Get on your bike to find a gem of a route in the Angus Glens

Scotland is renowned as a mountain biking destination. Across the country there are numerous mountain biking centres, and stretching for many, many miles in the countryside there’s a vast network of off-road trails that beckon the rider to grab a map and a picnic and head off for a few hours or a few days of remote-style cycling.

In the Angus Glens we are lucky enough to have our own piece of mountain biking paradise. Glen Isla boasts numerous miles of peaceful tracks though forestry and around beautiful lochs.

One of our favourite B&B providers, West Freuchies, is next door to some of the most fabulous of these routes. They’ll send you on your way with bike hire from Glentrek, a delicious packed lunch and a route to suit your fitness and aspirations. But make sure you ask them about Loch Shandra. If there's one place we recommend you cycle to it’s this stunning loch.

Word also has it that there are proposals to create a mountain bike centre in Glen Isla, close to the settlement of Kirkton of Glen Isla. The forest here would become home to blue and red trails and would offer a host of cycling opportunities for people of all ages and fitness levels. The registered charity Angus Mountain Bike Trails Association (AMBTA) is currently working on this project.

At Glentrek we're also keen to help more people to get on their bikes and out into the country. We can provide you with bike hire, routes or a guided day if you would like someone to show you a range of new routes or mountain bike trails.

Our mountain bikes for hire include good quality 18-speed, full-suspension mountain bikes, both child and adult sizes. Helmet and gloves are also provided.

Discover a few outdoors secrets in Angus

At VisitScotland the campaign is "Surprise Yourself". With Scottish Natural Heritage, it's "Simple Pleasures". At Glentrek, we're loving the sentiments of both outdoors promotions. The VisitScotland goal is to get more people to discover more about Scotland.

It could be a beach you've never walked to or a hill view you have never experienced. Perhaps you have not ever travelled to Cape Wrath or taken a boat trip to see native dolphins in the Moray Firth.

There is so much to see and do and discover in Scotland that you could be finding new highlights for the rest of your life.

The SNH Simple Pleasures campaign is similar but aims for people to get outdoors more often to find the natural highlights and hotspots just a short walk or cycle from their own doorsteps. The SNH website reveals a wealth of walk and cycle routes close to the Scottish cities where people can find wildlife, skim stones, play Pooh sticks, identify a tree's age or splash in puddles. Lots of simple things that involve being outdoors and having fun.

In Angus, we reckon there is so much to discover in the great outdoors. We obviously recommend that you come for a visit but here we bring you a few highlights of our beautiful region for outdoors fans:

Walk an easier Munro: The Munros in Angus, including Mayar and Dreish, offer fabulous views and a fantastic walking trip but they are also among some of the easiest of the 283 Munros to walk across Scotland.

Famous birth place: The Angus town of Kirriemuir was home to the Peter Pan author J M Barrie and today his home is an interesting historical visitor attraction.

Gorgeous glens: Angus doesn't have just one beautiful glen but FIVE. The region might seem a little "glen greedy" but each glen boasts a beautiful range of walks and views.

Festival fun: We're just days away from the annual Angus Glens Walking Festival. It grows and grows and offers an ever wider range of walks for new comers and old-timers.

Trail of the Caterans: Angus was once a region inhabited by cattle thieves, the Caterans. The many trails and routes created by these lawless men have now become beautiful walking routes. The Cateran Trail is the UK's first long-distance circular waymarked walk.

Wonderful waterfall: The Reekie Linn waterfall (pictured above) is a spectacular waterfall located just a short walk from Craigisla Bridge on the B954. Sometimes the waterfall is two falls of 6m and 18m. But when in full spate it forms a single waterfall of 24m. Whatever time of year it's pretty awesome to view.

Does anyone else have any secret gems in Angus that they would like to share?

Your chance to tick off six epic Munros in 3 days

Whether you are ticking off Munros or simply fancy a trek into the beautiful wilderness of Scotland, Glentrek’s new Fisherfield Munro break is for you.

The Fisherfield Forest, near Ullapool, is home to some of the remotest Munros in Scotland, and in total there are six mountains over 3,000ft to climb.

These are not easy Munros and you’ll need to be prepared to carry wild camping kit, but the rewards for reaching the summits are almost indescribable.

The scenery is awesome, the route is tough but wildly fabulous and if you tell anyone in the know that you’ve done the Fisherfields they’ll be mightily impressed. "These Munros are the stuff of long-lasting memories," said a Munro bagger, who did the trip last year.

The Glentrek break offers walkers the chance to “bag" all six Munros in one guided trip.

As this is a strenuous three-day walking trip with remote camping, so you’ll need to be fit and healthy to join us.

The 3-day Fisherfields Munro trip:

When: Sunday July 10 to Wednesday July 13, 2011, inclusive.

Price: £280

Depart: From the Dundee area.

What you need: A high level of fitness, full hill-walking gear and a sleeping bag.

The price includes: One night B&B in hotel; two nights of high-level camping; guiding by an expert Mountain Leader; expedition rucksack; camping equipment and camping rations.

To book or for further information call: 01307 469536.

… And for something less strenuous

Glentrek still has places left on their guided Cateran Trail trip starting Aug 28, 2011.

Take care to avoid a summer menace

Summer’s here and we’re all much keener to get out in the great outdoors. While there are so many positives about Scotland’s outdoors playground, including fantastic scenery, the opportunity for adventures and improved physical and mental well-being, there is one less than attractive aspect of summer outdoors – ticks.

In recent years, there have been reports of a rise in the number of ticks, which sadly carry Lyme disease. However if you're aware of the summer menace and take the right steps to avoid them, ticks may never ever cause you a problem.

What are ticks?

The tiny, fly-like creatures feed on the blood of animals, and can also feed on human skin.

Young ticks, which are called nymphs, are about the size of a poppy seed, so they are not easy to see with the naked eye.

Where do ticks hang out?

In Scotland, ticks are found in woodland, on moorland and even in urban parks. There are more in the Highlands areas than in the south of the country.

Why are ticks to be avoided?

Some ticks carry the bacteria that can cause Lyme disease. If an infected tick bites a human, the bacteria can make people ill. The most common sign of Lyme disease is a rash spreading out from the bite, usually after one to two weeks. The rash usually looks like a bull's eye and it can become very large. Symptoms can include feeling like you have the flu.

In severe cases, Lyme disease can cause long-term joint pain and nerve damage.

But before you become too alarmed remember that if treated early, your chances of contracting Lyme disease are low.

How to avoid becoming infected with Lyme disease

• If you’re out and about on Scotland’s hills or moorlands ensure you wear a long-sleeved shirt and long trousers tucked into socks.

• Wearing light-coloured clothing can make it easier to see ticks and remove them.

• Some insect repellents, such as a product containing DEET, can help to ward off ticks in the first place.

• Inspect your skin frequently and remove any ticks.

• Make sure you give your skin a thorough check after a day of walking. Be alert in particular in skin folds such as the armpits, groin, waistband area, under breasts and behind knees.

• Also check that pets do not bring ticks into the home on their fur.

What to do if you spot a tick on your skin

Most ticks do not carry Lyme disease, and a tick usually has to stay on your skin for at least 24 hours before there's much risk of it making you ill.

But if you do spot a tick on your skin, make sure you remove it promptly. It’s important that you do not shock the tick into burrowing further into your skin so the advice is to use a “tick remover”, such as a Tick Twister.

Also ensure that all of the tick is removed at once. Clean the area with an anti-bacterial cream.

Simply knowing about ticks, and their potential danger, means you are far more likely to avoid any contact with the tiny menaces.

Popular Angus Glens Walking Festival returns

Walking festivals have been growing in popularity over the years, and nowhere more so than in Scotland. Almost every region hosts a number of walking festivals and during most weeks of the spring, summer and autumn there will be a walking festival taking place near you.

The local walking festival for Glentrek is the 9th Angus Glens Walking Festival. This year it takes place on June 2 to 5 and promises more walking routes and guided walks than ever before.

More than 400 walkers attended last year's festival, and this year is set to be even more popular, with the introduction of seven new walks, including a walk each day of the festival that is suitable for walkers of all abilities.

One of the great advantages of a walking festival is the experienced leaders, who offer a great deal of local knowledge, and make each walk a safe outing as well as an informative journey through the countryside.

The Angus Glens Walking Festival offers walk with countryside rangers, estate managers and ecologists who will be on hand to share their knowledge of local history and wildlife.

Walking festivals also create the ideal environment for meeting likeminded people and many have evening social events. The Angus Glens Walking festival is renowned for its programme of lively evening entertainments, including a quiz night and a ceilidh night.

Do remember that these festivals can be popular so the earlier you book your chosen walks the better. In 2011, whether you want to bag a Munro, enjoy a scenic trail along a coastal path or just find out more about the Angus wildlife you'd be advised to book your place early. See Angus Glens Walking Festival.

Summer's here: So choose a walking goal!

We're excited here at Glentrek! Well, we're always pretty high on life, walking and the outdoors but now that the sun has been making a definite appearance and the clocks have gone forward there are even more reasons to be smiling.

British Summer Time has officially started and now is the perfect time to make plans for your year of walking. Dig out those boots (if you've not already) and have a think about where you fancy walking.

There are numerous walking ideas and it could be that you don't feel the need for a goal. But so many people do like to have an aim and find that this motivates them to get out each weekend and into the hills. So we thought we would suggest a few walking challenge ideas:

Go for the summits: Perhaps you'll choose to start ticking off a round of the Munros or Corbetts. The Munros are hills in Scotland with a summit of more than 3000ft. There are 283 Munros and some of the easiest are in Angus. Why not give Glentrek a call to find out more about the Munros Mayar and Dreish?

Meanwhile, the Corbetts are hills that have a summit of at least 2,500ft. There are 221 Corbetts in Scotland. Many of these hills are "less walked" than the Munros and so they can feel even more luxuriously wild and remote.

Walk the distance: There are at least a dozen long-distance waymarked walks in Scotland. These walks range from two day walks to more than a week. Some walkers choose to walk a section of these waymarked walks each weekend and over a longer period of time, while others will hike the entire route in one multi-day trip. At Glentrek we're big fans of the Cateran Trail.

Take a challenge: There is a growing stable of walking events in Scotland. These events range widely in distance and challenge but they all provide the ideal aim for getting fit and achieving a rewarding goal. There is a new walk challenge called the Cateran Yomp, as well as a host of others including the Caledonian Challenge, the Highland Cross and The Moonwalk, in Edinburgh.

Coast the coast: Scotland's stunning coastline makes a great focus for walkers. There are several long-distance routes along the coast, including the Fife Coastal Path. Why not aim to walk the entire coast of Scotland over the next 10, 20 or 30 years?! Now that's a big challenge!

Tell us what your walking challenge will be this year.

New charity walk challenge on Cateran Trail

Glentrek is a huge fan of the gorgeously scenic Scottish long-distance walking route called the Cateran Trail. So it's with great delight that we hear about a new charity challenge that will see hundreds of walkers heading along this beautiful route in Perthshire and Angus.

The Cateran Yomp takes place on the summer solstice weekend of June 25 and 26 and offers walkers the chance to hike 23 miles, 37.5 miles or 54 miles in 24 hours. The challenge aims to raise thousands of pounds for the Soldiers' Charity.

The event provides a great challenge to a range of walkers and should also bring a big boost to the local economy.

If there are any participants who would like to walk a section of the Cateran Trail for training or who are looking for assistance with accommodation close to the route please do contact us at Glentrek.

We know the Cateran Trail well and we'd be delighted to guide you or offer self-led assistance.