The Wilderness Group has announced that all its 156 itineraries across Wilderness Ireland, Wilderness Scotland and Wilderness England, will now include carbon labeling, providing guests with rigorous calculations and transparency of the carbon impact when they travel, helping adventurers make more informed decisions on where and how to travel.
Through its work with carbon consultancy eCollective, The Wilderness Group has developed one of the world’s first carbon labeling program for travel. Like reading the nutritional information on a box of cereal, each itinerary now has a carbon label, or score, indicating the amount of kilograms of carbon attributed to each trip, with an average of 142kg CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) per traveler per trip across the whole business (compare this with a week at a Maldives resort at 603kg CO2e, or a Caribbean cruise, which is 445kg CO2e per day). These labels were determined based on an analysis of the carbon footprint of over 5,000 services such as food, accommodation, transport and activities.
This project is integral to the Wilderness Group’s efforts to reach “true net zero” by 2030. This will involve a 90 percent reduction in emissions over the next decade alongside long-term investment in carbon removal with charity Trees for Life on its Highland estate. In addition, the Wilderness Group will continue its work with local rewilding, wildlife and conservation charities through its Conservation Contribution Scheme.
Over the next decade, the Wilderness Group’s carbon reduction strategy will involve complete electrification of its vehicle fleet, deeper partnerships with low-carbon accommodation and restaurants, and innovative product design to further reduce the carbon footprint of its itineraries.
Among the The Wilderness Group departures with below average carbon scores is “Hiking Northern Ireland Coast & Glens,” which has carbon footprint of 135 kg. This new 2022 small group guided tour explores the beauty of Northern Ireland, from iconic sites along the Causeway Coast to hidden gems within the Mountains of Mourne. Accompanied by a local guide, guests will explore the wild coasts, cliffs, mountains and glens of Northern Ireland, dig into local history and folklore such as the story of the giant Fionn MacCool who is credited with building the famed Giant’s Causeway, and enjoy some of this new foodie region’s eateries. The tour will include two days of exploring the Mourne Mountains and a walk along the Giant's Causeway and beautiful sections of the Causeway Coast Way. Travelers will also discover the mythical Glens of Antrim.
Another option is the “Wilderness Walking the West Highland Way” (with carbon footprint of 129 kg). This popular long-distance trek covers over 95 miles from Milngavie on the outskirts of Glasgow to Fort William in the Highlands. The route travels along the ‘bonnie banks’ of Loch Lomond, across the atmospheric Rannoch Moor, past dramatic Glencoe and over the high pass of the Devil’s Staircase before finishing in the town of Fort William, nestled at the foot of Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis. With the knowledge and experience of an expert guide, one can learn about the area’s history and legends, as well as the flora and fauna along the route.
The third itinerary is the “Self Guided Hadrian’s Wall Path” (carbon footprint 76 kg). On this classic self-guided long-distance trail, travelers will be immersed in the varied scenery of northern England. They’ll journey across the country on foot through the rich, rolling landscape visiting the remnants of forts and mile castles while soaking up the history of this ancient Roman monument. Including curated hikes from inn to inn, travelers will stay in charming villages and on working farms, all the while enjoying a warm welcome and wonderful local food. With luggage transferred from one accommodation to the next each day and route notes and maps provided, travelers can relax and enjoy their adventures at their own pace while following in the footsteps of Roman Legions. Travelers walk from coast to coast on the first national trail to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They will also enjoy the changing scenery on this beautiful point-to-point long distance trail. The navigation is easy with a well signposted trail and full route notes and maps provided.
For more information, visit wildernessgroup.co.uk.
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