- Access some of the finest walking routes in Scotland by boat as you explore the most remote mountains in Britain and the Small Isles
- Enjoy the unparalleled wilderness experience of the rough bounds of Knoydart and experience the wildlife which lives there
- Sample some of the finest cuisine in Scotland while staying in a unique lodge which can only be accessed by boat
Blue Graded Walking Holidays
Our Blue grade walking trips involve climbing some of Scotland’s best mountains and ridges. The walks are conducted at a good pace and you may be out hiking for 8 or 9 hours a day. The terrain underfoot can be anything from stalker’s paths to rough or boggy ground, boulder fields and mountain tops.
The daily walks will occasionally involve a mountain ascent of over 3000ft / 900m high. To help you decide if you are fit enough for this trip, ask yourself:
Can you comfortably hike for 10+ miles (16+km), climbing mountains and covering a variety of challenging underfoot conditions? How often do you do this?
Our accommodation on Knoydart is an alpine-style wilderness lodge set right by the beach amongst magnificent coastal and mountain scenery. It offers simple accommodation in an unrivalled location. Accommodation is a choice of twin or single rooms with shared bathroom facilities. Single rooms are limited and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no single supplement on this trip. If you would like a single room, early booking is highly recommended.
Freshly prepared, locally sourced meals are taken in the adjacent “Taste of Scotland” accredited and award-winning restaurant and are a real highlight of this trip, with freshly caught seafood a particular speciality. Most dietary requirements can be catered for. The restaurant is licensed and offers an excellent choice of wines, beers and spirits.
You will be met by your Wilderness Scotland Guide on the main platform at Mallaig Railway Station at 17:50 on Day 1 of your trip. The time coincides with the arrival of the train from Glasgow. For full details on how to get to Mallaig, please see our website: Travel to Scotland.
Customer Kudos
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 Jeanette West 29/09/2016
Pre-Trip Service
Trip Comments
Accommodation and Food
Food and Staff were fab
Your Guide
Great sense of humour. Very informative especially about the history of Scotland
The Bottom Line
Great place to stay. Food and Accommodation all great
by Gemma May 28/09/2016
Pre-Trip Service
Trip Comments
Accommodation and Food
Your Guide
The Bottom Line
by Anne Etherington 27/09/2016
Pre-Trip Service
Helpful staff
Trip Comments
A fantastic trip. Better than I ever imagined it could be.
Accommodation and Food
Amazing!!
Your Guide
The group was always Craigs priority. He was very knowledgeable about the area and history. Great fun to be with.
The Bottom Line
An amazing trip, with a real sense of wilderness. As this was my forth trip with Wilder Scotland, you have never let me down, Well done again!!
by Brian McIntosh 26/09/2016
Pre-Trip Service
Prior to booking our Knoydart trip we had several questions that you staff answered allowing us to feel confident that we were choosing the best trip for us.
Trip Comments
The trip exceeded our expectations in every respect! The Highlands were breathtaking and we were fortunate to have an excellent group to share our experiences with. If we had to pick one highlight I would have to say that it was our guide Craig McDonald. Craig was entertaining, knowledgeable, helpful and supportive. He obviously loves what he does and is truly passionate about Scotland and it's history.
Accommodation and Food
The Doune lodge combined rustic charm and 5 star dining. Andy, Liz and their staff treated us like family and added another level of excellence to an already amazing experience.
Your Guide
As mentioned, Craig McDonald was beyond excellent! We would love to do another adventure with him and will highly recommend him to our friends !
The Bottom Line
We cannot say enough about the Knoydart trip and Wilderness Scotland. We had high expectations going into this adventure and they were exceeded in every way. This was the best vacation we have ever had and would do it again tomorrow!
by Paul Hague 22/09/2016
Pre-Trip Service
The trip grading (green, blue, etc.) is a good idea
Trip Comments
The location is great and the ability to use the boat to get around really adds to the possibilities.
Accommodation and Food
Accommodation is perfectly comfortable and the food is fantastic.
Your Guide
The Bottom Line
Lovely location and good itinerary, added to by the use of the boat to explore wider afield.
by Valerie Hague 21/09/2016
Pre-Trip Service
Easy to book, correspond by email
Trip Comments
Loved the format - travelling by boat to islands for hiking. We are experienced hikers, but to travel independently to all the islands would have taken so much organising with ferries and overnight stays in order to do the same amount of walking.
Accommodation and Food
Food could not be bettered - Liz and Martin and the kitchen team are superb cooks.
Accommodation was simple, but fitting for the environment.
Your Guide
Craig was fantastic - superb sense of humour, much hilarity and banter throughout the group. Also a good guide, decisive and judged the ability of the group well.
The Bottom Line
Fantastic, can't wait to book another trip.
by Irene Stafford 30/08/2016
Pre-Trip Service
Trip Comments
Accommodation and Food
food and crew cooking and serving it in Doune were more than excellent
Your Guide
The Bottom Line
by John Yates 27/08/2016
Pre-Trip Service
Nice to know the guides name earlier. I understand he was pencilled in a year earlier
Trip Comments
Beach landing on Rum to be met by the stag. Doune catering. Tim. Mary Doune.
Accommodation and Food
Food fantastic. Doune Lodge accommodation arrangements could perhaps be spelt a little clearer ....especially for sole female participants.
Your Guide
Tim was just brilliant...even his little surprises!
The Bottom Line
Professional , top to bottom, very unique experience. Probably less than 500 people stay at Doune every year.
by Stephen Gee 24/08/2016
Pre-Trip Service
Excellent guide. Accommodation and food delightful
Trip Comments
The Boat trips were very nice. Trip to the castle on Rum
Accommodation and Food
Your Guide
The guide was very informative and not afraid to push is a little.
The Bottom Line
Efficient booking and friendly attitude. I will definitely recommend .
by John Heath 09/08/2016
Pre-Trip Service
Trip Comments
We really enjoyed the camaraderie within our group - everyone got on well and that made it special
Accommodation and Food
better than excellent! Liz and her crew (Doune) were outstanding
Your Guide
Glen did a great job of including everyone in the experience as we had a broad range of walking ability
The Bottom Line
everything was a little better than we had hoped - and we had set our hopes very high!
Prices and Departures
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Trip Details
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’ and a notorious strip of mountainous terrain it provides a challenge to even the most intrepid.
For this reason, 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 other corners of the peninsula, often encountering 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
Day 1 – We meet in Mallaig, which is easily reached by car or train via the spectacular West Highland Line. A short transfer by boat takes us to our base at Doune on the very tip of the Knoydart Peninsula.
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.
Distance 14km, 7hrs.
Day 3 – 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. The summit boasts fine views over this beautiful island, and the nearby emerald wedge of Muck.
Distance 8km, 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.
Distance 14km, 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. Late afternoon, we are whisked back to Doune in time for dinner.
Distance 10km, 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, surrounded by towering rocky peaks. If time permits, we may hop over to Canna to complete our tour of the Small Isles,
Distance 11km, 5hrs.
Day 7 – The peak of Sgurr Coire Choinnichean rises up behind Inverie village. From its 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.
Distance 10km, 5hrs.
Day 8 – Following a relaxed breakfast, we board the launch boat and, keeping our eyes open for Minke Whales which are often spotted in these waters, return to Mallaig. For those travelling by rail, we arrive in Mallaig in time to catch the mid-morning train back to Glasgow.
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Prices and Departures
53 people viewed this trip in the last week
Book with confidence - we guaranteee our trips to run as soon as 2 people book.
