Here are some examples of short breaks you could do with us:
Please contact us to discuss where you would like to go and we'll tailor an itinerary for you.
Isle of Kerrera
Argyll and the Isles in the south-west Highlands is a glorious coastal region of glittering sea lochs, islands, hills, forests and glens just waiting to be explored. It is characterised by mountainous Highland scenery interspersed with hundred of lochs, with a heavily indented coastline and numerous islands off the coast.
Inland Argyll has evolved a landscape of gentle farmland and wide peat bog surrounded by mountains, secret glens and hidden lochans. The hills of Argyll are rugged and the glens steep and short, with rapid rivers and many waterfalls. At the edge is a unique seascape of exposed wildness with islands large and small. The closer you get to the Atlantic coast, the more stunted and wind-sculpted the trees and woods become.
The very name ‘Scotland’ derives from the Roman name for the Iron Age Celtic people who, by the 6th century, occupied both Ulster and Argyll (Irish and Scottish Dalriada), from whose ruling group came the first king of a united nation in the 9th century.
Later, especially from the 13th to the 15th centuries, the centralising Scottish state was very effectively resisted by the MacDonald Lords of the Isles - by then practically an independent kingdom. In between times the western seaboard underwent a series of Viking raids. Evidence survives in numerous place names of Norse origin.
Argyll also has far earlier links with Scotland’s past. Prehistoric remains are found in unusual concentrations throughout Kilmartin Glen. These remains take us back as far as 4000 BC and the time of our first settled farming communities.
Day 1: Glasgow - Inverary - Oban
Day 2: Isle of Kerrera and whisky distillery tour
Day 3: Glen Coe
Day 4: Oban - Kilmartin Glen - Glasgow
Goatfell from Holy Isle
This trip takes you from Glasgow to the Isle of Arran. We'll follow in the footsteps of the Scots; Iron Age immigrants from the Irish kingdom of Dalriada, who colonised Scotland from the south. There are also prehistoric monuments on Arran. All of this is found in a unique seascape setting; wild and exposed on an island with a long and varied coastline, high cliffs, sandy and rocky bays, caves and arches.
Arran is often described as “Scotland in miniature” because of its diverse landscape which reflects that of Scotland as a whole. Rugged mountains, beaches, cliffs, farmlands, untamed forests, hills and waterfalls are all packaged together in an area approximately 20 miles long by 10 miles wide.
Arran lies on the Highland Boundary Fault, which makes it geologically very interesting, with both Highland and Lowland landscapes. The northern part of the island is very much a mini-Highlands with spectacular granite peaks, corries and wooded glens. In contrast, the south of the island has sweeping moorlands and wide sandy beaches. We will explore both during our hikes.
There are traces of settlements on Arran as far back as 4,000 BC although it is thought there might have been inhabitants going back as far as 7,000 BC. The island is protected on its western side by the Kintyre peninsula, and to the east by the Ayrshire coast. The Gulf Stream keeps the waters of Arran warmer than the norm which is why there are many palm trees and other exotic plants dotted all round the island.
Day 1: Glasgow - Ardrossan - ferry to Arran
Day 2: Machrie Moor, King’s Cave and Drumadoon Point
Day 3: Holy Isle, Glenashdale Falls and the Giants' Graves
Day 4: Goatfell
Day 5: Arran - Glasgow
Castle Lachlan, Strathlachlan
The Cowal peninsula is on the road to nowhere, except to itself and to the island of Bute. This ‘nowhere’ is more than enough for those in the know. It is a land of quiet corners - beautiful and very much off the beaten track. Rugged mountains such as Beinn an Lochan and Beinn Bhuidhe in the north give way to gentler hills, peaceful glens and a lovely coastline to the south. We should not see many people on the hills and we can often have the shore to ourselves too.
The Cowal Peninsula is as beautiful as it is diverse, from the towering Munros of the north to the mellow scenery and sea lochs of the south. Paddle steamers used to bring throngs of Glaswegian holidaymakers 'doon the water' to its shores. The peninsula is bounded by Loch Fyne on the west and Loch Long and the Firth of Clyde on the east. It is separated from the Isle of Bute by the deep narrow straits of the Kyles of Bute. The coastline is incised by deep sea lochs, principally Loch Riddon, and Loch Striven. These split the southern half of Cowal into three narrower peninsulas.
Cowal is 'Comhghall' (cow-ul) in Gaelic, meaning 'the land of Comgall', a leader of one of the four chief tribes of the ancient Gaelic territory of Dàl Riata.
The erstwhile island retreat of Scottish kings, the Isle of Bute lies at the heart of the Firth of Clyde. For such a compact island, Bute has some extraordinarily varied landscapes. From the lush, fertile and rolling hills of the island's heart to the craggy, heather-covered moorlands of the north and the delightful sandy beaches around the coastline, the island is a haven for walking and wildlife.
Day 1: Glasgow - Dunoon
Day 2: Benmore Garden and Puck's Glen
Day 3: Strachur and Strathlachlan
Day 4: Isle of Bute
Day 5: Arrochar Alps and return journey to Glasgow
Black Cuillin from Elgol
Skye, the Misty Isle, is a truly magical place, home to some of Scotland’s most iconic landscapes.. You will find ruined castles, sea lochs, high mountains and remote moors. The Isle of Raasay is a paradise for walkers, nature lovers and those who want to escape and experience the peace and tranquillity of island life.
The largest and furthest north of the islands of the Inner Hebrides, Skye is about 50 miles north to south and 25 miles east to west at its widest, with some 400 miles of coastline. Its name is probably derived from the Norse words "ski" - cloud - and "ey" - island. In Gaelic it is referred to as An t'Eilean Sgitheanach, which translates as the winged isle; from the wing-like shape formed by the two northern peninsulas of Waternish and Trotternish.
The Black Cuillin range in its heart, rise to over 3,000 feet. They were formed by volcanic activity some 60 million years ago. The north of the island is composed mainly of lava flows. In the north-east (Trotternish) the underlying sedimentary rocks have collapsed under the weight of the basalt, tipping everything sideways to form the distinctive landslips.
Occupied since the Mesolithic era, there are currently about 10,000 people living on the island.
Just a 25 minute ferry ride from the Isle of Skye and you'll find yourself on one of the most beautiful small islands of Scotland. Raasay (Ratharsair in Gaelic) means Isle of the Roe Deer. Despite its modest size, it is one of the most geologically diverse landmasses in the world. From rolling hills, to native forests and secluded beaches, explore any part of the island and the backdrop you will enjoy is a breathtaking panorama of the Cuillins to the west and Torridon to the east.
Day 1: Inverness - Skye, Loch Coruisk
Day 2: Trotternish peninsula
Day 3: Isle of Raasay
Day 4: Scorrybreac circuit, Portree - Inverness
