Highlights of the Islands

Arrive On Mull

Meet your Wilderness guide at Oban Railway this afternoon and enjoy lunch with the rest of the group at a lovely nearby cafe. Afterwards, catch the ferry from Oban to the Isle of Mull, arriving in Craignure by mid-afternoon. After settling into your accommodation, head out the door for a gentle hike that winds its way through attractive mixed woodland and reveals good views across the Sound of Mull. Keep an eye out for sea eagles soaring high overhead and songbirds flittering through the woods. Upon returning, take some time to relax before gathering together for dinner.

Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner

Walk Details: 5 km / 3 miles | 120 m / 394 ft | Approx: 2 hrs

The Isle of Ulva and Tobermory

This morning, head out to explore the community-owned island of Ulva. After a scenic drive from Craignure, catch the tiny ferry from Mull to Ulva, which is summoned by sliding a board to reveal a red square above the jetty. Alighting on the opposite pier, set out for a circular walk through old woodland and along the pretty shoreline. Afterwards, enjoy lunch at Ulva’s cafe, which serves delicious local seafood and lays claim to one of the most stunning coastal views of any restaurant in Scotland. This afternoon, enjoy some time exploring the colourful, harbour town of Tobermory before returning to your hotel to relax.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Walk Details: 6 km / 4 miles | 165 m / 541 ft | Approx: 3 hrs

Boat Trip to Staffa and Iona

After an early breakfast, transfer to Fionnphort for a boat trip out to the wild, uninhabited Isle of Staffa, known for its dramatic basalt columns, sea caves and bird life. If the weather is fair, the boat will land, providing the opportunity to explore the famous Fingal’s Cave on foot. Staffa is also home to puffins during the summer months, so keep an eye out for these much-loved clowns of the sea. Back aboard, the skipper will drop you off on Iona, a truly beautiful wee island known for its white sandy beaches and religious history. Enjoy a walk that explores the island’s northern end, visiting Iona Abbey (one of the best preserved medieval nunneries in Britain) and hiking up Dun I for panoramic views.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Walk Details: 8 km / 5 miles | 110 m / 361 ft | Approx: 3 hrs

Over the Sea to Skye

Today, travel to the magical Isle of Skye, catching the small ferry from Fishnish to Lochaline and driving to the fishing village of Mallaig. Along the way, stop for a lovely coastal walk, visiting some beautiful sandy beaches backed by short-cropped grassy machair and sporting stunning views of the Small Isles. After your walk, take the ferry from Mallaig over to the southern shores of Skye. From here, a scenic drive north takes you to your second accommodation of the trip, a beautifully restored Scottish mansion set on the shoreline of Loch Snizort. Once a hunting lodge, the fantastic property has a history stretching back to Viking times.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Walk Details: 5 km / 3 miles | 85 m / 279 ft | Approx: 2 hrs

Exploring the Quiraing and Portree

This morning, join your guide for a hike exploring the Quiraing, one of Scotland’s most dramatic landscapes. Beginning at the main car park, you soon leave most visitors behind as the path winds deeper into the hills to gain spectacular views of the Quiraing’s most distinctive features, including the Needle, Table and Prison. An incredible place full of stark rock pinnacles and weathered buttresses, the hike is sure to be a highlight of the trip. This afternoon, enjoy some time in Portree – perhaps popping into some artisanal shops and admiring the pretty harbour-side houses.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Walk Details: 7 km / 4 miles | 375 m / 1,230 ft | Approx: 4 hrs

Coral Beaches and Dunvegan Castle

After breakfast overlooking the loch, head out for a relaxed walk to see the stunning Coral Beaches. Crossing crofting land, the grass grazed short by sheep, thread your way through a gap in a dry-stone wall, cross a shallow stream, and descend to the bright coral beach. Close inspection reveals the beach to be composed of calcified algae known as maerl, which gives it an almost luminous appearance. After the walk, visit Dunvegan Castle, the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland. Originally designed as a fortress, it is now open for tours and offers a chance to learn about its fascinating history.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Walk Details: 9 km / 6 miles | 245 m / 804 ft | Approx: 5 hrs

To Harris and Scalpay

Catch the ferry from southern Skye to the mountainous Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. After a packed lunch, drive east down a quiet road that hugs the coastline and crosses a bridge to the island of Scalpay. From here, hike to the historic, red-and-white-striped Eilean Glas lighthouse, perched on a wild and rocky outcrop. The original lighthouse was one of the first in Scotland. Take some time to take in the views, which stretch across the Minch to the Isle of Skye. After your walk, return to the pretty village of Tarbert and settle into your cosy hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Walk Details: 5 km / 3 miles | 125 m / 410 ft | Approx: 2.5 hrs

Exploring Harris’s Beaches

Today, enjoy a rugged, circular hike that visits three spectacular beaches – Hùisinis, Tràigh Mheilein and Crabhadail. Start from the white sands of Hùisinis, following a trail which is part of an ancient route. Where the path splits, bear left and descend to the sands of Tràigh Mheilein, one of the most magnificent beaches in the Outer Hebrides. Continue up the grassy slope of a rounded hill, from which you can see the white sands of Crabhadail up ahead. Upon reaching the beach, take some time to soak up this beautiful, remote location where clear waves rush over pristine sand. Loop your way back around and travel back to your hotel for a well-earned dinner.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Walk Details: 8 km / 5 miles | 400 m / 1,312 ft | Approx: 4.5 hrs

Harris Luskentyre and Toe Head

Luskentyre Sands have been voted the finest beach in the UK, so it would be amiss not to explore it during our time on Harris. After breakfast, travel the short distance to Luskentyre and set out on a wonderful walk that showcases the beach and its magnificent setting. As you stroll, enjoy the view northwards towards the mountains and later the impressive bulk of numerous dunes. Afterwards, visit a local tweed weaver to learn more about her craft and how it connects her and her buyers to the history of the Hebrides. After lunch at the Isle of Harris Brewery, head out for an afternoon walk that climbs a short but steep hill with stunning views. This evening, enjoy a celebratory final dinner at a unique, fine-dining restaurant.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Walk Details: 11 km / 7 miles | 400 m / 1,312 ft | Approx: 5 hrs

Lewis and Depart

This morning, visit the Calanais Standing Stones, one of Scotland’s most magnificent and best-preserved Neolithic monuments. Walking among these stones – which predate England’s Stonehenge – feels special, the connection to all those who have gone before felt more keenly in a place like this. Afterwards, continue your journey into the past by visiting Dun Carloway Broch, a structure found only in Scotland and thought to have been built around 200 BC. After lunch, travel to Stornoway and catch the mid-afternoon ferry to Ullapool. Once on the mainland, transfer to Inverness, where your guide will drop you off at the railway station, where your trip will conclude.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch