With more and more evidence surfacing of the adaptability, quality and craftsmanship of Scottish textiles manufacturers catching on worldwide in fashion luxury goods and film, it is no surprise the industry has also taken on sport technology.
Performance in a fabric is crucial to hikers, walkers and cyclists. In Scotland, weather can change so frequently that when it comes to treks off the beaten track (a speciality of Scot Mountain Holidays), to quote Duracel, “it just has to work”.
But we believe gear should more than work. It should be comfortable and enhance your experience. We also believe in supporting local and regional manufacturers for economic and environmental purposes.
For these reasons, we have tracked down 5 Scottish innovators in the textile sport industry who are completely changing the performance game.
1. Findra
Dubbed by SCI market research as one of the top sport textile innovations in the last five years, Findra creates mountain biking clothing especially for women. They are recognized for their seamless knitting technology and unique textiles.
While Nikwax was developed in Northern England, innovater Nick Brown accredits his many walking holidays in Scotland as the inspiration for the product – so we feel it fits nicely on our list. This elastic and water-repellent treatment makes performance clothing elastic and breathable, protecting you from inevitable Scotland rain.
From the Commonwealth Games to other professional sporting events, Harris Tweed is a becoming a feature of athletes all over the globe as they are revered for combining style with performance.
4. Diary Doll
Another product innovation for women. Lightweight with a waterproof panel, these machine washable pants give women the freedom to carry on their explorations stress free.
5. Bonar Yarns
‘Greatness is in the detail’. This Scottish manufacturer has forever changed the notion of turf, enhancing sporting events all over the world.
Here in the Cairngorms we are part of the Highland way of life and keen nature enthusiasts, meaning we must be ready to adapt to Scotland weather in pursuing our adventures.
With manufacturers like these, nothing can hold us back!
Woollen crafts in Scotland are alive and thriving, hence the birth of a new wool festival this year: The Inverness Loch Ness Knitting Festival. The festival will be an annual international celebration of fibres, dyes, yarns, crafts and craft supplies set in the Highlands. The festival hosts some of the world’s most celebrated knitters building on Highland textile history and heritage.
With workshops, displays, and presentations over the course of the four day event, novice and seasoned textile artists alike can enjoy the spectacular workmanship of textile artists and learn from the best all over the globe.
Aside from immersing yourself in its craftsmanship, the Loch Ness Knitting Festival boasts stunning venues including Eden Court, Loch Ness by Jacobite, Kingsmill Hotel, Inverness Botanic Garden and the Culloden Battlefield and Visitors Centre.
Loch Ness festival goers are given an exclusive tour by water, while Eden Court – the festival’s headquarters for exhibitors – is steps outside of Inverness Old Town and city centre.
At Scot Mountain Holidays we have a passion for Highland craftsmanship which is why we are offering an accommodation and transport package to guests who don’t want to miss this spectacular event! Please enquire for details.
 Scottish scene captured in a needle felted image |  Crafting supplies at Three Bags Wool |
The festival can be added to your personalized Scotland textiles tour, where we can also guide you to woollen mills and extended craftsmanship courses. If you would like details of the self-guided crafting possibilities in our area please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
We can offer:
We can put together a package for you which would include what our son calls “making” opportunities if you wish or just browsing if you prefer also featuring hand-picked chances to sample the finest Scottish produce and comfortable accommodation for your stay with like-minded hosts.
No Scotland holiday would be complete without a feel for the Highland textile tradition kept alive in the Cairngorms’ very own Victorian-era Knockando Woolmill Trust. You can go inside the mill to see the Victorian machinery in action, then treat yourself to an international festival of art. You can even pursue your passion in local multi-day courses.
Courses are also available for peg loom weaving, needle felting and sewing at Three Bags Wool in Aberlour. Aberlour is only about 30 minutes drive from Boat of Garten. We are very happy to offer dinner, bed and breakfast for you if you are attending a workshop at Three Bags Wool. Please email for details. Three Bags Wool will also be exhibiting at the Loch Ness Wool Festival.
 Thrum knitting to make a rug |  Peg loom rug making with thrums |
We look forward to showing you!
Rebecca is a keen crafter (with very little time to spare to make the projects in her head) and therefore she is keen to encourage anyone who is interested to attend this first event in Inverness. On Saturday, both Andy and Rebecca are going to the Highland Concert with Bruce Macgregor (of Blazing Fiddles fame). Transport will be available from Fraoch Lodge that evening if you are also interested in attending. We will also run a shuttle up to Eden Court (Inverness) during the day on Saturday if you’d like to take a look at the marketplace and workshops going on.
Please phone 01479 831 331 or email us (using the contact form) if you are looking for a last minute weekend away and fancy a bit of Highland culture.
Imagine a place where you can trek through nature while indulging in fine whisky, handcrafted arts, local music and decadent home cooked meals. Autumn in the Cairngorms is a time to celebrate good food, colourful hiking and splendid photography opportunities as the sunrise and sunset become achievable times to be out and about.
A place where you can experience travel in Scotland at its finest. This is a place to discover breathtaking landscape from bagging Munros to relaxing on the beaches of Lochs Morlich, Insh and Tolmount. You will never run out of places to explore. There are activities for everyone from visiting castles and distilleries to hiking up the mountains or round the lochs. Autumn is also a time for the best mountain biking too.
But when is the best time of year to visit?
At Scot Mountain Holidays, nothing beats the vivid colours, crisp air, sunny days and cool evenings of autumn, a season of change.
Stags begin the rut, grouse take flight, and pheasant hunting season begins. Mountain ash, larch, silver birch, and sedges change colour and dazzle the landscape.
It is a time of wild mushrooms in risotto, pâtés, polenta slices and ragu. And don’t forget to top it off with the spicy taste of Cairngorm Brewery’s raisin ruby ale, Autumn Nuts!
Come soak in Autumn days and nights with us your hosts at Fraoch Lodge, where we provide everything you need for self-guided tours and home style hospitality, and be enchanted by a Highland fall.
During my holiday in Scotland I went to Boat of Garten in the Cairngorms National Park. I decided to do a walking holiday and tour the countryside which provided Outlander inspiration for Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander saga. My guide was from Scot Mountain Holidays. I told him of my keen interest in the Jacobite rebellion and what happened to the Highlanders who fought for Bonny Prince Charlie after the Battle of Culloden.
Being a connoisseur of the area he took me on a historic day trek through an 18th century village where I saw layouts of old black houses and kilns while tracing beaten carriage tracks. I was shown various medicinal, poisonous, and culinary plants relevant to the people of the time and Outlander’s heroine who delves into Scottish botany.
We spotted a tawny owl who flew by not ten feet in front of us. I tasted a juniper berry with the the richness of gin. I sniffed the vibrant yellow broom wafting of coconut, and took in the spicy scent of bog myrtle used at the time to flavour beers.
We saw two majestic golden eagles floating in circles together on a high wind!
But the most exciting part of our adventure was John Roy Stuart’s cave, a Jacobite rebel and close ally of the Bonny Prince. Andy described his rise as Jacobite leader to eventual fall as a “rebel”. We crouched inside the cave in which he hid from the Red Coats for years after his exile, and discussed what life would have been like at the time.
If ever there was a moment I felt close to James Fraser, this was it!
Stuart even had a young boy who ran him supplies (wee Fergus?) and narrowly escaped death many times. Standing in this place brought a sense of the real history, drama, intrigue and very thorough research by Gabaldon to ground her story in places and situations that happened to real people. I was given the gift of seeing first hand the evidence of their lives.
My hosts took me to the Culloden Battlefield and Visitors Centre. We saw a panoramic video re-enactment of the battle which is very impactful, and got an in depth immersion into the history told by eye witnesses and historical accounts. Plaques made reference to John Roy Stewart’s contribution.
We also saw commemorations to the various clans which had lost members during the battle, including the Frasers.
Being able to learn more about Jacobites and the history which informed the Outlander series was truly fascinating. I look forward to seeing more of Scotland’s history through walking its landscapes, and there’s no better guides and base for it than in the Cairngorms with the warm and knowledgeable hosts at Froach Lodge.
Check out Scot Mountain Holiday’s Outlandish Scotland: Off-the-beaten-track and Outlander events summer 2016 for more details!
This year we’ve timed our Highland Extravaganza hiking tour to include the Abernethy Highland Games – after all what would a visit to the Highlands be, without a chance to get to a Games.
At Scot Mountain Holidays we always look forward to the Highland Games, and here are our main reasons why!
1. It’s family friendly
Stalls of Hook-a-duck, children’s races, Fair Ground rides, souvenirs, trampolines and more provide entertainment for the whole family. Arrive by Steam Train from Boat of Garten in the Cairngorms and really thrill the kids!
2. Highland Dancing
See local girls compete in Highland dancing in their full traditional garb.
3. Tug-O-War
These athletes tour around with the Highland Games, making the rivalry real. See the challenge live and cheer on your favourite side.
4. Caber Toss
One of the most exciting and famous parts of the Games, you won’t want to miss this main event.
5. Food & drink
Venison vans, burger trucks, fish and chips, pulled pork, beer tents and coffee all to treat your tastebuds while taking in the Games.
6. Ceilidhs
Why not join a fun-loving ceilidh at the end of the night? Enjoy some drinks, have a dance, and chat with locals about the day’s events.
7. Chieftain’s Parade
Led by pipe bands, this is sure to thrill. See the men in their kilts and ladies in traditional dress, accompanied by bagpipes.
And an honorary mention goes to…
8. The Abernethy RSPB 10-mile Road Race
Every second Saturday of August the Highland Games come to Abernethy, where you can see the Abernethy Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) 10 mile road race. Ideally located if you are based at Fraoch Lodge in Boat of Garten. Come see runners in action for a good cause!
Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series is a worldwide sensation highlighting the beauty and intrigue of Scotland and her Highland culture.
Scot Mountain Holidays can immerse you in the historical drama by exploring the real life setting of Gabaldon’s time-travel epic.
Come experience Scotland through an Outlander hiking tour guided by us, your local connoisseurs, and get off the beaten track!
This means rugged scenery, enchanting flora, rich history, and magical stories. With Fraoch Lodge as your base, you and your friends and family will easily access historical sites of Jacobite history, the world of “The Frasers”, and sites where the Starz Outlander series adaptation is filmed & sites which served as inspiration for Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books.
Your hosts will provide routes and in-depth knowledge of choice locations handpicked for an enchanting Outlander Scotland experience. Transportation to and from the lodge to your locations can also be provided as a service.
Don’t miss out on exploring chosen landscapes inspired by the likes of Lallybroch Scotland and Castle Leoch from our Highland home. Come see filming locations such as Tulloch Ghru and The Highland Folk Museum (on our doorstep!). At Fraoch Lodge, you can tour romantic scenery, enjoy a whisky by the hearth with your hosts, and talk all things Outlander.
Contact Scot Mountain Holidays for more information about Outlander tours and getting off the beaten track.
Sláinte!
The Starz drama based on the historical fiction and time travel series by Diana Gabaldon has been renewed for 2 more seasons, which promises to return to the Highlands.
We can always count on Outlander for intrigue, drama, stunning Scottish landscape and, of course, men in kilts! Which is why we here at Scot Mountain Holidays have accumulated a list of events to compliment your Outlander and Jacobite fever.
1. Fort George
Close to the Inverness airport, Fort George would not exist if not for the Jacobite rebellion, which is a major feature of Claire and Jamie’s story. Their re-enactments are unbeatable:
Just outside our doorstep is Britain’s first open air museum. Check out the old township to get a feel for the Highland way of life. Oh, and did we mention Outlander was filmed here?
3. Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre
Walk through the fields of the historic battlefield and visit its interactive centre. Learn how 1,200 Jacobites were slaughtered in under an hour bringing an end to a Scottish era:
Experience Old Scotland and the lead up to the rebellion through the story of Urquhart Castle and its eventual demolition:
All of these events are within easy reach of Fraoch Lodge. Contact us for more details and come immerse yourself in the Scottish Highland history which inspired Outlander!
This is the question asked by far and few between, yet still questioned. For those who are more comfortable at home and don’t enjoy the thought of dragging bags across countries. Well, we are here to convince you that travelling is about so much more.
Travelling can offer something for everyone, no matter who you are, what you do or what you’re interested in. The world is literally at your feet. We travel for culture and we travel for different food. We travel to meet people, but most of all we travel for experience.
Personally we think Scotland has something to offer for everyone. You’ll quickly discover Scotland is a wonderful destination for travellers. You’ll learn fascinating history, experience food and drink that will comfort and challenge you and enjoy lively music. But best of all, what Scotland can offer is the scenery. Whether you’re a wildlife enthusiast, enjoy quiet country strolls, challenges mountain hikes or crystal clear lochs. You name it; you can experience it in Scotland. And that is what travelling is really about. The experience.
Understandably, travelling can be a little daunting for those not fully comfortable with it. But it’s certainly made easier for you when holidaying with Scot Mountain Holidays. We understand how stressful planning holidays can be and have packaged our tours to remove the hassle for you. All you need to do is select a tour; and it’s as simple as that. All our packages are inclusive of all meals, accommodation and transport, and in a group atmosphere; it’s perfect for a first time traveller.
Still unsure if travelling is for you? Consider the amazing experiences Scotland has to offer you in both activities and relaxation. Combine this with Scot Mountain Holidays stress free holiday packages and you have the ideal destination, and the perfect travelling experience.
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Boat of Garten,
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