Hiking boots or shoes? (1 Viewer)

Please forgive me if this is an inappropriate question for this forum. I will be visiting Scotland in early September and have booked a guide for a full day birding in the forests in the Strathspey area near Grantown and Aviemore. As I am packing light, I have to choose between my two favorite pairs of birding footwear - a leather, ankle-high Ariat boot, and a lower hiking shoe (Keens.). Both pairs are comfortable and well-broken in.

Any suggestion for the best footwear for my birding day would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Kathi

Hi Kathi. Personally, if keeping to the woodlands, I'd wear hiking shoes. Might be different if you intended walking to the top of Cairngorm though.

Rich

You should be OK with the approach shoe, especially if you are sticking to the established trails. Hopefully, early September should be fairly dry with not to much mud about. The area has many established and well maintained trails, but if you are going off trail or onto some of the rougher trails you may want to consider the boots to give ankle support.

If you are in the area, I can recommend

http://www.inshriachnursery.co.uk/

It has a great little tea and cake cafe with a viewing gallery looking over a bird feeding area. No shoes or boots needed. :t:

Gander said:

No shoes or boots needed

Click to expand...

Though I would wear some form of footwear!

Thanks for the advice on foot wear and also the nursery for tea and cake. Another person in the I Know Scotland community also recommended the Potting Shed at Inshriac Nursery for Red Squirrels and cake. I can see this is the place to take a break for tea.