Canoe Across ScotlandCanoe Across Scotland

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. 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. The River Oich runs side by side with the canal from here along to Fort Augustus, so we make the most of having a current to help us along for a while. Watch out for the interesting little grade 2 rapid, though! 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, and celebrating 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  Waterproof jacket and trousers (if required)  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 Sleeping Bag hire available for £20 - Sleeping Bag with a compression stuff sack (3-4 season recommended).   BOOKING 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. 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. START POINT Meeting at 9am you will then be driven from the start point 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. Usually by 3pm but exact timings can vary. FAQs When should I book onward travel from? Not until after 5:00 PM at the earliest. Storage of Excess Luggage 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 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 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? 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? 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? 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.