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Canoe Across Scotland

236
United Kingdom
5 Days
4B 4L 4D
£615 GBP
From£565 GBP
Canoe Across Scotland
Canoe Across Scotland
Canoe Across Scotland

Explore the Scottish Highlands, on this 5-day canoe trip passing Ben Nevis and Loch Ness.

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Itinerary

Day 1: Neptune Staircase to Loch Lochy

You'll meet the team at Neptunes Staircase in Fort William, where you'll start your canoeing adventure.

The calm waters of the Caledonian Canal offer a perfect opportunity to learn some of the basic skills, before heading out onto Loch Lochy. Arriving at your wild camp on the side of the Loch, you'll enjoy dinner around the fire and some star gazing.

*New for 2025: We'll be providing a pub meal on the last night*

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Day 2: Loch Lochy and onto Loch Oich

Today you'll paddle along the shore of Loch Lochy, taking in the amazing views of the Highland backdrops. At Laggan Locks, you can visit the Eagle Barge for refreshments, before heading to your camp on the shores of Loch Oich.

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Day 3: Loch Oich to Fort Augustus

After sunrise, the tranquil paddle along Loch Oich offers you opportunities to explore secluded shores and wooded bays. At the end of the Loch, you'll join the Caledonian Canal towards Fort Augustus, where you can enjoy some food and drink overlooking Loch Ness.

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Day 4: Loch Ness

As you paddle onto Loch Ness, the views are simply spectacular. Straight away you'll feel very much in the thick of the Scottish highlands, with a backdrop of the mountains and the myth and legends of the Loch itself. Make sure you keep a watchful eye out for Nessie. Your camp this evening will be on the shores of Loch Ness around the campfire.

*New for 2025: We'll be providing a pub meal on the last night*

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Day 5: Loch Ness to Inverness

The final day will see you leave Loch Ness and into the beautiful Loch Dochfour for a more relaxing paddle, then onto the canal to Inverness, where you will have paddled across Scotland.

We usually arrive in Inverness between 1-2 PM. We then shuttle you back to Fort William, arriving around 5:00 PM.

If you want to be dropped off in Inverness, we can drop you off at the airport, train station or a hotel. If you want to fly or catch a train that day, we suggest booking a departure after 6:00 PM.

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What's Included

Included
  • Professional guides.
  • All technical equipment (canoe, paddles, drybags).
  • Cooking & camping equipment (tents, sleeping mat, stoves, crockery, etc).
  • Meals during the trip (see FAQs).
  • Transfer back to Fort William.
Not Included
  • Sleeping bag.
  • Meals not mentioned.
  • Personal spending money for drinks & snacks.
  • Appropriate clothing (waterproof jacket, trousers & a warm coat). Check the kit list in FAQs.
  • Travel insurance.
Have a question?

If you have any questions about this trip or want to speak with an expert, get in touch.

We're ready to help.

Team Images
Team Images
Team Images

Rated 5.0

236 verified reviews

Catherine
Catherine

(Sep 2024)

There’s no such thing as bad weather in Scotland and you only can get wet to the skin! A trip of many emotions, it’s challenging in all the right ways and such a sense of accomplishment. I felt safe all the time as a solo traveller and included within the group it was a holiday I will never forget… So negatives … the weather can make certain parts more challenging but that is character building 🤣 Positives … the guides are friendly and inclusive, the food was way better than I expected (thanks Geoff) and if you don’t know how to do something they teach you and check you are ok :) including putting a tent up and learning how to paddle etc etc Overall if you’re considering this I would say go for it; but be prepared to be cold and wet at times, tired and a little achy 🤣 read the kit list well and ensure u have the things you really need! Oh and remember to look up the scenery is awesome!

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Sharon
Sharon

(Sep 2024)

On my way home from this adventure. Had a great time. Brilliant guides in Chucky and Geoff, engaging, full of stories, and looked out for us all. The food catered for all needs, just let them know beforehand. The snack bucket went down a treat 😀 Plenty of challenges whether it be from canoeing, wind and waves, rain, cold toes ( get your footwear right) or wild camping and all it entails. You really don't need many clothes, work on layers. A head torch makes life easier with free hands. A battery pack is handy for charging your phone for all the photos. Good waterproofs are an essential against the wind and rain potential. A hat can hide all manners of hair sins! If you want something to gently challenge you, make new friends and connect you with nature then this is great thing to do. A mix of couples, friends and solo travellers quickly got to know each other and have fun. Definitely recommend.🙂

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Carl
Carl

(Sep 2024)

An absolutely amazing experience, made exceptional by the professionalism of both guides whether you're an experienced canoeist or a complete novice. The scenery was breathtaking and every need was catered for...... fantastic.

Mark
Mark

(Sep 2024)

Amazing experience to get away from the daily routine and enjoy the scenery of the canal and lochs. Geoff and Chucky are fantastic - always up for a laugh and push the trip forward whatever the weather. Definitely recommend this to anyone.

Rowena
Rowena

(Sep 2024)

The guides were exceptional ( thank you Pete and Sam ) . The journey was varied and we enjoyed the challenge of some choppy water on Loch Ness. I’m looking forward to booking my next adventure.

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FAQs

Before you go

You don't need any paddling experience to enjoy this adventure - the guides are great at making it enjoyable for all abilities.

You'll need a moderate level of fitness, as you'll paddle around 20km per day. This involves about 6 hours on the water per day. You can expect plenty of rest stops along the way.

If you do events like park run, tough mudder, or if you swim, cycle, or hill walk, you'll find this at your level.

The trip, depending on the weather, will challenge you at times, both physically and mentally. But, our Guides are always on hand to help you.

At the lock gates the group will have to carry canoes around the gates. This requires some effort but the group will work together to do this. We provide trolleys to manoeuvre the canoes, and your drybag has rucksack straps.

Most people have little to no canoe experience, and that's ok. You'll spend time learning the basic skills from your expert guide.

You don't need to be able to swim as you will have a life jacket (buoyancy aid/ personal floatation device) on, but some level of water confidence is essential.

Although unlikely, it is possible that your canoe could capsize. So, you need to be happy spending some time in the water while the guide empties your canoe.

Your guides believe that to have a quality experience, you need to be comfortable. They work with several companies to ensure that the equipment available on the trips is not only fit for purpose but also of the highest quality.

We'll provide you with:
- Tents (We won't make you share with strangers. If you booked as a group, you may need to share, but we can usually accommodate needs).
- Self-inflating 3cm sleeping mats.
- Large dry bags
- All safety equipment**

You’ll need to bring:
- Sleeping bag (3 season is best)
- Waterproofs (jacket AND trousers)
- Outdoor clothing for wearing while on the water x2 sets. Synthetic walking, cycling, or running clothing is best, with a thin fleece. Avoid heavy cotton.
- Sun hat and warm hat.
- Warm jacket/fleece for camp.
- Shoes for on the water (these will get wet).
- Shoes for camp.
- Toiletries.
- Torch.
- Midge net (those made by Smidge work well) and spray.
- Sun protection.
- Personal medication.
- Camera.

Overall, keep your kit pretty basic. Most people don't change clothes through the trip unless they get wet.

It's worth investing in quality waterproofs. If it's a wet week, a spare cheap Pac A Mac works well as a 2nd waterproof.

** If you have your own safety equipment, that’s great. To use it on any of the guided trips, the equipment must be CE marked, (EN ISO 12402) under 5 years old, and be fit for use.

Yes absolutely! It's a great way to meet like-minded people. Around a third of our guests are solo travellers.

If you're nervous about going solo, drop us a message for a chat. You'll either be in a canoe with another solo traveller, or with one of the guides.

We work hard to foster a team approach to meal prep and tea breaks, and helping out with us is a great way to chat and get involved.

If you book solo, you will have your own tent.

We recommend a minimum age of 18 years, or 14 years if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Anyone under the age of 18 must share a canoe with their parent or guardian.

Absolutely - try and give us as much notice as possible of any dietary requirements. You can do this when completing your participation form after booking.

You will be best flying into Glasgow and getting the train to Fort William. If you were to fly into Inverness, you would have to get the train to Inverness centre and then catch a bus (1.5 hrs) to Fort William.

On the way home, Inverness is the better option

It’s highly recommended that you take out personal travel insurance. Travel cover protects you in the case of unforeseen circumstances, including cancellations, injuries, equipment loss, flight changes and other events that could negatively impact your trip.

We've had guests in the past who were unfortunately unable to attend due to cancelled trains, vehicle breakdowns, illness, and emergencies at home, to name a few. It's best to be covered for these types of situations.

We suggest specialist adventure travel insurers, Rise & Shield. They cover 100s of activities and are easy to deal with if you need to make a claim. They also cover unique scenarios, like trekking at altitude or emergency evacuation in hard-to-reach places, that ordinary travel insurance doesn’t cover.

The Post Office offer also offers a UK destination travel insurance.
On your trip

Not at all! If you book solo, you won't have to share a tent. If you book with someone else, and you would like your own tent, we can usually accomodate this too.

New for 2025: We'll provide a pub meal on the last night, subject to the pub being open (drinks not included).

Day 1: Lunch and dinner
Day 2: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 3: Breakfast and dinner
Day 4: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 5: Breakfast and lunch

On day 3, you'll have some time to explore Fort Augustus. During this time, you can buy your own lunch in a cafe or pub, or buy fish and chips.

On Day 5, there'll be some lunch available, and the trip finishes at a cafe where you can buy your own refreshments.

The guides also provide snacks that are high in energy throughout.

Typical food items include:
Breakfast: Porridge, bacon or sausage sandwich, tea, coffee or juice.
Lunch: Sandwiches or soup - lots of different fillings available. Plus, fruit and snacks.
Dinner: BBQ, stir fry, spaghetti bolognese, lemon chicken, risotto.

On some trips, there'll be the opportunity to eat in a pub. If you want to do this, it will be at your own expense.

You'll paddle around 20km per day. This involves paddling at a moderate pace for up to 6 hours daily. Not to worry, there'll be plenty of breaks along the way.

The total paddling distance is 100km.

There will be a maximum of 12 people, with 2 people sharing a canoe.

We provide 2 guides on trips with more than 8 people. This gives the lowest guide-to-client ratios to enhance your safety and enjoyment.

There will be 4 nights of wild camping with no facilities. Depending on availability, you may have the opportunity to grab a shower on 2 of the days.

There are several designated "wild camping" locations along the way. At the lochs, there are toilet and shower facilities.

We usually wild camp in forests and beaches. There are no facilities, but we bring a collapsible toilet. We really take you to the wild! Our campsites are stunning!

The canoes are 'Prospectors. ' They're all made in the UK and can have 2 people in each one.

We don't have a set weight limit and have taken people who weigh up to 120kg.

Very tall or large people may be uncomfortable in the boats. If you're concerned, we suggest booking a canoe lesson or visiting an outdoor shop that stocks this type of canoe (Prospector) to try it out.

The guides supply dry bags and barrels to keep everything nice and dry! Each person will have one large 60-litre drybag for their own personal use. This can easily fit in your tent, sleeping bag and personal possessions.

Start: You'll meet your guide at 10:00 AM in Banavie at Neptunes Staircase.

End: At the end of the trip the guides will transport you back to Fort William, or drop you off in Inverness city centre.

Car: Follow your satnav to the following address – Neptune’s Staircase, Banavie, Fort William, PH33 7NG. There is free car parking available at this point.

Bus: There are buses available from both Fort William and Inverness. However, this is a much slower option. Full details can be found on the Scotland Citylink Bus website.

Taxi: Taxis are available from Fort William Train Station and cost around £10 to your start location.

Train: You can get a train to Fort William and then a taxi to your start location at Neptune’s Staircase.

At the end of the trip, we will transport you back to the start location or a place in Inverness.

There'll be times when you pass by the shops, so bring some money if you want to buy anything.

You'll need money for lunch on Day 3, when you camp next to the highland town of Fort Augustus, where there are a few small shops.

We usually finish the trip around 1:00 PM, depending on the weather.

After we have loaded up, we will transport you back to Fort William. We can either drop you off at Neptunes Staircase, local hotels, or the train station.

If you wish to catch public transport from Inverness (this has a better train network than Fort William), we can drop you off at the rail station. There is a new line to be airport. If you want to do this, we suggest not departing before 6:00 PM.

Sometimes the weather can deem an activity unfeasible for a set period of time. If this is the case, then your guide will offer an appropriate alternative. Examples are as follows:

- The itinerary in reverse. The trip is much more enjoyable when you are not battling against the wind. 
- Canoe a different section of water.
- Hike the Great Glen trails. 
Other FAQs

Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on this trip.

Yes, you can leave any stuff you don't need in the guide's shuttle bus, at your own risk.

Note that these items won't be available while you're on your trip - just at the beginning and the end.

Winter season (Nov – Mar)

Winter in Scotland can be extremely cold. In Scotland, temperatures can go as low as -15 degrees Celsius.

Shoulder (Apr– May & Oct)

Temperatures in Scotland can vary at this time of year. Lows of 2 degrees Celsius and highs of 15 degrees Celsius. There can be some chances of rain, with May turning very green.

High Season (Jun – Sep)

June to Sept can be warm, with daytime temperatures ranging from 10 – 25 degrees Celsius. There can be some rain.

The weather can be quite unpredictable, and weather situations can change very quickly. Therefore, it is necessary to always be prepared for any changes.

Midge season in Scotland is the summer months (April to September). The worst months for midges are usually July and August, although this differs each year depending on the conditions.

The midges don't bother you too much when we're canoeing (which is all day) but can be bothersome at camp if the wind is low. It's nothing worth stressing too much over. Even in the peak of the midge season, we generally find that everyone has a great time.

We provide this adventure in open canoes. We choose them as these are the best option to carry our kit (including group kit), as it is a completely self sufficient trip.

Because of this, we don't allow people to bring their own kayaks, inflatable kayaks, or sit-on-top kayaks on the trip. The use of canoes also is safer in rough weather where we can provide more options to keep you safe.

We provide the best group canoes on the market - Ace Prospectors XL. These are stable, predictable, and great paddled tandem. We, therefore, only allow our own canoes on the adventure. As you will be paddling tandem, we also prefer to use our canoes to prevent any damage to your own.

The Moorings Hotel is near the start. The Ben Nevis Hotel is popular too. The pricing really does vary vastly week to week, depending on what else is on. Have a look on Booking.com

If you're driving, follow your satnav to the following address – Neptune’s Staircase, Banavie, Fort William, PH33 7NG. There is free car parking available at this point.

Parking is at your own risk.
Your head guide is Richard

All trips on Skyhook are run by small, hand-picked local guiding companies. For this trip you'll be led by Richard and the guiding team based in Leeds.

By booking through Skyhook you'll be joining a small-group trip. This can make it nice and sociable (you'll be added to a group chat after booking), and guarantees great value for money!

Richard
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