Rather than relying on a leash to retain possession of your axe, the emphasis is on instilling the mental capacity of not letting go. The hand holding the head of the axe can pivot around the head but the grasp should remain the same. It’s also about developing that mental ability of properly securing your axe should you need to put it down.
Except when cutting steps down slope, you should always carry the axe in the up hill hand. On a zig-zag ascent or descent, the axe is repeatedly swapped from one hand to the other to maintain it in the uphill hand. Having to swap the leash from one wrist at every turn is cumbersome and time consuming. Wrapping the leash around the head of the axe isn’t a secure solution either. There is the risk it can start to dangle with resultant hazard of a crampon point catching and causing a trip.
Photo caption: cutting steps in the Cairngorms on a winter skills course with Scot Mountain Holidays
This is where a leash is desirable especially if you are cutting into hard snow or ice. Wet gloves, cutting the steps too vigorously, etc can all increase the chance of loosing grasp and this is where a leash comes into its own.
For winter hill walking, a leash should be minimalist, light weight and quickly attached and detached from the head of the axe. The simplest way is to make a loop in the attachment end of the leash. Thread the loop though the hole in the head of the axe. The other end of the leash is then threaded through the loop (Larks footed) and pulled tight. Store the leash in an easily accessible place like a jacket pocket and attached to the head of the axe when required.
Have fun in the snow: http://www.wikihow.com/Have-Fun-in-the-Snow
Snow related activities for kids: http://www.parents.com/fun/activities/outdoor/snow-activities-kids/#page=7
Family fun in the snow: http://powertochange.com/family/snow/
Free mountain weather service: Mountain Weather Information Service
Met Office forecast for the hills: Met Office Mountain Forecast
Scottish Avalanche Information service: Scottish Avalanche Information Service
How to ice axe arrest: https://scotmountainholidays.com/blog/skills-how-ice-axe-arrest/
Best practice: how to build a snow hole in Scotland: https://scotmountainholidays.com/blog/best-practice-building-snow-hole-scotland/
How not to get lost – the art of navigation: https://scotmountainholidays.com/blog/hiking-how-not-get-lost-art-navigation/
Top 10 winter skills tips (for Scotland): https://scotmountainholidays.com/blog/top-10-winter-skills-tips/
How to prepare for a mountain challenge: https://scotmountainholidays.com/blog/classic-ridges-and-horseshoes-hiking-tips/
Which boots to choose for winter: https://scotmountainholidays.com/blog/which-boots-choose-winter-walking/
How to choose a walking ice axe: https://scotmountainholidays.com/blog/how-choose-walking-ice-axe/
How to predict snow: https://scotmountainholidays.com/blog/how-predict-snow-uk/
EXPEDITIONS FROM SCOT MOUNTAIN HOLIDAYS: https://scotmountainholidays.com/activities/mountain-challenges/
SKILLS COURSES FROM SCOT MOUNTAIN HOLIDAYS: https://scotmountainholidays.com/activities/mountain-skills-courses/
WINTER WALKING HOLIDAYS FROM SCOT MOUNTAIN HOLIDAYS: https://scotmountainholidays.com/activities/walking-holidays-uk/
When we decided to start a family, as with most people, embarking on this momentous change for the first time, we had no idea of the fundamental effect it would have on all aspects of our lives. Seven years down the line, we’re getting used to the prescence of this extra person in our daily routines, but we still were still looking back to those glorious days of freedom when we were able to get out hiking. Then we were introduced to “donkey trekking”. It’s not a new idea: witness Robert Louis Stevenson’s book “Travels with a donkey” published in …., but it was a new concept to us. We could still go hiking but we would be able to cover decent distances, get out for more than one day and most importantly not have to listen to much (if any …”are we nearly there yet?”, ” how much longer?” etc)
We started to research and eventually (partly because we were tied to dates in October) settled on a company in France, close to Beziers. It ticked all the boxes:
1. a donkey to porter baggage (and tired child)
2. all our accommodation booked in advance
3. all our meals pre-arranged
4. Map and route pre-organised to see the best of the area
5. All we had to do (once we had made payment) was to turn up and hike.
Are you sold yet?
A donkey can carry up to 40kg of gear or 2 x 10kg bags and one young child.
For a limited time only, Scot Mountain Holidays are offering £100 off* our 5 Day Winter Skills course, this applys to our Hogmanay Winter Skills course as well.
There is something about snow which makes the mountains so much more beautiful. For some of us the first snow falls of winter send a shiver of excitement down the backbone. The Cairngorms, protected from Gulf Stream warmth, are universally recognized as providing our most consistent snow and ice conditions. They’re Britain’s highest mountain range, Scotland’s high arctic and home to our most permanent snow beds. For some of their time they may be under brilliant blue skies, at other times immersed in freezing hill fog. Any protrusion above the snow becomes caked in beautiful rime ice crystals. The winter mountains aren’t for the faint hearted but to experience them in their full winter garb is to see them at their finest. So come and join us to enjoy this winter for a winter skills course, a winter mountaineering course or a guided walking experience.
Learning winter skills here with Scot Mountain Holidays is so much more than just instruction. We believe you should be comfortable and relaxed while you pick up new winter skills, so we include accommodation at our family home and cook for you so you can relax and concentrate on the new winter skills you’ve learnt.
The extras included on our winter skills courses are:
*Terms and Conditions apply
Green travel discount does not apply.
Booking must be received by 14th January 2016.
To apply for your discount just send us an email at: winterskills@scotmountainholidays.com
For more information about winter skills techniques, winter skills courses, equipment for winter skills, preparation for a winter skills course read these articles on our blog.
Which winter boots to choose for winter skills and winter hiking?
How to choose a walking ice axe for a winter skills course?
Why go walking in winter in Scotland?
How do I prepare for a winter skills course?
Not all of the items we’ve selected are to take out on the hill with you. If you’re considering upgrading your navigation skills or attending a winter skills course this season, you might want to think of some of the items on the list below. Maybe they’ll help to bulk out your Christmas list.
T-shirt, sweatshirt, travel mug, water bottle – with the eat/sleep/hike slogan on it. You can’t really go that far wrong. There’s plenty of choice – T-shirt, sweatshirt, mp3 speaker, travel mug, water bottle, hiking flask
http://www.zazzle.co.uk/eat+sleep+hike+gifts
If the person you’re buying for is considering any kind of camping a sleeping mat would be a good investment as a good night’s sleep is invaluable. Certainly when you have been hiking all day and are tired at the end of it, you really need to lay your head down somewhere comfortable. The old foam mats really don’t cut if for me these days as you can wake yourself up every time you shift in your sleep. For further research check out this forum discussion on WalkHighlands: Self-inflating sleeping mat v tradtional foam mat – which to choose?http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=39163
Recommended by Men’s Health: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad
This is a very light weight but comfortable sleeping mat, however there have been reviews mentioning that the durability of the fabric has been sacrificed in order to make the mat light-weight and consequently it can puncture relatively easily.
Also when buying a self-inflating mat, don’t do what I did and get a short length one assuming that if your body is supported you’ll be fine. Really it is a much better idea to get a mat on which you can stretch out. Don’t forget that your brain is very important when you’re out hiking and it needs a good night’s sleep to recuperate just as the rest of your body does. If you’re tossing and turning and your feet are cold in the night, you just won’t feel well rested in the morning. Pay a wee bit more to make sure you have a mat which will last and provide adequate protection from the damp/cold ground and comfort to support your whole body.
If you have the cash to spare, and you like to record your adventures on video, you can’t really beat a GoPro, but make sure you also invest in the clamps/harnesses in order to be able to attach it to gear. It is perhaps not quite as useful for a hiker as for a mountain biker/climber unless they also like to do a wee bit of scrambling, but really video adventures are all the rage.
Danny Macaskill’s video (below) of the Cuillin Ridge on Skye has been a phenomenal success.
Before you decide on a GPS you should definitely read this article on Walk Highlands: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/safety/gps-smartphones.shtml and make sure that your navigational skills are good enough that you are confident going out in the hills.
The advent of GPS systems means that people often have a false sense of security when heading out in the hills, as they assume that the GPS will save them if they make a mistake. The ideal situation is of course not to have made that mistake in the first place and the best of of ensuring this is to make sure that you have learnt mountain navigation skills from the best and understand your map. Scot Mountain Holidays offers 2 day navigation courses in the Cairngorms National Park which can really test your navigational knowledge while in the company of an expert and give the the practice you’ll need so that when you leave you’ll feel confident about continuing on your own.
Remember a GPS runs on batteries which can fail, especially in cold weather
Remember that a GPS can tell you where you are but it can’t read the map to tell you how to reach your destination.
NEVER rely on a GPS system on a mobile phone if you’re heading out on the hill as these apps drain the battery on a mobile phone down to only a few hours of life and you may need the phone as a phone.
Another good source of GPS reviews and advice is:http://hikingequipmentreviews.co.uk/hiking-gps-reviews
Reviews of handheld GPS systems: www.outdoorgearlab.com/Handheld-Gps-Reviews
Don’t forget the low tech, traditional alternative: A COMPASS preferably with a map.
Though in Scotland most water on the hill is pretty safe to drink, particularly if you are in an area which is not really used by hill farmers to graze their livestock, so purification is not really an issue. But if you’re planning to head abroad or do most of your hiking further south, then purification is something you will need to consider.
You can pick up the Camelbak bottles on Amazon, but be aware that this is not like buying an ordinary water bottle and the price point is close to £100.
Before you go to buy a water filter straw – which is a really cool way to make sure you have enough water while out hiking, providing you come across a water source, check out this review and guide to water filter straws available in the UK: http://www.ukpreppersguide.co.uk/best-water-filter-straw-for-survival/
Not a cheap piece of kit and probably only something you would consider buying if going on a multi-day expedition into the wilds where you won’t get any acces to a mains electrical supply. Probably not something you have any great need for in the UK.
Example: Goal Zero Sherpa 50
Another alternative, which is potentially more useful, is the PowerMonkey. which will recharge most batteries and devices from smartphones to cameras to laptops, depending on the model you buy and is actually much more convenient than taking along multiple power cords (and adapters) to charge all your devices.
Everyone likes an accolade be it applause or a certificate or merely a pat on the back. Activity monitors like the FitBit or a smart watch like Magellan Switch allow you to do this while also out exercising. The FitBit is a fitness monitor which will also help to count calories and track your fitness targets. The Magellan Switch or Switch Up give you even more functionality with the advantage of the Switch Up being that if you like to participate in more than one sport it can also be attached to a bike and even used for swimming. However, my personal feel is that it could probably do with some refinement and for most people would not take the place of a GPS are there is no way of storing map information which the screen would be too small for anyway.
These are quite an innovation, but they come with a price tag. Still imagine being able to record what you see through your binoculars. You’d be able to get quite some footage.
If you’ve ever struggled with matches when trying to brew up a cup of tea, you’ll be first to rush out and get one of these lighters. I think the MicroJet Lighter Torch is one of the coolest tools around. The ability to have an on-demand torch that runs entirely on disposable lighters is something that no hiker would turn down. The wind-proof flame and waterproof piezo electronic ignition system make the MicroJet ideal for outdoor use and camping. Perfect as a stocking filler.
Available from Amazon
If you’ve ever managed to get your smartphone wet, the first thing you’ve probably done is to invest in a waterproof cover. If you’re phone’s not insured, it spells instant death to your phone to get it wet.
A small investment of a few pounds could save you humdreds of pounds, but make sure you don’t take it out during any rain. It might seem an obvious thing to say, but I do know people who’ve done this – and regretted it. Really an essential item if you plan to have your phone with you when you head out into the hills, whether you’re with others or not. These days your phone is considered to be part of your emergency equipment, you should protect it.
We asked our guests and the loudest voices spoke out requesting a trip for the Black Cuillin. We’ve also acted on our past recommendations and started work on a Dads and Lads wee break (which will be device free – a chance to bond over a fire) plus new cultural tours with wee wanders rather than mountain marches and to top it all off, we’ll be going international by offering some hiking in France, supported with a donkey! Read on for full details
It’s booked in the programme. We’re heading to Skye in May to tackle the Black Cuillin. We’ll be staying at Sligachan Cottages. Only 6 places available.
Pencil it in the diary: May 21st to May 28th. Contact Andy for full details of the programme of walks and a price.
Early Easter holiday this year – so we’re going to put it to good use and turn the Easter break into a snow shoeing adventure. Andy has the details in hand and will be posting up the itinerary and price by the end of the month. Keep your eyes peeled.
If you like hiking and have a young family this really is a must for you. We’ve been over to France twice now on 2 different treks with donkeys and we enjoyed it so much we’re offering the chance for our guests to have a go. We’ve removed the hassle for you and you won’t even need to struggle with the translation part as Rebecca has done that for you and our hosts in France (especially Pascal) are very welcoming and speak enough English to for you to get by.
Coming soon for summer 2016 – just the final translation to do and it will be available on our newly designed website.
4. New winter expedition – Southern Cairngorms (Braemar)
There’s a big forestry scheme starting in March in Knoydart this year so we’re unable to run the Knoydart Winter Wilderness. The accommodation isn’t available and we don’t want to get in the way of the reforestation. So we’re drafting up a new option, which will go live any day. The route takes in the southern Cairngorm peaks: Beinn Bhrotain, Carn a’Mhaim, Derry Cairngorm, Benn a’Chaorainn. This trip is by invitation only. You will need to contact Andy or be on our newsletter list to receive full details. This trip will not be publicly available on our website.
Our sincere thanks go to those of you who have been impressed enough by our trips to recommend them to your friends. It is always good to hear that you’ve done a good job. To this end we’ve taken the decision this year to try out a new Loyalty Scheme.
We will offer you a £50 credit* to use against a future trip with Scot Mountain Holidays if a friend of yours books a trip with us (please make sure they mention your name when booking). This offer is not limited to just one friend, the more friends you recommend to us the more vouchers you’ll receive.
1. The credits are not redeemable against weekend courses or accommodation only bookings or self-guided packages.
2. Your friend must not have travelled with Scot Mountain Holidays before.
3. Your friend must mention your name at the time of booking.
4. For each of your friends who books & pays in full for a trip with Scot Mountain Holidays, £50 will be credited to your Bonus account.
5. Accrued Bonuses are redeemable against a future trip with Scot Mountain Holidays, at the end of the year in which your friends have travelled with us.
Andy Bateman
Director of Scot Mountain Holidays and Scottish Snow-holing Expert.
Expedition day is invariably a long one for me. Consciousness is heralded at 6:30am by the dulcet tones of John Humphrys. Armed with a pint of tea, I checking-in with the weather gods. It maybe a case of confirming the previous evening’s forecast of a bluebird day (of course!!) but with an approaching storm a lot can change overnight. Do we head for a far flung site to give the guests a true sense of winter wilderness? Is there a weather window or do we play it safe and head for somewhere closer to home? Over breakfast with the guests there’s time to mull over the options before the necessary risk assessment paperwork. Of course this isn’t the end of it and its eyes to the skies through out the expedition.
With breakfast and glove and sleeping mat inspection out the way it’s time for a lesson in snow-holing. I’m a real stickler for design: Scottish snow-holes for Scottish conditions. With the Cairngorms holding the UK record at around -30 deg C you might be surprised to know the Cairngorm Summit record is only half this at -16 deg C. The extremes are reserved for the valley floors. For the high snow-holing sites the seasonal low would only approach – 10 deg C whilst for the vast proportion of the season it would be -5 or above. Scottish snow-hole design is about getting rid of warm air not capturing it so there’s no need for sleeping platforms and cold air drains. Ventilation and time spent digging are the watch words.
The communal kit is then divvied up: a shovel each and a snow saw are the vital bits of kit. Many a snow saw has come to grief against Scottish snow but to be without one can mean absolute purgatory when encountering the “alabaster marble” of our winter hills. They need to be tried and tested. With the addition of candles, billy pans, cooking stoves, homemade food (dehydrated to save wait of course), sleeping bags, etc we head out up onto and then across the winter wonderland of the Cairngorm – Ben Macdui Plateau.
On arrival at the snow-hole site I will check it for snow stability and depth whilst the “troops” have a well earned break. Ideally we are looking for a steep bank to dig into but should there be any concerns we may have to move to a shallower gradient which means more digging is required. Once I’ve marked out the doors we swap roles with the guests pairing up 2 to a door. Although possibly quicker to dig, I’m not a fan of separate 2 man snow holes”. Snow is a fantastic muffler of sound and it’s easy to be oblivious to anything out with your snowy abode. The contrast can be startling
Digging in – this was taken on one of our first expeditions. You’ll note that we’ve come up with a change of design since then.
As “site foreman” I’m a hard task master. Big is beautiful (and safe)! Each entrance has to go in a meter to maintain a strong front wall before we start opening things up.
It’s tough going at first with little sense of getting close to achieving our goal. You dig in a further 1.5 meters before turning to dig towards the folks coming in the opposite direction. Time ticks on and still you don’t have anything close to a living space. There’s not a sound except the crunch of your shovel. How much more? You continue you have to; it’s your only option. Then there’s a fait crunch that isn’t yours, then another and another!!
Spurred on you dig deeper. You still have a fair amount to dig but the crunch is getting louder. Then suddenly there is a clash of blades and with relief you break through. The space starts to open up quickly now as you attack the snow from 3 sides. The walls are squared off, the floor is levelled and our signatory apex sealing is added allowing everyone to straighten their weary backs. Inclined ventilation holes are added at the high points. Some of the doorways are blocked off whilst importantly checking for adequate ventilation.
Finally the guests can now snuggle into their sleeping bags whilst I start the cooking for everyone. The cooking area is set out and the stoves are fired up and candles are lit. First on the menu is homemade Carrot and Cardamom soup. Steaming bowls are handed around as I get on with the next course. Chorizo and vegetable casserole with cous-cous is usually next and then its apricots in custard should anyone have any space left. Tipples are exchanged and finally at around10pmI too can cocoon myself in my sleeping bag – a hard earned but rewarding and enjoyable day.
We were contacted to organise a Scottish extension to a long study tour for 15 people from Calvin College in early 2015. The outline brief for the trip was that it was a first time visit to Scotland for the students who would be travelling up from Edinburgh after spending a few days in London and exploring Edinburgh. They wanted to experience the beautiful Scottish scenery and visit Loch Ness and they only had a couple of days free in their itinerary.
Their trip worked out as below:
Day 1; depart Edinburgh on the train for Aviemore. This is a beautiful train ride which passes through the Cairngorms National Park. The journey ended at Aviemore station where it was the plan to pick up all the baggage and walk the group through to the Old Bridge Inn. There was a slight hiccup to the original plan in that picking up the extra van to transport the whole group took a wee bit longer than planned so we picked up the baggage as the group were finishing their pub lunch.
Photo caption: the Lairig Ghru seen from the Boat of Garten end of the Speyside Way
In exchange for the baggage, maps and route information was handed over so the group could follow a section of th eSpeyside Way to hike through to Boat of Garten across the heather moors. The girls then walked the 5 miles from Aviemore to Boat of Garten along the Speyside Way. The route is waymarked and relatively easy to follow without a professional guide. A couple of boards along the way with information about which hills you’re seeing at the relevant viewpoints would be very beneficial. You do get excellent views of the Lairig Ghru along the way as well as Cairngorm and Braeriach. Also if you’re lucky enough to be crossing the moor when the steam train is making one of it’s scheduled runs to or from Aviemore, it adds something special and atmospheric to the walk.
By 5pm, everyone had finished hiking and was settling in to their rooms at the lodge after devouring the tea and cake set out to welcome them.
Later in the evening we all ate a dinner of Harissa Chicken or butternut squash dumplings with rice and vegetables, followed by Self-saucing jaffa cake pudding (recipe to follow in our recipe requests section).
Day 2: Loch Ness
After a light breakfast, the girls made up sandwiches and a picnic lunch to take on the tour to Loch Ness. Today they were tourists personified planning to do the main tourist highlights around Loch Ness. First stop – Urquhart Castle. Lunch stop at Divach Falls. Nessie Exhibition, circuit of Loch Ness through Fort Augustus past some Heilan Coo (photo opportunity not to be missed) and back through Inverness to Boat of Garten.
Photo caption: Dressing up at Urquhart Castle
Day 3: Guided hikes: Forest Loch and Abernethy Woods or Rothiemurchus and Loch an Eilean.
The group was a large one at 15 so we offered 2 levels of hike: one for the more energetic and one for those feeling the strain of being on the road for a while.
In Andy’s group, we took the girls to Forest Lodge, where Andy was able to explain how the partnership between Scot Mountain Holidays and the RSPB works to regenerate the tree level up to 600m in this area. The RSPB have established a sapling nursery at Forest Lodge to encourage the regeneration of seeds of local provenance which they can then reintroduce across their estate to try to take the natural tree line to the level it would be at were there not so many deer in the area.
Photo caption: the active group enjoying the Pass of Ryvoan
Photo caption: Forest Lodge to Ryvoan Bothy with Calvin College
Monday morning: after breakfast the group departs to go back to Edinburgh and their ownward flight to Dublin.
Without the help of Scot Mountain Holidays the girls may well have missed out on their hiking opportunity and hence may not have visited the Cairngorms National Park at all. We were able to provide the missing link so that they could hit eveything on their bucket list in the limited time they had available. We hope to see a group from the college again.
All transport provided by Scot Mountain Holidays.
Tour conceived and supplied by Scot Mountain Holidays
Tailor made to the requirements of Calvin College.
Self-guided Mountain Biking breaks
Email us if you think we can help plan your vacation in Scotland – we can hit all the Highland hotspots and include some off the beaten track surprises you might not know about.
For inspiration check out our Pinterest board and our Flickr account.
July and August are the height of our season and this year we’ve been busier than ever, which does of course have its plus points; the down side being that we have had very little time together and time to get our heads together to plan for the autumn etc. Still we are well stocked with mushrooms (see below) and will be adding some top chanterelle mushroom recipes to the blog, just in case anyone else has been equally blessed.
Slightly less well-blessed on the weather front this year which has also meant that the fruit bushes have suffered. For the first time ever, our worcesterberries have not overwhelmed us in quantity and we probably won’t be able to restock with wine this year and will have to conserve all the fruit for jam making.
Our jam and marmelade skills have been in constant use since May as the downside to making your own jam is that people seem to eat enormous quantities of it with their breakfast.
Below if a selection of the activities and scenery we’ve been lucky enough to experience this month. We’ve saved all the wildlife and flora pictures for a seperate post. Look out for some very impressive reindeer antlers and some amazing wild flower shots to come shortly.
Always happy to hear any comments.
Nature’s bounty – chanterelles galore in the Cairngorms
Photo caption: Mushrooming in the Cairngorms – August 2015 is the month of the chanterelle; obviously a cool, wet summer does them a lot of good. So glad there are some benefits to this summer’s weather. (The photo above proved a popular Facebook post.)
Photo caption: what a lot of snow for August. Looks like it will be one of those years in which the snow will survive until the next winter season. Many more of them and we’ll see glaciers back here.
Photo caption: this might not be resort skiing but if you’re keen …
Photo caption: Hiking through the heather with Andrew Bateman of Scot Mountain Holidays to experience the hidden delights of the Cairngorms National Park. This route is part of the Complete Cairngorms itinerary.
Photo caption: Snow bridge which has developped in the Cairngorms. It makes for quite a dramatic photo.
Photo caption: dinner by candlelit is not a problem in August as we still have a fair bit a light streaming in from outside. This is our Mountains and Malts group sitting down to a revised dinner menu. Impromptu revision forced on us as we had a power cut just as our dinner was due to go in the oven. Fortunately the courgette rolls didn’t need any cooking preparation.
The Cairngorms is an amazing destination for biking. Be it road biking or mountain biking, there really is something for everyone. Not only are we surrounded by purpose built trail centres, but we also have miles of natural tracks throughout the forests and up on to the hills. There is more than enough to do for repeated visits or at least a week.
Hiking vacations:across Scotland
Mountain biking breaks: self-guided biking adventures
Family Adventures: a taste of everything for groups or families
Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland
Visit Scotland: about cycling
Visit Cairngorms: about cycling
Glenlivet Bike Trails
Laggan Bike Trails
Monster Moray bike trails
Grantown bike park
Inverness bike park
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