WHAT TO EXPECT

CAMP COMFORT

One of the main aims of this adventure is to offer a genuine wild camping experience whilst removing many of the traditional "deal breakers". Whilst the climate of the Braes of Glenlivet is generally drier than many parts of the Highlands, Scottish weather can never be guaranteed.

The heated tipi camp is a real game changer. The Nordic tipis we use stand over 3 metres (10 feet) high, providing ample headroom and a wonderfully spacious interior. At the heart of the camp is a wood-burning stove, creating a warm and inviting space where guests can relax, socialise and enjoy the full camp experience whatever the weather. The combination of dry heat and breathable, weatherproof canvas makes it easy to dry clothing and equipment overnight, while seating around the stove provides a cosy focal point for camp life.

With Yogi and Swift carrying the camping equipment, guests need carry little more than a day sack, allowing them to enjoy the journey without the burden of a heavy backpack. The pack horses also enable us to create a truly self-contained camp, complete with comfortable sleeping arrangements, hearty meals and even freshly baked bread from the camp stove. Throughout the trip, Leave No Trace principles underpin everything we do, allowing us to enjoy these special places while leaving them as we found them.

Travelling with pack horses and living from a mobile camp offers a rare opportunity to experience a style of journey that has changed little over the centuries. Combined with the warmth and comfort of the tipi, it creates a unique blend of adventure, self-reliance and Highland hospitality.

Sleeping arrangements are designed with comfort in mind. Deep insulated mattresses can be inflated to your preferred firmness and are made up with fitted sheets and cosy down duvets, providing a remarkably comfortable night's sleep beneath canvas. There is also the opportunity to enjoy a warm camp shower at the end of each day, together with the convenience of a camp toilet.After a day exploring the hills, there are few greater pleasures than returning to camp, enjoying a hearty meal, relaxing around the stove and settling in for the night as smoke drifts gently from the tipi chimney and the horses graze nearby.

THE SCENERY:

We visit a secluded corner of the Cairngorms National Park that remains largely undiscovered by the majority of visitors. The sense of space and tranquillity is remarkable, and it is not uncommon to spend a day in the hills and encounter no more people than the fingers on one hand.This is a landscape of striking contrasts: ancient woodlands, rolling farmland, wide-open moorland and steep heather-clad mountain slopes. Steeped in history and rich in wildlife, the Braes of Glenlivet offer a glimpse of a quieter, less-visited side of the Highlands.

THE NATURE:

The varied landscape of the Braes of Glenlivet supports a rich diversity of wildlife. The rivers and streams are home to Dippers and Grey Wagtails, while the surrounding farmland provides habitat for Curlew, Lapwing and Oystercatcher. As we venture higher into the hills, Golden Plover become a familiar companion, their haunting calls adding to the atmosphere of the open moorland.The heather moors and mountain slopes support Red Deer, Mountain Hares and Red Grouse, while the skies overhead are regularly patrolled by Buzzards, Ravens and occasionally Golden Eagles. During the summer months, the hills are brightened by a colourful display of wildflowers, whilst cloudberry, blaeberry and mountain cranberry can all be found growing amongst the heather.The area is also a stronghold for many of the species that make the Highlands so special. With relatively few visitors and a peaceful, unhurried pace of travel, there is ample opportunity to pause, observe and appreciate the wildlife and natural history of this remarkable corner of the Cairngorms National Park.

Leave no Trace principles, of course, underpin the whole trip.

SCHEDULED DEPARTURES

Scheduled departures operate with a minimum of four participants and a maximum of eight.

Minimum age for scheduled departures is 10 years.

PRIVATE DEPARTURES

Private departures for solo travellers, couples, families and small groups are available. Reduced rates for children may be available on private family departures, depending on the size and composition of the group. Please contact us for a bespoke quotation. Families with children aged 7–10 years are welcome to enquire about private departures. Participation will be assessed on an individual basis, taking into account previous outdoor and walking experience.

Please contact us direct for availability and a bespoke quotation on either + 44 1479 831 331 or email: [email protected].

Day 1: Arrival

We ask guests to aim to arrive at Fraoch Lodge between 5.00pm and 7.00pm where possible, allowing time to settle in before enjoying one of Rebecca's delicious home-cooked evening meals, served at around 7.30pm.

If you are travelling by train, we will be happy to collect you from Aviemore Railway Station, just 10 minutes from the lodge. Guests arriving on the direct service from London King's Cross, which reaches Aviemore at around 7.30pm, need not worry—we will gladly hold dinner back for you.For those arriving by air, transfers from Inverness Airport can also be arranged at an additional cost should flight schedules make it difficult to arrive in time for dinner by public transport.

The evening provides an opportunity to meet your fellow guests, discuss the adventure ahead and relax before the journey into the hills begins the following morning.

Day 2:

After breakfast at Fraoch Lodge, we make the 45-minute journey to the secluded backwater of Glenlivet. Far from the reach of authority, this was one of the last strongholds of Catholicism in Scotland and the birthplace of fine whisky, where illicit distillers discovered that time spent maturing in oak casks transformed raw spirit into something far more refined.This is where you'll meet our trusty pack horses, Swift and Yogi.

We fit them with some of the finest pack saddles available, carefully load and secure our equipment, and then we're ready to set off.Leaving the wooded confines of the car park behind, we follow the beautiful River Livet through a landscape of pasture and woodland, with the heather-clad Ladder Hills rising dramatically beyond. Crossing the river, we soon strike out along good tracks across open moorland.With every step the sense of space grows. The landscape opens out, and the feeling of remoteness steadily increases. We enter a land ringing with the sound of Curlews, Oystercatchers and Lapwings.

Ahead of us, our destination gradually reveals itself amongst the sweeping hills and wide Highland skies.After another stream crossing (guests can use the bridge) we arrive at a stone walled enclosure and a quaint bothy that is our camp. The bags and saddles are quickly removed and it’s all hands to the deck to pitch camp. In one direction the views sweep out over the farmland that are Braes of Glenlivet, in the other the steep flanks rise to the mountain tops.

The remainder of the afternoon can be spent simply enjoying camp life, watching the horses graze and settling into the rhythm of the Highlands, or joining your guide for a gentle walk to explore the area's wildlife, history and landscape.

For the brave, a refreshing dip in the nearby stream pool provides the perfect way to round off the afternoon.As the evening draws in, we gather around the warmth of the wood-burning stove to enjoy a delicious home-prepared meal and the unique atmosphere of camp life. As the evening comes to an end the stove is fuelled up for the night and you retire to your cosy camp bed.

Walk-in Statistics: 6.2 km and 130m of ascent with very gentle gradients on tracks and foot paths. Approximately 2:30 hrs of walking excluding breaks, photo stops, etc.

Day 3:

The day begins with the stove being rekindled and the coffee brewed. After a hearty bowl of porridge, we set off into the hills. Depending on the weather and the aspirations of the group, today's objective is often one of the nearby 2,500-foot-plus summits.

The straightforward ascent takes us through a landscape of heather, cloudberry, blaeberry and mountain cranberry before we arrive in the realm of the Golden Plover, its haunting call lending a lonely atmosphere to the mountain tops. As we gain height, views open out across neighbouring hills, and then once we crest the ridge across Speyside to the Moray Firth and the hills beyond.

Our route continues along a broad ridge, high above the surrounding landscape and offering an almost bird's-eye view of our camp far below. The going is easy as we cross a tightly wind-cropped carpet of mountain tundra before beginning a gentle descent. Lower down, the gradient briefly steepens and the heather deepens before the terrain relents and an easy walk leads us back to camp.A welcoming cup of tea awaits, along with time to relax, enjoy the camp atmosphere and reflect on the day's adventure.

Walk Statistics: 13.5 Km with 500m of ascent on mainly on tracks and wind cropped vegetation with a little walking through deeper heather. Approximately 5 hours walking excluding breaks, photo stops, etc.

Day 4:

After a leisurely breakfast, we begin the process of striking camp and packing our equipment. The bags are carefully loaded and finely balanced before being secured to Yogi and Swift, ready for the journey home.Our return route follows a different line, leading us across open moorland and rolling farmland before descending once more to the beautiful River Livet. With the horses carrying the load and the mountains behind us, there is time to reflect on the adventure and enjoy one last taste of this remarkable corner of the Highlands.

On our return journey, there is the opportunity to stop in Tomintoul, the highest village in the Highlands, for an ice cream or a visit to the Whisky Castle, one of Scotland's oldest whisky shops, renowned for its exceptional range of independent bottlings and a fitting finale to our time in Glenlivet.

We round off the day with the return journey to Fraoch Lodge, where Cake O'Clock and a welcome cup of tea await. After a refreshing shower, it's time to relax and enjoy one of Rebecca's delicious home-cooked evening meals.

Walk Statistics: 7.7Km with 58m of ascent on tracks and footpaths. Approximately 3 hours walking excluding breaks, photo stops, etc.

Day 5 Departure:

After breakfast, it is time to say farewell. We will be happy to transfer you to Aviemore Railway Station for your onward journey if required.Should you wish to spend a little longer exploring the Highlands, additional nights at Fraoch Lodge may be available—please enquire for details.