Award-winning In Your Element offers a huge range of outdoor activities near Inverness & Loch Ness, Aviemore & the Cairngorms, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, Fort William, and Loch Tay in Perthshire, as well as many other places in Scotland.

Many In Your Element activity venues are in remote locations, and we will let you know where to meet when booking.

At Aviemore and Loch Tay, you can just turn up to see what activities are available on the day, although we always recommend booking in advance.

At our Inverness base, we do not run any activities on-site, so please don’t visit our Inverness address expecting to find activities.  

When booking a scheduled activity online, you will always be provided with details on how to find the location.  If you book a private guided experience, or hire canoe and kayak equipment from us, we will provide meeting location details when you book.

If you’re unsure, please get in touch

A Guide to Midges in Scotland

If you’re planning to explore Scotland’s stunning landscapes this summer, it’s advised to take precautions against attracting midges and other insects. Learn where to expect them and how best to avoid getting bitten.

FAQS about Midges

What are midges? 

Small two-winged flies which often from swarms or clouds. There are a number of different species of midge, some of which partly feed off nectar in addition to the blood of animals and sometimes humans.

Which type of midge lives in Scotland?

The Highland midge. It’s found throughout the British isles, northern Europe and even northern China.

Are midges like mosquitos? 

No. While midges might look like mosquitos close up and suck blood, they are not mosquitos and do not spread malaria.

What do midge bites look like?

Small red dots which can develop into itchy, painful swellings and even blisters.

Are midge bites serious?

Midge bites are harmless but if the skin around the bite becomes broken it could become infected.

How do midges detect their prey? The midge locates its prey by picking up carbon dioxide exhaled into the atmosphere.

Did you know? Only the female midge bites!

Where are the midge hotspots Scotland?

The west of the Highlands, islands and parts of the Cairngorms. They are also found in Perthshire and Argyll.

At what time of day are midges most active?

At dawn or dusk. They also like damp, clammy days with overcast skies and little wind.

At what time of year are midges most common? 

From May to October.

Where are midges found?

Midges love humid and damp conditions as well as shady spots. Marshlands, grasslands, forests and woodlands, the banks of rivers, ponds and lochs; all are magnets for midges.

At what time of day are midges most active?

At dawn or dusk. They also like damp, clammy days with overcast skies and little wind.

What can you do about them?

We advise buy a midge-head net and possibly buy some insect repellent too, e.g. check the Smidge website.  Midges won’t generally bother you during activities, but if they are around, you may bump into them if you are standing waiting, changing clothes, or resting during an activity.

Participation in In Your Element outdoor activities carries a small risk of injury.  That is unavoidable and something that all participants must accept prior to booking. Although we put a number of measures in place to protect customers, you might still twist your ankle or fall of your bike.

As a company we take a number of steps to minimise the risk of injury to our staff and customers:

• Our instructors and guides are all fully-trained in the activities they are delivering, and must undergo not only activity-specific training, but also venue-specific training.
• In Your Element has a comprehensive Safety Procedures and Risk Assessment Document, which is updated on an ongoing basis and audited externally by the activty licencing authority.
• All our instructors are first-aid trained.
• Prior to all activity sessions, participants are given a safety briefing and where required, coaching.
• If weather is looking rubbish, we’ll consider the resulting risk of continnuing with an activity session.
• We have industry-leading liability insurance should a serious injury ever occur.

In Your Element has an excellent record for safety, so you should feel assured that you are in good hands,  If you do sprain your ankle or get a scrape or 2, we’ll be able to help out where required. However, the odd minor bump or bruise is often a sign that you’ve had a great time and shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

One of the great things about Scotland is that it rains regularly.  That means we don’t often have water shortages like some other countries!

So, it it’s raining all you need to do is bring a waterproof coat.  It might be worth bringing a change of clothes for afterwards if your legs and feet get wet.

We’ll only cancel an activity session when we feel it will be dangerous to continue.  Think flooded river gorges or swollen rivers.  We might also cancel if there is thunder and lightning forecast or strong winds.  If there are blizzards on the way, that sometimes causes issues too!

Safety is always out first priority, so if we think there is a risk, we will cancel and refund your booking or offer you the chance to reschedule.

So, in short…. remember your waterproof and embrace the precipitation!

Generally, you won’t need any specialist clothing or equipment, but if you do, we will provide it.

As a rule of thumb, wear clothing suitable for outdoor activity.

• So, ideally synthetic/ sporty/ merino clothing, but not cotton/ denim, as it stays wet if it gets wet.  Think layers – so you can add or remove as required.
• Remember to bring waterproofs – it is Scotland after all!
• Hats for the cold or the sun.
• Shades so you look good!
• Suitable shoes – ideally robust outdoorsy trainers or boots.
• You might want to bring a midge head net (mainly for late June to early September).  You won’t always need one, but they can save the day sometimes.
• For water-based activities, bring a towel.
• Water bottle and a snack.

If there’s anything else you need on the day, we will let you know when you book.

If you slip off an obstacle, our safety system will catch you. After a quick giggle you should be able to clamber back onto the course. If you are having a little more trouble, our instructors can come and give you a hand to continue round.

If for any reason you can’t go on and want to return to the ground, our team will assist you. For your safety, it is impossible to leave the course without a Treezone instructor.

Once you are released from the safety system and reach terra firma you cannot rejoin the course. We are unable to make refunds in this situation.

TreeZone always welcomes all feedback.  If you have a complaint you must inform us verbally within 24 hours of your session and in writing within a week of your session for your case to be assessed.  Any complaints made later than this will not be considered for a refund.

We also like good feedback and you can give us a Trip Adviser Review, Google Review, or Facebook Review, or send us a card and box of chocolates!

• TreeZone places great emphasis on safety, however there is an element of risk involved.  On arrival for your session, everyone taking part must be included on a signed Acknowledgement of Risk stating that you understand the risk, and are fit and able to take part.  Under 18’s must be counter-signed by an Adult.
• All participants must listen to and follow all the safety instructions given by an instructor, otherwise, they may be removed from the course and no refund will be given.
• We only employ suitably qualified, well-trained staff and use only modern, correctly maintained equipment.
• TreeZone is hazardous by its nature and participants must accept a certain element of risk during their session.  Parents and guardians must also recognize the degree of risk to their children.
• To ensure everybody’s safety as far as possible, we reserve the right to postpone or cancel TreeZone sessions, as weather or group needs dictate.  If we believe that individuals are placing themselves or others at risk by their actions, we reserve the right to remove the person(s) concerned from the activity.
• TreeZone is certified by the European Ropes Course Association (ERCA).  This involves an annual inspection of our courses and safety system as well as our risk assessments, operating guidelines, and training programme. TreeZone instructors check the course thoroughly at the start of every day and are always on hand to help any participant anywhere on the course.

TreeZone reserves the right to cancel any session at any time. This will usually be due to events outside of our control and for safety reasons.  In the unlikely event of this happening, we will attempt to reschedule the activity. If this is not possible, a full refund will be given.  We do not offer compensation for other costs incurred (for example travel costs).

For bookings of 7 participants or fewer, cancellations must be made with at least 24 hours’ notice to receive a full refund or reschedule. Cancellations made with less than 24 hours’ notice (including participants changing their mind on the day or during the session) will not be refunded.

For bookings of 8+ participants, cancellations must be made with at least 14 days’ notice to receive a full refund or a reschedule. Cancellations made with less than 14 days’ notice (including participants changing their mind on the day or during the session) will not be refunded.

Please make sure you arrive on time for your session. If you arrive late, we will try to accommodate you, however this may not be possible, and you will not be refunded.

Please note that once a participant has checked in and is in their climbing harness, we cannot offer a refund if they subsequently decide they don’t want to attempt the course.  Additionally, no refunds will be offered once they have started the course.

Under 12 year olds must have an adult on site for the duration of the session. The adult doesn’t need to participate.

It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that all participants are:
– At least 8 years old for Treezone Aviemore.
– At least 1.1m tall (those under 1.3m will be restricted to the TreeCreeper Course).
– Less than 18st 12lb (120kg).
– Aware of what TreeZone involves and wants to take part.
– Sober and free from the influence of any other substances.

Group organisers should ensure all participants in their group meet these criteria before booking places on their behalf.  Refunds will not be offered on the day should any participant fail to meet these criteria. 

TreeZone reserves the right to cancel the session without a refund if it becomes obvious to us that any participants do not meet these requirements or if participants are behaving in a way that we believe may spoil the enjoyment of others.

If you’re looking for something a bit different to do with your work colleagues, whether it’s simply to escape the office environment and have a bit of fun as a team, or to use it as part of a team building activity day, TreeZone is ideal.

Not everyone is a fan of heights, so teamwork is essential if everyone is to make it round the TreeZone course. It provides an ideal opportunity to bond as a team in a fun, yet challenging environment and gives you all something to talk about back at the office for the weeks and months to follow.

If you’re planning to visit the area for a day, TreeZone could fit nicely into your plans. Perhaps a round of TreeZone in the morning to work up an appetite, before picking up some picnic supplies at the Rothiemurchus Farm Shop to take down to Loch an Eilein for a relaxing afternoon. Or perhaps drop in to Lomond shores for some shopping while you send the kids around our Loch Lomond Course.

You could tie in TreeZone with one of the other exciting activities on the Rothiemurchus Estate or at Lomond Shores for a fun packed day.

If you’re a stag or hen group staying in the area, TreeZone provides the ideal opportunity to stay out of the pub for a bit longer, clear the heads from the evening before and work up a thirst or appetite for later on.

It’s challenging enough for you to come away thinking that you will deserve that first thirst-quenching drink of the day, but not so difficult that you’ll be wanting to numb the pain!

We find that children and youths not only enjoy the experience, but they also benefit personally from the challenge. For most children, it could well be their first experience of an aerial activity like this, that challenges them both physically and mentally.

First, they have to make the first steps on to the lower level course, which is still high enough off the ground to raise the pulse rate somewhat. They can then progress to the higher, more challenging course, but only if they want to.

This gradual progression allows them to get used to the idea of being high off the ground in very safe environment, learning how to cope with a bit of fear perhaps, but ultimately coming away with a great sense of achievement and greater self-confidence.

Add to this the fact that they are breathing wonderful fresh-air in a superb location close to nature, and it makes for an extremely worthwhile excursion for young people.

TreeZone is open daily, from Easter to October with the first sessions typically starting at 10:00am. At other times of the year, it will be open at weekends, and holiday periods, like Christmas and New Year or the February half-term holiday.  Up to date availability can be found on the TreeZone Aviemore or Loch Lomond pages.