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Guided Winter Walking Holiday - Cairngorms, Scotland

An incredible opportunity to explore the winter wilderness of the Scottish Highlands on this small group guided walking holiday, based in the Cairngorms National Park - with the expertise of a Winter Mountain Leader to provide a fun and safe adventure!

Experience Type: Multi-Day Experience
Duration: 5 nights
Accommodation: Hostel
Group Size: Maximum 8
Pickup Location: Glasgow or Aviemore
Level: Tough (Winter) - no previous experience of winter walking is required, but you will need a good level of hill-walking fitness
Age: 18+
Dogs: No dogs, except trained assistance dogs

In a Nutshell:

  • Learn the skills needed to walk safely and comfortably in the mountains in winter, with full and expert guidance from a Winter Mountain Leader throughout.

  • Enjoy 4 full days of sociable winter walking through the magnificent mountain scenery of the Cairngorms National Park - one of Britain’s wildest places - and an extra leg-stretch on the final day’s shorter walk.

  • Relax and let us worry about the logistics - with transport provided; comfortable hostel accommodation and breakfast each morning to re-charge; packed lunches on full walking days; and group dinners arranged at local eateries.

 

Book today…

The perfect opportunity to experience a UK winter walking holiday - exploring the Cairngorms National Park with a qualified and experienced guide to lead the way and teach you their top tips…

Tempted to explore the mountains when they're under a beautiful blanket of snow, or get out and tackle some peaks during the depths of winter? Based in Aviemore in the Cairngorms National Park, this 5-night winter walking experience will see you do just that!

You’ll head out each day with a Winter Mountain Leader and a small group (maximum 8) of fellow walkers to hike through breathtaking landscapes. On carefully plotted routes, you’ll enjoy an experience truly like no other. You don’t need any previous winter walking experience for this trip, but you will need a good level of hill-walking fitness and to be comfortable spending up to 8 hours per day out in the mountains, potentially in freezing conditions.

You’ll be introduced to the skills and techniques you’ll need to walk safely and comfortably in lower temperatures and with ice or snow to contend with, learning how to use the provided specialist equipment like crampons and ice axes. We’ll keep a lookout for highland wildlife too, such as Ptarmigan, Mountain Hare, Golden Eagle and Snow Bunting.

Based in a comfortable hostel, there are single, twin and shared rooms on offer, subject to availability. Breakfasts and packed lunches are provided to keep everyone fuelled up and we’ll sample great food at pubs/restaurants each evening (at participants’ own expense).

A helmet, snow goggles, crampons and ice axe are provided for the duration of the experience but we do not provide or lend you crampon-compatible walking boots. You must bring your own or pre-arrange hire of them - please see the Compulsory Kit List section below.

 

Suggested Itinerary

Here’s what we’ve got planned - of course, we may have to offer alternatives or make amendments if the weather misbehaves or other unexpected situations arise!

  • Today is mostly about travelling to Aviemore and getting to know each other. You’re welcome to make your own way to Aviemore, or we offer a Pickup from Glasgow city centre at 10am or Glasgow International Airport at 10:15am. If you are making your own way to the accommodation in Aviemore, you can arrive anytime from 5pm.

    If you are hiring B-rated boots or any other kit in Aviemore, this is the day you must collect it. Please see the Compulsory Kit List section below for full details.

    Once the group is all together, our focus will be on settling in at our hostel accommodation and getting to know fellow winter walkers over some good local fare - heading out for dinner (not included) as a group around 7-8pm.

  • Today is our training day. The aim is to walk out onto a nearby mountain, covering set skills related to walking safely on snow and ice, including the use of crampons and an ice axe. You’ll learn how to keep safe in the mountains in winter and about environmental conditions to watch out for.

    We’ll be out in the mountains all day today, heading back to the hostel to relax and freshen up. Then we’ll pop into town to enjoy dinner together (not included) before a good sleep, so we’re ready for more winter skills and walking in the Cairngorms tomorrow.

  • Now that we’ve learned the essentials of winter mountain walking and got to grips with all the kit, we’ll head out each day to walk safely through the magical winter surroundings. There are a huge number of walking opportunities to choose from, so we’ll decide on the route to take depending on the weather of the day, and the group’s preferences and confidence.

    Possible walks and routes include:

    Cairn Gorm - summiting the 1,244m (4,081 ft) peak – the sixth highest mountain in the UK - itself, which has lent its name to the mountain range and surrounding National Park.

    Lurcher's Crag - which is a fine peak with excellent views all the way to Aviemore, and down into the great valley of the Lairig Ghru.

    Sgor Gaoithm - with its dramatic location right on the edge of a wall of broken crags that sweep down to Loch Einich.

    Glen Feshie - an internationally significant destination for biodiversity, with over 5,000 recorded species and 20% of those being classed as ‘nationally rare’ or ‘scarce’.

    These objectives very much depend on the weather and snow pack conditions - a degree of flexibility is needed at this time of year to keep everyone safe. Even if there’s no snow at all, we’ll still head out and take advantage of the spectacular scenery, wonderful walking and big open space on offer in this area. Whatever happens, we’ll make sure we have four fun and sociable days out walking in the mountains.

    After the adventures of each day, we’ll head back to the hostel to de-boot, before heading out to a local pub or restaurant for dinner (not included). If you prefer, you’re welcome to purchase items from the local shops and cook up a storm in the hostel.

    You’ll grow in confidence with each day of walking and undoubtedly identify areas you’d like to improve or work on, so evenings are a great opportunity to talk through these with your fellow walkers and Large Outdoors host - over a cuppa, glass of your favourite tipple, or whilst sampling of one of neighbouring Speyside’s vast array of famous whiskies, as it’s not all about the homework!

  • This is sadly our last day, but we still want to make the most of it! After breakfast and packing up, we’ll leave the hostel for a final shorter walk, taking one last tour around the astounding landscapes and enjoying a lower-level 2-3 hour hike nearby or on the way south towards Glasgow, depending on the group’s travel plans.

    For those taking advantage of the Pick-up/Drop-off service on this trip, we aim to be back in Glasgow between 3-5pm on the last day and can drop you back in the city centre or at the airport. Please book onward travel accordingly, to allow for flexibility with the return time as we (sadly!) can’t control the traffic.

Essential Information

  • Meeting Time: This will depend on whether you’re taking advantage of our Pickup service (see below), or making your own way to Aviemore.
    If you’re travelling independently to Aviemore, you can arrive at the accommodation any time from 4pm - when the Large Outdoors host will be at the accommodation to welcome you. Alternatively, your host can pop along to the Train Station to collect you from there if you’re arriving via train/bus after 4pm. Dinner will be booked around 7-8pm, so if you intend to arrive later than this please ensure you have something to eat on the way.

    Accommodation Address - if making your own way to Aviemore:
    Aviemore Youth Hostel (SYHA)
    25 Grampian Road
    Aviemore
    PH22 1PR

    Pickups (Day 1): when booking you can let us know which of the two Pickup locations below you’d like to be collected from.

    Glasgow City Centre (Hotel) 10am at the ibis Styles Glasgow Central, 116 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 7DN. Please note: a discount code for this hotel is available if you plan to stay in Glasgow the night before/after the trip - details will be shown on your booking confirmation email.

    Glasgow International Airport 10:15am at the Pick-up & Drop-off area located outside the main terminal building in Car Park 2.

    Returning to Glasgow (Day 6): If you are taking advantage of our Pickup service, we will also return you to Glasgow on the final day. We aim to be back in Glasgow between 3-5pm and can drop you back in the city centre or at the airport. Please book onward travel accordingly, to allow for flexibility with the return time to the city centre or airport - we (sadly!) can’t control the traffic.

  • We will stay at the SYHA’s Aviemore Youth Hostel for this winter walking adventure. It’s just a short stroll into town and to Aviemore Train Station and right next door to Craigellachie National Nature Reserve. We’ll be sharing the social spaces with other outdoor enthusiasts - there’s a spacious lounge area with woodland and mountain views, large self-catering kitchen (where we’ll grab breakfast and make up our packed lunches) and a handy a drying room.

    Bedding and a towel is provided - but don’t forget your own toiletries.

    Accommodation Address:
    Aviemore Youth Hostel (SYHA)
    25 Grampian Road
    Aviemore
    PH22 1PR

    Room Types:
    You can book one of the following options, subject to availability:
    Bed in a Shared Female Room
    Bed in a Shared Male Room
    Twin Room (bunk beds, shared bathroom)
    Single Room (shared bathroom)

    Rooms at Aviemore Youth Hostel include Shared Rooms, where you’ll be sharing a dorm room - usually with bunk beds - with other participants (room sizes of up to three per room and bathrooms are shared). There are also some Twin Rooms - with bunk beds - which sleep up to two participants booking together (bathrooms are shared). Single Rooms are for one participant and have a single bed (bathrooms are shared).

  • Please see our Winter Walking Kit List.

    The compulsory items are selected for your safety, which is of paramount importance to us at Large Outdoors. Each participant should have the items listed.

    A helmet, snow goggles, crampons and ice axe are provided for the duration of the experience but we DO NOT provide or lend you suitable winter and crampon-compatible - known as B-rated - walking boots.

    You must bring your own B-rated boots or pre-arrange hire of them, which is available from a number of outdoor kit specialists.
    We suggest hiring from Tiso Aviemore Outdoor Experience as we can pop over there with you when we arrive in Aviemore. Please ensure you book any hire items for collection on Day 1 of the trip and return on Day 6 of the trip!

    You can also hire B-rated boots online from OutdoorHire for delivery to your home ahead of the trip. You’ll receive a 10% discount code for boot hire from OutdoorHire when booking on this trip.

    See John’s video below for more information about B-rated boots.

  • Included:

    • Pickup from and return back to Glasgow - see the Meeting Location & Time section above.

    • Travel from the accommodation to activity start points and back, where they don’t start from the door.

    • 5 nights’ hostel accommodation.

    • A Large Outdoors host/guide to welcome you, deal with meal preparation and logistics for your experience.

    • Guided walks on 5 days (Days 2-6).

    • Training in the use of crampons and ice axe, and skills for walking safely and confidently in mountain environments in the winter.

    • Helmet, snow goggles, crampons and ice axe for the duration of the experience.

    • A DIY breakfast each morning (toast, cereals, fruit and yoghurt provided).

    • A DIY packed lunch (sandwich and snacks) for Days 2-5. Please ensure you bring a lunch box or dry bag - to reduce waste, we do not supply cling film or sandwich bags.

    • Tea (including decaf and herbal options), coffee (including decaf option), and squash at the accommodation.

    • Bedding and a towel - but don’t forget your own toiletries.

    • The chance to make new friends and meet like-minded people - Large Outdoors is all about making outdoor adventures sociable.

    • Pre-event support from the Large Outdoors team - give us a shout if there’s any advice or information you need and check out our Blog for useful articles too.

    Not Included:

    • Travel to and from the meeting location.

    • B-rated boots - you must bring your own or pre-arrange hire - see the Compulsory Kit List section above.

    • Dinner each evening - we’ll have a table booked at the accommodation to enjoy dinner as a group and you can purchase whatever you fancy from the menu available. Alternatively, you can always make use of the hostel’s self-catering kitchen, purchasing food from Aviemore’s supermarkets/shops.

    • Any extra (i.e. not mentioned above in ‘Included’) excursions or activities that you may partake in which incur a cost.

    • Bottled water - tap water and squash are available at the accommodation, so please ensure you bring sufficient water bottles or carriers to fill up and take out with you.

    • Alcoholic drinks - there’ll be opportunities to pick up some local tipples during the trip and the hostel usually sells a small selection.

    • Any food, drinks or goods you choose to purchase at any shops, restaurant, pubs or cafés visited.

    • Travel/activity insurance - we recommend having insurance to cover, at a minimum: cancellation and curtailment; medical and emergency expenses (including repatriation); personal accident; injury and death.

  • • What level of fitness is needed?
    This experience is rated as Tough (Winter Walking). You don’t need any previous winter walking experience for this trip, but you will need a good level of hill-walking fitness and to be comfortable spending up to 8 hours per day out in the mountains, potentially in freezing conditions. Click here to see Large Outdoors’ Experience Levels.

    • Can I attend on my own?
    Absolutely. The majority of our participants are solo travellers and adventurers. Plenty of fun, laughter and numerous long-term friendships (and a few marriages!) have begun on Large Outdoors experiences since 2008, so there’s no need to feel worried about your first experience, or indeed trying a new type of outdoor activity, with us.

    • I am currently on a specific diet / have an allergy - can you cater for me?
    Unfortunately, we are generally unable to cater for a wide variety of diets or food preferences due to the nature and cost of our catered trips and/or the use of shared kitchens. However, we can offer vegetarian meals, vegan meals, provide meals with gluten* free ingredients, and/or provide dairy* free meals - these options can be selected when booking. Please see our general FAQs for more information about dietary options.

    This particular experience offers a little more flexibility catering wise, as evening meals are taken at local restaurants, so please contact us if you’d like to check whether it is suitable for your dietary needs.

    • What transport is provided during this trip?
    We offer transport with a Pickup and return service (see Meeting Location & Time section above) and transfers from the accommodation to the activity start points.

    • Can I bring my dog?
    Dogs are not allowed on this experience, except for trained assistance dogs. If you wish to bring your trained assistance dog, please let us know in advance of booking so we can discuss the itinerary and any activity/equipment/accommodation, and of course additional safety requirements or considerations that may be necessary.

  • The Cairngorms mountain range lies in the eastern highlands of Scotland, accessible from Aberdeen and Inverness and containing the highest continuous land in Britain. Ben MacDui is the second highest mountain in the country, and alongside the mountains are countless lakes, rivers, forested valleys and remote settlements. As well as the high peaks, there are a huge number of shorter walks, and easier summits.

    The Cairngorms National Park covers all the central mountains and extends a long way around them to cover the hills of Lochnagar, over to the Drummochter Pass, and north to the Monadhliath Mountains. The central Cairngorm plateau, where the main peaks reside, is a giant dome of granite, making it popular with climbers, while the height and climate actually make the Cairngorms an Arctic ecosystem, playing host to a unique ecology of plants and animals.

 

This map is provided for guidance regarding the general location. For detailed meeting information, please refer to the 'Meeting Time & Location' section.