KEEP IN THE LOOP
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Covid-19 Update
All paddling and camping equipment will be cleaned with antiviral disinfectant. Paddles and buoyancy aids will be issued for your sole use. We ask that you wear a face covering if travelling in our minibus. Your guide will always have a ready supply of hand sanitiser available for frequent hand cleansing but we do suggest that you bring a small personal bottle to have on you at all times.
Please consider travelling to meet the trip in Fort William rather than Inverness. This will help reduce the numbers of people that need to travel in the minibus to the start point. The pick-up place and time in Fort William will be Morrison’s supermarket car park (adjacent to train and bus stations) at 11.00. Please note that all post-trip onward travel should continue to be planned to depart from Inverness.
The Plan
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’ll paddle under the helpful eye of a local guide and you will wild camp along the way. You’ll get the opportunity to learn new canoe skills or consolidate what you already know. With stunning scenery, campfire cooking, myths and legends and lots of fresh Highland air, this is a very special adventure. Minimum age 13. Maximum capacity is 7 people (with 1 guide). All will travel in shared double Canadian open-topped canoes.
Day 1 – Fort William to Gairlochy (10km)
After meeting in Inverness we will drop you off in Fort William and then take the scenic route to Banavie, the start point of our expedition. With help from your guide, we’ll carefully pack the canoes and have a practice paddle in the canal basin. Once everyone is happy with steering a fully laden canoe we will paddle around 10km towards Gairlochy to find a remote campsite to enjoy our first night well away from the bustle of Fort William.Day 2 – Gairlochy to Loch Oich (25km)
Much of the day is spent paddling 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 Alltsigh (24km)
As we leave Loch Oich we are in for a treat. A decent lunch stop in the lovely little tourist-friendly village of Fort Augustus will give you the chance to visit a few shops for the first time on the trip and also to visit the Caledonian Canal Museum (a must see). On leaving the village we 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 we will look for somewhere to camp for the night on the quiet Eastern shore and cook our dinner on the beach while Nessie spotting.Day 4 – Alltsigh to Dores (22km)
A full day on Loch Ness today. It can get 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 paddle and we may well have time to land at the dramatic Urqhuart Castle for photo opportunities, and a look around the Historic Scotland visitor centre. In the evening we 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, as are late nights in the Dores Inn to celebrate our 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 we leave Loch Ness behind, 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. Our finishing point is 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, we will transport you in to the town centre train station where we will leave you with a big bag of smoky, sweaty clothes and an even bigger bag of awesome memories.What's Included?
- Tent
- Inflatable sleeping mat
- Cutlery, mug, bowl, plate
- Shared double canadian canoe
- Paddle
- Buoyancy aid
- Waterproof barrel for personal kit
- Portage trolleys
- Food and soft drinks
- Waterproof jacket and trousers (if required)
Insurance
We appreciate that 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 hereBooking
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. You can view our full terms and conditions of booking here.INVITE A FRIEND
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WHERE
Tesco Metro Car Park 8 Tomnahurich St Inverness, IV3 5DD
Meeting at 9am in Inverness, you will then be driven to Fort William to begin your adventure (aprox 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.TIMINGS
5 daysBOOKING TERMS
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.AGE CRITERIA
13 and over
INVITE A FRIEND
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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
