One of our reasons for moving to the Cairngorms was that we knew we would experience a “proper” winter i.e. snow. None of this wet and slightly cool weather which seems to characterise winter in the London area. No we wanted proper snow. That white stuff which seems to terrorise the rail network and bring London to a grinding halt. Here in the Highlands it can be something to be enjoyed. Fortunately there are others who are of the same mindset as us and look forward to a proper winter season so they can dust off their skis or crampons or snowboards.
Plenty of winter fun to be had here in the Cairngorms. Here’s just a small selection of activities you could enjoy:
Sonja, Cormac and Katie came to visit Fraoch Lodge Dec 2012 to early New Year 2013. Cormac was booked on our Hogmanay Winter Skills trip as a treat for his significant birthday; which left Sonja and Katie to fill the week with their own activities. They managed to keep themselves very well occupied for the week. Katie even tried to roll her own pasta one evening. She was very pleased – so much more to report back to her friends than she expected.
Sonja kindly agreed to write up their adventures here:
Navigating on New Year’s Day
Cormac’s big birthday was fast approaching and I had no clue what I was going to do. He is an avid hillwalker and mountaineer so I felt something in Scotland might be a good plan. We spend quite a bit of time in the Glencoe area so I wanted to try somewhere new. The Cairngorms National Park seemed the obvious choice. I had spotted Fraoch Lodge while surfing ‘the net’. The idea of a Winter skills courses combined with freshly made homemade bread appealed to me straight away.
I enquired online, then Andy (one of the proprietors) responded to me straight away. He answered all my queries and came back with an excellent price for two adults and a child for a week’s stay with a course included.
So Cormac would be yomping around the Cairngorms for the week, digging snow-holes and cutting steps etc. Now what to do with a nine year old adventuresome type girl?
We decided a spot of snowboarding would be just the ticket.
We set off for Scotland early on the 27th of December and caught a ferry from Belfast to Stranraer. Our drive was scenic but uneventful. Upon arrival at Fraoch Lodge, wee Gregor, a roaring fire and tea and cake greeted us. This was all very, very welcome after a 12 hour journey in the car. Each afternoon we would enjoy a variety of cakes in front of the fire. This quickly became my favourite part of the day.
Soon the rest of the Hogmanay group arrived. We all met in the dining room for a hearty two-course dinner with our hosts. Plans were made for the next day and most of us retired to bed or the cosy warmth of the sitting room. Our rooms were great, clean, comfortable and warm, which just added to our sense of being in a home from home.
The next morning dawned bright and clear. Katy (the adventurous nine year old) and I, set out for Aviemore to the local tourist office to find out what was available to us in the area. We were unable to go snowboarding due to the gusting winds up at the piste.
We met a really delightful man in the tourist office who was courtesy and friendliness itself. He gave us a number of pamphlets and outlined so many things that were on offer in the area. We booked tickets for the wildlife park the next day. That day followed its usual pattern of delicious cake, hearty grub and interesting and fun conversation with the other guests.
The next day, packed lunch in hand, we set off to The Highland Wildlife Park. We had never seen such an array of exotic animals before from Polar Bears to Bactrian Camels and everything in between. The park is a wonderful day out with so much to see and great talks at feeding time. Katy thoroughly enjoyed herself and we had no trouble whiling away an entire day there.
Always a memorable site – the Cairngorm Reindeer herd
The next day the winds continued to stymie our snowy plans so we headed up to The Cairngorm Reindeer Centre. I think this was one of Katy’s favourite activities.
We went out to the little paddock set off to the side of the centre and saw a number of reindeer but the real treat was to come. Everyone followed the staff up in convoy to a car park someways up the mountain. We hopped out and were given a brief talk (it was chilly) about the plan and off we set. We went down a winding trail to a beautiful river, across the wooden bridge and up the other side. This lead us into the foothills of the Cairngorms. Soon we were surrounded by a herd of 200 reindeer all looking for attention and of course the food pellets that they knew we had.
It was a wonder to see these majestic creatures up so close, particularly after the long hard Christmas they had just had. They seemed to be enjoying their well deserved break from their North Pole duties!
That evening I was really touched to see that Rebecca had gone to a lot of trouble for Cormac’s birthday. She had prepared his favourite chocolate biscuit cake (with candles) for cake o’clock and put up birthday banners in the dining room.
The next day, still unable to snowboard, we hit Aviemore. We treated ourselves to big steamy cups of hot chocolate and a spot of sledding in the town. We planned to go dog sledding the next day so we relished the idea of a relatively easy day spent at home in front of the fire.
The next day we set off for The Cairngorm Dog Sled Centre. This again was easily one of Katy’s favourite experiences. After a long talk by the owner of the centre who is a real character and very passionate about his dogs we set out on a motorized vehicle that was ‘pulled’ by a team of sled dogs. It was exhilarating and we loved every minute of this activity.
We spotted a huge stag watching us, as we flew past him with the dogs running as though their lives depended upon it. My only advice for anyone planning on partaking in this activity: bring a lot of very warm clothes.
That night, after a feed of Haggis, tatties and neeps, we set out for the local Ceilidh with the rest of the guests from the Lodge We had a really wonderful night of dancing. Katy came with us and managed to ‘Auld Lang Syne’ her way into the New Year but we retired home moments after the clock struck twelve. She was all danced out.
On our last day Katy was feeling a little under the weather so she, wee Gregor and I had a duvet day. We spent the day lazing in front of the fire wrapped up in sleeping bags, drinking hot chocolate and eating cake. A perfect ending to a wonderful week in the Cairngorms.
I have absolutely no hesitation in saying that I will return to Fraoch Lodge to spend more time in that lovely part of the world. We barely touched the surface with regard to what can be done in the area. We still haven’t snowboarded there so that will need to be experienced. In fact I plan on doing the snow-holing weekend with the expert himself, Mr Bateman and the Winter Skills is also on my wishlist. Can’t wait!
For the full range of walking holidays and skills courses offered by Scot Mountain Holidays please check here.
Autumn seems to be racing up right now. Munro bagging in autumn has it’s own rewards. The day’s are starting to draw in but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. The leaves are starting to turn on some of the trees here in the Highlands bringing splashes of bright red to the landscape. The later start to the day means we’re approaching a time when we’ll be able to see the colours of dawn. We can already see the evening colours (when there are any) without being up late into the night. The cooler temperatures mean we can get the fire on once more and dust off the pie recipes.
It’s a fantastic time to get out in the hills and maybe bag a few Munros. Here’s a reminder of why autumn is a great time to be out and about if you can get away outside of the school holidays.
Paul Chapman’s first walking holiday in Scotland was on the munro bagging week we run in Autumn. Paul has now been on several holidays with us including recent trips to Arran and the Outer Hebrides. Here’s his review:
My first walking holiday with Scot Mountain Holidays was “Autumn Munros”. I had never walked in Scotland before then and was looking forward to some excellent walking. I finished the holiday having experienced a lot more than that.
We were three days into the holiday doing Craiggowrie. It had been a lovely autumn day, the walking had been everything I hoped for. Late in the afternoon, with the light beginning to fade we started to make our way off the ridge and down into a corrie. As we started our descent; we saw a group of white snow bunting busily feeding among the heather.They were not really very bothered about us, but as we stood and watched they suddenly took off in alarm, flying low over our heads. Looking up we could clearly see a Golden Eagle soaring effortlessly above us. It had obviously spooked the bunting. You hear about these birds and see pictures of them, but standing in the heather on the side of a Scottish mountain watching one soaring effortlessly above you is an experience that can’t be forgotten.
We continued down towards the floor of the corrie, but then a couple of hundred metres ahead of us saw a group of red deer. There was a stag and a number of hinds. As I watched he calmly led his harem away from us, head held high displaying his magnificent antlers, confident that he was the monarch of the glen. At that point I knew what proud meant. As we stood and marvelled, a second stag with his own group of hinds appeared on our right, equally as majestic and again with a full head of antlers, and he too calmly led his hinds away from us and over the hillside.
We continued on, reaching the floor of the corrie as the light faded and soon had to use our head torches. As we walked out of the glen the light disappeared completely.We walked along the track in pitch black with just the light of our torches to show the way. As we walked I could see nothing except a small circular pool of light created by my head torch. Then I started to hear noises. It was a stag roaring in the night, seemingly not far from us. As we continued, more stags started to roar and I looked up. All I could see were the eyes of the deer, like red pin pricks shining through the black of the night.
The volume seemed to grow as we walked through that dark night. Although twenty minutes before there seemed to be two stags and a dozen hinds on the hillside. The deer seemed to be many hundreds of metres away from us. Now there seemed to be many, many, more, close to us, all bellowing into the night. Later I was told that they roared to control their harems. It was rutting season. Whether I was there or not was of no interest to them.
As I thought about the experiences of that day I knew I was hooked on Scotland.
I’ve been back 5 times now and never been disappointed. I may be a “townie” but always feel a lot nearer to nature when in those hills. Each day there is worth innumerable days in a busy, congested city. Now I just keep looking forward to my next visit.
Check out the Autumn Munros itinerary
For full details on all our walking holidays
Have you tried any of our self-guided itineraries?
Choosing a walk in the Highlands of Scotland is not that easy to do. If you’re not familiar with Scotland to begin with, you’ll struggle to pick out the best options. There’s almost too much choice when you’re trying to pick where to go in the Highlands.
You can use your guide book. The Lonely Planet and Rough Guide in English or the Guide du Routard for French visitors have some suggestions. Unfortunately the guide books generally pick out the most popular well-trodden walks. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but you do have to accept that you will likely see quite a few other people as you hike through the countryside.
You could use a website like WalkHighlands. The Walk Highlands database of walks is constantly expanding and is an invaluable resource. The main problem though is that it assumes that you know a bit about Scotland’s geography and that you may already have chosen where you want to go.
During the year, we visit quite a few different areas of the Highlands to run our scheduled walking holidays. We’ve picked out some of our favourites to explain why we think they’re worth visiting.
We’re a wee bit biased here – after all this is where our home base is, but there are good reasons for that one of which means that I’m looking at blue sky at the moment and Gregor seems to think he doesn’t need to take a coat to school as “it hardly ever rains”!
For the most part, in the Cairngorms there are fewer midges than the west coast and you stand a much better chance of going for a dry walk. You only have to study a rainfall map to understand why. Most of our prevailing weather comes from the west, dumping the rain there before fizzling out and leaving a dry, clear day here.
We’re also ideally placed for access from Edinburgh and to head out into whisky country, up to the Moray coast or over to the west, if the forecast is good.
There’s the largest area of wild country in the UK here and a great variety of habitats for all kinds of beasties which is why the area is so popular with wildlife photographers and documentary makers.
Home to a geopark and stunning mini-mountain formations, Assynt is an area which really should be higher up on the radar for hikers, but there isn’t much in the way of accommodation and facilities – which is why we like it. They say this is where the norse Gods practised making mountains before they went to Norway.
We love going to Mull. It has sandy beaches, cliffs, caves, sea eagles and a few wee hills plus a Munro. There are also a few wee islands to explore just off the coast, like Iona and Ulva, which are both cultural gems in the own right. The seafood is to die for and it’s also a haven for artists. It really is a rival to Skye, but for some reason doesn’t receive anywhere close to the same coverage in promotional scenic photography. Perhaps this is a good thing.
There’s something inspiring about the Outer Hebrides. It seems to be a different world where life still goes on at a completely different pace from the rest of the world. Very restful and also truly stunning with white sand beaches and thatched houses and sheep which seem to outnumber the crofters. Miles of single track roads and hardly a tree to be seen. Still the hills of Harris are a wee wilderness where you’re unlikely to bump into many other hikers and will have the stunning vistas to yourself.
Scotland in miniature. The climate on Arran is unexpectedly balmy with palm trees growing along some shores. Arran has it’s own dairy, it’s own brewery, it’s own soap company and it’s own distillery. You really want for nothing and to top it off Goat Fell and the surrounding hills are very interesting walks enhanced by the island setting.
What can we say that it original about Skye. The landscape continues to attract visitors in their droves all wanting to emulate the stunning images they see of the Old Man of Storr and the Cuillin ridge. Skye has been the setting for some amazing video and film footage, which has attracted a huge number of visitors in the height of the season but if you can visit in April, May or September/October you’ll probably get the appreciate the stunning nature of the landscape without having to deal with the logistics of traffic and lack of accommodation.
The mountains dwarf us here in Torridon. They provide a really special stunning setting which is now matched by some real gems to explore for culinary delights and artistic souvenirs. One of our favourite pictures is the work of an artist based in a studio in Torridon Community Hall. During the day the Hall operates as a cafe and art gallery – definitely work a stop if you’re not planning a huge hike. Liathach in Torridon is one of those ridge walks which should be on any hillwalker’s hit list. Nothing like a wee bit of exposure and a couple of scrambling steps to liven up the route.
The southern side of the Cairngorms (Royal Deeside) has a lot of unexpected delights to explore. If Queen Victoria was drawn back to the area again and again, there must be something here for us lesser mortals to appreciate.
BBC Scotland Travel – the Hebrides
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We’re spoiled for choice here in the Highlands when it comes to hiking opportunities. This can make choosing a walk even more difficult. Where do you start when you’re trying to make a decision on where to go? First you need to decide where your priorities lie:
Have you already seen loads of beautiful pictures of a particular area? Are you planning to tour around the majority of the Highlands? If hiking or mountain biking are your main interests you may want to consider reducing the amount of car travel you do during your stay in Scotland. Instead it would be a good idea to concentrate on one area in particular and explore it in more depth. If you enjoy this visit, then perhaps you can be persuaded to come back and explore again; or visit another area and explore this one too. Remember, if you’ve seen lots of beautiful shots of a particular area, it probably means that loads of other folk have seen them too and this might reduce your enjoyment of the area when you get there and find hoards of people there.
Once you’ve decided on an area (not the easiest thing to do), you’ll want to think about how long you plan to walk. Do you want to follow a multi-day, long distance route or would you rather return to a comfortable base at the end of the day? Do you want to walk all day? Would you rather incorporate some attractions into your walk or for a rest between walk days?
Long distance, way-marked paths in the Highlands, like the West Highland Way are really the only way to enjoy linear walks, unless you have 2 vehicles at your disposal. Public transport to most hiking areas is virtually non-existent, so trying to return to the start of the walk to pick up your vehicle can be a nightmare. Unless of course you sign up to a transfer service, like we offer for our self-guided itineraries: Self-guided Cairngorms, Lairig Ghru Logistics or for mountain biking.
Most people are amazed by the scenery they see when they visit the Highlands of Scotland. What a lot of people don’t realise is that much of the scenery they are seeing is heavily influenced by man-management of the land. For example, if you visit the west coast of Scotland, you’ll notice a lot of barren hillside. This is the influence of many years of over-grazing by deer. The reason the deer numbers are so high: no predators other than human hunters. Unfortunately though we have the red deer commission to regulate deer numbers, many estates are privately run and maintain relatively high numbers of deer so as to offer the opportunity of shooting a stag to their clients.
Here in the Cairngorms, we have a landscape which offers a wider variety of habitats including Caledonian pine forests, moorland and sub-arctic tundra. The variety of habitat is one of the reasons the area is so popular with bird watchers.
You might also want to consider the wildlife watching opportunities when you are choosing a walk. Some coastal walks are great for spotting otters, seals and even dolphins, but you won’t see ptarmigan. In the Cairngorms, you’ll probably see at least 2 different kinds of deer alongside plenty of birdlife (crested tits, ptarmigan, scottish crossbill, buzzards, red and black grouse and if you’re lucky a Capercaillie).
Have you come to Scotland with any preconceived ideas? Do you have a tick list of features you want to see? You might be surprised by the opportunities which open up if you let a guide make the choice for you. This works particularly well if you’ve never been to the area before. It is obviously more expensive than exploring on your own, but you can learn so much with an experienced guide that we can guarantee that your guided day will provide plenty of fodder for chatting about your experiences with your friends.
The Highlands of Scotland cover a massive area and there are literally 1000s of routes which could be walked. Some days it feels like everyone and their dog have chosen to visit the same spot as you. This almost always applies if you are choosing a walk in certain honey spot locations: Ben Nevis,the Old Man of Storr, Glenmore or Rothiemurchus, Meall a’Bhuchaille and certain Munros particularly on sunny days.
Fortunately it is possible to walk away from the crowds. You can also avoid the crowds completely by choosing less well-known routes and less well-known areas. For example, the Outer Hebrides are very well-known for glorious white sand beaches – far fewer people venture into the hills of Harris. In the Cairngorms, there are routes up many hills but there is no public transport down Glen Feshie. Far fewer people make it here, but it is one of the most glorious parts of the Cairngorms – don’t tell everyone!
What will you see when you reach the climax of your route? Do you want to climb a mountain or hill? It’s always good if your walk will offer you a change of perspective. It feels so much more rewarding at the end of the day when you have some magnificent photos to show for your efforts.
Fortunately Scotland is small enough that a great number of hill walks will also offer a view over the coast. There is something about the combination of mountains and coastal scenery which is so satisfying for us. This is one of the utter joys of the Assynt area. The hills look stunning and grand, but are actually not too high, and they’re right next to the sea. Definitely an area which we love to visit. If you have the time, add it to your bucket list as it is just as stunning as Skye, but receives far fewer visitors because it is north of Inverness.
Don’t you ever wonder how the mountains got their shapes? Nature is so intricate that there is always something to provide us with interest and fascination. When children are young they find the outdoors endlessly fascinating. Parents can then be much more relaxed as the outdoors with all the rocks, sticks and water provide entertainment (or education) in and of themselves.
Or book a guide and leave the choice to him/her once you have talked with them.
Of course if you are having trouble balancing all the various factors yourself, or if you don’t have a lot of experience choosing a walk in Scotland, you may want to go for a safer option. Let someone else make the choice for you. In 2017, we launched our first week long Cairngorm Self-guided itinerary. It has proved to be very popular, particularly with our French visitors. We’ve selected a range of walks in the area; we’ve collated the transfers and we’ve provided the accommodation, maps, meals etc. You don’t even need a car. What could be simpler!
We did of course already offer a logistical package to facilitate the Lairig Ghru This 2 day package includes 2 nights accommodation, transfers and all meals to help access a popular 18 mile hike through the centre of the Cairngorm National Park. If organised by yourself you have the logistical nightmare of hours by public transport to return to your vehicle and a longer walk to access the main road – amongst other problems.
Choosing a walk in Scotland – which area to visit
Having cold hands should not be potentially fatal, but can make a day out in the hills quite a feat of endurance. Unfortunately this can be a year round problem in the Scottish hills – and in some other places in the world where the summer temperatures in the hills are close to freezing. If you’re planning to hike in the hills in Scotland, always be prepared for colder temperatures even in the height of summer. Nothing can turn a walk into an unpleasant experience than being uncomfortable in any way.
It would be nice to say this affliction is only confined to the cooler months but anyone with any degree of Scottish mountain experience will know this is not the case. Even during the height of summer a cool air stream can send mountain top temperatures into single figures. In addition there may be wind-chill. In winter of course, without adequate protection, frostbite can be a very real risk.
So you have cold hands, so what do you do?
Well of course you add some insulation to the affected area: liners, gloves, mitts – whatever is appropriate for the conditions.
But there is an additional thing you can do. The body conserves the temperature of the core by restricting the blood flow to the extremities e.g. hands. Cold hands are often a reflection of a cooling core so add an additional warm layer to your torso.
When guiding I often suggest this in response to cold hands. Frequently the reply is “it’s just the hands feel cold”. Think about it – your torso won’t feel cold because your body has compensated by reducing the circulation to the extremities. Just because that area of the body doesn’t feel cold it doesn’t mean it hasn’t cooled, albeit a small amount. It is in fact the cooling of the core that has triggered the response of restricting the circulation to the extremities. By adding an additional layer on your torso you’ll make your hands far more resilient to getting cold again. With cold hands and feet don’t just treat the affected area.
Two additional bits of kit to consider:
One of the common risk points in the mountain day is when you stop to take a break. With a brief stop it’s tempting to not put on an extra warm layer. This is especially the case when it’s wet and/or windy and you have to remove your waterproof layer to do so. Your body rapidly cools and reduces the blood flow to the hands. You start moving again and warming up and then the hot aches begin!
It maybe worth considering purchasing an “Overlay/belay Jacket” e.g. Paramo’s Torres Alturo Jacket or the Rab Photon X Jacket. These are insulating jackets that perform in the wet which you just simply put over your wet shell jacket whilst stationary.
It can be quite easy to loose a glove, especially in winter storms. With a unprotected hand the only option may well be to descend a.s.a.p. so it’s worth considering carrying an extra pair. Due to their in expense and their ability to perform in wet cold conditions I often carry a pair of what are generically known as “Dachstein Mitts” which are made of felted wool. They’re not high tech and may not look great but they do work – possibly no great surprise since wool has evolved on the back of a mountain animal over the last umpteen thousand years.
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If you’re into walking and hiking you’ll probably consider a walking holiday at some point. Once you’ve decided that you’d like to go hiking, your next consideration will be the destination. Depending on where your home is, walking holidays in Scotland could come quite high up the list of possibilities. Scotland has all the usual hiking advantages. When you add in the reasons for ranking Scotland over and above other destinations around the world, then you may well find yourself visiting Scotland in the near future.
It goes without saying that Scotland is a stunning country and the Highlands in particular are gorgeous, but why pick any of the walking holidays in Scotland? There are so many thousands of other destinations around the world which you could choose.
Scotland has world beating access legislation. There is no law of trespass here, so long as you are not on someone’s grounds or garden. Obviously you need to be responsible. It is not acceptable to disturb livestock or leave rubbish behind you. You are expected to “Leave No Trace” or in other words “Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footsteps.” However, in return you can wonder at will across the landscape and do not need to stick to defined footpaths.
Access to the high hill tops in the UK has developed very differently in Scotland than in Europe. In Europe, there has always been a strong tradition of taking livestock to the high alps for summer pasture, but the land was not privately owned. In Scotland, vast tracts of land belong to private estates but the high land is not considered particularly valuable. It is not good pasture and is not very fertile. Common access has always been taken for granted and until the Land Reform Act was published the lack of a trespass law and the responsibility of landowner and land user were not clearly defined. Now responsible access is everybody’s right, but the key to this is to act responsibly.
Private land ownership in Scotland has meant that there are not a lot of waymarked paths across the high hills.
If you are considering walking holidays in Scotland, bear in mind that freedom of access also means freedom from signage and waymarked paths.
Much as the world may sneer at our mountains, thinking them just bumps on the landscape; while they do not reach the towering heights of Everest, they should still not be taken lightly. The decided advantage to mountains of lesser stature, however, is that though you can have spectacular views and expend a significant amount of energy climbing up them, you will not suffer the detrimental side-effect of altitude sickness.
No large predators –
The bear and the wolf etc have all been extinct in Scotland for some time. If you are very lucky you may encounter a shy adder sun bathing on a mountain slope, but they are rare and not usually deadly. So no poisonous snakes or spiders either. We like to keep our irritating pests small and inconvenient: the tick and the midge!
Compact –
Scotland’s hills are nice and compact. You can have an amazing adventure in a day if you so wish. Then you can still return to partake of your home comforts at the end of the day. You can also – if it becomes necessary – travel a relatively short distance (up to 2 hours) and experience a completely different day’s weather than you can see from your kitchen/lounge window.
For example, Andy once had a private guiding booking from a group of ladies staying in a cottage in Glen Feshie. When the day dawned, it was raining steadily. Andy drove over to meet the clients – who were showing a distinct lack of enthusiasm for heading out. He persuaded them to give the walk a try and drove from Glen Feshie round to Ben Vraikie, near Pitlochry. On Ben Vraikie there was no rain and the hill top was clear. It may even have been sunny. Whereas back at home base it was one of those dreich days of rain and grey light all day. Know your weather patterns and you can still have a good day out.
There are such a wide range of options in Scotland, even if you only visit the Highlands, that you’re spoilt for choice. Before you start to choose your hike, you need to decide which parameters are most important to you.
There are famous viewpoints to discover; lochs to circumnavigate; historic sights to see; Munros (282 in total) to climb; Corbetts to climb, Grahams to ascend and Marilyns to collate. Where do you start to choose?
Remember though that hiking and mountaineering are hazardous activities by their nature and you have to accept an element of risk yourself if you choose to enter the mountain environment without a guide. The weather in Scotland changes in an instant. Even if the day looks calm and sunny when you set out, it could end up a completely different season by the end of the day. Please make sure you are well-equipped (see our suggested kit list for ideas). Check out our blog on gearing up for the autumn
Always check yourself over for ticks at the end of the day, particularly if you have been walking through rough undergrowth.
Make sure you pack some Smidge.
Check out our walking holidays in Scotland
The thing with hiking is that you have lots of time with your own thoughts. You can solve the problems of the world, to the satisfaction of your own mind, while out hiking. You can discuss all kinds of problems without coming to blows.
Here are some of the things we’ve been told our hikers have dreamt of to keep themselves going:
Lots of people have a target when they set out on their walk.
– everyone has different top treats to keep them going while they’re out on the trail hiking, biking or running. We like to keep our treats varied and home-baked alongside our trailmix. You’ll find some examples of the treats we include in the packed lunches on our recipe blog from gingerbread to raspberry pine nut bars or vanilla streusel squares
I’m always tossing up whether it’s a good idea to tell people what is planned for dinner or to leave it as a surprise. Sometimes people take the decision out of my hands and ask; other times people some of their time out trying to guess. More often than not we manage to hit on someone’s favourite during the course of the week.
Unsurprisingly a great number of our guests are keen to hit the pub/off-licence when they finish a day’s hike. For some, this is mirage which keeps them going in the tough bit at the end of the day. Amazing how much faster you can finish the route if it allows you time to have a beer before dinner. Andy is often keen to highlight those walks which will finish with a trip right past the front door of one of his favourite watering holes.
– highly rejuvenating after being out hiking (or a long day at work for that matter). Some people will even forfeit tea and cake in favour of dashing to the shower when they get back.
– if you’ve been out hiking; a walk in winter; a windy walk etc, you’ll really appreciate coming in to the warmth of the house, but it will be so much more relaxing if that warmth is generated by an open fire.
– how British are you?
– always high on the list of motivators and indeed one of the reasons for continuing when out hiking is that you’ll still be able to eat guilt-free cake as you’ll have worked off the calories during the day – you only have to check your fitbit/smart watch to know that! Low calorie cakes and biscuits are not high on the list of requests for our guests.
Conclusion:
You’ll notice that all these motivators are related to our primitive needs: food, shelter and warmth – but then hiking is a very basic activity. It’s amazing how simple life can become if you spend a great deal of time out walking.
If you decide to come hiking in Scotland, we offer a wide range of hiking vacations and walking holidays both based in the Cairngorms and across the Highlands of Scotland. Please contact us for full details.
A walking holiday can mean any kind of walking. It doesn’t have to include mountains – it could be along canal paths, across moorland, along beaches, but what the majority of walking holidays have in common is that they take place in the countryside. You can get your fix of fresh air, exercise and views of trees and greenery. You will probably find it is much easier to exercise when you are enjoying some fabulous scenery. In fact, there are now movements in the gym industry to try and replicate the outdoor experience with virtual reality, but they’re not quite there yet.
– you’re spoilt for choice here in Scotland – from gorgeous sandy beaches, to towering mountain peaks – there’s plenty to record on your camera
– We are being constantly encouraged to burn the calories and combat obesity and age. Walking is touted as one of the best ways to lose weight. It outranks both running and gym visits by a long way.
– there are many opportunities for joining groups from rambling clubs to organised hiking companies. Alternatively you can take the opportunity to enjoy communing with nature and your own company. There are more than enough trails in Scotland to explore. Often you’ll rarely see another hiker, if you are prepared to get away from the honeypots. If you want to tick off the sights you have seen publicised on social media, you might find you’re joining a queue of other visitors. Certain spots are inundated with tourists particularly in the peak summer season. It is often difficult to park by the Old Man of Storr on Skye these days. Try joining a specialist hiking company who know all the secret highlights and can safely take you away from the crowds.
– You don’t have to hike up mountains to see wildlife. There’s plenty to see in the forests, on the moorlands, around the lochs. However, if you’re wanting to spot some of the more elusive species it could well be useful to book a guide familiar with the local area. They will probably know a lot about the best spots to see all the local wildlife highlights.
– There’s a fascination to the outdoors that draws a huge number of people to explore their natural surroundings. We can be inspired by all sorts of things from TV (David Attenborough, Steve Backshall or Dr Iain Stewart) to movies to flower shows. Nature is endlessly fascinating and when you go walking you get to be up close and personal with it. You can study all kinds of wierd and wonderful plants and landscapes. You’ll constantly wonder how they came to be shaped the way they are – there’s usually a logical reason.
– We’re probably all hoping that this one doesn’t apply to us, but there are cases where doctors actually recommend that their clients take up walking for the benefit of their health.
There are many reasons to go on a walking holiday, not least of which is that it is fun! A walking break of any kind can be completely rejuvenating. It will send you back to work feeling like you have had twice as much holiday time as you actually had.
I’ve selected images of the Hebrides taken during our Western Isles Wilderness guided walking holidays since 2014. I’ve not put these photos in any particular order of favouritism. They are just the best shots I’ve seen from 3 trips to Harris and Lewis. If you’d like to nominate different images, please just let me know and I’ll either add them or replace my selections with yours.
We have set up a Google album for our Hebrides photos into which we’ve gathered this year’s photos (which have been shared with us along with our own). We’d be delighted if you wanted to add any of your photos here.
Sincere thanks to all who have joined us in the Hebrides and particularly those who have shared photos with us, some of which are highlighted above. Credits include: Looi Oon, Mick Wansborough and Tina Duren along side our own images.
For further information about our walking holidays in Scotland (which always include photographic opportunities) please return to our home page
Are you thinking about going a walking holiday in Scotland? You’re probably feeling a bit overwhelmed by the choice of options available to you. Of course, you might be influenced by images you’ve seen on social media. You’ve probably heard about Skye – the Old Man of Storr, the Quirang, the Cuillins. You’re toying with the idea of spending some time there. But Skye is suffering from the volume of tourists who are now adding it to their tour of Scotland.
An alternative is to consider one of the places along the North Coast 500, which is the new buzz route to take in Scotland. One of the best hiking spots along the route, where you can easily find walks to keep you happy for a whole week’s holiday is Torridon.
Torridon is an area of outstanding natural beauty situated around the sea lochs of Torridon & Shieldaig and inland to Kinlochewe. Its combination of rock and water, changing seasons and moods make this an awe-inspiring place to visit
“There are records that show that Queen Victoria loved to travel the road between Torridon and Diabaig in the late nineteenth century. Accompanied by John Brown, amongst others, she described this area as a fine and wild uncivilised spot, like the end of the world, as she wrote in her diary, and she noted that “hardly anyone ever comes here”.” From Steve Carter’s historical perspective of Torridon and Sheildaig
There’s the Torridon Inn of course but if you have your own transport and are prepared to put in a little more effort there is a delightful wee place to eat in Diabaig called Gille Brighde This is where we choose to go on the guided Classic Torridon walking holiday. If you’re prepared to travel a wee bit further or have the option of doing a linear walk you could also try the Applecross Inn, which features in our 6 pub walks blog
Some of the peaks in Torridon are quite challenging and require a small amount of scrambling. Hiring a guide will mean that you will be as safe as possible and he or she will be able to keep you on track timewise so the day does not end up being an epic venture out. Your guide will also be able to interpret the weather forecast so as to make the best of the prevailing weather conditions. For more reasons on why it is beneficial to you to hire a guide read our blog
For other guided hiking options go to our home page for more details
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