Walking holidays in Scotland

For sheer, epic romance, no mountains in the world can really beat the magnificant Scottish Highlands. Whether bathed in sunshine or shrouded in mist, there’s a wild, epic grandeur up here that fires the soul of even the most reluctant walker. Let your mind breath, let your heart sing – and let us show you how!

Why choose a Walkabout Scotland walking holiday?

Which holiday is right for me?

How big are the groups?

What will my accommodation be like?

Are all meals included?

What will our guide be like?

Will I have to carry my bags each day?

What can I expect from the Scottish weather?

Is there much to see and do along the way?

Is there any particular tour you'd recommend?

Why choose a Walkabout Scotland walking holiday?
A walking holiday should be exactly that - a holiday! Our holidays recognise the fact that many walkers appreciate the rugged beauty that Scotland has to offer, but equally appreciate the contrast of comfortable accommodation, great food and a dram in front of the fire while discussing their day!

At Walkabout Scotland we focus on quality, inspired itineraries and a friendly, personalised approach to all that we do. Small groups, great accommodation, excellent food, experienced guides and a flexible approach which allows us to cater for a variety of needs, experiences, ages and fitness levels.

We believe that the mountains are an inspiring and uplifting place to be. We want you to have an unforgettable walking holiday experience with us - a trip to surpass all your expectations. We want your holiday to be the best trip we've ever run, each and every time. As a result, Walkabout Scotland has established itself as one of the leading walking holidays operators in Scotland today.

Which holiday is right for me?
To fully enjoy a walking holiday we do recommend that you be reasonably fit and enjoy some form of regular exercise, however previous hillwalking experience is not necessarily a requirement for many of our trips.

To help you choose the most appropriate holiday, we've graded all our holidays on a scale of 1-4. Grade 1 represents a gentle holiday for the occasional weekend walker, whilst 4 indicates a strenuous hiking trip for the more experienced hillwalker. For a full description of each grade please carefully read over our grading system and check the grading description given for each individual holiday itinerary.

We cater for a wide range of experience levels, ages and fitness levels and on all our trips we adopt a flexible approach, with itineraries adapted to suit group interest, the weather and scenic opportunities as they arise.

If you have any concerns about the suitability of a holiday then please just call us to talk things through on +44 (0)845 686 1344

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How big are the groups?
We keep our groups small, normally between five and eight people, very occasionally up to 10 on our easier grade tours. Why? First of all, we owe it to the mountains – small groups means small impact on the hills and villages we visit. Then there’s you – years of experience have shown us that by keeping it small, we can keep it intimate, fun, safe, and above all, flexible. It also makes it easier for you to get to know the others in your group.

Our groups are a mixture of friends, couples and people traveling on their own - people from many different walks of life and of all ages. Our holidays have proven to be a great way to meet new people and many lasting friendships have been made on our trips. It won’t just be photos you take home, it’ll be phone numbers and addresses.

What will my accommodation be like?
After a day out on the hills, good food and comfortable accommodation are essential! At Walkabout Scotland, we make sure that your experience off the hill is as pleasurable as your day out with us in the great Scottish weather! Our trips are either centre based (eg Heart of the Highlands), or place to place, with 3-4 nights in each place (eg North West Highlands). On all our holidays we stay in comortable, good quality, family-run guest houses and small hotels where the focus, as on the hill, is on treating you as an individual - warm welcome, even warmer duvets!

Rooms are normally en-suite, however for some of our more remote holidays (e.g North West Highlands and some areas of Skye) this will sometimes not always be possible, particularly for single rooms. We will advise you when you book if this is the case. We personally visit and review all our accommodation providers every year.

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Are all meals included?
All our easy and moderate grade holidays are full board, with evenings a time to relax, enjoy good food and reflect upon the day. Full board includes breakfast, packed lunch and 3 course evening meal, with evening meals organised for the whole group at local inns, restaurants or at your guesthouse or hotel. On some holidays the final night's evening meal may be left free to allow for some flexibility on the last night of the trip.

For our more challenging grade holidays evening meals are not included in the trip price but are organised for the group each evening at a local inn or restaurant.

What will our guide be like?
Our guides are our greatest asset! Highly praised for their professionalism, caring approach, enthusiasm and sense of humour, our guides will ensure that you have a unique walking holiday that you will never forget. All our guides hold a minimum of the UK summer mountain leader award, have a wealth of experience and are passionate about what they do, bringing to each and every trip a love of the outdoors and a desire to share this with others. Our guides have a wide variety of different interests which will complement your walking holiday experience and will introduce you to the many different facets of Scotland's landscape and culture in a relaxed and informal way throughout your trip. But more than just professional, our guides are just plain good, honest, caring people – as passionate about your enjoyment as they are about the glens and bens.

Will I have to carry my bags each day?
No - all you need to carry during the day is a small day sack for hiking with. Your main luggage will be transported by us during any accommodation transfers. Read our recommended kit list.

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What can I expect from the Scottish weather?
The weather in Scotland is notoriously variable and you can expect to experience anything from hot and dry to very cold, wet and windy -and that's just in one day! Seriously, please bring both wet and dry weather hiking gear and be prepared for all eventualities - good quality waterproofs and warm clothes as well as shorts and sun lotion. Please see our kit list for further details.

Is there much to see and do along the way?
Our trips are not just about walking - our holidays are designed to allow you to fully enjoy the beautiful and spectacular areas you visit. We'll introduce you to our Scottish culture, guide you through our stunning landscapes and will always make a point of finding events happening locally in the areas we visit which will add to your enjoyment of the trip. Highlights may include a local ceilidh, concert or an informal traditional music "session" along the way - these are all part what makes a holiday with Walkabout Scotland special:

"A wonderful trip! It was so much more than a hiking trip, it was an immersion into Scotland's history, culture and magnificent landscape!"

Is there any particular tour you'd recommend?
All our holidays are different - if you'd like to have a chat about the different holidays and which one could be the best for you, just contact us - we'll call you back and talk you through the different holiday options.

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See you in the hills!