Activities in Central Scotland
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Fife Coastal Path
The tourist office has a list of local walks and also sells OS maps. The Fife Coastal Path, stretching from the Forth Road Bridge to the Tay Bridge (Dundee) – a distance of 78 miles – is a wonderful long-distance walk, but the section between St Andrews and just north of Crail is recommended for experienced walkers (particularly the section between St Andrews and Boarhills), as the path is not as clearly defined and includes tidal and rough terrain. The tourist office has a detailed map.
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Old Course
Golf has been played at St Andrews since the 15th century, and by 1457 it was apparently so popular that James II had to ban it because it was interfering with his troops' archery practice. Few people realise that anyone can play the Old Course, the world's most famous golf course. Although it lies beside the exclusive, all-male Royal & Ancient Golf Club, the Old Course is a public course and is not owned by the club.
Getting a tee-off time is - literally - something of a lottery. Unless you book months in advance, the only chance you have of playing here is by entering a ballot before 14:00 on the day before you wish to play. Be warned that applications by ballot are…
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Bowman’s Tours (Stafford St)
From April to October, Bowman’s Tours offers a Three Isles day-trip (adult/child £49/24.50, 10 hours, daily) from Oban that visits Mull, Iona and Staffa. Note that the crossing to Staffa is weather dependent.
Bowman’s also runs a wildlife tour (adult/child £49/24.50) departing from Oban at 9.50am Sunday to Friday from May to July, and returning to Oban at 8pm. The trip takes in a ferry crossing to Craignure on Mull, travel by coach to Fionnphort, and a cruise around Staffa and the Treshnish Isles, plus two hours ashore on Lunga to visit a puffin colony.
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Bowman’s Tours
From April to October, Bowman’s offers a Three Isles day trip (adult/child £55/27.50, 10 hours, daily) from Oban that visits Mull, Iona and Staffa. Note that the crossing to Staffa is weather dependent. Bowman’s also runs a circular coach tour around Mull (adult/child £20/10).
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Sir Walter Scott Steamship
There’s an excellent 20-mile circular cycle route that links up with the Sir Walter Scott Steamship along Loch Katrine. Following the southern shore of Loch Achray, you reach the pier on Loch Katrine; departures are at 10.30am daily April to October, as well as afternoon departures at 2.30pm on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. The ferry should drop you at Stronachlachar (adult/child one way £6/4.50) at the western end. From Stronachlachar, follow the B829 via Loch Ard to Aberfoyle.
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Mull Wildlife Expeditions
This outfit offers full-day Land Rover tours of the island with the chance of spotting red deer, golden eagles, peregrine falcons, white-tailed sea eagles, hen harriers, otters and perhaps dolphins and porpoises. The cost includes pick-up from your accommodation or from any of the ferry terminals, a picnic lunch and use of binoculars.
The timing of this tour makes it possible as a day-trip from Oban, with pick-up and drop-off at the Craignure ferry.
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Orchill Loch Trout Fishery
If you want to throw a line in and have a good chance of being rewarded for your efforts, drop by Orchill Loch Trout Fishery. The main loch (fly fishing) is regularly stocked with rainbow trout and there’s bait fishing too in a separate pond, particularly good for the kids. A four-hour ticket allows three fish and costs £13.50; a full day allows five fish and is only £22. Orchill is on the backroad between Gleneagles and Braco; access is off the A822 or A823.
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Glenshee Ski Resort
With 36 pistes Glenshee is one of Scotland’s largest skiing areas. When the sun burns through the clouds after a good fall of snow, you'll be in a unique position to drink in the beauty of the country; the skiing isn’t half bad either. The chairlift, which also opens in July and August for walkers and mountain bikers, can whisk you up to 910m, near the top of the Cairnwell (933m).
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Bowman’s Tours
The main operator on Mull, connecting the ferry ports and the island’s main villages. The routes useful for visitors are bus 495 from Craignure to Tobermory (£7 return, one hour, six daily Monday to Friday, four or five Saturday and Sunday) and bus 496 from Craignure to Fionnphort (£11 return, 1¼ hours, three or four daily Monday to Saturday, one Sunday).
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Codona’s Amusement Park
The Esplanade sports several traditional seaside attractions, including Codona’s Amusement Park, complete with stomach-churning waltzers, dodgems, a roller coaster, log flume and haunted house. The adjacent Sunset Boulevard is the indoor alternative, with tenpin bowling, dodgems, arcade games and pool tables.
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Bike Rides
A tourist-office leaflet lists local bike rides, which include a 7-mile Gallanach circular tour, a 16-mile route to the Isle of Seil and routes to Connel, Glenlonan and Kilmore. You can hire mountain bikes from Evo Bikes (566996; 29 Lochside St; ;09:00-17:30 Mon-Sat), opposite Tesco supermarket, for around £15 per day.
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Orkney Islands Day Trip from John O'Groats
11 hours (Departs John O'Groats, United Kingdom)
by Viator
Explore the Orkney Islands on this day trip from John O'Groats. Take the ferry and island hop across the Churchill Barriers to visit Kirkwall, home to the…Not LP reviewed
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Kevin & Christa Byrne
Kevin & Christa Byrne offer customised guided tours on foot or by minibus. There’s also a regular ‘Hidden Colonsay’ walking tour every Saturday in summer; booking essential.
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Sea Eagle Hide
The RSPB runs escorted trips to a viewing hide in Glen Seilisdeir where you can watch white-tailed sea eagles. Tours (£6/3 per adult/child) leave at 10am and 1pm, Monday to Friday, from the B8035 road about a mile north of Tiroran (advance booking essential, by phone or at the Craignure tourist office).
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Turus Mara
Turus Mara runs boat trips from Ulva Ferry in central Mull to Staffa and the Treshnish Isles with an hour ashore on Staffa and two hours on Lunga, where you can see seals, puffins, kittiwakes, razorbills and many other species of seabird.
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Islay Sea Safaris
Can arrange customised tours (£25 to £30 per person per hour) by sea from Port Ellen to visit some or all of Islay and Jura’s distilleries in a single day, as well as birdwatching trips, coastal exploration, and trips to Jura’s remote west coast and the Corryvreckan whirlpool.
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Islay Marine Charters
Based at Port Askaig, offering wildlife cruises through the Sound of Islay (adult/child £16/9) to Ardmore Island to see seals and seabirds, and to Loch Tarbert on Jura (£26/15) where you can spot red deer, wild goats, seals and possibly otters.
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Elie Watersports
Elie Watersports, on the harbour at Elie, hires out windsurfers, sailing dinghies, canoes and mountain bikes, and provides instruction as well.
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Witches Tour
There is a Witches Tour that recounts the history and folklore of St Andrews in an unusual fashion, with tales of ghosts and witches enlivened by theatrical stunts. It starts outside Greyfriars Hotel on North St.
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Sea-kayaking
Based at North Connel, sea-kayaking coach Rowland Woollven (710417; www.rwoollven.co.uk) offers instruction for beginners and guided tours (around £100 for a full day) for more experienced paddlers in the waters around Oban.
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Huntly Peregrine WildWatch Centre
Just off the A96, 3 miles northwest of Huntly, is the Peregrine Wild Watch Centre, a centre where you can observe rare peregrine falcons, both live from a hide and via a remote camera monitoring their nest site.
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Rowland Woollven
Based at North Connel, sea-kayaking coach Rowland Woollven offers instruction for beginners and guided tours, for more experienced paddlers, in the waters around Oban.
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Dunalastair Activity Centre
Dunalastair Activity Centre has a plethora of activities on offer, such as fishing, kayaking (£15), canyoning (£35) and white-water rafting (£35). You can also hire bikes for £15 a day.
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Cycle Hire Callander
The Trossachs is a lovely area to cycle around. Cycle Hire Callander rents bikes for £6 for two hours or £12 for a full day. Child seats are £3. It’s right next to the visitor centre.
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Islay Wilderness Guide
Offers wild food foraging trips, and wildlife safaris by bike or on foot (£30/60 per half-/full day). There are also family bicycle safaris (two adults plus children £60 per half-day) teaching wild camping and cycle touring skills.
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