Wild Scotland – Highlands and the Hebridean Islands
Exploring remote corners of the West Coast of Scotland and the Hebridean islands of Harris, Lewis and Skye. Guided by locals and seeing the hidden secrets of this amazing destination. Experience incredible hiking, visit distilleries, enjoy traditional music, and taste delicious locally sourced food. A trip making lasting memories.
Wild Scotland’ takes you on a breathtaking journey amid world class landscapes  steeped in eons old culture and history, the likes of which can only be found in the majestic highlands and islands of Scotland. 

 

Beginning your adventure in Inverness, the cultural capital of the highlands, you will  journey over incredible scenery to reach the western highlands and the working fishing village of Ullapool where you will dine in local pubs, enjoy a ‘wee dram’ and hike along magnificent trails and glens of the kind that can only be seen in this most unique of landscapes.

 

From Ullapool you take the ferry to the Outer Hebrides, Lewis, Harris and the mighty Isle of Skye, where you will experience the ancient arts of the Outer Hebrides, visiting local whiskey distilleries, meeting traditional craftspeople and weavers, and experiencing a Scotland that few visitors get to encounter.

 

Staying in traditional Inns and Lodges, to dining on authentic Scottish cuisine and listening to traditional live music, while local guides expertly narrate this epic journey with stories of days gone by, of wild rebellions against tyranny and tales of Gaelic legends. 

Key information

Private departures available

September 26th – Oct 3rd 2024 – YAY GOD Private Journey

Duration: 8 days

Grade: Moderate 

Airport: Edinburgh or Glasgow (Scotland)

Cost: from £4800 pp 

All accommodation Inns, Luxury Hideaways, Lodges & local Hotels,  breakfast, lunch & most dinners

Professional experienced licensed local guides

Authentic, flavourful local Scottish cuisine

Distillery visits and tastings

Private vehicle support during the trip

Harry Potter train

Optional extension to the Faroe Islands

At A Glance
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Days 1 - 2

We meet in Inverness and journey across the Western Highlands to the fishing village of Ullapool, stopping en-route to hike the beautiful Corrieshalloch, one of the most spectacular gorges of its type in Britain and provides striking evidence of how glacial meltwater can create deep gorges. We over night in the fishing village of Ullapool having dinner in a local pub. 

Day 2 we set off early, you hike Stac Pollaidh (meaning “peak of the peat moss”), a classic local highland mountain with far reaching views at just over 2000ft in height. After a picnic lunch (perfect for flexibility) the afternoon is free for you to explore Ullapool or take a short boat ride across to the community owned island of ‘Martin’, an island in Loch Broom and is now recognised as a dedicated bird sanctuary.

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Days 3 - 5

Departing the Highlands via ferry port, you take the mid morning boat to the Isle of Lewis. The journey takes approximately 3 hrs, where you have a late lunch on arrival,  followed by a visit to the Arnol Blackhouse and Iron Age fortress, before exploring the Callanish stones that date back to 2900BC. Consisting of a central circle of 13 monoliths with a surrounding cross shape of 5 rows of outer stones overlooking the great western Ocean, the stones were built some 5,000 years ago as part of a wider ritual landscape (like Stonehenge) and remained a ritual centre throughout the Bronze age over a span of some 3,000 years.

Day 4 we hike one of Harris’ historic ‘coffin roads’, which dates back to medieval times. The rugged mountain path takes you to a pass that descends toward the beautiful white sands of Luskentyre. Following the hike you pay a visit to the Isle of Harris Distillery https://harrisdistillery.com/ also known as ‘The social distillery’. 

‘In 2015, the distillery started life with just 10 people and an ambition to double in number over the next five years. Today, we’re proud to say we employ over 50 permanent staff, a highly significant number in an island of fewer than 2000 inhabitants.

Day 5 we start with a morning hike along the shores of the picturesque beach of Luskentyre, after which you visit a local Harris tweed weaver to learn about the production of this island fabric, hand woven in the Outer Hebrides for centuries. In the afternoon we to a local high point with far reaching views acroos to the Isle of Skye.

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Days 6 - 8

Day 6 we hike the spectacular rocky pinnacles of the Quiraing. Parts of the distinctive landscape have earned particular names. The Needle is a jagged 120-foot-high (37 m) landmark pinnacle, a remnant of land-slipping. Northwest of it is The Table, a flat grassy area slipped down from the summit plateau, with vistas of the Torridon Hills and the mountains of Wester Ross. Southwest is the Prison. In the afternoon you take the ferry to the Isle of Raasay to explore this quiet highland Island gem.

Day 7  Starting in Luib our hiking route goes into the Red Cuillin hills which also links North and South Skye visually, giving an interesting perspective on this area and the Island. We then take a ferry back on to the mainland to Mallaig. The Jacobite Railway Line / Harry Potter Train. No trip to the Scottish Highlands would be complete without partaking of a ‘1st Class ‘ journey on the iconic and world renowned Jacobite Steam Train, regarded by many as the greatest train journey in the world.  Saving the best until last, you stay in the magnificent Glengarry Castle – Since 1958 the Glengarry Castle Hotel has been a most comfortable country house hotel with a jewel of a setting by Loch Oich which lies between Loch Ness and Loch Lochy in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. Small wonder then that so many guests return time after time to be welcomed by the MacCallum family. The trip comes to a close with a farewell dinner amid stories of adventures shared and new friends made.

Day 8 Departing after breakfast we head straight for Loch Ness, Scotlands’ deepest Loch and home to the famous Loch Ness Monster, before journeying back to Inverness to connect with your onward travels, including an extension trip to the Faroe islands.

Take a look

Need To Know

Accommodation

2 x nights in 4* hotel https://www.harbourhouse.uk  – Ullapool ‘2022 Travellers Choice award’

2 x nights in a Boutique hotel – Hotel Hebrides https://www.hotel-hebrides.com – Tarbert, Isle of Harris

2 x night 4* Hideaway – Bracken Hide – https://www.brackenhide.co.uk/stay – Portree, Isles of Skye

1 x night in Glengarry Castle – http://www.glengarry.net/index.html *Scottish Hotel Awards, * Trip Advisor, *Good Hotel Guide 2023 – Editors Choice, Historic Hotels

or depending on group size:

1 x night at the Lovat Hotel, Loch Ness https://thelovat.com/contact-us/thank-you/ *Travellers Choice 2023

What’s included
All accommodation

All breakfasts, lunches and dinners ( except 1)

Traditional Scottish Cuisine *Specific dietary requirements catered for on request.

We provide private vehicle support throughout the trip.

2/3 Licensed Guides

Entrance to distilleries & visitor centres

All additional transport e.g ferry crossing

 

Guides
Our local guides are exceptionally experienced with a passion for sharing the mountains,  and culture of Scotland.  Qualified and licensed Mountain Leaders will bring the trip alive.

We adopt an excellent guiding ratio meaning we can cater for differing levels. 

Booking and Price

Cost: 

8 – 10 pax – £5300pp

11 – 14 pax – £4800pp

Deposit: £1000 

Single Supplement available for some accommodation if requested.

We manage every booking independently to ensure attention to detail and provide a personalised service.

Book Now             Enquire  

Terms & Conditions
Terms and Conditions (updated Jan 2021)All trips are sold subject to these Terms and Conditions (hereinafter T&Cs). 

1. Insurance

All clients need to be adequately insured for all activities they are taking part in. Insurance must include repatriation and details should be provided at the beginning of each trip.

All European clients should obtain a European Health insurance card (EHIC), however, this is not a substitute for travel insurance.

2. Health and fitness

Trip members have the responsibility to select a trip appropriate to their abilities and interests. In order to assist with this, all trips are graded and we welcome the opportunity to discuss trip details/answer questions in advance of your reservation. Trip members must be in sufficiently good health to undertake the trip, and if unsure seek medical advice in advance. For your own safety, you need to inform us of any medical conditions in advance or at the start of the trip. Trip members are also required to bring adequate clothing/equipment as advised in the pre-departure information.

3. Dietary Requirements

We endeavor to work with clients and accommodate their dietary requirements. However such is the nature of adventure travel we may be limited to specific menus e.g remote Mountain Huts, Tea Houses in the Himalaya’s etc. We fully encourage you to contact us in advance to discuss your requirements then we have every opportunity to explore options thereafter.

4. Cancellations and Fee Schedule Per Person

91 days or more prior to departure – €250 cancellation fee

61 – 90 days before departure – 25% of the trip cost

46 – 60 days before departure – 50% of the trip cost

45 days or less: 100% of trip cost

Fees are calculated from the date we receive written cancellation notice which can be via email. If clients are unable to access email and cancel over the phone we will confirm in writing the cancellation.

If you cancel 91 days or more prior to departure, it may be possible to transfer to another trip without occurring any fees. Please discuss this with us in the first instance.

With specific departures, there may be an increase in cancellation fee if the accommodation provider T & Cs mean we are liable for payment.

4.1 Cancellation due to COVID travel restrictions.

If your chosen destination country or the country where you reside have restrictions in place due to COVID, meaning you are unable to travel, you have three options:

4.11 Postpone your trip until a later date.

4.12 Take a credit note and use against a future trip with LBH.

4.13 Request a full refund.

If any other reasons prevent you from travelling, including quarantine measures then our normal (4) T&Cs will apply. We recommend that you check with your travel insurance provider to fully understand your level of cover.

5. Complaints

If you have a complaint, please contact us as soon as possible, in the first instance your leader is often your obvious point of contact. This ensures we have every opportunity to explores solutions to the problem(s) arising and we will do all we reasonably can to resolve the complaint. You must tell us within 4 weeks after your holiday of any complaints that you feel have not been dealt with properly.

6. Alterations By Us

We will tell you as soon as reasonably possible if we must make any alteration to your holiday. Most alterations are minor, but very occasionally we might have to make a major alteration. A major alteration is a change of location or to a lower standard of accommodation for a substantial part of your holiday, a change in start/finish dates or necessary price rise in your holiday caused by rises in costs (e.g. exchange rates, internal transport etc). You may then choose as follows:

  • To accept these alterations
  • To withdraw from the holiday, in which case we will repay all monies paid to us including your deposit and this is the sum of our liability to you
  • To accept an alternative holiday that we may propose to you, in which case if the proposed holiday is a lower price we will pay you the difference and if it is a higher price we may ask for the difference.

You must inform us of your choice as soon as possible after we contact you.

7. Group Leadership

On a guided holiday your leader is responsible for the safety and enjoyment of the whole group and has sole discretion, on behalf of Live Breathe Hike, to exclude temporarily a participant from the group. They may also choose to terminate the participants holiday without the possibility of a refund if the leader thinks the participant is likely to endanger the group safety or spoil its enjoyment.

8. Your Responsibility

Mountain holidays by their very nature are adventurous, with a certain level of risk is undertaken. Individuals need to conduct themselves in a safe and responsible manner at all times; responding to advice, guidance, and instruction that may be given by the group leader / experienced professional and take all reasonable actions to eliminate accidents or injury.

9. Our Responsibilities

We will take all reasonable care to ensure that the information we give to you is accurate, including on our website, in your schedule and information pack. We will do all that we can to provide the service as described in the information we give to you. We are not liable if any failure is:

  • Attributable to anyone other than us
  • Attributable to a third party unconnected to us, and unforeseeable or unavoidable
  • Due to unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control and could not have been avoided even if all due care had been taken
  • Due to an event which even with all due care we could not foresee or forestall

10. Cancellation By Us

Live Breathe Hike reserves the right to cancel any trip prior to departure for any reason whatsoever, including insufficient signup or logistics problems that may impede trip operations. The refund of all land payments received shall relate Live Breathe Hike from any further liability.

Live Breathe Hike must normally make substantial payments to its suppliers far in advance of the scheduled trip departure date. If a trip is canceled due to force majeure; (acts of God, war, strikes, earthquake, flooding etc), Live Breathe Hike will promptly refund the portion of the trip cost not already advanced to suppliers and use its best efforts to recover and refund the balance as promptly as possible. However, Live Breathe Hike does not guarantee recovery of any or all of the advance payments made.

11. Additional Costs

Live Breathe Hike shall not be liable for (a) expenses such as additional nights and meals not specified in the individual trip itineraries, but which may required to get to from a trip start or end; expenses due to the delay of a trip for any reason (e.g. bad weather, trails conditions, land slides, flooding, sickness etc); (c) expenses occurred in recovering lost luggage by airlines, belongings left behind on a trip or in shipping purchases or other goods home from abroad; (d) visa and other incidental costs.

Live Breathe Hike reserves the right to take photographic or film records of any trips, and may use any such records for promotional and/or commercial purposes without payment.

 

Guided by local experts passionate about Scottish culture and tradition.