New for 2019

New for the 2019 season will be small group, hiking experiences based for a week in one centre. The advantage is light day backpacks (as opposed to having to carry all your needs for a week), kitchen and drying room facilities, and low cost accommodation in a good standard bunkhouse. The minibus will collect from and return you to Edinburgh and of course drive the group out for the daily hikes. Check out the ‘Offers’ section for more details.

Ballater and Braemar in the Eastern Cairngorms are starting points for a huge variety of hill hiking to some of Scotland’s highest peaks. These towns have good amenities without being too touristy and are set on the beautiful River Dee. The region is outstanding for its extensive remnants of the ancient Caledonian pine forest, bringing charm to the valleys and presenting great photo opportunities. The many trails offer some very scenic circular hikes going up one glen to climb a peak or two and returning via another. A real plus point is the very low midge count here in the summer months in contrast to the west coast.

We are also launching some new ‘Trip & Trek’ excursions, located in one base and doing day outings from there as a means to slow the pace as opposed to the daily moving on to another accommodation. We recognise that for many, part of the restorative element to a holiday is having a known base to return to that offers peace and comfort. This follows on from our very popular ‘Torridon, Loch Alsh & Skye’ excursion already advertised on the site. We have identified accommodation providers who have stood out for their genuine hosting skills and for the comfort and amenities they provide in outstanding locations. These centres have been selected too for the great variety of trips and treks that can be done from that single base.