- Access some of the finest walking routes in Scotland by boat as you explore the most remote mountains in the UK
- Visit the wonderful Small Isles for day walks with excellent wildlife viewing opportunities on both land and sea
- Enjoy the unparalleled wilderness of the rough bounds of Knoydart and experience the wildlife that thrives there
- Sample some of the finest cuisine in Scotland while staying in a unique lodge which can only be accessed by boat
- 7 nights accommodation in a remote wilderness lodge by the shore. Accommodation is in twin or single rooms
- All meals during the trip, from dinner on night of arrival to breakfast on day of departure (Meals included indicated as B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
- The services of an experienced and knowledgeable walking guide and boat skipper throughout
- All boat transport throughout the trip, starting and finishing in Mallaig
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.
8th Sep - 15th Sep 2018
Adam Mackintosh
Find out more about our Harmonica playing Wilderness Scotland guide Adam Mackintosh.13th Apr - 20th Apr 2019
Pete Long
There are 2 types of people remaining. Those who have heard Pete's 'orange for a head' joke and those who haven't.4th May - 11th May 2019
Dave Picken
Meet Dave Picken, expert guide and bee-keeper extraordinaire.13th Jul - 20th Jul 2019
Lorraine McCall
Not happy with just walking up all the Munros, Lorraine walked and kayaked to reach them.10th Aug - 17th Aug 2019
Dave Greer
Discover why Dave sports a massive mountain beard…24th Aug - 31st Aug 2019
Alastair Goodridge
Meet Wilderness guide Alasdair Goodridge and discover what he loves about the outdoors.ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS
Accommodation is a mixture of twin and single rooms in a simple wilderness lodge set by the beach in Knoydart. The bedrooms, which are fairly compact, are located on the upper floor while the ground level consists of a large lounge and open plan kitchen for tea & coffee. Shared bathroom facilities are next door to the kitchen with showers, basins & toilets. Electricity is generated on site during the day. Wifi is available while the power is on and cameras etc can be charged.
Freshly prepared and locally sourced meals are taken in the adjacent restaurant and are a real highlight of this trip. Special dietary requirements can be catered for but must be advised at the time of booking. The restaurant is licensed and offers an excellent choice of wines, beers and spirits. Shoes with decent grip are needed to walk to the restaurant.
SINGLE ROOMS
There is no supplement charged to solo travellers, however you will be required to share a room with another person of the same sex. There are a limited number of single rooms available on this trip at no extra charge. These are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis so if you would like a single room then early booking is highly recommended.
You will be met by your Wilderness Scotland Guide on the main platform at Mallaig Railway Station at 5:50pm on Day 1 of your trip. The time coincides with the arrival of the train from Glasgow. At Mallaig we board our private launch to take us to our accommodation which is approximately a 30 minute crossing.
You will be returned to Mallaig railway station at 10.00am on the last day, shortly before the Glasgow train departs Mallaig.
Trip Details
Join us on our truly classic hiking adventure in Scotland’s Wilderness.
Often described as the last wilderness in Scotland, the Knoydart peninsula has an island feel about it. Isolated from the rest of the Western Highlands by the ‘rough bounds’ – a notorious strip of mountainous terrain – it remains an untamed and beautiful area of high mountains and twisting sea lochs.
Knoydart has always been best accessed by boat, and from our base at a remote wilderness lodge we make full use of the sea. Making passages to Skye, the Small Isles and remote corners of the Knoydart peninsula we often encounter whales, dolphins and porpoises before we even begin the day’s walk.
For this we use the fast boat, ‘Mary Doune’, allowing us to enjoy tremendous linear walks over mountain passes and giving access to the Small Isles of Rum and Eigg, notable for their variety and distinctive landscapes and history. This combination of wilderness, remarkable mountains and a plethora of wildlife, make for an unforgettable holiday.
Trip Itinerary – Knoydart Walking Holiday
Day 1 – In the evening we meet in Mallaig, which is easily reached by car or train via the spectacular West Highland Line from Glasgow. In Mallaig we meet our private launch a short transfer by boat takes us to our base at Doune on the very tip of the Knoydart Peninsula. (D)
Day 2 – We explore some rarely visited lower hills in western Knoydart, and explore the beautiful coastline around Airor. Leaving directly from the door of the lodge, we hike into the Black Hills, possibly towards the rocky summit of Roine na Beinne. (B, L, D)
Walk details: 14km, approx 7hrs.
Day 3 – Taking to the sea, the goal for the day is the highest point on the island of Eigg – An Sgurr. A dramatic plug of columnar pitchstone, rising abruptly from wild moorlands, it is a fantastic sight as we walk in – and easier than it looks! The summit boasts fine views over this beautiful island, and the nearby emerald wedge of Muck. (B, L, D)
Walk details: 8km, approx 4hrs.
Day 4 – This fantastic walk traverses the Knoydart peninsula from north to south, finishing at the most remote pub in Scotland! The normal route we follow takes a good path up to the Mam Barrisdale col at 450m before enjoying a long descent down Glean an Dubh-Lochain to Inverie. (B, L, D)
Walk details: 14km, approx 6hrs.
Day 5 – Using the ‘Mary Doune’, we speed across the Sound of Sleat towards Rum. We may traverse this wild and beautiful island or climb one of the dramatic peaks in the Rum Cuillin, relishing their thick Viking names. Late afternoon, we are whisked back to Doune in time for dinner. (B, L, D)
Walk details: 10km, approx 5hrs.
Day 6 – Our final island visit takes us into the heart of the Cuillin mountains on Skye. We circle the shores of Loch Coruisk which, surrounded by towering rocky peaks, is one of the most atmospheric places in all of Scotland. If time permits, we may hop over to Canna to complete our tour of the Small Isles, (B, L, D)
Walk details: 11km, approx 5hrs.
Day 7 – The peak of Sgurr Coire Choinnichean rises up behind Inverie village. We follow an easy ridge to its top and from the summit the views to Inverie Bay below us and over the sea to Skye are outstanding. It’s a wonderful point from where we can admire the whole peninsula and reflect on our week in Knoydart. (B, L, D)
Walk details: 10km, approx 5hrs.
Day 8 – Following a relaxed breakfast, we board the launch one last time and, keeping our eyes open for Minke Whales, return to Mallaig. For those travelling by rail, we arrive in Mallaig in time to catch the mid-morning train back to Glasgow. (B)
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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 Scott Carbee 07/08/2018
Pre-Trip Service
Everything was done professionally. If one thing would make it better, it would be a personal email or communication a few weeks out from the trip to check and see if there were any questions.
Trip Comments
Kirstie is an absolute gem. The accommodations and food at Doune were unparalleled. I would repeat the trip in a heartbeat.
Your Guide
Kirstie read and understood the abilities and motivation of each member of the group. There were times when some may have thought the trekking to be too easy, but I'm sure there were some who thought it too hard. She rolled with all of that and totally made the trip for me.
by Marie Beattie 06/08/2018
Trip Comments
We had high expectations of the Knoydart trip, because it was a part of Scotland which is normally inaccessible and intriguing, and the idea of several island trips, with a dedicated boat at our disposal, was very attractive. Our expectations were exceeded on all accounts, and we had a marvellous week’s walking which we could not possibly have done without a guide.
A walking highlight for me was the climb to the iconic An Sgurr on Eigg, which looked beyond my ability until we were actually there.
The food was consistently superb, but the highlight would have to be the 10kg moutain of fresh langoustines on the last night.
Accommodation and Food
The lodge was perfectly comfortable, and in an idyllic setting. The description in the pre walk dossier was completely fair - the bedrooms were fairly basic without much storage, and the bathrooms were shared - you might have to wait your turn for a shower at the end of the day!
Your Guide
Kirsty was a superb guide. She was cheerful and knowledgeable, calm and encouraging at all times. We learned a lot about the flora and fauna whilst we walked.
Our weather was mixed during the week, but she matched the walk to the conditions with great skill, taking advice from the skipper too, on the sea conditions.
The Bottom Line
Surpassed our hopes and expectations- a wonderful week’s walking.
by Paul Kinnersley 31/07/2018
Pre-Trip Service
Straight forward and generally helpful
Trip Comments
A great holiday
Accommodation and Food
I think you will have heard already how great the accommodation in Doune is....
Your Guide
Kirsty is an extremely good guide - great people skills and held the group together
The Bottom Line
Fantastic
by Linda Bernhagen 31/07/2018
Pre-Trip Service
Rachel Gavan's is amazing! She always got back to me promptly and efficiently. She was very friendly and helpful. Your website could use some tweaking. If vacationers could make an account (similar to what cruise ships offer) where you can go in to see what you owe, specifics about the trip including itinerary, equipment needed, etc., basically a one stop shop, it would be helpful.
Trip Comments
Kirsty was a wonderful guide! Very knowledgeable, tailored our itinerary based upon the weather to get the best views/experience, briefed us each evening on our walk for the next day. She was with us 24/7 and always accessible. She was motivational, kind and fun. We had a nice group of people with varying aptitudes and Kirsty tailored the walks to meet all needs. The food was amazing, accommodations were clean and comfortable.
Accommodation and Food
Accommodations were clean and comfortable. Nothing fancy but suited our needs. It was fine.
Your Guide
Cannot say enough about Kirsty. Kirsty was a wonderful guide! Very knowledgeable about the geography, wild life, birds and flowers. She tailored our itinerary based upon the weather to get the best views/experience and briefed us each evening on our walk for the next day (type of climb, what clothes to wear or bring). She was with us 24/7 and always accessible. She was motivational, kind and fun. We had a nice group of people with varying aptitudes and Kirsty tailored the walks to meet all needs. .
The Bottom Line
Knoydart was an amazing trip! The location was breathtaking, the food was superb, the company fun, accommodations clean and comfortable and the guide (Kirsty) was wonderful. Everything was well executed and went off without issue.
