Outdoor Activities at Hopetoun
With 6,500 acres of beautiful rolling countryside, Hopetoun is ideally placed on the outskirts of Edinburgh for outdoor activities at any time of the year. Hopetoun provides opportunities for clay shooting, quad biking, archery, walking, cycling and a range of outdoor activities with our Ranger Service. You can also take full advantage of the outdoor activities on offer by staying in one of our self catering holiday cottages.
Clay Shooting
Hopetoun offers a perfect rural escape for an adrenaline fuelled clay shooting activity. Set within Hopetoun's dramatic woodland and with unrivalled views across the Firth of Forth you'd never guess you're only 12 miles from Edinburgh city centre.
Clay pigeon shooting and simulated game shooting are both available on the estate with a wide range of packages to suit your all levels and all budgets - perfect for small corporate groups or stag weekends.
Prices start at £45 per head for one hour including gun hire, cartridges and tuition. For more information on clay shooting and packages please visit our dedicated Clay Shooting page.
Quad Trekking
Our technical track located within Hopetoun Woods certainly has everything required to kick your excitement levels up a gear or two! Within 50 acres of woodland this course really caters for nearly all ability levels, from gentle to moderate – it really depends on the standard of your party.
Each trek has their own individual Lantra qualified instructor ensuring that everyone has a fantastic experience whilst remaining safe at all times. Starting off on our agility circuit, with your own Yamaha Grizzly 125 cc bike you and your party will be ready for an adventurous quad experience like no other!
Priced at £45 per head for one hour including hire of a Yamaha 125cc Grizzly, helmet, overalls and public liability.
Mini Highland Games
Scotland is world famous for Highland Games which celebrate Scottish sporting tradition. So why not experience your very own Mini Highland Games? Two hours of fun-filled activities with your own personal kitled instructors all in stunning surroundings.
Typical events include Tossing the Caber, Hurling the Wellies, The Farmer's Dash, Tyre Flip, The Haggis Malt Challenge, Weight O'er Bar, Tossing the Hammer & Puttin the Stane and Tug o' War. Our kilted instructors are there to encourage and coach, and also help make your experiencememorable. Let the games begin…
Priced at £40 per head for 2 hours including gloves, helmet, a qualified instructor, prize giving and public liability.
Archery and Air Rifles
Archery is a sport that hits the mark for everybody, whether they fancy themselves as Robin Hood or not. The aim of the game is to fire your arrows at targets comprised of colored rings. Once you've got the measure of your bow, there's a good chance of scoring a competitive bulls-eye or two… under the expert supervision of our professional team of instructors.
Our fully trained team is experienced at working with complete beginners, as well as with clients who have already tried the sport and are looking to develop their current skills.
Priced at £25 per head for one hour including Compound Bows, Arrows, 0.177 Air Rifles, Representative Animal Targets and Competition Targets, group instructor and public liability.
How to Book Activities
To make an enquiry or booking regarding any of the above activities please call 0131 331 9940 or email clays@hopetoun.co.uk.
Walking and Cycling
You can purchase a ticket to allow you to walk around grounds of Hopetoun House between Easter weekend and the last weekend in September and explore the magnificent Planned Parkland.
There are two delightful nature trails; the Spring Garden Trail which includes the old bowling green and the main gardens and the Sea Walk Trail which has expansive views over the Deer Park to Blackness castle and the ruins of Abercorn Castle. There are two further nature trails designed specifically for children.
You are welcome to explore the wider estate outwith the House grounds at any time of year however please exercise your access rights responsibly, be aware of other land uses and land management requirements and please take note of any signs that you see.
There are also many routes suitable for cycling throughout the estate including National Cycle Route 76 and the Union Canal towpath. Although we encourage and welcome House visitors to arrive by bicycle, for conservation reasons and in consideration of others, cycling is not allowed within the principal grounds of Hopetoun House.
Ranger Activities
Our Ranger Centre is available during seasonal opening hours and provides lots of information on the trails to walk in the Grounds and on the natural environment with displays and activities. There is also a programme of ranger walks and events throughout the season and at other times of the year which are very popular. Please visit our Whats On guide for details.
Geocache
A Geocache is hidden somewhere in the grounds at Hopetoun. Geocaching is a treasure hunting game that relies on the global positioning system (GPS) satellites and receivers, such as satellite navigation devices used in vehicles and hand-held devices used by hikers. Many smartphones are also GPS receivers. The Hopetoun geocache is listed on the following website along with other geocaches from all over the world.
