All-Women Hiking Adventure in the Scottish Highlands

Today is all about arriving in Edinburgh. We’ll meet up as a group at 7pm for orientation and a welcome dinner, but until then, you’re free to explore the city on your own! Edinburgh has been the capital of Scotland since the 15th century. Gaining UNESCO World Heritage Status in 1995, Old Town and New Town are preserved architectural windows to a world dating back to 1130 AD.

Step back nearly 900 years and stroll the historic streets of Old Town! This area of Edinburgh has preserved much of the medieval street layout and buildings. After you’ve explored all of the narrow alleys and cobblestone walkways, make your way through Princes Street Gardens for an iconic view of Edinburgh Castle.

Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Centrally located Edinburgh Hotel

After breakfast in Edinburgh, we’ll hop on the train and travel 3.5 hours through the Scottish countryside and Cairngorms National Park to Inverness. We’ll then head off into the North-West Highlands in our van (one-hour ride). This area remains an unspoiled and rarely visited area of Scotland. During our time hiking in the Scottish Highlands, we’ll explore landscapes that hardly see much human traffic.

We won’t spend the entire day on our bums! Upon arrival, we’ll stretch our legs on our first hike in Scotland by walking along a beautiful loch with views of the Torridon Mountains and ending next to a rushing waterfall.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 4.5 miles / 7.2 km, 3 hours
Elevation gain: 575 ft / 175 m
Accommodation: Inn in Torridon

After fueling up with a rib-sticking Scottish-style breakfast, our hiking journey today is the Corbett peak of Meall a’Ghiubhais, standing between 2,500-3,000 ft (760-915 m). We begin with a heart-pounding ascent from the breathtaking shores of Loch Maree, renowned as the crown jewel among Scotland’s lochs. Following the well-marked and rocky Beinn Eighe Mountain Trail we will push our boundaries as we venture off the trail to continue our hike and scramble toward the summit. Every step of our hike today is a buns-burning celebration of the untamed beauty that Scotland has to offer.

After a well-deserved trail lunch perched on the summit, surrounded with views of the tiny wooded islands dotting Loch Maree below, we’ll take in the full beauty of the Northwest Highlands from the oldest Nature Reserve in Scotland.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 5.8 miles / 9.3 km, 7-8 hours
Elevation gain: 3,011 ft / 918 m
Accommodation: Inn in Torridon

After breakfast, we’ll pack up and depart our cozy Torridon Inn. We’ll transfer further north to the sparsely populated area of Assynt, known for its distinctive mountains which seem to rise straight out from the landscape. This area is home to the iconic “cnoc and lochan” scenery. We’ll hike and scramble our way up the classic peak of Cul Mor to catch views of the nearby mountains and lochs. We’ll make our way towards the dramatic outline of Cul Mor while hiking through some boggy sections of the trail and a short boulder field.

Near the summit, you’ll have the option of taking the shortest path and scrambling your way to the summit. If scrambling isn’t your cup of tea, you can easily opt to traverse around the wide, Sron Gharbh ridgeline. Once we all reach the summit, we’ll have views of multiple lochs in the distance, dramatic mountain outlines, and nothing but Mother Nature’s beauty for as far as our eyes can see. Still looking for more? Hike up the satellite peak, Creag nan Calman, from the saddle between the two mountains and bag two peaks in one day!

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 8.5 miles / 13.7 km, 4-4.5 hours
Elevation gain: 1,900 ft / 580 m
Accommodation: Inn in Ullapool

We’ll give our hiking legs a little break today as we explore the rugged coastline that is so typical of the North-West Scottish Highlands. Our coastal hike explores this wild landscape and leads us to a clifftop viewpoint to see an imposing 200-ft rocky tower called the Old Man of Storr. We’ll look for rock climbers ascending the vertical tower as the ocean crashes below. Because views are much better with food, we’ll enjoy savory pies for lunch made in a local village along the coastline with unobstructed views of the Atlantic. Nearby, we’ll visit the Storr Head Lighthouse, built in 1870, as one of 45 crucial lighthouses in Scotland to protect shipping.

Afterwards, we’ll begin our slow journey to the nearby villages where traffic jams are the equivalent of sheep crossings. You’ll have the opportunity to tour and shop at a local pottery studio with an international reputation for innovation and quality. Back in Ullapool, we have built in 1-2 hours of free time for you to explore the seaside town and shop locally made goods/souvenirs. Wander the quaint streets, check out the marina, savor a drink from a local pub, or simply relax by the water.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 4.5 miles / 7.2 km, 2.5-3.5 hours
Elevation gain: Minimal
Accommodation: Inn in Ullapool

After a hearty breakfast, we’ll head north into the rugged landscape of the Assynt region of the Scottish Islands. Our goal today is to summit a stunning trio of peaks on Quinag. It’s a predominately uphill hike as we ascend the first of 3 Corbetts (Scottish mountains between 2,500 ft and 3,000 ft). We’ll hike up boulder fields, along ridge lines and scramble our way to the first summit!

We’ll be rewarded with views of thousands of tiny scattered lochs in the distant horizon. From the first summit, we’ll take a gradual down and uphill hike to the remaining 2 summits. On the way back to our Inn, we stop to see the ruins of Ardvreck Castle dating back to the 16th century.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 8.5-9 miles / 13.7-14.5 km, 7.5-8.5 hours
Elevation gain: 1,950 ft / 594 m
Accommodation: Inn in Ullapool

We’ll trade our cozy inn for a 15th-century castle hotel tonight! Along the drive to our castle hotel, we’ll stretch our legs on a relaxed hike to the summit of Ben Bhraggie. Here, we’ll be able to see the east and west coasts of Scotland from one place! The controversial, 100′ tall Duke of Sutherland Monument marks the summit of Ben Bhraggie.

Upon arrival at our castle, you’ll be able to explore the nearby beach or step back in time to the 15th century. Inside, explore the labyrinth of historical rooms and passageways. Walk through the gardens to the on-site distillery specializing in whisky and gin. In the evening, we’ll feast like queens in our castle restaurant featuring traditional meals made of locally sourced ingredients.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 6 miles / 9.7 km, 3.5-4.5 hours
Elevation gain: 1,312 ft / 400 m
Accommodation: 15th-century castle hotel

After breakfast in our castle digs, we’ll load up and head to the Inverness Train Station. We’ll hop on the train back to Edinburgh and say goodbye to the Scottish countryside. You will be with your group up until our arrival at Waverly Station in Edinburgh. Upon arrival in Edinburgh, you can easily catch the tram taking you to the airport or to the city center if you are staying another night in Edinburgh. You can plan to fly out of Edinburgh anytime after 6pm or arrange for an Edinburgh hotel stay on your own.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch