MASTER TEMPLATE – Edinburgh, The Cairngorms and Glencoe

Day 1 - Arrive in Edinburgh

Your Wilderness guide will meet you at Edinburgh airport and transfer you to your welcoming hotel. Take some time to relax and settle in, enjoying an oasis of calm as the city’s characterful streets buzz and bustle beyond the window. Depending on your arrival time, perhaps head out with your guide for a short walk up Calton Hill. From the top, which is marked by a collection of historical monuments, you can see many of Edinburgh’s famous landmarks, including Arthur’s Seat, the Firth of Forth and the Royal Mile as it climbs its way to the castle. After working up an appetite, enjoy a delicious dinner and a good night’s sleep.

Overnight: Edinburgh

Day 2 - Exploring Edinburgh

After breakfast, meet your guide in the foyer of your hotel and head out for a day spent exploring the beautiful cobblestone streets of the city. Full of history, the capital is very accessible by foot. Wander up the Royal Mile, stopping to visit the architecturally stunning St Giles Cathedral, and enjoy panoramic views from Edinburgh Castle. Pick up a coffee and a pastry from one of the wee artisan shops, dipping into local galleries, cheesemongers and bookshops. If you fancy an afternoon with a twist, head to the Surgeons’ Hall Museums, which holds one of the largest collections of surgical pathology in the world. This evening enjoy dinner under the twinkling lights of the city.

Overnight: Edinburgh

Day 3 - Into the Highlands

After breakfast, head to Waverley Train Station; the only station in the world to be named after a novel. As you journey north, you’ll pass through small towns, pastoral landscapes and wild moors before reaching the Cairngorms National Park. On arrival, meet your Wilderness guide for the next stage of your adventure. After settling in at your accommodation, head out for a short but spectacular walk. The Uath Lochans, known locally as the Paw Print Lochans, are a hive of biodiversity. Raised boardwalks wind through reedy marshlands. Look out for a glimpse of the occasional frog and the glittering wings of dragonflies as they dart over the wetlands. Climbing a short way to Farleitter Crag, this small hill offers incredible elevated views of the water, forest and surrounding Cairngorm Mountains. Relax into your accommodation this evening and enjoy your first Highland dinner.

Overnight: Cairngorms

Day 4 - Hiking in the Cairngorms

Today, enjoy a hike in the beautiful Cairngorms National Park. At over 4500 sq km it is the largest National Park in the UK and with miles of winding rivers, make it Scotland’s most prolific whisky-making region. With your guide, choose a hike that suits you – perhaps head out onto the alpine plateau of the Cairngorms Mountain range and bag a sought-after Munro. Or choose to explore the Caledonian pine forest which is the oldest forest in Scotland and the last of the woodland that once covered the whole of the UK. Roam heather-covered glens and alongside jewel-like lochs for the perfect immersion into the ancient landscape. This evening, enjoy a drink in a Highland pub while listening to some traditional folk music.

Overnight: Cairngorms

Day 5 - Sunrise and Whiskey

An early start this morning sees you head out with your guide to chase the light. Armed with your camera and a thermos of hot coffee, watch as the sun crests the horizon, stretching its warm rays across the dewy land, turning the rocky mountain faces a blushing pink. Heading back to your cosy accommodation, enjoy a late breakfast and a relaxed few hours either exploring the local area or with a good book. This afternoon, walk the banks of the River Tromie before reaching a small artisan distillery. You’ll meet the master distillers who will walk you through the distilling process, one that uses water from the Tromie and has barely changed in over 100 years. After, enjoy a special tasting of their finest whiskies.

Overnight: Cairngorms

Day 6 - Journey West

Today you’ll leave the Cairngorms National Park for the west coast, but not before enjoying a visit to the Highland Folk Museum. A different type of museum, this mile-long township invites you to walk into the past. Consisting of 30 frozen-in-time dwellings, you’ll journey from the early 1900s to the 1700s, and experience Highland life over three centuries. Later, stop at Creag Meagaidh Nature Reserve for a hike. A spectacular upland habitat, it is home to over 100 species of birds, as well as red, roe and sika deer. Continue on this afternoon to the infamous and hauntingly beautiful Glencoe.

Overnight: Glencoe

Day 7 - Hiking in Glencoe

Over hot coffee and tea, chat with your guide about some walking options for today. The spectacular Glencoe, carved out centuries ago by glaciers and volcanic eruptions, offers some wild and scenic hiking. You may wish to summit the iconic Pap of Glencoe, or head up to the Lost Valley where the MacDonald clan used to hide their rustled cattle. As ethereal mists blow over rugged peaks, keep an eye out for the soaring shape of a golden eagle or the silhouette of a stag, learning about the landscape’s captivating and haunting history. This evening, enjoy a well-earned dram, perhaps stepping outside after dinner to look up at a night sky full of the sharpest stars.

Overnight: Glencoe

Day 8 - Back to Edinburgh

Take the morning to visit the Glencoe Centre and see how the landscape here was shaped by fire and ice before starting the journey back to Edinburgh. On the way, stop at Doune Castle, a mediaeval stronghold which has since been used as a location of film and TV. Stretch your legs as you explore the impressive castle and grounds. On return to Edinburgh, your guide will drop you off at your hotel, where you will say goodbye. Spend your final evening in Scotland in the capital, enjoying a relaxed dinner and watching the world go by.

Overnight: Edinburgh

Day 9 - Depart Edinburgh

After breakfast, head to the airport and depart for home.