Get outdoors and be active!

Canoeing and kayaking are great outdoor

activities for children and adults

Get Active is a message we're hearing more and more. With rising obesity rates, especially among UK children, and greater concerns about the affects of inactivity on health, everywhere we look the experts are telling us to get off the couch and exercise.

The problem is that many people think that exercise = boring and repetitive workouts. But it really doesn't have to be this way.

Scotland's great outdoors offers a fantastic keep-fit playground. Simply being out of doors and active is guaranteed to burn calories and improve your mental well-being. Walking and cycling provide a great way to see the countryside, take in the views and get in shape. Many more people, especially families, are switching on to the benefits of these highly-accessible and relatively cheap activities.

Gorge walking and canyoning are becoming

increasingly popular in Scotland

There are numerous family-friendly cycle and walk routes criss-crossing Scotland and thanks to a number of outdoors companies, such as us (!) Glentrek, people can discover a wealth of new places to go walk or cycle.

But there are also a host of other activities that will get you fit and have you grinning, too. Multi-activity days and holidays are becoming increasingly popular in Scotland. Afterall this country is voted as Europe's number one outdoors capital. In Angus, holidaymakers could combine a few hours of cycling or walking with a morning or afternoon of other great outdoors activities, such as canoeing, sea kayaking, canyoning, high ropes, gorge walking, climbing and coasteering.

These activities are for a range of abilities, from novice to experienced, and for all ages and fitness levels. Until you try you'll never know how much you'll enjoy being active! Just ask us at Glentrek for further info (we can help you to sign up to many of these activities) or check out Outdoor Angus.

Summer walking for families

Angus foothills: Perfect for family walking

We've been seeing a lot more families out walking this year – and now that the summer holidays are in full swing in Scotland there have been a lot more enquires about walking adventures and holidays for the family at Glentrek.

Walking is a great activity for all ages and fitness levels because it can be geared to suit everyone. If you have younger children then you will want to keep the walk shorter, on flatter terrain and with lots of things to see and do en route. As children become older then you can plan to extend your walking expeditions and start to take in some of Scotland's glorious hills and mountains.

One question we're often asked is what kit will children need. The answer is that they should have pretty much the same gear as the adults, although if you're walking in summer it is possible to buy clothing and footwear that is less robust, and hopefully cheaper. With children still growing it can be costly to pay out for new clothing every year so it's worth shopping around for lighter weight, summer clothing that should not be as pricey as winter-standard kit.

The most basic summer walking kit for children should include a waterproof jacket, waterproof over-trousers (have these handy in a rucksack in case the weather changes), walking boots or shoes and walking socks. Children can wear their ordinary t-shirts and fleeces and a pair of comfortable trousers, such as tracksuit bottoms or cargo pants.

A small rucksack is a useful addition, but again, this could be one they already own, perhaps used last term at school. For cooler days, pop a woolly hat and gloves into their backpacks, while on hot days you should insist they wear a sunhat.

A couple of good stores for affordable children's kit include Millets and Go Outdoors. For sturdy, comfortable yet budget-friendly walking shoes we've heard great things about Hi-tec children's boots and also Brasher boots.

Hi-tec do a great range of lighter hiking boots for summer wear. Fellow outdoors enthusiast FionaOutdoors wrote a useful review of a pair of children's Hi-tec walking boots.

Meanwhile, Brasher's Chichon GTX boot for children is a great boot. At £50 a pair it's pricier but if you have younger children to pass the boots down to then this would be a good option. Remember, too, that children can wear walking boots for mucking about in during summer play or during the winter when out and about in the snow. This way you get more wear for your money. (We noticed that Go Outdoors have this boot on sale at £45.)

Another option is Regatta. They sell a slightly cheaper range that would be fine for drier, summer walking on trails. This range of footwear offers some pretty colours, too, which is always god for encouraging the girls to pull on their walking boots!

Now there is no excuse for entertaining the children this summer with a few great family walks.

Pic: Regatta Wayright Jnr walking shoe

Walking is great for you and your health

Walking is great for your heart - and your health

If you're already a walking fan then you will not need to be persuaded of the benefits of walking. But if you are new to the pursuit - or still thinking about buying your first pair of walking boots and waterproofs then perhaps you should read on.

There are numerous, proven health benefits of walking. These include:

* Living longer

* Stronger heart

* Improved circulation

* Lower blood pressure

* More efficient lungs

* Reduced risk of breast cancer

* Increased energy levels

* Stronger bones

* Improved stamina

* Better sex

* Stronger muscles

* More flexible joints

* Reduced stress

* Lower weight

* More lean muscle, less fat

* Enhanced mood

* Better sleep

* Less chance of depression

* Reduced chance of arthritis

* Reduced likelihood of osteoporosis.

Shall we continue? Or do you get the general idea that walking is fab for your health and fitness?

Walking is a great calorie burner

* Brisk walking burns up to 100 calories per mile – more if you are very overweight or if you are pushing yourself uphill.

Even more walking advantages

And on top of all these amazing health benefits there are a number of other advantages:

* Walking is a sociable activity and great for keeping up with friends or meeting new people. (One friend met the love of her life while walking a Munro!).

* Walking can provide valuable "me time" away from the hustle and bustle of your normal life.

* Walking is ideal for a range of ages and fitness levels.

* Walking takes you to new and scenic places.

* Walking takes you off the beaten track and on an exciting adventure.

* Walking offers a great hobby, especially if you embark on a goal such as bagging Munros.

* Walking is an activity that you can do all year round.

* It's a cheap activity once you're bought the basic kit.

Once you've read all this you'll be wondering why every single person isn't out walking at every opportunity!

Five "easier" Munros in Angus, Scotland

Celebration on the top of Mt Keen

People are always asking us about Munros in Angus - and also about "easier" Munros. Of course, there is no such thing as an easy climb to the top of Scotland's stable of 283 Munros but certainly some are more straightforward and less painful on the legs muscles than others. It is also good to remember, too, that even the "easiest" of hills can become treacherous if the weather turns bad. So always make sure you know what the forecast is before setting out and ensure you have the right kit with you. See our previous guide to essential summer walking kit.

Anyway, if you are looking to walk a few of the country's easier Munros then Angus is definitely a great place to come to. While the region boasts some of the most amazing scenery, it also has a few Munros that might suit the less experienced or the less fit. If in doubt about navigation, why not hire a guide to take you to the summit? Glentrek can help you with this.

Our top five Munro suggestions in Angus and close by are:

(Click on the name of the Munro to find a route via Walk Highlands.)

Mt Keen 939m. Mt Keen is the most eastern of the Munros and can be climbed either from Glen Esk (quicker) or Glen Tanar (more scenic).

Ben Chonzie makes a great family walk

Ben Chonzie 931m North of Crieff with a summit located above heather-covered moorlands, Ben Chonzie offers a fine day's outing. The quicker climb is from the west, while the more scenic walk is from the east.

Mayar 928m A lovely gently ascent on a clearly seen path takes you to the top of this rounded summit. But just because it's a relatively easy walk doesn't mean the views are any less gorgeous. You'll love this one. (It is often climbed with Dreish, too)

Driesh 947m A steeper climb but it doesn't feel too long. Driesh is situated above Glen Doll.

Cairnwell 933m This Munro is considered one of the easiest of all. There is far less ascent than many other Munros because a road takes walkers to a car park that is within easy sight of the cone-shaped summit. There is a well-marked trail/road heading to the summit, from where you'll be rewarded with great views. Many people turn the walk into more of an outing by ticking off two other Munros, Carn Aosda and Carn a'Gheoidh.

Fab Coast and castles cycle route

Gourdon, Montrose

Arbroath Harbour

Montrose beach

Sustrans have been a huge bonus in the UK helping to develop a massive network of cycle-friendly routes for all kinds of cyclists. One of my favourites in Scotland is the Coasts and Castles route. This route, also called National Route 1, actually starts in Newcastle and heads to Aberdeen, via Edinburgh. There's a neat guide book to the Coasts and Castles route produced by Pocket Mountain Guides.

The Coasts and Castles route is an epic cycle stretching almost 600km along the North Sea coast from Newcastle to the granite city of Aberdeen via Northumbria's clifftop castles and smugglers' havens, Edinburgh's medieval Old Town and iconic bridges and Aberdeenshire's fishing villages and sandy beaches.

The route could be completed in one go and over a week or so (for fit cyclists) or it can be split into day-long outings. Last month I assisted a group of cyclists heading from Edinburgh to Aberdeen on this route. I had a lot of fun helping to transfer their baggage between accommodations. The group of 12 cyclists were keen to simply cycle and enjoy the trip, but without having to worry about the extra weight of their luggage. Baggage transfer for walkers and cyclists is a growing part of the Glentrek business.

The group of cyclists rode for four days:

Day 1: Edinburgh to Freuchies, Fife

Day 2: Freuchies to Carnoustie

Day 3: Carnoustie to Inverbervie

Day 4: Inverbervie to Aberdeen.

They had a ball and I was able to take some great pictures along the route. If these don't inspire you to head off for this long-distance cycle then I've no idea what will!

Glentrek now plans to offer the Coasts and Castles cycle as a holiday option for our customers. We can help you to arrange accommodation along the route, baggage transfer and bike hire. We can also pick you up from Edinburgh station and set you on your way with your hired bikes, and then collect you at Aberdeen.

This summer is the ideal time to head to Scotland for a cycling holiday.

Glen Doll: The place for great wild walking in Scotland

We've known this for years but now other people are discovering how wonderful the region of Angus in Scotland is for walking. In particular, it's a great place for remote-feeling and wilder walking. In a recent Times article writer Christopher Somerville has compiled 20 top wild walks in the UK and in the list is a fabulous walk in Glen Doll in Angus.

The full walk, which takes in Glen Doll and the Den of Altduthrie, is graded for knowledgeable and fit walkers only. So if you're in doubt about whether to set off to do the 9-mile route why not take a guide with you? Glentrek can assist with organising a guide and accommodation in the area.

The walk is truly fabulous and well worth the effort. Wilderness eye candy comes by way of magnificent mountains, tumbling burns, waterfalls and the chance to spot golden eagles. You'll also hike Jock's Road, which was once a droving and whisky smuggling track, and traverse a stunning high-lvel plateau.

But this is not the only fabulous wild walk in Angus. The award-winning four-day Angus Glens Walking Festival is upon us and will showcase a whole host of great walking in the area. Many walks are fully booked now so why not let Glentrek organise a guided or self-guided walk/walking holiday for you? There's so much to discover in Angus.

Tweeting about walking boots

We've been enjoying a few chats on Twitter recently, in particular there was a good exchange about Meindl boots. Meindl recently won an award in Country Walking magazine for Best in Test for their Respond XCR. (The Ramblers Association mag also recently awarded Meindl with a silver accolade in the Best Walking Boot/Shoe category).

We decided that this tweet was worthy of a retweet and so we found that some of our followers are indeed fans of these boots, too. It's always good to hear of recommendations when buying new boots.

Of course, everyone's feet are different and so some bots will suit some people while some will not. And it does depend on the type of walking or outdoors activities that you're doing.

But here's what two tweeters told us:

Mad Hunter Mike, aka Mike Hardy, of Arbroath, recommends Meindl boots. He's on his 6th pair and reckons the boots are the best. Check out MadHunterMike

James Campbell of Campbell Tours, based in Scotland, is also a big fan of Meindl boots. He says: "I wear the Kopenhagen shoe with my kilt. They are great for easy to moderate walking."

Another boot brand that's worth checking out according to another outdoors person that Glentrek is following is Hi-tec. FionaOutdoors tried a ladies boot while her daughter Little Miss Outdoors put a kids boot through a rugged hill walk. They both recommended their boots for light to moderate walking.

We'll be keeping you updated on any other boots news that comes our way via the fun and newsworthy Twitter network. Why not join in the chat? Glentrek on Twitter