Join the Black Girls Hike team for an unforgettable four-day weekend in the heart of the Scottish Highlands!

We’ll be exploring the UK's largest national park in the Scottish Highlands, Cairngorms National Park, an immense area of nature, unmatched in its beauty and scale. Our accommodation will be the award-winning Cairngorm Lodge, a hostel in the heart of the national park with views overlooking Cairn Gorm, Britain’s 6th highest mountain, and only a short walk from the sandy beach of Loch Morlich.

This spring weekend is your opportunity to discover the beauty of the Scottish outdoors, while building community and creating friendships with a supportive group of Black women. No planning required - we’ve done the hard work for you and got your accommodation, activities, and meals covered! So all you need to do is relax and unwind in the stunning Scottish countryside…

What to Expect:

Over four days, you’ll enjoy a mix of outdoor adventure, stunning views, shared meals, and plenty of downtime to rest, explore, or play as much as you like. We'll go on scenic hikes together, see reindeer at the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre, and get to meet a reindeer herder. All activities will take place either at or within walking distance of our accommodation, keeping things simple, stress-free, and ensuring you’re never far from the Cairngorm Lodge.

The itinerary is designed with afternoons free to allow you to make the weekend your own. You can try watersports on the nearby lake (weather permitting and not included), or even catch the bus into town to visit the local gin distillery and shop for Scottish shortbread. Or you could just nap! We’ll provide a list of nearby activities so you can choose to spend your free time as you wish.

Whether you’re new to hiking or already love the trails, this weekend offers the chance to reconnect with nature, enjoy shared experiences, and discover a beautiful part of the UK’s outdoors.

Who's It For

This retreat is open to Black/Mixed Race cis & trans women, and non-binary people of Black African and/or Caribbean descent.

Difficulty Rating: Easy to Moderate

Based on the planned activities, the weekend is rated as easy to moderate. The main hikes include the Ryvoan and Lochan Uaine Circuit, an 8 km walk with 246 m of elevation gain that passes by the small, freshwater loch of An Lochan Uaine in the Cairngorms National Park. This route is considered moderate and features some steep stairs on the approach to the lake.

The second hike is an easier 6 km hike around Loch Morlich with 170 m of elevation gain.

Attendees should be able to comfortably walk for 2–3 hours at a moderate pace on rugged, hilly terrain, including short steep sections, with breaks.

Attendees can opt out of any activity that is beyond their comfort level.

Accommodation

Located in Cairngorms National Park, just seven miles from Aviemore train station and moments from the pretty Loch Morlich, we will be staying at the award-winning Cairngorm Lodge Youth Hostel. The hostel offers comfort, warmth, and exceptional access to the outdoors and will provide a warm, clean, and welcoming stay with practical amenities such as cosy lounges, a pool table, laundry, and limited wifi.

Rooms are shared (3–4 people per room) with individual beds (mostly bunk beds) and shared bathrooms. No single person rooms are available on this trip. The hostel offers a licensed café bar on-site and great access to the outdoors.

Address:

Cairngorm Lodge Youth Hostel

Glenmore, Aviemore

PH22 1QY

Website: https://www.hostellingscotland.org.uk/hostels/cairngorm-lodge/

Features include:

• 13 shared bedrooms (single/bunk beds)

• 12 bathrooms

• Licensed café bar with local beers & wine

• Two cosy lounges & pool table

• Self-catering kitchen

• Laundry & drying room

• Limited free WiFi due to remote location

Getting To Cairngorm Lodge
Nearest airport: Inverness (1 hour)

Nearest train station: Aviemore (6 miles)

Bus: No. 30 travels from Aviemore to the Glenmore Visitor Centre stop, which is a 5 min walk to Cairngorm Lodge.

Taxis: Several taxi companies are located in Aviemore for rides to the lodge.

Car-sharing can be arranged through the WhatsApp group. However, if you’re travelling to the Cairngorms without a car, please be prepared to use public transport in case there aren’t enough drivers available.

Meals

All meals are provided by Cairngorm Lodge’s in-house catering team and will be available from Friday dinner to Monday breakfast.

Breakfast will include a hearty mix of continental and hot options, lunch will be packed lunches and the dinner will be warming two-course meals each night.

Dietary requirements can be catered for - just be sure to share details when registering.

Refund Policy

A non-refundable deposit of £150 plus booking fees is required at the time of booking to secure your place. The remaining balance is refundable up until 27th February 2026, provided that your spot can be filled by someone else. If your place is successfully taken, you will receive a refund of all payments made beyond the initial deposit. From February 28th onwards, all payments are non-refundable.

Questions

If you have a question about the weekend, please email Camara at camara@bghuk.com.