Going to the loo on the trail

The number one question! We get asked about this more than anything, and understandably this is a concern for a lot of people who are considering spending a long time without access to a toilet! Our Scotland adventures often have bothies (shepherd's huts) enroute, and many of these have toilets; so this can be an option. But if a bothy is not in the vicinity the usual approach is A) for wees; guys find a spot out of view and face away from the group. Girls will do the same. As weeing outside is a bit more difficult for the girls, our guides can find a descrete spot for you and will always keep the rest of the group out of view. (Girls, You are welcome to bring a 'Shewee' if you want to!) B) Pooing; this is slightly more complicated. A hole will need to be dug away from the path, away from a water source and out of view. Once the deed is done toilet paper can be burnt (if the ground is wet and there is no chance of starting a fire) or stored in a doggy pooh-bag/ziplock bag and the hole filled back in. Again, if required, our guides can find the spot and dig the hole and will always keep the rest of the group out of view. Pooing and weeing on the trail is an inevitable part of the wild camping experience. It does take some getting used to, but ultimately you will find it's not that big a deal! We think that occassionally feeling some wild-country air on your posterior is character building :-)....

How fit you will need to be

What is fitness? It's how fatigued you get doing something physical and how quickly you recover. You will need to be able to carry a backpack weighing 12.5 kg over a distance of 10 - 15km per day on fairly rough ground (not pathless). You will also need to be able to withstand the elements and be prepared to get a bit wet and cold. We will adjust individual pack wieghts a little as stronger, bigger people will carry the extras like the camping stoves. Please remember our hiking days will include a lot of breaks for rest and recuperation, hot drinks and soaking up the views. The Great Outsiders are not about feats of endurance or rushing up and down peaks, we're about immersive outdoors experiences. It's not a race!

What will I need to bring?

Good question! Most of our trips will provide all the camping, food, sleeping and cooking gear. Each Great Outsiders expedition will come with a trip-specific itinerary which we will give you when you sign up. The basic items you will need to bring will be clothes, boots, and a sense of adventure!

What skills will I need?

Basically..... almost none! You should have some experience of hiking or hill-walking. We provide the relevant training for traversing the terrain, erecting tents and using water-filters etc.