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Canoe and Wild Camp Across Scotland
Experience a 5-day canoe and wild camping adventure through the lochs and canals of Scotland, from Fort William on the west coast to Inverness on the East coast.
You will paddle under the watchful eye of an experienced local guide and wild-camp along the way. You will get the opportunity to learn new canoe skills or consolidate what you already know. With stunning scenery, awesome campfire cooking, myths and legends and lots of fresh Highland air, this is a very special adventure. Maximum capacity is 7 people (with 1 guide) and with a group of this size you get to camp in some special places that bigger groups can’t. All will travel in (very stable) shared double Canadian open-topped canoes.
Day 1 – Fort William to Gairlochy (10km)
After meeting in Inverness, you will be transported to Banavie, Fort William, the start point of our expedition. The journey to Fort William will give you a flavour of what is to come as you take in the amazing Great Glen scenery on the road south.
With help from your guide, you’ll carefully pack the canoes and have a practice paddle in the canal basin. Once everyone is happy with steering a fully laden canoe, the group will paddle around 10km towards Gairlochy to find a remote campsite and enjoy the first night of wild camping, well away from the bustle of Fort William.
Day 2 – Gairlochy to Loch Oich (25km)
Much of the day is spent canoeing the length of Loch Lochy. Hopefully the prevailing south-westerly wind is blowing and we can rig an improvised sail to speed us along. At the head of the loch we pass through Laggan Locks then paddle a two mile section of canal which takes us into the magical Loch Oich. Here we will change down a gear towards the end of the day and take our time exploring the lovely wooded bays of the loch while we look for a private and wild camping spot.Day 3 – Loch Oich to Loch Ness (24km)
As you depart Loch Oich you are in for a treat. A decent lunch stop in the lovely little tourist-friendly village of Fort Augustus, then the chance to visit a few shops for the first time on the trip. On leaving the village you then face the daunting prospect of tackling the 36km of Loch Ness. A monster loch in more ways than one. A third of the way up Loch Ness, you will start to look for somewhere to wild-camp for the night on the quiet Eastern shore, then cook dinner on the beach while Nessie-spotting.Day 4 – Loch Ness to Dores (22km)
A full day on Loch Ness today. It can be pretty tough going if there is a strong wind blowing – due to the sheer size of the loch it is possible (though rare) to get up to 3ft waves forming. Good job you are in expert hands then! In normal conditions this is a lovely leisurely canoe journey on this most-iconic of Scottish lochs with endless opportunities to snap some memorable photos. In the evening you finally reach the head of the loch and find a campsite nearby. Looking back down the full length of Loch Ness, stunning sunsets are common and celebrating the group’s last night together and the friendships made.Day 5 – Dores to Inverness (10km)
The hustle and bustle of the city looms ever closer this morning as you leave Loch Ness behind for our final day of canoeing in Scotland. You will travel through the picturesque little Loch Dochfour, negotiate the last canal lock of the journey at Dochgarroch (lots of “ochs” in this part of the world), then paddle through rolling farmland and into Inverness, Capital of the Highlands. The group’s finishing point will be at Muirtown Locks on the edge of the city, sometime round about mid-day. It usually takes a while to unpack the canoes and to sort out the kit. Once this is done, you will be transported back to the town centre, close to the train and bus stations, where we will leave you with a big bag of smoky, sweaty clothes and an even bigger bag of awesome memories.What's Included?
Price is per person in double canoes and includes:- Minibus transport from Inverness city centre on day 1
- Tent
- Inflatable sleeping mat
- Cutlery, mug, bowl, plate
- Shared double canadian canoe
- Paddle
- Buoyancy aid
- Waterproof barrel for personal kit
- Portage trolleys
- All meals from lunch on Day 1 to breakfast on day 5, including a freshly prepared three-course dinner and a mug of wine each evening
- Waterproof jacket and trousers (if required)
- Minibus transport from the end- point back to central Inverness
Insurance
We appreciate that other totally unforeseen events may result in a need for you to cancel. We therefore advise that you take out insurance against cancellation costs as this trip is non refundable.What to Bring?
Find our kit list hereFrequently Asked Questions
When should I book onward travel from?
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Not until after 5:00 PM at the earliest.
Storage of Excess Luggage
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Should it be necessary we can store anything that you don’t need or want to take along on the expedition and return it to you when we collect you on the final day. You will decant your things into a 60-Litre barrel (about the size of an expedition rucksack), so it is best to organise your kit in a few smaller drybags that can be squeezed in, because you are unlikely to be able to fit in your rucksack or duffle-bag.
Information about toilets
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Just in case you are wondering, you will normally have access to a proper toilet once a day on this trip, but that isn’t guaranteed. You do therefore need to come prepared to go natural when required.
Tent Sharing
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Solo tents by default for solo travellers. You won’t be asked to share a tent with a stranger, but where possible we ask that if you are travelling with friends or family, that you share a tent. This is not essential, but sometimes it can help us squeeze into smaller, wilder campsites when we have fewer tents.
Is there a weight limit?
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For comfort and safety reasons, unfortunately we are not able to accommodate people over 18 stone (115 kilos) on this trip.
What if I need to leave the expedition earlier than planned?
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Occasionally, participants may need to leave an expedition earlier than planned for various reasons. Although rare, when such occasions do arise, your hosts can generally arrange for you to be collected and returned to Inverness. This is subject to being able to reach an accessible location and the availability of a vehicle and driver, so it might not be immediate. Your host reserves the right to charge £150 to collect an individual (with those travelling with them) and return them to Inverness; this extra charge covers staff time and the use of a vehicle & fuel. Your host will be happy to provide a receipt for this, should you require it for insurance claim purposes and we recommend that you take out suitable travel insurance to cover holiday cancellation costs or instances like those described above. You are more than welcome to make your own arrangements to leave if necessary, however, please be aware that this trip operates in some very remote locations, and taxis/public transport are not always readily available.
Who will guide the expedition?
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Our expedition will be led Secret Adventures’ trusted guiding partner for the Canoe Across Scotland journey. Their experienced, qualified outdoor leaders will accompany the group throughout the adventure, ensuring expert guidance, local knowledge, and a safe, inspiring experience from start to finish.
Booking
Please only book your travel arrangements once we have confirmed your booking. The capacity of this trip is 7 people. We need at least 4 people for this trip to run. We will let you know once this trip is confirmed. -
WHERE
Tesco Superstore Car Park 8 Tomnahurich St Inverness, IV3 5DD
Meeting at 9am in Inverness. (There is parking available at Rose Street multi-storey car park and accommodation next to the meeting point at Premier Inn River Ness).
You will then be driven to Fort William to begin your adventure (approx 2 hour drive). We pick up from here as transport to Inverness is often easier and cheaper and also as a back up in case the wind changes direction and we need to start the adventure in Inverness.
At the end of the week you will then be dropped off back into the centre of Inverness after unpacking the canoes and sorting out your kit. This is usually by 3pm but exact timings can vary. We recommend customers booking onward travel from Inverness at the end of the trip should not book anything before 5pm.
TIMINGS
5 daysBOOKING TERMS
Please only book your travel arrangements once we have confirmed your booking. The capacity of this trip is 7 people. Minimum age 18. Maximum weight restriction of 18 stones (114kg).
We need at least 4 people for this trip to run. We will let you know once this trip is confirmed.
AGE CRITERIA
18 years and over
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NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED
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UNIQUE AND AWE INSPIRING
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IT FILLED ME WITH GIDDY CHILD LIKE EXCITEMENT
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MAGIC IN THE CITY
