Hordle Walhampton School adventure activities on Mull with Hebridean Pursuits at Tavool House Outdoor Centre.

Hordle Walhampton School were with us for their tenth year this week on Mull. We had loads of mini adventures around the center and on The Island of Erraid. A fun bunch of 32 younger pupils and a very supportive teaching staff team all added up to a great few days on the west coast. Thanks also to Liam, Isi and Dan for their wonderful instructing and brilliant ability to work with young people in the outdoors. The photos say it all!

George Heriot's School pupils reach Toubkal 4167 m in the High Atlas of Morocco!

HPL  are just back from leading a second successful trekking and mountaineering expedition this year. This expedition was for George Heriot's School. The 16 participants [ two teachers and 14, 14 year olds] all did so, so well. Conditions were tough Hebridean Pursuits Ltd are now offering trekking trips to Morocco for 2014. We have a very good track record and a fantastic team in Morocco to outfit and make your experience unique to this part of the World.  Check out our Face Book page Hebridean Pursuits for more photos of this and previous trips. We are running and guiding a  trip in October for a group of 6 adults. This trek will be 12 days long and exploring some very traditional and quiet valleys away from the main tourist traps and ending up with an attempt on Toubkal. In the heat and dry terrain and with the altitude to contend with, everyone achieved so much. Careful acclimatization and planing ensued that the expedition was a major success for all concerned. We trekked over passes of 3600 m, ascended Aguelzime at 3650 m  and on Thursday the school pupils reached the highest peak in north Africa, Toubkal. The team made a good time and all enjoyed being higher than they had ever been before! On Friday Andy Spink returned to the summit again with a teacher from the school. Setting off early they reached the summit before everyone else and enjoyed the amazing views to the Sahara as the sun rose. On returning to Marrakesh we experienced the Souks and the wonders of bartering, much fun was had by all! Thanks so much to teachers Iain and Nat for their support and belief in the expedition. It is difficult enough for adults to expedition in this mountains so at the age of 14 years old the pupils have just achieved so much and what an experience at that age. I think we have some future mountaineers in the making!

The High Atlas with Toubkal in the background. The pupils would reach it's summit the day after this high ridge walk.  

4167 m  Toubkal. Just fantastic, well done one and all!

Happy pupils and staff at 3400 m after a tough ascent to the Tizi Aguelzime.

Riad life! This is our first Riad in Imlil. Great food too!

Traditional farming and villages still remain.

Leaving Aguelzime's summit at 3650m. Toubkal in background.

Heading back to Morocco to work in The Atlas Mountains and Tavool House on Mull is full!.

Tomorrow Hebridean Pursuits shifts back from Mull to The Atlas Mountains. We are guiding a group of pupils from George Heriot's School from Edinburgh in the beautiful High Atlas. The trek is a tough one, with an ambition to ascend Toubkal 4067 m. Toubkal is North Africa's highest mountain. 16 pupils will join us on a trek in areas rarely visited by tourists and certainly not on the normal trekkers routes. Meanwhile at Tavool House at our self catering house and outdoor center on Mull we have a group of NTS volunteers currently staying with us and then next week our Roses Project residentials for young people fire up right through to November. A busy summer ahead for all concerned at Hebridean Pursuits ltd. 

Toubkal 4067 m.  

Coasteering with North Argyll Young Carers Project Adventure Group today.

A successful partnership between The Roses Project and  NAYC,  this was the last of ten days of adventure sessions with these marvelous young people. The sessions have included, walking, canyoning, coasteering, climbing, bothy visits,  indoor climbing and much more! Well done to all that have participated and good luck with school and your future ambitions. We look forward to working with NAYC again after the summer holidays..

A working wander in The Ben Alder Forest.

Over the last three days I have been working in the Ben Alder mountain range. It has been idyllic wander if a tad hot! If you have not been in this remote hill range you must, it is stunning. Whether you ascend the peaks or ramble through the glens it is sublime. I hadn't been into this area  since 1992 and I am so glad I returned.  A sense of history prevails as you pass ruins of lodges, sheilings and the mighty tree stumps perishing in the peat bogs beside the ancient drovers paths.  Summer is here, the bird life, the mosses growing and trees blooming all give testament to this. I even saw a Hen Harrier!

Feed Back from Stephen 'The Stag' after his Coasteering adventure.

Thanks to Stephen for his feed back on his Coasteering Stag Party.

Thanks again to the Hebridean Pursuits Team. It's no mean feat to provide an awesome environment where by you feel completely safe whilst being entirely pushed out with your comfort zone. Good people, amazing place.

Stephen's Stag Party go Coasteering today.

The 'gang of 17' headed to Seil Island today with Hebridean Pursuits to celebrate Stephen's Stag Party.  Conditions were fantastic, the sun was out for most of the day and the swell rolled in creating some fun times in and out the sea. Well done everyone it was a blast!