The Cairngorms Experience runs over a long weekend, from Friday 1st to Monday 4th October 2027. Everything is included from the moment you arrive until you leave, so once you've got yourself to the lodge near Kingussie you don't need to think about food, transport to activities or what's happening next.

A typical day mixes a guided hike with a training session. Hikes head out from the lodge into Glenfeshie and the surrounding hills: forest tracks, open moorland, river crossings and big views across the Cairngorm plateau. The strength and conditioning sessions are group workouts run by the Fitnessat58° coaches, aimed at getting your heart rate up rather than testing your one-rep max. On one day the pace changes completely with a quad biking session over rough Highland ground.

Recovery is part of the plan. There's a sauna beside the loch, and the idea is to go back and forth between the heat and a cold dip in the water. In early October the loch is properly cold, so expect a sharp shock followed by a long, warm sit in the sauna.

What sets this one apart from a gym-style bootcamp is the setting and the scale. The lodge sits on its own in the national park, so you're far more likely to see a pine marten, red deer or badger than other tourists. Groups are small, meals are eaten together and evenings are spent around the fire, so it feels more like a weekend away with friends than a fitness programme.

Sam Cairns founded Fitnessat58° and leads the retreat in person, alongside an on-the-ground team who know the area. The company runs its retreats in the Cairngorms and in the Algarve, as well as corporate retreats.

The Cairngorms is the UK's largest national park. Glenfeshie is one of its quieter corners: Caledonian pine woods that are being left to regrow, the River Feshie running through the glen, and good access to the high plateau. The nearest town is Kingussie, which has a mainline railway station.

What's included

- 3 nights at Ballintean Mountain Lodge (shared or single room) - All meals from arrival to departure - Guided hikes in Cairngorms National Park - Strength and conditioning sessions - Quad biking session - Cold dips and loch-side sauna - Coaching from Sam Cairns and the Fitnessat58° team - Fireside evenings and stargazing - Transport for activities during the retreat

What's not included

- Travel to and from Kingussie / the lodge - Flights or train tickets - Travel insurance - Hiking boots, waterproofs and personal kit - Personal expenses