Classic Walks of Scotland

This is a hiking adventure, so be sure to review the descriptions of all the walks, a good level of fitness is required to fully enjoy the included hikes.

Hiking in Scotland can be challenging, not just for its elevation, but for its terrain, which often features uneven, narrow, and steep paths.

Scotland’s mountainous weather is famously unpredictable, with the saying "four seasons in one day" often holding true. You can experience sunshine, rain, wind, and even snow all in a single day, especially in the higher altitudes. Conditions can change rapidly, so it’s essential to be prepared for all types of weather when hiking in Scotland’s mountains.

On Day 5, we’ll summit Ben Nevis. While the group will be guided by qualified experts, please note that the trek will take almost the entire day, lasting 9+ hours.

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. This trip starts at 3pm in Fort William on Day 1 and finishes at 1pm in Fort William on Day 6. Please book your onwards travels accordingly.
3. Fort William can be reached either by the sleeper train from London or by bus from Inverness (2 hours) or by a long but scenic train ride from Glasgow (5 hours).
4. Pre and post tour additional accommodation, arrival and departure transfers are available to book upon request, subject to availability. Please contact your Travel Consultant for more details.
5. If you’d like extending your Scotland adventure, consider joining one of our other adventures on Orkney or Shetland Islands. Just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.

What you need to bring will vary according to the trip style you have chosen, the countries you are visiting and when you are travelling. Generally speaking, you should pack as lightly as possible.

Many travellers carry their luggage in a backpack, although an overnight bag with a shoulder strap would suffice if you travel lightly. As on this trip your main luggage will be transferred from one overnight place to the other, you will only be required to carry it from hotel reception to your room. In such case, a suitcase is also fine.

Below we have listed the essentials for this trip:

https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list

MAIN LUGGAGE

What you need to bring will vary according to when you are travelling. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible and make sure that you are able to carry and lift your own luggage, and walk with it for short distances. As well as your underwear, toothbrush and other items you always need to pack for travel, below are some items that you specifically need for this trip.

You need to bring your main piece of luggage as well as a small to medium backpack for day walking (20-25 litres). One with waist strap would be most comfortable for all included walks

ESSENTIALS

- Day pack: for carrying essentials during activities
- Appropriate walking clothing: A mixture covering lightweight clothing and some warm layers is recommended. Your activities will take place in the hills and mountains where weather may change quickly. Lightweight, comfortable and quick drying clothes for the activities are best. Laundry facilities may not be available on every day basis, so make sure you have a few cycles of clothes.
- Warm jacket, fleece and good base layers
- Wind and waterproof jacket
- Hat and gloves if traveling in shoulder season
- Hiking boots with a good grip, ankle support and waterproof membrane that are comfortable to walk for an entire day
- Water bottle: you will need water during activities and it’s best to avoid buying unnecessary plastic.
- Sun protection: sunscreen, sunglasses, sunhat
- Toiletries

RECOMMENDED

- Personal medical kit. A larger kit will be on hand with your leader, but we recommend you carry items such as mild pain killers, antihistamine tablets and any personal medication you may need
- Walking poles
- Camera with spare batteries/power bank: You will have access to power to recharge your electrical items daily
- Travel wipes/hand sanitizer

OPTIONAL

- Torch/flashlight/headtorch
- Ear plugs & eye mask
- A good book, a journal and music player

VALUABLES

Please try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables. It’s also recommended to bring a copy of all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, etc. and keep the copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a photocopy makes it very much easier to obtain replacements if necessary.
If you need some further tips for packing, you can always check out our ultimate packing list.

WATER BOTTLE

Please bring your own water bottle to refill along the way. The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1 litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments.

You’re in for a hiking trip and a good level of fitness is essential. We don't ask travellers to complete a physical participation form for this trip however we do ask you read through the trip notes carefully to ensure that this trip is the right trip for you. You must be comfortable hiking up to 8-9 hours a day, with many steep uphill sections, uneven, rocky terrain and in unpredictable weather.

If you’re already a regular exerciser, it might be an idea to up your game a little. Run those extra laps, or take few longer walks, ideally with a day pack on your back. If you’re not exercising so regularly (2-3 times a week), it’s important to start in the weeks leading up to your departure (4-6 weeks prior at least). Your best choice would be to start walking regularly 2-3 times a week including at least one longer walk (up to 15 km). It’s important to not only walk on flat surface, so if you cannot access a hilly terrain easily, walking up and down the stairs is a good replacement. Top that up with some general fitness exercises and any other cardio related classes and you will see a huge progress in your fitness levels.

Guisachan House, Alma Road, Fort William, PH33 6HA, UNITED KINGDOM

The guesthouse has 16 guest bedrooms – 2 single, 6 double, 5 twin, 2 family and a triple room. There is a large guest lounge and licenced bar serving a good selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and a small bar menu. There is also a large covered area at the front of the guesthouse allowing you to enjoy the fresh air and fantastic views across Loch Linnhe to the surrounding hills.

Alternate Joining Point

Guisachan House guesthouse is located less than 0.5 km from the Fort William train station. Please follow the Belford Road away from the old town and turn right in to Victoria Rd and then left in to Alma Rd on which guesthouse is located.

Guisachan House, Alma Road, Fort William, PH33 6HA, UNITED KINGDOM

Alternate Finish Point

Breakfasts included: 5

Lunches included: 

Dinners included: 

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There's no obligation to do this though.

VEGETARIANS
Vegetarians might find the menu selection in Europe less varied than they would see at home. Vegetarianism is not as common in this region and generally the choices are basic, involving vegetables, soups, salads, bread, cheese, fruit, yoghurt, eggs etc. Vegans and those on gluten-free diets may find this region very challenging and may need to supplement meals with their own supplies from supermarkets and markets. Wherever possible we will cater for dietary needs for any included meals, but there may be times when those with special requirements may need to provide their own.

BREAKFASTS
There are some continental breakfasts included on this trip which may simply include bread/toast or pastries, butter, jam, coffee/tea/juice (or similar).

The average temperatures in Scotland vary depending on the season and location within the country. Here's a general overview:

Spring (March to May):
Average High: 8°C to 14°C (46°F to 57°F)
Average Low: 2°C to 7°C (36°F to 45°F)

Summer (June to August):
Average High: 15°C to 20°C (59°F to 68°F)
Average Low: 8°C to 12°C (46°F to 54°F)

Autumn (September to November):
Average High: 13°C to 18°C (55°F to 64°F)
Average Low: 6°C to 10°C (43°F to 50°F)

Winter (December to February):
Average High: 4°C to 7°C (39°F to 45°F)
Average Low: 0°C to 2°C (32°F to 36°F)

Please note that these are approximate averages, and temperatures can vary across different regions of Scotland. Coastal areas tend to have milder inters, while inland and mountainous regions can experience colder temperatures, especially in the winter months. Additionally, Scotland's weather is known for its unpredictability, so it's advisable to check the forecast before your visit and be prepared for varying conditions.

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

Intrepid local operator : Available for phone call on +44 (0)1479 420 020 or +44 (0)7766 794 640

OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.

TWIN SHARE BASIS
Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own.

CHECK-IN TIME
Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.

PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.

FACILITIES
Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges.

TRANSPORT IN SCOTLAND
One of the highlights of this trip is our use of a combination of public and private transportation. Public transport is not only a cost-effective way to travel but also provides a unique glimpse into Scottish life as we traverse picturesque landscapes. Private vehicles, on the other hand, allow us to make frequent stops at intriguing points of interest that may not be reachable via public transport. Need a taxi, no problem, please speak to your group leader should you require a taxi outside of what is included. We believe that this blend of travel options is the ideal approach for exploring Scotland as a group.