Green Tourism Aware – Our Trips!

There is so much out there in the media about living and operating sustainably, being environmentally friendly, looking after the planet, saving energy and recycling.

Here at Maximum Adventure, we are conscious that not only are our trips good for your physical and mental health, but we offer options of getting to the start and home again, via train or bus, reducing your carbon footprint. Accommodation is sought along the route, supporting local businesses, using eateries within walking distance of the accommodation, helping to boost their economy. If taxis are needed due to limited accommodation or a really busy season, local companies are used, we want to do our best for everyone.

In April this year, there is an event called the Big Green Hike. This is a nationwide sponsored walk that anyone can take part in. This gives the opportunity to get out and about and fundraise for an environmental issue, close to your heart. On their website, they have a testimony of someone who walked the Speyside Way to raise money for their chosen charity.

A trip that is notorious for being used as a fund raiser is the Land’s End to John O’Groats cycle ride. This is an iconic long-distance cycling challenge, since it was first ridden by Alfred Nixon in 1882, that is on every cyclist’s bucket list. Using only pedal power, cycling is one of the greenest ways to travel. The only fuel a bike runs on, is the coffee and cake needed to power the rider! With more and more people wanting to limit their carbon footprint, cycling is a great option for a sustainable holiday. Here at Maximum Adventure, we offer Land’s End to John O’Groats or ‘LEJOG’ on a guided or self-guided basis. Enjoy the journey as part of a group and join one of our guided tours or take on LEJOG in your own time and bespoke itinerary. The route itself really is fantastic as you ride beside white sandy beaches in Cornwall, to remote mountains and lush forests in the Highlands of Scotland, a truly memorable experience. A MaxAd top tip is to utilise public transport to Land’s End and back from John O’Groats, to further reduce your carbon footprint.

For those of us who prefer to walk, either starting or completing the Lands’ End to John O’Groats challenge, The John O’Groats Trail is a brand new for 2023 hike, starting in Inverness and finishing in John O’Groats or visa versa. This again would be a great trip to continue the fund-raising theme but also an opportunity to turn your mobile phone off and really enjoy being outside and at one with your surroundings. The walking is along cliff tops, offering amazing views, abundant wildlife – look out for the seals and dolphins and the plethora of sea birds, and a fascinating heritage story all the way. As you journey, remember you are walking a natural route that has connected coastal settlements for centuries. The guidebook suggests taking your time on this trail!

It’s taking trips like this, that you begin to really appreciate the world we live in and how we can play our part in looking after it.

And, don’t worry if you have had to drive to the start of the trip, you could always plant a tree in Scotland to offset your carbon footprint!