- Hike in two of the Highland’s most beautiful regions, experiencing contrasting landscapes
- Enjoy an exciting day speeding between rarely-visited islands on a privately-chartered zodiac
- Relax as you stay in two of the very best hotels in the Scottish Highlands
- 6 nights accommodation luxury small hotels
- All meals during the trip, from lunch on Day 1 to lunch on Day 7 (Meals included indicated as B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
- The services of an experienced and knowledgeable guide / driver throughout
- All transport throughout the trip starting and finishing in Perth
- Privately chartered RIB / zodiac excursion
- Guided whisky tasting session at the hotel
- Storyteller at Glencoe
Blue Graded Walking Holidays
Blue graded walking holidays are suitable for fit and experienced hikers. We walk at a good pace and you can expect to be out for 6-8 hours a day. You will not always be on a path and the terrain underfoot can be rough and boggy, including boulder fields and mountain tops. Some of the daily walks will involve a mountain ascent of over 3000ft / 900m high. Daily distances will be typically up to 16km but may be longer occasionally. Daily hike details are available in the itinerary.
18th Aug - 24th Aug 2018
Mike Brian
A former School teacher. Learn more about Mike's thrill for the outdoors and read an interesting story about the Firth of Forth!8th Sep - 14th Sep 2018
James Orpwood
From a background in fisheries science, James bring a wealth of outdoor knowledge to every trip he leads.15th Jun - 21st Jun 2019
Tim Willis
Chocolate-mad Tim is also a risk around Weetabix. Read his guide bio here.6th Jul - 12th Jul 2019
Craig McDonald
Craig's love of history and discovering the footsteps of his clan is what has drawn to his ancestral homelands.17th Aug - 23rd Aug 2019
Ken Keith
Ken saw the light and left the bright lights behind for a Highland existence. Read more here.7th Sep - 13th Sep 2019
Lorraine McCall
Not happy with just walking up all the Munros, Lorraine walked and kayaked to reach them.ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS
On this trip we use two luxury Highland hotels – spending 3 nights in Highland Perthshire and then 3 nights in Glencoe. In Perthshire, we stay in a 10-bedroom hotel with a renowned restuarant. The hotel is a historic and charming building, which has been lovingly refurbished to create a stylish yet traditional country house feel.
In Glencoe, we stay in a magnificent country house. Each of its 9 suites offer very spacious rooms with expansive views of the mountains or sea. With a fabulous location in Glencoe and warm hospitality, it’s one of our favourite places to stay in Scotland.
SINGLE ROOMS
There is no single person supplement charged to solo travellers however, you will be required to share a room with another person of the same sex. If you require a single room please request this at the time of booking and we will check availability for you. A single room supplement of £1,125 is charged if a single room is available – please see booking form terms and conditions.
You will be met by your Wilderness Scotland Guide at the entrance of Perth Railway Station at 10.30am on Day 1 of your trip. Perth is easily accessible by train, being about 1 hour by train from Edinburgh or Glasgow.
We aim to have you back at Perth by 4pm on the last day. For full details on how to get to Perth, please see our website: Recommended Travel.
Trip Details
If you’re looking to combine wilderness with a touch of luxury and superb hiking, this is the trip for you.
We’ll hike in the wonderful regions of Highland Perthshire and also Glencoe, which offer contrasting landscapes of great beauty. Our hikes will take in valleys, wild moorlands and a few summits too, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the wilderness.
When not out hiking, we will be enjoying stays at two of the best hotels in the Highlands. After a few days at a 4-star Highland hotel in Perthshire, we enjoy a 5-star finish in Glencoe at a wonderful mansion house. As we stay in deluxe hotels on this trip, we’ll ensure that there is enough down time to enjoy the hotels, making this a truly relaxing wilderness break.
Trip Itinerary
Day 1 – Into Highland Perthshire
Meeting in Perth, a short transfer takes us to a historic library for the trip welcome. After lunch, we head to Killin at the west end of Loch Tay for the first hike of the trip – a short but steep ascent of a peak which offers outstanding views across Loch Tay. Back in the glen, it’s a short transfer to our comfortable Highland hotel. (L, D)
Walk details: 5km, 450m ascent, approx 2 hrs
Day 2 – Hiking Glen Lyon
Glen Lyon is often cited as being one of the most beautiful glens in Scotland. It is flanked by steep sided hills which offer wonderful walking on their grassy summits. Our guide will choose a suitable hike on the day – which could be an easy walk along the valley floor, or perhaps a hike to one of the easier summits, such as Cam Chreag or Stuchd an Lochain. That evening, we enjoy a whisky-tasting session at the hotel before dinner. (B, L, D)
Walk details: up to 10km, 750m ascent, approx 6 hrs
Day 3 – The Fairy Hill of Caledonia
On our final day in Perthshire, we’ll aim to climb the iconic hill of Schiehallion – which translates as the Fairy Hill of Caledonia. An excellent trail snakes up the whaleback mountain to its lofty summit at 1,083m, which rewards us with expansive views across the Highlands. Back at the hotel, enjoy a pint of Schiehallion ale or perhaps a local whisky to celebrate! (B, L, D)
Walk details: 10km, 750m ascent, approx 6 hrs
Day 4 – A Maritime Adventure
After breakfast, we transfer west to the coast where we jump on board a privately chartered RIB (zodiac) for a memorable journey to Glencoe on the sea. We won’t take a direct route – instead, we’ll visit some islands along the way, such as Lismore or Mull, stepping ashore to explore rarely-visited beaches and coves. We then speed up Loch Linnhe, keeping an eye out for wildlife such as porpoises or dolphins, before arriving in Loch Leven and transferring a short distance to our fantastic hotel, which boasts a commanding location on the hillside. (B, L, D)
Walk details: 4km, minimal ascent, approx 2 hrs
Day 5 – Wilderness and a Waterfall
We’ll start our hike in the small town of Kinlochleven where will climb out of the village, and follow a good trail through the forest, you’ll soon be able to hear the thunder of falling water. The Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall is hugely impressive falling at times almost 50 feet. We’ll continue on our hike as the path comes out of the woods and eventually reaches a remote loch, surrounded by mountains and wild moorlands. On the return, we’ll enjoy stunning views down the length of Loch Leven to the Pap of Glencoe. In the evening, a storyteller shares tales of the Glencoe’s dark history before dinner. (B, L, D)
Walk details: 13km, 350m ascent, approx 5 hrs
Day 6 – Hiking Glencoe
There are countless superb hikes in Glencoe. The rugged mountains offer superb, though challenging, hiking. However, some of the best views in Glencoe are from a lower, easier, yet rarely climbed peak – and that will be our target today. Following a faint trail, we hike up the flanks of the open hillside. The views open up quickly as we gain height. Reaching the summit, the views are simply sensational, as we gaze directly across the valley at the north face of Buachaille Etive Mor, the most iconic sight in Glencoe. Afterwards, we’ll stop in at a well-known mountaineer’s pub to toast the end of the trip before returning to our hotel for dinner. (B, L, D)
Walk details: 11km, 650m ascent, approx 5 hrs
Day 7 – Rob Roy’s Grave and Creag an Tuirc
We leave Glencoe and transfer south to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Here, we’ll stop at the tiny churchyard in Balquhidder and visit the grave of Rob Roy MacGregor. There will be time for a short hike to Creag an Tuirc – a great viewpoint and the perfect place to reflect on a special week. The summit is marked with a large cairn and offers incredible views down the length of Loch Voil. A short transfer takes us back to Perth, arriving late afternoon. (B, L)
Walk details: 3km, 150m ascent, approx 1.5 hrs
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Trip Reviews
Every client receives a feedback survey when they return from their guided, self guided or tailor made holiday with us.
Once completed the review is published on our website just as soon as our database updates. The little touches and details are important to us and where issues are raised we make positive changes to our trips to improve your experience.
That's why we read each of our client's reviews and although we don't respond to all of them, if it's glowing feedback then we get the satisfaction of helping to make your holidays truly memorable.
by Teresa Preston-Patella 26/06/2018
Pre-Trip Service
As I was reviewing the website with last minute questions before the trip, I liked how the 'Live Chat' person came on and offered help right away. It saved me precious time with her friendly and quick responses. GREAT feature!
Trip Comments
The trip was such a wonderful experience and was even better than we expected. We loved the variety of Scotland's natural beauty and the expert guidance and teaching by our knowledgeable guide, John Walker.
Accommodation and Food
The accommodations were much better than we expected. The staff at both hotels that we stayed in during the 'Luxury Walking' tour were so comfortable and so beautiful. We also had great customer service from their very helpful, kind and professional employees.
Your Guide
Our guide, John Walker, was excellent. He was very friendly, experienced, professional, safety conscious and helpful. He was also flexible and ensured that each person in our group had a great hiking experience according to our abilities. John is very knowledgeable about Scotland's mountains and all of its natural beauty and we appreciate all of the information that he shared with us. We highly recommend Wilderness Scotland tours and plan to hike again with this awesome company. Thank you, John!!
The Bottom Line
We absolutely highly recommend Wilderness Scotland tours. We look forward to hiking again with this amazing company that provided excellent customer service throughout the entire experience. Thank you!
by Betty Craven 29/08/2017
Pre-Trip Service
I was never able to get through to you on the phone. I kept leaving messages at the number you provided but never received a call back.
TEAM WILDERNESS RESPONSE:
Many thanks for your feedback, we always endeavour to answer calls and respond to voicemails in a timely manner. As the office is closed over the weekend it can sometimes be a couple of days for us to get back to you if you left a message on a Friday. We appreciate you letting us know that you had issues getting through to us and have taken this feedback on board, we are always striving to improve our pre-trip customer service.
Accommodation and Food
See my remarks in response to the previous question.
Your Guide
Pete Grant was excellent ++++!
The Bottom Line
I'm already thinking of joining a group next year and inviting friends to come with me.
TEAM WILDERNESS RESPONSE:
We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed your trip and we look forward to welcoming you back again with your friends!
by Carol Teal 28/08/2017
Pre-Trip Service
everyone was always so nice when I called
Your Guide
Pete Grant was wonderful
by Anne-Laure Courbes 28/08/2017
Pre-Trip Service
All required information was available in an quick and easy manner.
I had a few additionnal questions which were answered to very swiftly and in a very friendly way that I really appreciated.
So in a nutshell, very effective and friendly!
Trip Comments
I liked that safety was taken seriously from the start as I have been used to "safety first" in my career !
The trip fully met expectations with :
- a wonderful guide, Peter, who made every effort to accommodate our hiking styles and our wishes incl. my wish for scone & cream at Bridge of Baldgy!
- we had a mix of challenging and less challenging days that pleased everyone in our little group. I specially enjoyed the extra challenge of Grey Mare's tail falls :)
- everything works smoothly without a moment of wasted time.
- the Scottish landscapes are amazing and the choice of the walks make the best of them.
- the sailing day between from Oban to Glencoe was awesome and just unforgettable in many ways: stunning views, some history, the kindest skipper and icing of the cake, Pete waiting for us on Glencoe pier playing pipebag. An incredible souvenir!
- Hotel accommodations as a whole was perfect with only one wee low amongst many highs. Glencoe House is absolutely wonderful and way above my expectations.
- and last but no least the Scottish weather has been incredibly kind to us with no rain when we were outdoors! And in the series of not controlled by Wilderness Scotland, the midges left me alone. The use of Smidge and Avon Skin so soft worked perfectly in the couple of occasions we faced some.
Accommodation and Food
As I described in my general comment there had been a low point at Fortingall hotel which I will separately comment on but that was balanced by the overall experience at Fortingall Hotel and mostly by the incredible and unforgettable experience of Glencoe House where my bedroom was just magnificent with a view of the loch and its own fireplace (and I have already been very lucky and blessed to have had opportunities to travel in luxurious places so I believe I can assess accordingly!)
Your Guide
See in general comments.
Pete was wonderful. He made sure our heterogeneous group would be fully happy and safe. I appreciated that extra materials such as poles, Smidge or midge nets was available for those who had not everything. Always felt safe even in the more challenging conditions we asked him to provide for us who wanted a bit more challenge,
He was on top extremely kind to all of us, making sure we would have a really good time which I definitely had!
The Bottom Line
Amazing trip that was not only in line with the program but also met all my expectations and above! A truly unique experience with a great group! Perfect hikes in magical sceneries, lots of laughters and rest in great places!
Hope you can provide many more hikes of this quality to explore other places in Scotland or Ireland!
Heartfelt thanks for 7 wonderful days!
