Jun 15

Our Scotland hiking tour was amazing—here are some photos

Rogan O'Herlihy exits a bright red phone booth in the Scottish Highlands.

Rogan O’Herlihy led our Scotland hiking tour from May 18-26. Rogan is a UK native, so when he guides tours for us in Scotland and England his enthusiasm is almost impossible to contain. Imagine Clark Kent entering a phone booth and exiting as Superman. It’s just like that.

Hiking in Scotland on the Rob Roy trail with Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures.

Rogan loves guiding in the spring because the foliage is so vibrant. He often encourages our guests to get matchy-matchy with the local wildflowers. It doesn’t always work, but on this day it did.

Hiking in Scotland on the Rob Roy trail with Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures.

It’s no secret that it rains in Scotland. BUT, it’s because of the rain that the forests are so lush and beautiful.

Finlarig castle outside of Killin Scotland.

And in the middle of every forest lies an undiscovered treasure. One of the benefits of hiring a guide like Rogan is that he’ll take you to hidden corners that you probably wouldn’t have noticed had you ventured on your own. Take these ruins for example. This particular castle was built in the 1600’s. Rob Roy MacGregor, the namesake of our hiking tour, stayed in this castle during the year 1713. There’s a stone-lined pit out back where it’s rumored that prisoners of noble blood were beheaded. Commoners were also supposedly hung in an oak tree nearby. The ruins are highly unstable, so it’s best to grab a photo or two at arm’s length and then trust your guide to lead you to yet more treasures along the trail.

Hiking in Scotland on the Rob Roy trail with Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures.

This area is really special because it’s the start of the true Scottish Highlands.

Hiking in Scotland on the Rob Roy trail with Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures.

Of course, the sheer beauty of Scotland is the greatest treasure of them all. And coupled with a cozy pub and some rousing conversation with Rogan…it’s heaven.

You Might Also Like...
Preparing for a multi-day trek in the mountains goes beyond just putting on your boots
Once a rugged mining town tucked away in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado,
For Those Who Love a Great Trail and an Even Better Glass of Wine There’s
There is nothing better than going for a swim in the ocean after a full
Food and Drink Pairings: Our Favorites from the Alps To celebrate spring, Ryder-Walker wants to
Think you know the iconic Tour du Mont Blanc route like the back of your
Ease into your next hiking trip with Ryder-Walker Picture yourself wandering through lavender fields in
Join Ryder-Walker for an unforgettable journey through Morocco’s Atlas Mountains from October 9-18, 2025, where
Discovering the best inn-to-inn hiking has been Ryder-Walker’s ambition for decades now. We, like you,
Mini-Treks: Big Adventures in Short Getaways At Ryder-Walker, we’ve handpicked a collection of mini-treks that
In the summer of 1975, Peter Walker’s journey into the Alps began with a sense
Our Favorite Lesser Known Hiking Trips That Avoid Crowds Are you looking for a unique,