Scotland was a blast! Commencing the 11th of September 2023, we all trekked to Glencoe up in the majestic highlands of Scotland.The mini bus experience was fantastic as we all laughed, joked and sang songs all the way there. After 6 hours, we finally arrived at the accommodation where the Hebridean Pursuits staff were there to greet us. Not too long after getting settled we were provided with a delicious yet simple dinner consisting of sausage, mash and baked beans. Most of us went out for a late night stroll down the road.Not too long after, we all slept relatively early as we were all worn out from the trip up.
"It was nice to be in a different environment” - Chloe
The first full day in Scotland kicked off with an activity that was walking and riding the stair lift on the hillside and it was so nice as we got many breathtaking photos and hilarious videos of the team. It was so unbelievably calm and the silence was unreal. We met so many people from different cultures and sat and enjoyed our lunch once reaching the bottom again. In the afternoon we hopped back in the mini bus and travelled to an enclosed area with a beautiful little tarn made from a quarry. Luckily there was a good sized cliff which we abseiled down from, everyone pushed themselves to be resilient and got involved. When we got back to the accommodation, we had rice and meatballs for tea. Once tea was all gone, we chilled for a while before eventually getting to sleep after a lot of laughs.
“It was a really good week and experience, gave me the chance to try new things even though it was terrifying at times” - Kenzi
“it was an amazing experience” “great 5 days scary but fun” - Hollie
Day 2 kicked off with a little swim in the river. We wetsuited up and walked down a bumpy road and uneven steps onto some slippery rocks on the river bank. There were fresh black berries to nibble on along the way. It was freezing so it took a while to ease ourselves in but we were eventually jumping off rocks, swimming around and sliding down rapids. Near the end of the experience, we all laid back in the water holding hands in a circle as our driver who joined in, spun us all round. After the swim, we all went back to base feeling exhausted though the odd few of us went for a quick walk around the Lock as the rain poured down. In the evening after the chill, we had roast chicken, roast potatoes, pee’s, carrots, gravy etc. Later on, one of the rooms had a little party, others watched a Tv show before we all sat around the table and played a hilarious card game.
“I enjoyed Scotland. It gave me a chance to get to know everyone and I feel like I have known people for years. The activities were challenging and we supported each other through them and that helped us work as a team” - Ella
After 3 tiring activities and late nights having a laugh. We jumped in the van and sped off to the coast to begin the coasteering which was the final activity. Those who were up for it got ready and made their way down near the cliffs while the others remained in the minibus talking and snacking on burgers from the food truck or their packed lunches. After a lot of laughing, splashing and jumping off huge rocks, the coasteering team returned to change near the Minibus and join us for part 2 of the day. The second half of the day was pretty fun considering we were able to explore the coastal town and shops. We made it back to the accommodation for tea and we had macaroni and cheese or spaghetti. After that we sat around playing games, talking and taking turns to sing for each other. We made sure to pack so we couldn’t leave swiftly in the morning.
On Friday morning, we gathered together our things and filled the Minivan full with luggage and cleaned up. We had a final briefing in the dining area where we filled in evaluation forms to access if we met the goals we set on day 1. This journey back was a little quieter as everyone was tired but we still played some music and had a jam. We soon said goodbyes and parted ways but the best part about the trip was that it was a great introduction to the apprentices and a fantastic opportunity to develop the existing relationships. Everyone pushed themselves in many different ways and overcame fears. All in all, it was a fab week and we want to thank Hebridean Pursuits for allowing us as staff the opportunity to feel like kids again. We commend our driver for joining in and being a great laugh.
“fantastic experience was a really good opportunity to get know my new team members” - Aimee
“It was very fun, I enjoyed the banter and it was an exhilarating experience facing new challenges” - George
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