What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 5pm Sunday 9am - 5pm

Arc Guiding

Name: Arc Guiding
Address: Aviemore, PH22, GB
Telephone: +447548272970
Price range: £££
Rating: 5

Arc Guiding is all about nature and adventure in wild places. Run by Malcolm O’Reilly.

Based in the Cairngorms National Park, Arc Guiding provides wildlife and bird guiding, ski touring and mountainbike instruction, hillwalking and winter skills.

24/06/2025

Escape on 2 wheels in Scotland 🚲

Scotland has a wealth of bike trails to suit all levels of rider. You can cruise between peaceful villages, chase technical forest tracks, or have an epic high mountain adventure.

Qualified and experienced leading
Video and photos
Local hire
Tailored experience

Check out my guided MTB days for a 2-wheeled tour, in-depth coaching, or something in-between. See https://arcguiding.com/activities/mtb-coaching-scotland/

21/06/2025

Discover nature 🫱

I'm a great believer in 'teachable moments' when outdoors - especially when it comes to the natural world.

Do we need to make nature and wildlife experiences a theme park, full of thrills and spectacular encounters? Or is it better to adjust our speed to that of the natural world around us, to wait and see, thoughtfully explore, and learn to look and listen?

My preference is for the second one. As a guide, I have a feel for what we are likely to see and where, but none of it is certain. I think it's good for us to slow down, listen, observe and get a break from chasing that dopamine fix.

Check out my guided wildlife canoe days in the Cairngorms: https://arcguiding.com/activity/canoe-trips-scotland/cairngorms-canoe-safari/

17/06/2025

Walk round (not on) the wildflowers 🌺

This month sees some new wildflowers blooming here in the Scottish Highlands.

They add a welcome splash of colour to any walk. But they are also a vital food source for pollinating insects, which in turn support many other plants and animals. As well as being a sign of a healthy habitat, wildflowers also have fascinating biology and history 🤓.

Try to avoid standing on them as you walk! While picking them isn't illegal, damaging habitat often is (and there are some rare species which are legally protected and SHOULDN'T be picked). Interestingly, uprooting wildflowers is illegal across the board in the UK, unless it's on your own land.

While hiking, I'm often on the lookout for wildflowers at this time of year, and I encourage my guests to do the same!

📷Twinflower (rarity)
📷Moss campion
📷Tormentil
📷Cross-leaved heath
📷Butterwort
📷Chickweed wintergreen
📷Northern marsh orchid

Check out my guided hikes in the Scottish Highlands:
https://arcguiding.com/activities/walking-guide-scotland/

15/06/2025

A very windy day with two very keen and knowledgeable US ornithologists 🤓🇺🇸

With a huge list of hoped-for species, lots of questions and very dry, windy conditions, the birding was tricky!

Thankfully, my guests were super supportive and were happy to go with the flow. That's exactly the mindset needed when finding wildlife in Scotland, where there can be plenty of challenges.

Some highlight comments from the day:
📢 "on-the-fly flexibility to tailor the day"
📢 "he found for us some birds we'd really hoped to see"
📢 "knowledge of ecology, habitats, local lore"
📢 "I could understand Malc with no problem at all"
📢 "hot drinks and delicious shortbread cookies"

Of course, many of our common species are brand new for overseas visitors, so that's a bonus ✅ For example, the close feeding crossbills were a highlight for me, but the red kite and lapwing were highlights for them!

39 species, including a very brief kingfisher (locally rare) plus some great wildflowers.

"We can absolutely strongly recommend Malc for enjoying the magic and mystery of the Cairngorms ecosystems"

Read reviews of my birding and other day trips : https://arcguiding.com/reviews/

12/06/2025

Roll or Rip? 🛞🚀

We have some great MTB trail centres around, offering plenty of progressive routes. Small jumps or drops that can be smoothly rolled over, or hit faster to provide a little air time. Similarly, well-designed bermed corners that can be ridden slower with less angle, or faster and steeper for a rail.

Check out my post on MTB skills: https://arcguiding.com/blog/outdoor-skills/mtb/

09/06/2025

Paddling skills🛶

I just love the feeling of a well-executed paddle stroke in calm water when I'm canoeing or kayaking.

While you may feel small and vulnerable in these craft, they are incredibly versatile and capable when handled well.

I think of paddle strokes as speaking a different language. There's nuance, punctuation, interpretation, rythmn, power and fluency in paddle strokes.

Sure, you can splash and thrash your way from A to B. But take time to enjoy the feel of the water over the blade and see where it can get you soundlessly, smoothly and entirely under your own steam.

Check out the blog post for an overview of key paddle strokes for kayak and canoe: https://arcguiding.com/blog/outdoor-skills/canoe-paddling-strokes/

06/06/2025

Don't dry up 🫗

Whatever adventures you're up to, remember the importance of getting fluids on board. Although we don't actually digest or break down the water in our drinks, it is absolutely vital for loads of body processes.

Here's 6 tips to avoid dehydration when exercising in remote locations:

🫗Drink more than usual

🫗Choose drinks carefully

🫗Non-leaky drink container

🫗Keep drinks accessible

🫗Drink a little and often

🫗Pee (carefully!) when needed

Get more details in the blog: https://arcguiding.com/blog/outdoor-skills/hydrated/

04/06/2025

One of my favourite places to guide in the Cairngorms ⛰️🌲❤️

It's a view that's locally very well known and it's a place that's precious to many people. I've watched crossbills in the old pines, walked on the frozen loch, biked on the tracks, canoed with my kids and watched wild forest slowly advance up the distant hills.

Today, I saw a jay here - a woodland bird whose range has steadily expanded north, likely due to climate change. But no capercaillie, wildcat, divers or squirrels, which have lived here for millenia but are now few and far between. People were enjoying the walks here, but it didn't feel crowded and there was no litter. Trees lie fallen and slowly decaying in testament to the hurricane-force winds of two winters ago. Thankfully, the ice-age viewpoint rocks had been cleaned of post-covid graffiti and the forest has, for one more day, escaped destruction by abandoned campfire or barbeque.

Do I want this placed to remain unchanged?
Yes, because many of us are touched deeply in places like this. But also no, because nature and people move, sometimes in a good direction, sometimes not.

Learn about Scotland's nature: https://arcguiding.com/blog/scotland-highlands/wildlife/

31/05/2025

MTB rides near Aviemore 🚲

Aviemore is a great base for MTB riders, with a range of good accommodation, eating and bike shop options. On the doorstep, you've got High Burnside with it's maze of hand-dug singletrack through peaceful pine forest. Or there's the Burma Road if you want a remote, classic XC adventure. The Speyside Way provide mellow cruising for families and newbies and Cairn Gorm has big mountain action for advanced and expert riders.

Check out my guided MTB days, including coaching if you want it: https://arcguiding.com/activity/mtb-coaching-scotland/aviemore-mountain-bike/

29/05/2025

Canoe with wildlife 🦆

Open canoes are a great craft for exploring lochs and gentle rivers in the Cairngorms. They are stable, quiet, dry (on the inside) and can carry a lot of kit comfortably. Plus, with a little basic tuition, even newbies can paddle comfortably! We see freshwater species such as goldeneye and osprey from a completely different perspective and we can also access great woodland walks too.

Check out my guided wildlife canoe days: https://arcguiding.com/activity/canoe-trips-scotland/cairngorms-canoe-safari/

26/05/2025

Walking off trail? 🧭

Sometimes YES, sometimes NO! In some national parks, walking off trail at any time is forbidden.

However, in the Cairngorms National Park (and Scottish Highlands), it's sometimes OK to walk off trail. And, in poor vis or stormy weather, going off-trail is almost unavoidable!

Usually being off trail isn't too much of a problem - we would just follow landforms like ridges, streams or cliffs instead. And expert guides are great at navigating in zero vis using just a map and compass.

But sometimes, going 'off piste' can cause wildlife disturbance. And although going off trail is often one of the highlights of a walk, it can also lead you into difficult or dangerous terrain. One of the many advantages of hiring a guide is they can help keep you right when making these on or off trail decisions!

Click the link for more details about my bespoke guided walks in the Cairngorms: https://arcguiding.com/activity/guided-walks-scotland/cairngorms-walks/ (or link in bio)

24/05/2025

So what is 'responsible wildlife watching' ? 🤔

In Britain, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA) describes illegal behaviour that affects wildlife. It also lists various animals and plants and the degree of protection afforded to them by law.

Incidentally, licenses are issued to experts not to 'take photos', but to permit the minimal disturbance required for specialist photography or science.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act describes what recreational activities are allowed in the countryside and how they must be done. Crucially, you lose the right to be there if you do your activity (eg wildife watching) 'irresponsibly'.

'Avoiding disturbance' is a massive part of responsible wildlife watching, eg:

✅ Avoid searching if requested

✅ Stay quiet

✅ Keep your distance

✅ Minimise time spent watching

✅ Leave no trace

✅ Don't crowd or pursue

Learn about Scotland's wildlife and my guided trips at: https://arcguiding.com/blog/scotland-highlands/wildlife/ or hit link in bio.

Viking Optical
Kowa Sporting Optics

Address

Aviemore
PH22

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm
Sunday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+447548272970

Website

https://arcguiding.com/

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Sharing the skills and nature of wild places...

Based in the Cairngorms National Park, I guide and instruct throughout the Scottish Highlands and Islands and further afield. I work with a number of excellent outdoor providers and also run my own company Arc Guiding, which provides a wide range of adventure sports and guided wildlife trips throughout the year.