Drive & Hike: Highlands & Islands Discovery
14 Days & 13 Nights 4.8 Read 10 reviews- Choose from a variety of walks to suit your mood
- Scenic driving though Glencoe towards Ben Nevis, the UK's highest mountain
- Explore the rocky pinnacles of the Storr on Skye's
- Visit the impressive 5000-year-old Callanish Standing Stones on Lewis
- Look out for whales and dolphins on the ferry crossing
What To Expect
Trip Type:
Discovery | Discovery
Activity:
Drive and Hike | Exploration of picturesque and remarkable destinations by car combined with walks that highlight the best of a country or region.
This trip is suitable for:
Solo Travellers
Ideal if you have an interest in:
- Islands
- National Parks
- Accessible by Rail
Grade & Terrain
This trip is graded moderate overall, although the walking does vary a lot from one day to the next. You can generally choose between easier and more difficult walks, some days have 1 or 2 options whilst others may only have 1. The trails follows footpaths, bridleways, coastal trails, open fields and some minor roads. The walks may involve some relatively steep ascent and descents should you choose to take the more difficult walks, such as Ben Nevis! All walks are of course optional and you can choose to explore by car instead if you wish.
Navigation
All the walks on this itinerary are available in the Macs Adventure Smartphone App. You will find the walks on the app and simply download the walk to your smartphone and follow the little blue dot! Some walks have GPS tracks only and others have walking directions. But if you follow the little blue dot you will not get lost. A reminder though not to take the more difficult walks on this itinerary in bad weather, such as Ben Nevis or the Quiraing. Some routes are waymarked, but others are not. All are optional.
Accommodation Information
One of the highlights of this walking tour is the friendly local accommodation; we book hand-picked properties of a 3-4 star standard to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay. All offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We do recommend that you book this trip early as the areas covered are always popular and the guesthouses and inns do fill up early, especially in high season.
Additional Nights
Many of our walkers choose to add extra nights on the tour and these can be added at the time of booking. You will find descriptions, photos and weblinks to a selection of the accommodations we often use below. All are subject to availability at the time of booking and therefore alternatives of a similar or higher standard may be offered.
Single Rooms
This independent walking holiday is available to solo walkers. As all our trips are priced per person based on two sharing there is a single supplement payable to cover the additional costs that are not shared. If you require single rooms within your party we will of course try to accommodate your request, subject to availability.
Meals
Breakfast is included each morning, while lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Your accommodation will be more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival, alternatively your guidebook also includes details of local shops and convenient lunch stops on the way. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby pubs and restaurants.
- 13 Nights in hand-picked B&B's and guesthouses
- 13 Breakfasts
- Ferry crossings as per itinerary (1 car per booking)
- Information pack, and driving map (Phillips)
- Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
- 24/7 Emergency telephone support from our office
- Travel to Glasgow / from Pitlochry
- Car hire (we can arrange this for you if needed)
- Lunches, dinners, drinks & snacks
- Personal equipment
- Travel insurance (required)
- Additional nights along the route
- Car hire (we can arrange this for you if needed)
When To Go
Please note that Skye is exceptionally popular throughout the summer months. As a result it may be necessary to book upgraded accommodations and/or taxi transfers to accommodate your dates. Your specialist will inform you of this prior to confirming your booking and advise of any supplement payable.
This drive-hike tour is best enjoyed between March and October, and you can start on any day of the week.
Getting to the Start
By Air:
Located 8 miles west of Glasgow, the international airport is served by routes from around Britain and the world. A regular shuttle bus service runs to the city centre. If you fly into Edinburgh Airport, it is a tram journey into the city centre, then change for a train to Glasgow, or there is a citylink bus service, taking just one hour, which connects the two.
For further information regarding public transport in Scotland, please see the excellent Traveline Scotland website for timetables and fares.
By Road:
Glasgow is served by an excellent motorway network.
By Coach:
Services from UK destinations are operated by National Express
Services from Scottish destinations are operated by Scottish Citylink
Getting from the End
Pitlochry is around 1h45 by road or under 2 hours by train from Edinburgh. Alternatively, Glasgow is 1h35 by road or 1h40 by train from Pitlochry.
General Information
The distances and ascent/ descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
Travel Insurance
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Glasgow and overnight Day 2 Callander and the Trossachs 3 miles / 5 km Day 3 Travel through the Highlands to Fort William Day 4 Walking in Glen Nevis or hike Ben Nevis 2.1 miles / 3.5 km Day 5 Drive the "Road to the Isles" to arrive on Skye 7 miles / 11 km Day 6 The Quiraing or free day in Portree 4 miles / 6.5 km Day 7 Ferry to Tarbert and walking on Harris 3.2 miles / 5.3 km Day 8 Drive to Lewis and walk among the Callanish Standing Stones 2.2 miles / 3.7 km Day 9 Butt of Lewis Walk 3.7 miles / 6.1 km Day 10 Journey from Lewis to the mainland, Ullapool Hill Path Walk 6.5 miles / 10.5 km Day 11 Ullapool and the Braes Walk 5 miles / 8 km Day 12 Drive south to Inverness Day 13 Discover the forests of Perthshire, Ben Vrackie Walk 5.5 miles / 9 km Day 14 Onward TravelBlog Articles
The Macs Adventure Way
-
Tried & Tested Adventures
-
Freedom
-
Book With Confidence
-
Expertise
-
Positive Impact
- Knowledgeable and helpful friendly specialist adventure planners
- Wide variety of trips to suit all interests and experience levels
- Start on any date that suits you
- Choose your ideal trip length and difficulty
- Range of accommodation options
- Choice of trip styles
- Choose your own travel companions
- Walk, cycle and explore at your own pace
- Make your own decisions
- Choose your own path
- Indulge your passions
- 15,000+ unbiased trip & service reviews
- Feefo Platinum Award 2022
- As featured in the Guardian, National Geographic Traveller, and more
- Founder owned & operated since 2003
- Passionate team members based in the US, the UK & Europe
- 100% Financial Protection
- "Peace of Mind Guarantee" means no worries if you need to change your plans
- Meticulously planned adventures
- Quality, hand-picked accommodation
- Seamless and reliable arrangements
- Comprehensive trip information & insider tips
- Detailed maps, route notes and mobile GPS app
- Helpful 24/7 support should you need it
- Travel responsibly
- Explore off the beaten track
- Support locally owned businesses
- Engage with local communities
- Minimise your impact
- Maximise the benefit of your travel
- Challenge yourself & grow