Malcolm O’Reilly

Malcolm was very knowledgeable, not only about wildlife and the environment, but also about history. I learned a lot!

Malcolm is a great guide and good company. He is knowledgeable, ( I loved learning about moth caterpillars and dragon flies), great at spotting wildlife, a highlight for me was seeing a short eared owl at close quarters. He is good humoured and friendly and sorted out the day's programme to ensure everyone got the best experience and accommodated our different wishes with patience and good humour. He worked very hard to ensure we had a good time and I would like to thank him for this. He is an asset to Wilderness Scotland.

Very good local knowledge with a bit of luck.

See comments for trip overall. Malcom was great!

Malcolm was extremely patient with the group which consisted of many different personalities. He endeavoured to give us interesting information during the many miles we travelled ....and he succeeded. Always had a smile on his face which is very important to make people feel at home.

I thought he was very knowledgeable about everything to do with Flora, Fauna, sealife, knew all the best places to go and often found the animals he and we were looking for. He worked hard trying to meet our expectations [which HE thought we had :) ], and to show us what was in the program, which is almost a miracle as wilderness is not a zoo. Very friendly and cheerful. We could share his Passion for wildlife. Unforgettable!

Our guide worked really hard to find the wildlife, and to keep the group cheerful despite the poor weather.

Malcom is an expert guide. He ran a tight ship with the group's safety and did not take uncesssary risks.

Exceptional. Personable, knowledgeable and thoughtful. This particular trip has two built in elements of uncertainty (wildlife sightings and St Kilda visit) so much rests on the guide's ability to manage expectations and when necessary, disappointment. Fortunately Malcolm's expertise and the experience ensured an abundance of wildlife viewings. Upon first meeting the group, he advised us that the weather conditions for St Kilda were not looking favourable and continued to keep us updated so when the trip had to be cancelled it was not a surprise. His clear messaging prepared the group for the decision.

Great job Malcolm! No to lucky with punctures and mechanical failures but able to solve every problem without exitation. Professional, skilled, friendly ... we all enjoyed his presence

Our guide Malcolm was very knowledgeable. He did a great job.

Efficient and friendly

Malcolm was excellent and never let up with his searching for wildlife

Malcolm, the Wildlife Whisperer, was an incredible source of information. He was constantly spotting and identifying birds for the group. Malcolm was always quick to set up the spotting scope, so all had a good view.

He's is a real gem when it comes to looking after the group. He worked hard to ensure we all saw what we came to see and learned what we wanted about the local culture and history.

Malcolm was fun to be with and really contributed to the group dynamics. What a treat it was to have the guide in house with us, rather than off site.

Flexible to cope with members' need.

Malcolm was fantastic! Really friendly and easy to get along with, he quickly put everyone at ease. He was great on Scottish history and his knowledge of wildlife was brilliant, I saw and learnt loads and loved every minute! He was really enthusiastic and great at finding spots off the beaten track for lunch, he was also very good at finding all important coffee and cake stops! He had a good balance of chatting and silence to let people enjoy the surroundings, couldn't recommend him enough.

Please see earlier comments about Malcolm. Was also nice that he took some great pics on the walk that WS has a facility to share afterwards - nice touch.

very good

Occasionally got a little flustered with the responsibility of looking after 8 blokes! Overall good and looked after me personally very well.

Malcolm was a great guide. He carefully but unobtrusively balanced the different needs and abilities of the group and planned very successfully to make the best of the variable weather on the Orkneys. He's extremely knowledgeable about the history and nature on the Orkneys and has a great quirky sense of humour.

Malcolm was fantastic and very helpful at every stage of the trip. a great guide to have with us

It was good to be with Malcolm again. He coped well with our rather disparate group.

Both guides Malcolm and Amanda were outstanding, both put 100% into making the trip the best possible experience for us, both really put themselves out to make us feel comfortable even coming out with us in the evening, which made us feel like we were out with friends, taught us some really useful new skills,

Malcolm did work real hard to accomodate some different desires within the group. Despite the weather we had a wonderful week. We did get the impression though that the guide really makes long days, with report writing and stuff at the end of the day. We might have preferred to start the days of bit earlier so that more walking and sight seeing could have been fitted in ( it was often relatively nice weather early in the morning), but when there was a nice dry and warm evening he took us out to a beautiful place for sun set. We had a wonderful trip due to his guiding and explanations.

Malcolm knowledge was first rate on all aspects of the trip. History, geography, flowers, wildlife. This made the whole trip worthwhile and enjoyable. Malcolm was so easy going and answered all our questions with ease and a pleasure to be with.

Malcolm is a knowledgable guide who constantly reappraised the abilities and desires of the group and the changeable weather to ensure our mixed group enjoyed every moment of their holiday. Ever cheerful and encouraging I really appreciated his easy manner, not being the most sure-footed walker!

Malcolm could not have been more considerate, taking the trouble to talk to everyone on the walks, checking we were all comfortable and happy and consulting whenever there was a choice of activity. He is extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife, from starfish to sea eagles, and we learnt quite a lot about seabirds from him. He is good on plants too, and full of anecdotes about Hebridean history, customs and culture which made the journeys especially interesting. His enthusiasm and love for the area are infectious.Considering he was suffering from a nasty head cold for part of the trip, this was a bravura performance!

Our guide, Malcolm, made every effort to ensure everyone had a great time, with endless energy and enthusiasm. Fantastic bird spotter.

Malcolm was extremely knowledgeable about the location and the wildlife, and adapted the itinerary to suit the weather and the group. Personally I'd have liked the walking to be a bit more challenging, but we did see plenty of interesting and beautiful sights.

Malcomb is a great guide. Very sensitive to everyone's needs and abilities

Malcolm was great - knew where he was going, able to tell us about the mountains, wildlife, history etc. A very special guide, who made the holiday really successful.

Malcolm was excellent. He was very professional, catering to people's interests and needs, a great sense of humour and full of fun stories. Id take a trip with Malcolm again any time!

He was a good guide and sensitive to our abilities.

our guide could not have been better - helpful, great knowledge, patient and always
most pleasant

Highly recommend Malcolm O'Reilly as a guide. Very skilled and knowledgable and a pleasure to be with at dinner.

Malcolm was great. Answered questions willingly. We enjoyed his sories on history, and the naural science around us. He went above and beyond on many occasions.

I mentioned Malcolm's excellence in my answer to an earlier question. I'd also say his people skills were really an asset, determining what our group wanted and was capable of, and then doing his best with schedule and weather, etc. to give us all the best days possible. Totally professional in his preparation and leadership, but a companion to each of us as well - with a great sense of humor (which must come in handy) and infectious laugh. If your other guides are anywhere nearly as good as Malcolm, you are making great hiring choices!

Malcolm did a great job guiding the group on our walking trip. He kept us well-informed, well-fed, caffeinated, safe, and happy. He did a fantastic job of matching the itinerary to the weather and the overall group energy level. Malcolm went above and beyond to make sure we got the most out of our trip, even taking a small group of us out to try to get a better view of the Northern Lights after dinner one night on Harris. He could very easily have called it a night, but he didn't and it was much appreciated. He has an eagle eye (pun intended) for spotting birds and other wildlife, and his expertise made what would already have been some pretty spectacular spots even more enjoyable.

Malcolm was outstanding. Very knowledgeable of the area we were hiking and the hikes were well paced. Going out of his way for us to see the Northern Lights was extra awesome as I have never seen them before (and I think most in the group haven't see before either)

Malcolm was outstanding, there is nothing he could do to improve. He was amazing.

Please share with Malcolm what I wrote earlier in the survey.

The guide tried to provide good service for all of us - I was the outsider so it was harder to find things I liked. Besides the guide had a preference for tea and cakes where I would have liked a pub and a pint - now and them.

Previous comments covered this topic.

Malcolm was great. Did a great job of keeping us going and out of the weather. Appreciate his efforts.

Very professional guide

He went out of his way to be helpful and informative on the hikes. He also went out of his way to find fun things for us to do outside of the hiking time!

Malcolm O'Reilly did a great job of balancing interests of individuals in the group. He adjusted the hikes to suit the group while retaining visits to truly wonderful vistas.

Malcolm for me was a very personable guide who shared his knowledge with us very appropriately, taking us to a variety of places to walk and explore...eating out was also part of this. He was able to relate well with all of our disparate group.
I felt in safe hands and had fun.

Our guide Malcolm, was very considered and knowledgeable, and brought the trip alive for us with his great knowledge of local fauna and flora.

Dave was the 'glue' that held the group together, so calm, so friendly. Malcolm was very patient with me, even tho I am the world's most hopeless mtn biker (but I did love the road cycling).

The guides were excellent in all aspects. Thorough briefings each night; ensuring that the hired bikes were always cleaned and in good working order; consideration and respect for each member of the group with their different levels of cycling experience and ability and giving them opportunities to ride to that ability.

Malcolm & Dave where fantastic...the group was of mixed ability, and I think this was managed well, with various options available to suit all. Both personable hosts, with excellent knowledge of the area, flora and fauna.

Always helpful, always well prepared. Appreciated the loan of spare gear when needed. Good company and knowledgable

Our guide (Malcolm) was a star ! Very professional, I felt safe in his hands. He was an excellent leader; highly knowledgeable not only of the area but of the geology, wildlife and botany. He led with clarity and aplomb balanced by a gentle humour and kindness. Malcolm is a great asset to your company !

Malcolm was excellent, being a most professional and knowledgeable guide.He was good company with a great sense of humour and fun. In addition, he took great care of the group and safety was always paramount. He kept us very well informed of the day to day plans and had an extensive knowledge of the flora, fauna and geology of the area, quickly picking up on my interest in birds. Malcolm worked hard to ensure that the best option for the day also matched the expected weather and he managed to plan and provide an interesting day even when the weather was really dreich!! This also ensured we had a beautiful day for the long trek up and down Suilven.

Malcolm provided a depth and breadth of information about our environment which was impressive. He clearly had a passion for his subject and found clever ways to share it with those of us who had only a basic grasp of the subject. If being a top class guide means combining 'geekness' with a high 'EQ" - he is it!! He was patient with our questions and was astute in responding to those which most merited a response ! He was flexible with our schedule and did a brilliant job of adapting our activity for the day with the changing weather. He balanced our safety with respecting our independence and he really seemed to care about us getting most our of our trip . He definitely went the extra mile - eg: on our last night he devised a quiz which was great fun and made for a very memorable evening.

Malcolm was excellent, highly professional and always made us feel safe. He was very good at finding out what everyone wanted to do and keeping us informed of his thoughts and then balancing the needs of individuals and the group. He was also very flexible in adjusting the treks to suit the weather conditions and abilities of the group. He was always charming and has a great sense of humour.

We were a diverse group with varied interests, but Malcolm managed to keep us all happy!

Malcolm was lovely company and managed to find some beautiful places for us to walk. Thank you Malcolm.

Our guide Malcolm was the font of all knowledge! I learnt so much about the geology, history and geography of the area. He can spot a sea eagle half a mile away and also helped me with my map reading skills.

Malcolm was knowledgeable on wildlife, fauna and flora, history and geology, the weather and practically every subject under the sun- which by the way we were blessed with 4 out of 5 walking days- how did he manage to organise that? He was also skilled in planning and organising the trips, listening to individual needs and responding to requests being careful and concerned for the groups well being and helping us experience and have the most wonderful holiday!

Malcom was doing a terrific Job; we were a very diverse group; he balanced it all out and all our needs were met; he has an incredible knowledge about wildlife (plus flowers and butterflies; my personal interests); he also managed to fit in the historic sites of Orkney; well done; great Job; putting in 12-14h days; thank you!!!!!

I only hope everyone got a guide like Malcolm. Very accommodating providing lots of choices as to where we should go and very good at getting the right feel about what the groups strengths and weaknesses were and then taking us to the places where we could get the most out of our experience. As with any group of more than one there will be differences of opinion. Although there weren't many incidents Malcolm was quick to put things right quickly without, in my opinion, causing any hurt feelings. Malcolm's daily plans, instructions, cautions, questions and general demeanor were and are excellent. A cautious driver as he navigated the sometimes twisty roads of Orkney while keeping his eyes peeled on the fields, skies and water for signs of wildlife..although I wish he hadn't missed the small pod of Orcas that passed close to the ferry on the way to Orkney..I think he might have been the only one of the group that did..or where they minke whales(inside joke sorry Malcolm lol).In my opinion we got an excellent guide in Malcolm and he definitely was an integral part of this trip going as well as it did.

Malcolm was more than excellent. He looked after our every need, answered our many questions and kept us happy for 8 solid days. His knowledge of the Orkney Islands was outstanding and he made sure we saw everything with some surprises along the way. He chatted easily with the locals so we heard some great stories. He has a great sense of humour thank heavens!

Very knowledgeable and interesting; also extremely flexible.

I've traveled and hiked a lot in the UK and I've never met a better guide than Malcomb. He was the best guide imaginable. Malcomb was extremely personable and had an in-depth knowledge of just about everything, especially the natural world.