The Great Trossachs path hike and Swim vacation in Scotland

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

As part of our 'Making it More Meaningful Sustainable Travel Policy' we aim to record and reduce our operational carbon emissions for this trip. Our Hike, Swim & Sauna has the following features embedded to help with our carbon reduction:
- The itinerary includes 4 days of human powered transport, ie. trekking & swimming
- We consciously choose to encourage participants to travel by train to Scotland, a sustainable mode of transportation that reduces carbon emissions compared to other forms of travel like flights or private vehicles. By opting for trains, we minimise our environmental impact, support the planet, and contribute to the country's efforts in promoting eco-friendly transportation options.
- We stay in locally owned and simpler styles of accommodation ie. Loch Katrine Eco Lodge which is en-route to reduce the time of vehicle transfers.
- Eat at locally owned eateries where the food has been locally sourced wherever possible, therefore reducing food mile emissions.
- We offer vegetarian and vegan options on this trip.
- We minimise plastic waste wherever possible as we refill water bottles and flasks.
- We wash, dry and check all our swim clothing and equipment to avoid introducing invasive non-native species to the lochs.
- We recycle and reuse wherever possible.
- We record our recycle items and general waste from the adventure with the review to measure and reduce.

ENVIRONMENT & WILDLIFE

We're proud to operate inline with sustainable travel in Scotland, with various initiatives and legislation aimed at preserving the area's natural and cultural heritage while promoting responsible tourism practices.

One of the elements of this trip to help the planet is that we strive to minimising plastic waste wherever possible and encourage all our travelers to use refillable water-bottles as our Leaders do.

We also encourage participants to keep your waste to a minimum – avoid accepting plastic bags from shops and take a reusable bag with you. You are welcome to bring a rubbish bag on your hike & swim, so you can pick up any additional litter you might spot and take particularly harmful waste, such as batteries, back with you. We are always operating with a ‘leave no trace’ ethos – take only memories, leave only footprints.

People

We are inherently a responsible travel operator. Small group sizes allow us to visit destinations and local communities with care and respect, not overwhelm them, and to be welcomed back time and again. This approach sits at the heart of everything we do.

Small groups only. We keep our group sizes intentionally small with a low guide-to-participant ratio. This creates a more personal experience, allowing you to connect not only with the landscapes but also with the people, culture and communities of Scotland.

Some of the responsible travel practices embedded in our Hike, Swim & Sauna adventure include:

• Our swim instructor for this trip is a qualified female instructor from Scotland who brings expert knowledge, local insight and a deep passion for open water swimming.
• We support small local businesses along the route, including experiences such as the wood-fired sauna at Venachar Lochside Spa, helping ensure tourism benefits the local community.
• Where possible, our crew collect litter encountered along the route and encourage participants to respect and care for the natural environment.
• We always operate by our ‘leave no trace’ ethos – take nothing but photos, leave nothing but boot prints and keep nothing but memories.
• The combination of hiking, cold-water swimming and sauna experiences is designed to support personal wellbeing, encouraging participants to slow down, reconnect with nature and leave feeling refreshed both physically and mentally.