Canoe Across Scotland

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, which will involve about 6 hours on the water per day. You can expect plenty of rest stops along the way. At the lock gates, the group will have to carry canoes around the lock gates. This requires some effort but the group will work together to do this. We provide trolleys to maneuver 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.

Day 1: Lunch, Dinner. Day 2 - 4: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Day 5: Breakfast. The guides also provide snacks throughout, that are high in energy. Typical food items include: Breakfast: porridge, Bacon or Sausage sandwich, tea, coffee or juice. Lunch: sandwiches or soup - lots of different fillings available. Along with fruit and snacks. Dinner: BBQ, stir fry, spaghetti bolognese, lemon chicken, risotto. On some trips there will be the opportunity to eat in a pub. If you want to do this, it will be at your own expense.

Included: - Guides - All technical equipment (canoe, paddles, drybags) - Cooking and camping equipment (tents, sleeping mat, stoves, crockery etc) - Food - Transfer back to Fort William (Covid restrictions depending) Excluded: - Sleeping bag - Personal spending money for drinks and snacks - Appropriate clothing (waterproof jacket, trousers and a warm coat). Also check the kit list for personal items to bring.

Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on this trip.

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. Whilst unlikely, it is possible that your canoe could capsize, so you need to be happy spending sometime in the water, whilst your guide empties your canoe.

The total distance is 100km. Each day you will paddle for up to 6 hours at a moderate pace, with plenty of breaks along the way.

The guides on this trip believe that to give you a quality experience, you need to be comfortable. They work with a number of companies to ensure that the equipment available on the trips are not only fit for purpose but also the best quality. You’ll be provided with: - Tents (We won't make you share with strangers. If you have 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 when your on the water x2 sets, sythetic walking, cycling, running is best with a thin fleece. Avoid heavy cotton. - Sun hat and warm hat. - Spare clothing for wearing in camp or if you have an out of boat experience. A warm jacket too. - Shoes for on the water (These will get wet) - Shoes for camp - Toiletries - Torch - Midge net and spray - Sun protection - Personal medication - Camera ** If you have your own safety equipment then that’s great. To use on any of the guides trips, the equipment must be CE marked, (ENISO12402) under 5 years old and be fit for use. *** Depending on Covid restrictions, you may need to stay in a tent on your own, or with somebody from inside your bubble.

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

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. If the weather is in our favour, we will camp on a campsite with facilities on night 3.

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

Your Canoe will be 'Prospectors'. They are all made in the UK and can have 2 people in each one.

Yes you can leave any unneeded possessions in the guides shuttle bus, at your own risk. These items won't be available every day - just the beginning and the end of the trip.

We recommend a minimum age of 18, or 14 if accompanied by a parent or guardian. Anyone under the age of 18 must share a canoe with their parent or guardian.

There will be times that you'll pass by the shops. On the third night, you'll camp next to the highland town of Fort Augustus where there are a few small shops.

Yes absolutely! It's a great way to meet like-minded people. If you book solo, you will have your own tent.

Car: you can 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.

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 in the mountains can be quite unpredictable and weather situations can change very quickly. Therefore, it is necessary to always be prepared for such a change.

We usually finish the trip around 1pm, 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 trabs from Inverness (this has a better train network than Fort William), we can drop you off at the station, airport or a local hotel. If you want to do this we suggest not departing before 6pm.

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. 

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.