Get Out And About In Scotland
Everyone Pile In For An Outdoor Adventure
That long planned outdoor trip with your rock climbing friends is now in sight. You’re planning on a tour of Scotland, and it’s going to be three weeks of hiking, swatting midges and rock climbing. This means a lot of equipment and tents for the times you don’t have the safety of a Bed and Breakfast! It’s not that appealing to drive lots of single cars up the motorway, but no-one has a vehicle that can accommodate more than a couple of people and all their gear. So, what are the options? Train, coach, and bikes are not that practical – so how about pitching in together and booking a large vehicle or long term car rental?
Benefits of Travelling Together
You get to travel together, so it’s more fun – and all your equipment is together. If you are booking a van or a minibus, it can be brought to a central point so all you need to do is be there, ready to go. With insurance in place for named drivers, the driving can be shared. So no-one gets tired making it a safer journey.
You’ll save huge amounts on fuel using just one vehicle, which these days, has got to be a bonus. It’s not unknown to have a blow out or a problem with your car, which means everyone gets held up. With a rental vehicle, in the rare event you can request roadside help, in the rare event there is a problem. No-one needs to struggle with an unfamiliar engine! If you get beaten by the weather and want to bail out early, you won’t have to pay any additional fees for coming back sooner than expected.
When And Where To Climb In Scotland
The rock climbing and scrambling season begins in May, which is usually the sunniest and driest months in Scotland. The valley crags are the first to dry out, so Glen Etive and Ardnamurchan are good options to begin with. June is great for the mountain crags of Glen Coe, Ben Nevis and Garbh Bheinn of Ardgour – these are for your hard core climbers. July and August can be a little wetter, so aim for the crags in Glen Nevis or further east to Ardverikie. As the hillsides start to show their early autumn colours, ensure you make good use of the sunny days, and get some hikes in on the long rocky ridges – a great one is found at Aonach Eagach. Early autumn in Scotland is spectacular and you’ll see it at its best.
Get Active!
You’ve got some of the oldest rocks found anywhere in the world in Scotland, so check out Lochaber for ancient stones. And beside the rock climbing, you’ve got abseiling, white water rafting, canoeing, ice climbing, coastal jumping (which is unbelievable cold) and the fairly newly established Scrambling. Scrambling is a type of mountaineering that doesn’t need rope tackle. You climb up continuously sloping hills, using your hands for gripping. Scrambling allows you to explore some dramatic hillsides, covering broken or very rocky ground – you’ll need a good head for heights, and a strong grip, but you’ll get a lot of freedom that you wouldn’t get if you were roped up.
Get you and your friends up and active for a fantastic holiday on the road to the great outdoors!





If you’re in search of a tranquil atmosphere for a break from your hectic schedule, Cherbourg is ideal for you.







