Canoe & Wild Camp Across Scotland

Your guide can collect you at Inverness at 8.30 am or meet you at the start point in Fort William at 10:30 am.

Starting at Neptune's Staircase in Fort William, we'll check our gear and pack our 60L barrels - don't worry, we'll spend time showing you the best techniques for fitting everything in! Once on the canal, we'll cover essential paddling skills and boat handling to help everyone feel confident before heading towards Gairlochy.

Our first portage awaits - a uniquely Scottish experience where we'll load the boats onto trolleys to bypass the canal locks (great photo opportunity!). As evening approaches, we'll set up camp on the peaceful shores of Loch Lochy, where we'll prepare our first fresh meal together around the campfire. It's the perfect chance to get to know your fellow adventurers while watching the sun set over the Highland waters.

Wake up to the gentle lapping of water against the shore and breathe in that crisp Highland air! After a hearty breakfast freshly prepared over our campfire - think proper Scottish porridge, bacon, and eggs cooked on our camp stoves - we'll break camp together and continue our journey along the stunning length of Loch Lochy.

As we paddle towards South Laggan, keep your eyes peeled for red deer on the hillsides and perhaps even golden eagles soaring overhead. The transition onto the canal offers a completely different paddling experience, and this is where we might catch our first sailing opportunities if the wind's in our favor - there's nothing quite like gliding silently under sail through the Scottish Highlands!

We'll paddle through to Loch Oich, the watershed of The Great Glen - a special moment where we cross the spine of Scotland. Tonight's campfire will be even more relaxed as everyone settles into the rhythm of expedition life, sharing stories and getting to know each other properly over our evening meal.

After another hearty breakfast cooked fresh at our lakeside camp, we paddle along the tranquil waters of Loch Oich, rejoining Thomas Telford's magnificent Caledonian Canal - a true feat of 19th-century engineering that we're privileged to experience by canoe.

As we approach the more urban setting of Fort Augustus, there's a lovely change of pace. Here we can visit the local shops to pick up any supplies (or perhaps some Scottish tablet for the trail!), grab a proper hot shower, or treat ourselves to a well-earned pub lunch overlooking the canal locks - watching other boats navigate the famous lock system while we enjoy our meal.

Refreshed and refueled, we continue our journey onto the vast and legendary Loch Ness! This is where the adventure truly opens up - at 23 miles long and over 750 feet deep, Loch Ness offers some of our best sailing opportunities when the prevailing southwest winds fill our sails. Whether we're gliding silently under canvas or paddling through mirror-calm waters reflecting the steep Highland mountains, this is canoeing at its most spectacular.

Keep your cameras ready - you never know what might surface! Tonight's campfire stories will definitely include some local legends...

We'll paddle along the other side of Loch Ness, giving us completely different perspectives of this legendary waterway. From this vantage point, you'll get stunning views back towards Urquhart Castle perched dramatically on the opposite shore - perfect for those postcard-worthy photos!

This stretch offers some of our best sailing conditions when the prevailing southwest winds are up. There's something magical about gliding silently under sail across these ancient waters, with the steep Highland mountains reflected in the dark depths below. The changing light throughout the day transforms the loch's character completely - from mirror-calm morning reflections to dramatic afternoon shadows dancing across the water.

We'll be watching for wildlife too - red deer often come down to drink at the water's edge, and if we're really lucky, we might spot golden eagles soaring high above the ridgelines. The peace and tranquility on this side of the loch is incredible - just the sound of water against our hulls and perhaps the distant call of a red-throated diver.

As evening approaches, we'll find the perfect wild camping spot for tonight's campfire and fresh meal. The camaraderie really builds on stretches like this, sharing the day's sightings and stories while cooking together under the vast Highland sky.

The final day will see you leave the dramatic depths of Loch Ness for a more relaxing paddle along the peaceful Caledonian Canal, heading towards your ultimate destination - Inverness! This gentler stretch gives everyone time to reflect on the incredible journey you've shared together over the past five days.

As you paddle these final miles, there's a real sense of achievement building. The canal offers lovely, easy paddling with plenty of opportunities for photos and last conversations with your fellow adventurers. You might even catch some final sailing opportunities if the wind's favorable!

The approach into Inverness is special - you'll literally paddle from the wild Highlands into Scotland's Highland capital, where the canal meets the Moray Firth. When you finally pull your canoes up onto the shore, you'll have achieved something truly remarkable - you will have paddled across the entire width of Scotland, from the Atlantic to the North Sea!

We'll celebrate with a final group photo and perhaps a well-earned drink in town. There's always a bit of sadness as the group disperses, but also immense pride in what you've accomplished together. The memories of fresh meals around Highland campfires, sailing across legendary lochs, and the camaraderie built over five days of shared adventure will stay with you long after you've returned home.

Congratulations - you've canoed across Scotland!