Basics - The Rough Guide to Scotland - page 39

Hebridean Pursuits T 01631 720002, W hebrideanpursuits
.com. Offers hillwalking and rock climbing in the Hebrides and West
Highlands, as well as surf-kayaking and sailing trips.
Nae Limits T 08450 178177, W naelimits.co.uk. This excellent
Perthshire-based operator offers everything from wet 'n' wild rafting to
bug canyoning and cliff jumping.
North-West Frontiers T 01997 421474, W nwfrontiers.com.
Based in Ullapool, offering guided mountain trips with small groups in
the northwest Highlands, Hebrides and even the Shetland Islands.
Rua Reidh Lighthouse Holidays T 01445 771263, W ruareidh
.co.uk. From its spectacular northwest location, this company offers
guided walks highlighting wildlife, rock-climbing courses and week-long
treks into the Torridon hills.
Vertical Descents T 01855 821593, W verticaldescents.com.
Ideally located for the Glencoe and Fort William area, activities and
courses include canyoning, “funyakking” (a type of rafting) and climbing.
Walkabout Scotland T 08456 861344 W walkaboutscotland
.com. A great way to get a taste of hiking in Scotland, from exploring Ben
Lomond to the Isle of Arran. Guided day and weekend walking trips from
Edinburgh with all transport included.
Wilderness Scotland T 01479 420020, W wildernessscotland
.com. Guided, self-guided and customized adventure holidays, and trips
that focus on exploring the remote and unspoiled parts of Scotland by
foot, bike, sea-kayak, yacht and even on skis.

try Adventure Scotland or G2 Outdoor (see p.425).
Also check out the Huntly Nordic and Outdoor
Centre in Huntly, Aberdeenshire ( T 01466 794428,
W nordicski.co.uk/hnoc). For equipment hire, sales
or advice for Nordic and ski mountaineering
equipment, contact Mountain Spirit ( T 01479
811788, W mountainspirit.co.uk) located at the
southern entrance to Aviemore village.

Pony trekking and horse-riding
There are approximately sixty pony trekking or riding
centres across the country, most approved by either
the Trekking and Riding Society of Scotland (TRSS;
W ridinginscotland.com) or the British Horse Society
(BHS; W bhs.org.uk). As a rule, any centre will offer the
option of pony trekking , hacking and trail riding . In
addition, a network of special horse-and-rider B&Bs
means you can ride independently on your own horse.
The Buccleuch Country Ride , a three to four day,
57-mile-long route using private tracks, open country
and quiet bridleways was the first route of its kind to be
opened in Scotland. For more information about this,
and the B&B network for riders, contact the Scottish
Borders Tourist Board, or visit W buccleuch.com.

Winter sports
Skiing and snowboarding take place at five
different locations in Scotland - Glen Coe, the Nevis
Range beside Fort William, Glen Shee, the Lecht and
the Cairngorms near Aviemore. The resorts can go
for months on end through the winter with insu -
cient snow, then see the approach roads suddenly
made impassable by a glut of the stuff. When the
conditions are good, Scotland's ski resorts have
piste and off-piste areas that will challenge even the
most accomplished alpine or cross-country skier.
Expect to pay up to £35 for a standard day-pass at
one of the resorts, or around £110 for a four-day
pass; rental of skis or snowboard comes in at
around £30 per day, with reductions for multi-day
rentals. At weekends, in good weather with decent
snow, expect the slopes to be packed with trippers
from the central belt, although midweek usually
sees queues dissolving. For a comprehensive
rundown of all the resorts, including ticket prices
and conditions, visit W ski.visitscotland.com.
Cross-country skiing (along with the related
telemark or Nordic skiing) is becoming increasingly
popular in the hills around Braemar near Glenshee
and the Cairngorms. The best way to get started or
to find out about good routes is to contact an
outdoor pursuits company that offers telemark or
Nordic rental and instruction; in the Aviemore area

Cycling and mountain biking

Cycle touring is a great way to see some of the remoter
parts of Scotland and navigate city streets (especially in
Edinburgh). You'll find cycle shops in towns but few
dedicated cycle lanes. In the countryside it can be tricky
finding spare parts unless you are near one of Scotland's
purpose-built mountain-bike trail centres.
Scotland is now regarded as one of the world's
top destinations for off-road mountain biking . The
Forestry Commission has established more than
1150 miles of excellent off-road routes. These are
detailed in numerous “Cycling in the Forest” leaflets,
available from the Commission's Forest Enterprise
o ces (see opposite). Alternatively, get hold of the
Scottish Mountain Biking Guide from tourist informa-
tion centres. Some of the tougher routes are best
attempted on full suspension mountain bikes
although the easier (blue/green) trails can be ridden
on a standard mountain or road bike. Pocket
Mountains also publish a series of compact cycling
guides to the country ( W pocketmountains.com).
For up-to-date information on long-distance
routes, including The Great Glen Cycle Way , along
with a list of publications detailing specific routes,
contact the cyclists campaigning group Sustrans
( W sustrans.co.uk), as well as the other organizations
listed here (see opposite).