Outdoor Activities Abound
We have all the elements to inspire you
The Highlands are one of nature’s greatest playgrounds and there is no end of ways to experience them.
From precipitous mountain bike trails to surfing spectacular breaks in Thurso and canoe trips down millpond-still lochs and hair-raising climbs up a snow-capped peak. The spectrum of outdoor activities the Highlands offer is second to none. So, whether you’re an adrenaline junkie or just looking to chill out in the most peaceful place on the planet, you’ll find something to suit you and everyone you know. The one thing that unites all of our Highland adventures, is they connect you physically with our inspirational landscapes.
Family-friendly venue for skiing & biking, plus tree-climbing courses & mountain gondola rides.
Canoe and Kayak Gairloch
Award-winning Gairloch Canoe and Kayaking Centre is one of Scotland's premier destinations for sea kayaking and canoeing.
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Our sea kayaking trip are highly rated with lots of wildlife viewing opportunities. All of our journeys are within the Wester Ross UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Sea kayaking is based at Shieldaig Lodge Hotel on the southern shores of Gairloch and is an ideal base with ample free parking and toilets. We can arrange other kayaking trips for the more experienced to Anthrax Island or around the Rua Reidh Lighthouse peninsular.
Canoe day trips take place on the iconic Loch Maree and include a visit to Isle Maree famous for its druids and spiritual history. The loch has unique wildlife, remanent Caledonian pine forest and associations with Queen Victoria. We can take you on a full or half-day adventures around our wonderful coastline. Our trips are run by local guides who know the area well and are experts on wildlife spotting. We want you to enjoy a relaxed paddle and will choose a venue depending on your experience.
Trail and Fell Running Girls On Hills
Girls on Hills is Scotland’s only guided trail, fell and skyrunning running company.
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Girls on Hills is Scotland’s only guided trail, fell and skyrunning running company designed specifically for women. Offering spiritually fulfilling and empowering experiences and journeys away from regular routes and popular mountains, they show visitors the trail less travelled.
Girls on Hills put conscious travel and practices at the heart of what they do and encourage ‘plogging’ and responsible use of our landscape, to include best-practice wild camping and proper use of bothies. They encourage lift-sharing and use of public transport and support the local economy by connecting runners with local/small accommodation providers and cafes/restaurants in the surrounding villages. Girls on Hills are socially conscious and encourages women from all backgrounds, abilities, ages and ethnic minorities to join group courses, enhancing well-being through time spent in nature and striving to achieve empowerment for women.
Mountain Bike The Nevis Range
Situated in Fort William and home of the UCI Downhill World Cup Since 2002.
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Situated in Fort William and home of the UCI Downhill World Cup Since 2002, Nevis Range’s network of trails are known as the Witches Trails and incorporates a mixture of grades to suit all abilities. These trails can be enjoyed by the whole family and are a great way to enjoy the beautiful Scottish Highlands. Nevis Range also has three downhill trails that are accessed by Gondola, the Elite Orange World Cup Trail, Black – Top Chief, and the UK’s longest lift-serviced Blue – the Blue Doon!
The resort offers parking, bike hire and bike washing facilities and has excellent catering options on-site to re-fuel after your ride – a café at the base of Aonach Mor and a restaurant and bar accessed via the gondola.
Otter Multi Activity Adventures
Otter Adventures aspires to be an outstanding provider of multi-activity authentic adventures.
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Otter Adventures aspires to be an outstanding provider of multi-activity authentic adventures that educate, inform and inspire whilst also recognising our social and environmental responsibilities. We strive to do this through small group activities and adventurous experiences that are tailored to the abilities of each private booking, by exceeding their expectations and leaving them with unforgettable memories of wild places.
As our business grows, we will do more to support our local communities by providing social opportunities and employment as well as directly into the economy by buying food direct from local crofts and producers. In time, we hope to embed the climate emergency message deeper into our operations and our outward-facing communications and, in doing so, raise awareness of the need to take action at a local level for a global improvement.
We hope that Otter Adventures will make a positive contribution to sustainable tourism and support, as well as develop, opportunities for local people and businesses in our small, rural communities across Ardnamurchan and Morvern.
Guided Walking with Wild Roots
Wild Roots Highland Guiding is a mountain guiding company with nature and the environment at its heart.
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Our walking journeys are carefully curated to experience a variety of natural and human history in breathtaking settings. Whilst some journeys do reach Munro summits, this is only a small part of a mountain experience. Wild Roots Highland Guiding hope that through experiencing the rich stories of Highland landscapes, people will gain a deeper connection with nature. This is fundamental in order to create a sustainable future for both people and the planet.
Guided day walks and wild camping experiences are led by a qualified Mountain Leader. They cover a variety of terrain, from low-level paths to rugged mountain tops. Whether someone is taking their first steps into the mountains or is a seasoned hill walker we offer a suitable level of challenge for them.
The approach is inquisitive. People are encouraged to observe their surroundings and ask questions about what they see as they walk. Guides take the time to stop, observe and understand all the elements that come together to make Highland landscapes so special. In doing so opportunities to consider our place in an environment and their impact upon it are created.
As part of each journey, there is also potential to improve technical skills and confidence in relation to mountain environments. This may include things such as navigation, route finding and, on multiday journeys, camp craft. The aim is that knowledge and skills are gained to take away to inspire your own adventures in the future.
Environmental sustainability is at the core of everything Wild Roots Highland Guiding do. Most journeys are accessible by public transport, and they encourage vehicle sharing to reduce mileage where possible. All the resources and equipment provided are sourced from companies with strong green credentials, with the majority being UK-based companies. The catering for multiday treks is all vegetarian and is provided by a local chef using as much produce from within the Highlands as possible. This reduces the carbon footprint of each journey. Wild Roots Highland Guiding hopes that all this feeds into our overarching belief that reconnecting people with the natural world and encouraging them to think about their impact on it is essential for a sustainable future.
WOW Scotland Highland Tours
WOW Scotland aim to provide authentic experiences.
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WOW Scotland aims to provide authentic experiences highlighting the uniquely Scottish aspects of our history, nature and culture. They do this by carefully crafting tour itineraries and employing highly skilled and passionate guides to bring the stories and people of the past to life.
A small, local company, WOW Scotland are passionate about protecting the Scottish Highlands and preserving the area’s beautiful landscapes for generations to come. They are doing this in several ways including using mini-coaches which are compliant with the highest EU emission standards, offsetting their vehicles’ carbon emissions by planting trees, picking up litter on all tours, using local suppliers and reducing, reusing and recycling waste.