Tim Francis

Where to even start?
Tim and Simon where amazing. Patient, encouraging, helpful (a nice mix of Mother Hen, cheerleader and drill sergeant). Both are very knowledgeable in regards to bike safety/maintenance, area lore and caftsmen and craftswomen throughout the bike trip we were on through the Hebrides. Both excelled at adapting the trip to each person's skill level and that in itself was a enormous accomplishment and never a harsh word from either of them!

Our guides Tim and Simon were a great support in every way - from mending broken gears to giving historical and geographical perspectives of the landscape. I did not think for myself for the whole week thanks to them . The prefect way to relax- all I had to do was enjoy the cycling !

Simon and Tim were both outstanding guides. they made extra efforts, time and again, to help each of us have a good trip. they were knowledgeable, organized, hard-working, and skilled in managing a group with a wide range of cycling skills and expectations.

Tim Francis was excellent. He managed to guide us round all the walks and archaeological sites with precision timing so we always achieved our goals every day. We never went hungry as he organised the lunch stops well. Moreover, he was most informative on all topics regarding the archaeology, history, wildlife, birds and flora.

Tim Frances is simply an excellent, profrssional guide with a wide variety of exertise. We have done a lot of these types of trips and he is one of the very best guides we have ever had. He is partiularly adept at identifying cllients individual interests and preferences, then buiding components into the trip itiniery to meet them, delighting customers. Tim is also passionate about his work and Scotland. Bravo!

Both our guides were excellent, not only when actually guiding, but when getting lunch ready, driving, giving the right advise en route, etc. I especially enjoyed spending time with Tim, and his knowledge about history, culture and beyond.

Very passionate and professional, always looking for new information to share. Also, they were very good at gaging the group’s interest and desires and adjusting accordingly.

Very knowledgeable in all aspects of the trip - local geography, geology, archaeology, culture, history, wildlife. We leant a lot ! Friendly, organised, sense of humour, approachable, felt safe with his driving and route guidance. Took time to recap on the day's activities/route and explain the next day's plans. Adaptable to the challenging weather conditions !
On the negative side, think he needs to take more note of the loo requirements of the group, especially of the elderly men !! - on the journey in the van particularly.

My guide Tim made sure all our needs were taken care of. He made the hiking interesting with his knowledge of the area as well as plant life. Also he had all the answers to my questions regarding the history of the area. We had some rainy days but we were never disappointed Tim always had a back up plan. He also knew the best places for after our hike to take a break relax and talk about the day.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and did his best to make sure we were all enjoying the trip. He did a great job spending time with everyone despite some very different hiking speeds. Overall great job. I do think by the end everyone was pretty exhausted. It might have been better to cut a day or two a little shorter to keep everyone's energy up. But our guide showed us a lot that we never would have seen otherwise which was awesome.

Tim was wonderful. Very knowledgeable about the history of the sites we visited. We were interested in the archaeology of numerous sites. He provided full days of interesting sites. We were interested in the Neolithic era and the mysteries surround our knowledge of the people.

Tim was brilliant, a lovely person who brought people together and put in lots of effort to make sure we had a wonderful holiday.

Tim is a first class guide. He spends time orienting one which is helpful and he had a very good knowledge of plants and the local history. He made lots of effort to include little extra visits as well.

Tim brought a lot of knowledge, from plants to history. And discreetly adapted hikes to weather conditions and fitness.

Tim Francis was excellent. Very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. Stuart went out of his way to make sure we had excellent lunches on our trip too.

Tim was a superb guide - perfectly judged the pace and a distance each day and pushed the group to do things we might not have done with authority, humour and confidence. Made everyone stop and appreciate where we were, rather than just head down pedalling, and put the whole landscape into context. He was particularly good at articulating the map and explaining what was ahead and what to look out for. He clearly loves the area.

One was excellent and one good as he had less experience with some of the tracks.

Great guide, very good knowledge of the area, history and culture. Also a great naturalist. Driving skills exemplary. The group was not always moving at the same pace - usually managed very well but not always, I noticed sometimes the front people would get the benefit of some info about something and would also have a break - but as soon as the slower folks arrived off we would go so the slower folks would not get a break or sometimes miss some interesting info. That got sorted out a bit better at the end as the group was given some freedom to go their own way a bit. Good use of time and good use of weather changes.

Tim was fantastic! Very good at meeting the needs of the different personalities and hiking capabilities. He was a wealth of information which added immensely to the enjoyment of our trip. We jokingly referred to him as Encyclopedia Bri”Tim”ica. Excellent driver, super sense of humour and very comfortable to spend time with.

Truly excellent guide (Tim) - made the trip for eveyone really great!

Excellent, see previous comments, no more to be said.

Tim was an enthusiastic, energetic and extremely knowledgeable guide. He worked hard to ensure that diverse expectations within the group were met as far as possible.

Tim Francis was brilliant. He is very knowledgeable and has a wonderful way of sharing this with the group.
His organisation and sensitive, gentle manner in sorting out the day to day arrangements and itinerary was lovely. Tim went above and beyond to provide a wonderful and varied programme for us.

This is my second time with Tim. He hasn't lost any of his enthusiasm for whatever he is showing us. His humor, knowledge and patience were beyond great. I'd follow him anywhere!

Tim was excellent. He combined a flexible approach whilst ensuring we covered everything (and more) of what was in the trip notes.
I particularly valued the time spent each evening looking over the map of where we had been that day and where we were going the next. This really helped get a feel for the geography of the island.
Thank you Tim for your patience in getting me near enough to the cliff edge to see the Old Man of Hoy in its entirety.

Tim is terrific! So knowledgeable on all relevant topics, and his experience in guiding groups really shows.

TIM was great as usual- top noch and very grateful to his efforts in recovering my camera that I left on a walk

Tim Francis did all that you could ask from a guide and more. Calm and relaxed but super organised and efficient. He made the whole trip a great experience for everyone. His knowledge of all topics is immense yet he doesn't overwhelm you with info. It is all in context and spread throughout the week, passed on in conversations.

Tim is a very good guide and aware of everyones needs and abilities.Also Tim went the extra mile over many small things.

Calm, knowledgeable and supportive to all members of the group

I've come to expect excellent guides on WS trips and Tim Francis was no exception. Sociable, engaging, knowledgeable and caring - sums up Tim - and tuned into client's needs.

As mentioned earlier, James is a gem. He is such a kind and gracious man, offering encouragement and great tips throughout the journey. He has such a vast amount of knowledge and presents information clearly and completely. James is entirely enthusiastic about sharing the wonders of the Highlands. He knows how to carefully read people and is entirely suited for proceeding at a pace in which he accommodates a group of walkers of varying abilities. James is a true blue, genuine , charismatic and entirely skilled guide. Stellar...the best!

James was in amazing guide. He was exceptionally knowledgeable. He was able to create walks for us that allowed for the wide variety of skill level of the people on the trip. He understood how to support us to walk around the mountain in ways that I never thought i'd be able to do. He knew how to deal with all the people on the trip so that everyone got what they needed. On one day someone thought Ishe could not handle the day and was going to stay home. But he convinced her that she would be able to handle the walk. It allowed for all of us to stay together as a group and gave her the pleasure of that tech killer walk in the mountains. We would have a trip with James anytime.

Our guide James was the absolute BEST imaginable. He took excellent care of everyone in our diverse group, and he knew the area like the back of his hand. I honestly can't imagine a better, more inspiring, enthusiastic guide. He was just excellent!!!

One of the guides were a bit to eager to keep a high speed from start and gave us no chance to warm up.

Both Paul and Malcolm were great. It did seem that they were a little stressed at the start since we got a late start on day 1. Suggest they acknowledge that we are getting a late start and describe how late we are, but then put extra effort into getting everyone pumped about the trip.

Malcolm and Paul were fantastic guides. Paul was great at finding hidden singletrack and Malcolm knew so much about local wildlife and history.

Guides were great but poor taste in (their own) music.

Tim and Dave did an excellent job spontaneously planning for the weather conditions. Very knowledgeable.

Tim and Dave were fabulous and added greatly to the quality of our trip. They are knowledgeable and helped us to understand the history and terrain we were riding through as well as appreciating the current landscape and communities. Although I trained for this trip and thought I was fairly fit, I found it hard to pause to take photos and catch up to the group without feeling left behind or like I was holding up everyone else. I'm not sure how this might be resolved.

Both Tim and Dave clearly enjoy their work . Their passion for the Scottish Wilderness was very clear. Their knowledge of every thing that swims ,flys ,walks and crawls was second to none

Tim an Dave- a great team- thank`s a lot for a wonderfull experience

Tim and Dave were amazing.

The guides did a great job. Again, I felt like I was in very good hands. Tim and Paul were very helpful and caring. They were funny too. The dynamic between them was great and fun to watch.

Tim and Alasdair were a great team and clearly passionate about what they do. Their thoughtful organisation, willingness to share their extensive knowledge and insights on just about anything of interest, sense of fun and care they took to ensure everyone enjoyed the experience simply made the holiday. Great picnics, great soundtrack, great fun. Thanks for a fabulous holiday.

Tim and Alasdair were super interesting and knowledgeable guides, and their personalities played well off of each other to make for a fun trip. I thought they did a great job reading the group and accommodating everyone, and making adjustments to suit the weather and vibe each day. It must have been a lot of work managing all the little details of the trip, but they made it seem effortless. Many thanks!!

Tim and Alisdair were fantastic. knowledgeable, friendly and always trying to help

Tim was just brilliant...even his little surprises!

The guide was very informative and not afraid to push is a little.

Went out of his way to make sure we had a good holiday. Chauffered us out at nights to try different places to eat which I appreciated.

Tim was very knowledgeable and personable and paid attention to all of us on the trail. He was a treat to have as a trusty leader.

Very good enjoyed them both and they worked very well together, despite their different back grounds, they were a good balance of humour and seriousness.

Tim was a good guide, enthusiastic and knowledgeable about Skye's scenery, natural history and history. He was quietly supportive on walks where that was necessary (I'm really pleased to have reached that loch above Glen Brittle - thanks, Tim!)

See my previous comments about Tim Francis' excellent job!

Let's See. Tim loves Scotland, he loves the outdoors, and he loves his "office." That makes him the best guide ever, and Rick adds that he was also a fun traveling companion. He appraised what we could do very quickly and gave us the maximum experience, even with uncooperative weather. Would want to book him again in a heartbeat, but he would probably want to run for cover.

Tim was great - very knowledgeable and always made sure we were all happy. He also took the time to make sure our evenings were interesting and fun.

Tim was an excellent guide varying the days and trying to include everything that his clients asked for and he informed us each evening of the next day's events and again on the day of the walks.

Ensured we had a really well balanced varied happy holiday: travel, walks, history, wildlife, plants and scenery, conversation etc.. Great timing. However, I think the walks were harder than the pre holiday descriptors led me to believe. V. grateful for the way my "special needs" were handled!

Excellent! Nothing to say, he was always let us know the plan of the day. Always keen to give us some fun facts and information about the area.

Had every confidence in our guides. Thoughtful, helpful and full of interesting info.........and certainly not above having a good laugh!

Tim and Celty were really helpful and informative

Our guides were the best of the trip.

Tim was a great guide an person. Looked after every member, knew perfectly well the route and I felt very confident on his side.

Both Tim and Kelty were excellent. Very knowledgable and good humoured (most of the time!). Good guides make or break the trip and they made it.

Tim was great wide knowledge range and provided to the wide range of interests in the group terrific!

Tim is very knowledgable and personable. Enjoyed traveling with him.

Tim was exceptionally good. His knowledge of the islands, their history and wildlife - was impressive and I can't imagine a more comprehensive tour - including a night out at one of the Kirkwall Summer Concerts. Nothing was too much trouble.

Oh, Tim was fantastic!! We all loved him and he did everything possible to make sure we did what we most wanted to do. He is a wealth of information on the wildlife and history of Scotland and a real sweetie. He knew I loved archaeology and planned things so we could see a working dig. He's amazing. He chose great places to eat too. He put so much effort into this trip and I am so grateful to him.

Tim and Ben are superlative guides. Information about locale and history, fun stories about adventure travel...I have since seen one of the 3 movies recommended by Tim about Scotland, The Stone of Destiny (thank you, Tim, loved it, fun story).
Ben is a man to frame any trip in the outdoors, any travel. He has the kind soul of a man who welcomes and calms all comers.

Tim & Ben are simply the best. They both are extremely knowledgable and helpful and made the whole experience extremely rewarding.

Tim Francis is great. His knowledge of and love of Scotland came thru in all he did

Tim Francis went out of his way to be sure the experience of Skye and the Outer Hebrides met expectations of each person on the trip. He consistently, and enthusiastically, shared his knowledge of the plant, animal, and bird life that we encountered. For those of us also interested in history, he did not disappoint. Each day I felt well prepared about what to expect in terms of weather, terrain for walking, and general outline of activities.

Clever with a lot of knowledge and experience, Tim has great sense of humor, plenty of good stories, he is always very helpful and very very patient!

Tim was a great guide. He made everyone feel at home, was very patient, had a good sense of humour, was very knowledgeable and told lots of stories. I don't know if he made half of them up but who cares, they were very entertaining.
He was very good at adapting the activities to suit the needs of the group.

We where very lucky with our guide. He had a lot of knowledge about each area we visited. Very appreciated.

Tim was excellent

Both Tims were great throughout
I enjoyed guide Tims knowledge on bird life particularly and that no pressure was put on people to cycle which made for a stress free trip
Driver Tim was very helpful and efficient in loading the bikes and kit .It was nice to have the bags in the rooms on arrival at the next hotel
Both were very friendly and professional throughout the trip

Can't say enough about both Tim Francis and Tim Willis. Tim Francis is professional, knowlegeable and very encouraging. I enjoyed the insights he shared about the culture and countryside. I would say that his assessment of "easy" or "relatively flat" terrain was quite different from mine, but if I couldn't make it, the van was right there. Tim Willis was so organized and accommodating, and always with a cheerful, positve attitude. I throroughly enjoyed talking with him at the mealtimes and seeing his friendly face at the end of long ride. Both these men are outstanding guides!

Very helpful and caring.

Patient knowledgeable prepared. They were professional and personable. I cannot say enough great things about them

The patience and humour of the two Tims made the holiday. The right level of enthusiasm and empathy for this trip

Great guide. Very knowledgeable, excellent communication skills, very enthusiastic . My traveling companion and I were somewhat nervous about how the trip would go, whether we would be able to figure out how things worked (being American and so not sure how things are done in Scotland) and whether we would slow down the group too much (not being the fittest and not having long legs). Our guide had insight into what Americans wouldn't know and he was calm and patient when we were slow or just clueless.

Tim was knowledgable, quietly passionate,
personable, good company.

Tim is awesome. He was fun, knowledgeable and always included everyone. By the end it was like a little family.

Knowledgeable and caring

I was very impressed by Tim's obvious experience, enthusiasm and flexibility, as well as his leadership skills and awareness of his clients.

Tim Francis is an excellent guide - I knew this as I has previously been on a course with him guiding (along with Brian Morrison who was also great). He was particularly good when I was feeling a bit nervous in a very steep icy ascent and when I didn't feel comfortable doing some methods of ice axe arrest. He also has lots of interesting tales of travels & previous courses.

Tim was supportive and inspired confidence and was a source of wisdom about hill walking in the winter.

Tim was extremely knowledgable , very courteous and looked after everyone in the group; very good at anticipating what each person could manage

Both Henry and Tim were excellent. Seemed to think of everything, were very well informed, and worked well as a team. Also nice guys!

Tim -very knowledgeable and expert

Henry - brilliant catering and driving

Together - a great team

No nonsense and unflappable -just what you want in a guide.

Both helpful and cheerful

Tim did a good job. I felt rushed at times when I wanted to stop for a photo but never had a problem catching up. We passed things (in the van or on bike) that I would have wanted to stop and look at but we went flying by.

TEAM WILDERNESS RESPONSE:
We love to stop and take photos as well. We will remind all guides that people are on holiday and need time to enjoy the sights around them.

Both of our guides were very attentive, hugely credible and inspired a lot of confidence throughout the journey. Tim's knowledge of the Islands and ability as a rider were impressive and as the trip leader he couldn't be faulted. I appreciated his positive-but-not-gushing demeanor and clear enthusiasm for his work. I'm not usually one to admire another man's legs but I reckon Tim's must be some of the best in Scotland - functionally speaking of course. Cory our support guide was extremely attentive and our lunches were notable both for the quality of the spread and the amazing locations each day. Neither guide shouted about their experience but over the course of the week it was apparent that their credentials are extremely high indeed. A special mention to Ben, from the WS office, who was also very supportive, helpful and added much to the group dynamic. He was impressively patient when listening to my feedback/questions on WS marketing...when he wasn't distracted by polytunnel envy.

Tim provided route information every day emphasizing landmarks that would be reference points in order to avoid being lost. He was a vigilant German shepherd - made sure that no one got lost and that everyone was on schedule.
Ross was the heart of the tour - the encouragement, the positive attitude, even when it rained the first day coming down the first hill - hey, you did it! And, Ross made sure that my bicycle was in good order as he adjusted the seat, brakes, inflated my bike tires as well as helped me with other bike issues that arose towards the last couple days of the trip. Mark and I hope that we can see Ross again when we book the Grand Tour next year.

Tim was terrific at showing us the ordnance survey maps before each days ride which helped us all get in the right frame of mind and not miss important landmarks.
Ross never stopped smiling, even when I was tired and grumpy.

Both guides Tim and Ross did a great job and made the trip very enjoyable. Occasionally felt a bit under pressure when stopping to take photos and then being at the back.

A very professional service from Tim & Ross
Tim provided so much information on the Hebrides. A well organised daily route and all care was given that none of us got lost!! Much appreciated the evening of bike maintenance The trips to visit the weaver / black house / etc on our last day was a superb end to an unforgettable week . Ross's kitchen was always a welcome sight!!

Tim really went out of his way to i) accommodate a group of mixed abilities so the faster ones could go ahead and regroup at a set point, and ii) managed the route appropriately when the poor weather caused a need to replan

Tim tolerated the various peccadillos of the group members, including mine, with great patience and good humour. Very knowledgeable chap, and not afraid to admit when he did not know something which was very refreshing. He was also very helpful - for example taking me to a supermarket and back to the hotel again - which was much appreciated and beyond the call of duty.

Tim was great, absolutely great. He never stopped trying to please us, and went above and beyond what he needed to do. On the last night, after dinner, he took us out to watch the sun set over the Rings of Brognar (probably spelled this wrong). Took us to a pub one night to hear live music. Went out and bought us Irn Bru when we told him we liked it. His knowledge of flora and fauna is extensive and when I asked him an occasional detailed question he was unsure of, he had looked up the answer by the time I next saw him. He was a great guide!!

Tim simply went above and beyond to make this trip superb for everyone. From checking restaurants ahead of time for special diets to sharing great playlists of music he shepherded a group of disparate travelers with humor and efficiency. His knowledge of the local wildlife especially birds and fauna was astounding.

Tim Francis is a very funny guy - subtle but funny. He made every day of the trip fun and interesting, did the logistical work invisibly so that it all looked very smooth and easy, and showed genuine interest in every person on the trip. I am ready to go home after 8 hours of work, but Tim was willing to spend 14+ hours a day with us - evening meals with the group were as much fun as the rest of the day. He shared field books, maps, and the planning of each day's activities, so that we felt fully a part of the experience.

Tim was knowledgeable and always helpful. He paced the walks perfectly with plenty of breaks and time to take photos etc. Tim listened to the requests of the group and nothing was a problem.

Tim was really great and had a great knowledge about the history,birds and plants. Very friendly and relaxed.
The combination walking- seeiing historical sites was great.

A good balance between letting us make our own pace and travelling together as a group.

Tim is just really a knowledgable guy on many topics of great value to the trip...cycling, geology, history, botany. Also appreciated his ability to read a group and manage the overall dynamic / experience without being the least bit overbearing.

Both Tim & Henry were at all times more than willing to go the extra mile!

Both Tim and Henry did a great job. Everything was so well-organized down to the smallest detail. Both were super friendly, helpful and very knowledgeable about the Hebrides; the people, nature etc.

Guide Tim Francis was just outstanding! I very much enjoyed and appreciated Tim's keen knowledge of the history, environment, wildlife and geology of Scotland and Outer Hebrides. He did a wonderful job of communicated this information to us throughout our trip and related well with our group. Tim is an excellent, well- organized trip leader, a skilled bike rider & mechanic. We couldn't have had a better guide!

Assistant guide Henry was outstanding as well! Henry provided us with excellent, nutritious ride-day smorgasbord lunches. He's an accomplished bike mechanic, providing excellent care and maintenance of our bicycles. A great young man and personality!

I truly appreciated the quality of leadership and service provided by Tim and Henry, and have no doubt the other trip group members agree with that assessment. Thanks again Tim and Henry for an excellent trip!

Tim is an exceptional guide who has extensive technical expertise and knowledge of the Scottish landscape. His remarkable organisational skills ensured that everything was carried out seamlessly. I fully appreciate how, given the range of variables, it can be difficult to ensure that everything runs smoothly and he is to be commended on every aspect of his performance as both guide and mountain biking instructor. I honestly cannot offer even constructive criticism.

Henry's contribution was invaluable. Nothing was too much trouble and he and Tim worked seamlessly together. Henry's patience and technical advice was greatly appreciated and his duties were also executed flawlessly. Henry repeatedly went the extra mile and was a necessary source of support to both the group and Tim.

I was impressed by Tim's knowledge of Scotland

Tim had plenty of local knowledge

Our guide, Tim, was very personable, knowledgeable in all aspects of our trip, accommodating, and had a wonderful sense of humor. He inspired confidence that the group was "in good hands".

I enjoyed Tim's knowledge of the area, people, fauna, flora, animals, etc. He was an excellent guide.

Very good at providing special experiences, meeting everyones expectations and keeping the group happy. Very knowledgeable and flexible, great company in the evenings. Thank you.

Both Tims coped very well with a mixed group(they will know what I mean!)
I know it would be more work but maybe a simple linear map of each days trip would help with regrouping/route finding? the milage points easily get out of synch.

Both where knowledgeable, experienced,helpful & good company

Tim F was very thorough and well informed about the area and the wild-life and gave interesting talks. Sometimes we stopped too frequently when we needed to keep moving to keep our muscles warm but he kept us to schedule well. His enjoyment of cycling and the Highlands was evident and kept everyone engaged and enthused. Tim W was an excellent support, well-organised, kind, good humoured and encouraging. Both guides did very well to keep a disparate group of cyclists (and one non-cyclist!) together and keep everyone happy - it must have taken diplomacy and tolerance but they did it! By the final picnic everyone was celebrating the whole group's achievement. Many thanks to Tim F and Tim W.

Friendly, helpful, attentive and knowledgeable.

Excellent in term of adjusting the trip accordingly without losing the theme of the trip and losing the team's spirit.

A very relaxed and easy going guide who made everybody feel comfortable. His knowledge of the area and wildlife/flora/fauna made it an even more interesting trip.

Tim our guide was enthusiastic, knowledgable, fun... He very much focused on customer experience whilst building in appropriate goals, activities, all the while maintaining group cohesion, safety, etc. My only other observation was that I thought he could have pushed the group further, longer, higher, tougher walks, despite the dreich weather I think the group would have gone for this....

Tim was, in my opinion, central to the holiday being ok or excellent. The walks were spot on, his knowledge of....everything is mindblowing! He also has a rare skill of getting people to converse and create an atmosphere, he was always approachable patient and non patronizing!

Very knowledgeable & plans the walks in a safe & varied manner

Tim was an excellent guide in every respect and added greatly to the whole experience,being thoughtful,informative and engaging throughout our stay.

Tim was good fun and professional. He was really good in educating us about the safety aspects of winter walking and I really liked the information he provided about plants and wildlife etc. A brilliant guide!

I can't rate them (Will & Tim) highly enough. It's a very fine line but some bike-handling hints/tips/experiences would have been appreciated; it's not so much that people really needed it, more that (even the experienced riders) folks would have appreciated having new input.

- Great job!
- All our wishes have been taken into account
- Malcolms knowledge in Wildlife is tremendous

Have gone on walking adventures with Tim Francis (Orkney Isl) and Keith Miller (Outer Hebrides) - both excellent,excellent, excellent...

Tim and Malcolm were exceptional guides and went out of their way at every opportunity to insure the trip delivered as much as it possibly could. Waking before dawn to catch the sun at Callanaish Stones is not part of their brief but they did it anyway and it was fabulous

Just excellent. Especially we enjoyed Malcolm's deep and profound knowledge in wild animals and birds.
And things really get funny when Malcolm get started in imitating wild birds voices :-))

I learned a lot of English - and they probably a bit about german humor... and they excused my French - this is certainly worth an "excellent" :-)

Love the whiskey and peat tales. Map sessions were very helpful. Felt well taken care of on the road.

These guys work hard! My only suggestion is that it would have been good if they had done a skills assessment either the evening before or first thing in the morning. They could have provided the least experienced riders with a little "off road" training to get them started. In my observation, this would have eliminated some frustration from the weakest riders.

They were both very approachable and balanced a mixed ability group sensitively.
Could have done with a bit more cultural and historical context

The group was an accomplished lot, and sometimes needed to know the plan and projections for the day. If there were enough uncertainties to simply say "it depends" that would have been fine, but there was a hesitancy to talk about time/distance. With variations in ability, these are understandable, but the distances remain the same. Information was not always imparted with everyone present, and repeating was not enjoyed.
Dave was extremely patient and helped with post-trip suggestions as well as leading on some of the cycling.
Some pre-trip assessment of each of our abilities, even a quick ride up and down some hills, might help gauge the overall plans for the group.

Our guide,Tim Francis from the beginning of our trip was welcoming and friendly. He was professional, easy going and also kept us on schedule. He was very accommodating to everyone in our group despite the different ages. He was conscious of making sure all of us were doing okay and enjoying ourselves. He was physically fit and knowledgeable of the land. It was very nice to have our own personal guide!Thank you for a great adventure as my first time in Scotland! Wanted to mention Ben of the kayak group was professional & made sure we had a safe/ fun experience!

Tim did a great job. He was aware of the different needs and different relationships of the youngest in our group as well as the oldest and those in between, which is not always the easiest. This helped everyone to enjoy the trip much more.

See under Q3.

Excellent leader in Tim. We benefitted from his wealth of mountain experience as well as his local knowledge.

Knowledgeable, articulate, passionate, and fun. They took expert care of our group.

Tim and Dave - top line guys;)
Had a blast.

Tim and Dave.
Both very competent, well organised and dedicated. VG employees - keep them!
The only comment I would have is that Tim appeared a bit "blind" to the slower pace of some members of the group. i.e. when they caught up they were given no break and we were off again which may have had the effect of demoralising them.

Loved the bike 'lubing' service every morning.
First couple of days I thought Stouts oatbars were great, by the end of the week I never want to see one again