Get Out of the City & Head for the Hills
Today’s Traveler Wants New Adventure, Unique Experience
The Signal - Business Section, August, 2006
It happens to all experienced travelers. You visit a destination, explore the surrounding cities, see the famous sights, and go back again next year. But then what?
Rather than give in to the been-there-done-that syndrome, travelers everywhere are trying new things when they hit the road. They are heading away from the big city experience, instead seeking some fresh air and outdoor activities. The fun lies in the exploration. As a result, many vacationers are turning to soft adventures for a new way to see a destination they have visited before.
One tour company is meeting this demand in a creative and entertaining way. Brendan Worldwide Vacations offers a variety of adventures throughout the world. A new tour I recently took with Brendan Vacations is called WalkAbout Scotland, and that is precisely what we did. Our small group of 10, including the guide who doubles as the driver, hiked the hills and countryside of the Scottish Highlands. We WalkedAbout Scotland.
Not a rugged trek, but a comfortable walk along the winding trails over the hills and through the marshes appropriate for travelers of all ages and fitness levels. This was not roughing it at all, at night we stayed at lovely inns and a manor house with hot showers, warm meals and soft beds.
You can fly from Southern California to Scotland with a single connection. After a few days of exploring Edinburgh, we drove 2.5 hours north to the highlands. Our diverse group was led by an experienced guide who took charge of the maps and determined the hiking routes that met our needs and ambitions for the day. Brendan Vacations purposefully keeps these tours small in size so things stay flexible and personalized based on what people want to do and experience.
Since Scotland has extensive daylight hours, starting at sun-up around 4 AM lasting to sundown after 10:30 PM, we had a diverse schedule of hikes and walks – once we ventured to the highest peak of Scotland, Ben Nevis at over 4,000 feet – and a few shorter treks along the hillsides. One morning just for fun we did a 6 AM before breakfast walkabout. Each day we tailor-made our hiking schedule based on the weather, our mood and desire.
When many of us envision Scotland, we think of old stone castles, foggy, damp marshes, bagpipes and kilts. All true and picture-postcard perfect. But during my adventure, the weather in Scotland was anything but misty and cloudy. The days were sunny and clear. The sheep on the hillside surrounding us were the biggest indicator that we were actually in the Scottish Highlands. Even the panoramic view, normally shrouded in fog, was unexpected and amazing.
Located in northern section of Scotland, the highlands is a diversely populated destination with local Scots, visiting Europeans and a few trekking Americans. While truly unique and beautiful, the highlands have not yet caught on as a major American tourist destination so the area remains pleasantly under-Americanized.
Tell me it doesn’t get any better than this. After a day spent hiking the hills we came off the trail by way of the pub. Outside the big cities and away from the traditional high-traffic sights of Scotland, we had the perfect ending to an experience that was anything but the routine been-there-done-that vacation.
For more information
contact Nicole Stinson, Public Relations
(310) 312-3368
