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Solo travel to the Wilds of Scotland

Posted by on

I am so excited to be returning to Scotland for the first time in 30 years! I will be doing it solo too, so I have questions...

My interests are around nature/hiking and seeing the isles which I missed last time. So far my research has brought me to St. Hilda Sea Adventure cruises in the Hebrides. They look interesting because I can combine nature, hiking and the Isles all in one. Also, I'm considering hiring a car ( I drove in Australia for years, so no worries there!) to check out some gardens and historic sights. Flying into Glasgow seems to be the most economical for me.

My questions are:

  1. What are my best choices as a single traveler for accommodation? I'm not big on itineraries and pre-booking but do I need to adjust? I feel from reading these forums that so many people do pre-book out of necessity.
  2. Is taking a 6 to 10 day cruise worth the expense ( working with CDN $ here! ) or can the same be achieved self driving?
  3. Is anyone aware of hiking groups I could join or self guided hiking trips in Scotland and how safe am I hiking alone?

I welcome any suggestions. Travel has changed and I don't want to be hit with any major surprises!

Thank you all in advance for your replies.

Posted by
4160 posts

To begin , some basics - when are your dates ( arrival and departure ) ? Where in Scotland have you visited previously ? A car ( outside of the cities - Glasgow and Edinburgh , is a necessity for me . I am returning to Scotland this coming September , and have a car reserved . Do you have interests in addition to those you have mentioned ? As I am headed for the television to watch the next episode of " Vienna Blood " on PBS , I can respond tomorrow . I think you will get other responses in the meantime . Oh , also get a Rick Steves Scotland guide book for a start . PS - I don't think a cruise is a wise choice here .

Posted by
8777 posts

HF holidays has both guided walking tours and self-guided walking tours. I have a relative that has enjoyed her trips with them so much that I am taking first this summer with guided walking in Cornwall.

Here is the link. You can look at both the guided and self-guided walks. I think with the self-guided, at least someone would notice if you didn't show up at the end of the day.

https://www.hfholidays.co.uk/

Posted by
4684 posts

Hiking alone is only safe if you are experienced. Check local weather forecasts scrupulously and ask local information sources about particular hazards. Not all parts of remote Scotland have cellphone coverage so I would strongly suggest taking a satellite emergency Personal Locator Beacon - just be careful not to activate it by accident.

Posted by
1 posts

Do you use Facebook or Meet Up? You might be able to connect with some walking groups that way. I joined a Facebook group called Scottish Women's Walking Group with the hopes of getting walk ideas and possibly meeting up with local walkers for my Scotland trip later this year. Group members host numerous walks in urban centers and more wild places every week. You do need to be a woman to join this group, but I bet there are similar groups for anyone to join.

Posted by
2 posts

Thank you to all who have responded! I have looked at HF holidays and they look perfect for a single traveller.
Is there anyone out there that has tried a Hedbrides cruise? I mainly want to see the wildlife (puffins and basking sharks) and scenery.
Or can that be achieved on a walking tour?

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