Plan your Wild Scottish Adventure with travel blogger Kathi Kamleitner

When I moved to Scotland in 2013, I had no idea that 8 years later I would have turned my passion for my new home into my career. But here I am. A travel writer from Austria who fell in love with the Scottish mountains and people. I moved here for a one-year degree at university and never left. After writing for many other publications, I started documenting my travels around the country on my own blog Watch Me See. I quickly realised that there was so much to do and see in Scotland, I wanted to help people from around the world go beyond the usual tourist hotspots and experience the country to the fullest.

Over the years, my passion grew from a humble travel blog to a thriving tourism business. In addition to writing travel guides for Scottish regions, I work with local brands and destinations to promote their areas - especially those that are off the beaten path. I also work with travellers directly to create bespoke itineraries for them, uniquely matching their interests, travel style and sometimes Clan history. Once I had a client who wanted to explore the lands of his ancestors, the Clan Maclachlan. It was so much fun researching an area and history I didn’t know too much about in advance. He and his wife had a fantastic time exploring the Cowal peninsula. I visited one of the locations on their itinerary a year later, the ruins of Old Castle Lachlan - a hidden gem you would never come across unless you know what you’re looking for.

In 2021, during the pandemic, I launched Wild for Scotland, an immersive storytelling podcast for adults with travel stories from all over Scotland. Call me a jack of all trades. If there is a way to spread my love for Scotland - I’ll do it!

How long to stay where? How many stops are feasible in a day? What’s the deal with ferries? And how long does it really take to drive across the country?

These questions are some of the most common I get asked. I’d like to think that planning trips is my superpower. And I don’t just mean finding great places to visit, but figuring out the logistics. Some people might find that part of trip planning overwhelming - I eat logistics for breakfast. It’s all about squeezing the most out of your time without overloading your itinerary.

Here are three of my top tips for planning your trip:

• Prioritise you: Think about what you want to experience while you’re in Scotland and what’s really important to you.
• Slow down and stay: The country looks so tiny on the map, but driving times can be quite long. I recommend you slow down and spend at least 2 nights in most locations - especially if you’d like to have time for activities and tours.
• Go off the beaten path: Popular places are busy for a reason - they are beautiful. But if you don’t want to share each view with crowds, look for regions that are lesser-known.
  

And if you’d like to incorporate your Clan history in your trip, start there. First, research the areas you want to visit to walk in the footsteps of your ancestors and then, choose additional regions to compliment your route. There are many historical societies and tour companies that can help you create a bespoke itinerary focussing on your Clan history, but you may also just want to sprinkle a few locations throughout your trip.

Whenever I plan an itinerary, I try to leave plenty of time for activities. Hiking and boat tours, renting bikes or stand-up paddle boards, a tour with a local guide or a spin in a sea kayak. Some of my favourite experiences in Scotland have been these wild adventures.

It’s hard picking favourites, but some of my favourite wild trips in the past have been:

• Hiking the Hebridean Way across 10 islands of the Outer Hebrides. It takes about 2 weeks in total, but you could also cycle it or hike day sections during a road trip. If I had to choose a section to recommend, it would be the stretch along the Coffin Road and Minister’s Path on Harris.
• Sea kayaking on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, a rugged and remote part of Scotland that is overlooked by many travellers. The water is crystal clear and there is an abundance of wildlife around. This is as off the beaten path as it goes.
• Climbing the Via Ferrata in Kinlochleven near Glencoe. Not one for the faint-hearted, but an excellent half-day activity for anyone who loves to climb up waterfalls and isn’t scared of heights.

• Stargazing in the Galloway Forest Park. The area is a Dark Sky Park and has almost no light pollution in the sky - the amount of stars you can see here is incredible. I recommend hiring a guide to show you the constellations in the sky and let you look through an astronomical telescope.
• Hiring a bike to cycle along the Caledonian Canal. Stopping for a few hours in Fort Augustus was the perfect way to explore the Caledonian Canal going south to Loch Oich.
• Hiking in the Angus Glens, one of the lesser known areas of the Cairngorms National Park. Each glen offers a different array of walks for all levels, from simple explorers to challenging Munros.
• A boat trip to the Treshnish Isles to spot puffins on Lunga. Do I need to say more?

To me, adventure is what you make it - whether you plan a 3-week solo hike through the Scottish Highlands, or a taster session of an activity you’ve never tried before. It doesn’t have to be extreme to get you out of your comfort zone - but it will always be a highlight of your trip.