Experience the Wilderness in safe hands.
Alison and her husband, Ken are qualified Mountain Leaders offering guided high and low-level walks across the Highlands for new and experienced walkers alike. Their aim is to give their customers the very best experience and their local knowledge can take you to many beautiful spots that you probably wouldn’t find on your own. During a guided walk, you are able to tap into the extensive local knowledge your guide has accumulated over years of experience, from identifying birds or plants on your travels, to local history and pointing out special sites of interest.
We met with Alison to ask a little more about what they offer at Highland Wild Walks and why it’s good to use a guide in unfamiliar terrain…
Alison, so many of our guests love to come and walk locally as it’s such a beautiful part of the country to explore, why would you recommend taking a guided tour as opposed to trying out a walk detailed online?
"There are lots of advantages to going with a guide. Firstly we have that all important local knowledge to plan a route which meets the clients needs, and we understand the local weather. Folk often forget that although it can feel quite pleasant down in glens where we live, it can be snowing on the tops, or the wind speeds can be very high so we will plan routes taking predicted weather into account.
We look after all the navigation, leaving clients free to enjoy the views, and we have lots of knowledge about flora and fauna which we love to share as we go along, not to mention local history. And we also carry any safety equipment appropriate to the walk. This means that despite the physical exertion of the walk, clients can mentally relax, which is often why folk come to the Highlands - to relax and recharge their batteries in beautiful surroundings."
This rich local knowledge is evident when speaking to Alison as she reels off walking options in the area, some of which were new to us. Can you give us a idea of where you would take us if we wanted to get off the beaten track, panoramic views, waterfalls or lochs, we want it all…
"The Highlands are full of beautiful places, and where we take you may depend on the weather and your experience. Our favourite area is definitely Assynt for amazing views, waterfalls, lochs, and being off the beaten track - best appreciated in good weather though! The weather tends to be drier further east, so we also have some lovely mountain walks in the Cairngorms that we love to take clients to, not to mention our local Munro (mountain over 3000ft) Ben Wyvis, but really up here we are spoiled for choice.
We also have some amazing lower level walks that get us into some stunning mountain scenery without climbing big hills, such as the Tea House walk from Achnashellach And of course we have gentler walks which may suit folk who haven't done a lot of walking, from our local hill Fyrish just behind Assynt House, to some walks with lots of local history interest such as our Burns, Brochs and Castles (well only one castle!) walk. There really is something to suit everyone."
Armed with a plethora of items to keep you safe, Alison takes the safety of her fellow walkers seriously, from spare hats and gloves to foil bags for emergency use, sunscreen and a summit bothy (a pole-less tent to keep you warm in difficult situations). You can tell that safety is of the upmost importance.
By the time we had finished speaking with Alison, we were inspired to join her on an adventure sometime soon and know this will be such an exciting addition to our activity offerings for our guests.
“We love our cake, so at the end of the walk when we get back to our vehicle, we usually have tea / coffee and cake available to replenish the energy levels.”
Alison takes low level walks for groups of 6 and mountain walks for groups of 4, larger groups can be accommodated with husband, Ken, transport is also available. If you would like to know more about how Highland Wild Walks can assist you during your stay at Assynt House and tailor a walk just to suit you, don’t hesitate to get in touch. www.highlandwildwalks.uk