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 20-25km 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 portage (carry) the canoes around the gates. For this we have trollies, but the rest of the kit needs to be carried. 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, or friends!) - Self-inflating 5cm sleeping mats. - Large 60 litre dry bags to fit in all your gear. - All safety equipment** You’ll need to bring: (All this packs into to 60 litre dry bag along with your sleeping mat) - Sleeping bag (3 season is best) - Waterproofs (jacket AND trousers). These need to be good quality and better than a pac a mac. - 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). Old trainers paired with neoprene socks is the best combination to help keep your feet warm. Wetsuit boots are often too soft for the times we portage(carry) the canoes. You need to be dressed to be prepared for getting your feet and lower legs wet for landing/launching. - Shoes for camp. - Toiletries. - Torch. -Power Bank. - Midge head net (those made by Smidge work well) and spray. - Sun protection. - Personal medication. - Camera. - Water bottle - cycling style gloves to reduce blisters. We will give you a 60 litre dry bag to put all your kit in. 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 are travelling at the start or end of season (April/early may and end Sept/Oct) you may want to put in an extra thin fleece and base layer top. Just in case the weather is a bit colder. If the weather is ok, you can leave these in your car. Less kit is better! ** 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 if we have an odd number, 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. We are able to cater for vegan and vegetarian diets. We can also cater for dietary requirements such as Gluten Intolerances etc. if you are unsure please contact us.

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. The Post Office offers a UK destination travel insurance. We often recommend using specialist adventure travel insurers, like [Rise & Shield](https://riseandshield.com/?ref=mdi5ywe), for your trip. Specialist insurers can cover unique scenarios that ordinary travel insurance doesn’t cover. It's your responsibility to carefully check the details of your policy to ensure that you're covered for the specific activities you'll be carrying out.

Below is a list of the most common questions we get asked, hopefully these will help give you an overview of the trip. Please read all the FAQs as most answers are there too. Where do we meet/can I leave my car there for the trip? We meet at the carpark in Banavie, known as Banavie Locks lower carpark. A pin is on the trip page. To get there, cross the canal on the A830 and turn onto the B8004. The carpark is on the right by the Moorings Hotel. You will see our canoe trailer! What happens at the end of the trip? We will either get you into Inverness train station or back to Fort William. Please fill this in on your trip form Can I have my own tent? Yes! While our tents are 2-man, they, like most, are cosy. Unless you are with your partner, you will want your own tent. There is no need to book one. What about luggage? It is a completely self-contained trip. Once we start the journey, we won't see the vehicle again, so we take everything with us! If you are travelling by public transport, we will look after your bags and bring them to the finish. We will provide you with a 60L drybag to put everything in. The kit list is in the FAQs below. Where can I leave my car? You can leave your car at Banavie car park.

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 accommodate this too. You don't need to book or inform us you want your own tent, we bring 1 each!

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 20-25km 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. As we pass the lock gates, and in Fort Augustus, there are toilets and showers. At camp we bring our own toilets

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. You will be paddling 2 people per canoe. 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.

Please note our meet point for 2027 will change. Please see below. Car: Follow your satnav to the following address – Banavie Locks Carpark Neptune’s Staircase, Banavie, Fort William, PH33 7NG. There is free car parking available at this point for the whole trip. Make sure you cross the canal and then turn on to the B8004. You will see the car park on the right. This is the lower car park. Ignore Satnav if it tries and makes you turn right before the canal. 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. Ensure you tell the driver to go to the lower car park. 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 to Inverness Train Station. For 2027 out meet point will be Lochaber Rural Complex Turlundy Fort William Ph33 6SQ

Start: You'll meet your guide at 9:00am or 10:00 AM (please check your booking) in Banavie at Neptunes Staircase in the car park. On the way in you will cross the canal and turn right on to the A8004. The car park is on your right. End: At the end of the trip the guides will transport you back to Fort William, or drop you off in Inverness city centre. You can leave your car there for the duration of the trip. **For 2027 our meeting point will change** Please meet at Lochaber Rural Complex Ben Nevis Auction Mart Torlundy Fort William PH33 6SQ This is situated 5 minutes outside Fort William on the A82, Turn right at the signs for the Ski Centre. 1/2 mile up the road turn left on to the Auction Mart. Upon entering, park up on the left. Our premises are under the canopy.

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. 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.  Due to the variable conduit these decisions can only be made last minute.

We carry folding toilets on the trips and pack out all waste to reduce our environmental impact. Along the way. At least once a day, there are proper toilets. We provide everything you need, but you may want to bring some travel tissues or a small amount of loo roll for other needs

Your guide's primary responsibility is the safety of the group. By joining the trip, you agree to follow all safety instructions and to work together as part of the team throughout the expedition. This includes wearing your buoyancy aid correctly and securely fastened whenever you are on or near the water, unless your guide instructs otherwise, and remaining with the group at all times unless given permission to do otherwise. If a guest repeatedly fails to follow safety instructions, removes or misuses required safety equipment, or behaves in a way that the guide believes could put themselves, other guests or the group at risk, the guide may require them to leave the trip. In these circumstances, any onward travel arrangements and associated costs will be the responsibility of the guest, and no refund or credit will be provided for the unused portion of the trip. The guide's decisions on all matters relating to safety are final.

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. This is Scotland, don't forget!!

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 pick campsites that have more breeze to keep them away, and usually, if possible have a fire too!

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, the only company to do so- 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 for many of the B&Bs in the area. There are bunkhouses/hostels in Corpach(Snow Goose), Banavie(Chase the Wild Goose) Fort William (Backpackers) and Glen Nevis (YHA/SHA) Please note for 2027 our meeting point has changed to Ben Nevis Auction Mart Torlundy Fort William PH33 6SQ There is campervan camping up at the ski centre, and accommodation in the village too.

If you're driving, follow your satnav to the following address – Banavie Locks Carpark. Neptune’s Staircase, Banavie, Fort William, PH33 7NG. There is free car parking available at this point. You can leave your car here for the duration of the trip. You may notice some no overnight parking signs, but we have permission to use the carpark. Parking is at your own risk.

This trip is provided by Good2Go Adventures, which is owned by Chucky Davison. Chucky holds both the Advanced Canoe Leader and Advanced Coach in Open water and White water. He has over 25 years of experience guiding and coaching in the UK and around the world, in destinations such as Chile, New Zealand, Canada, Norway and extensively across the Alps. When not guiding, he trains future guides and coaches. The rest of the team are Chucky's friends who he has travelled and worked with over the years and have been trained by him. All the other senior guides hold the Advanced Canoe Leader Qualification.

Amongst our team are some of the most qualified and experienced canoe guides in the industry and we have over 300 5-star reviews. We have experience in canoeing on the Great Glen in a variety of conditions and have the experience to lead you in advanced conditions and keep you safe. We have a great success rate of completing the trip, probably the best in the industry, make great food and create a fun, friendly and supportive environment. We set our departure days as Thursday and Tuesday as we have identified these as quieter days for groups to depart. This gives us a more remote feeling to the trips and allows us to get to the best campsites. That said, we can't always guarantee that! Also, if we have a wetter week, all the pubs are open en-route to dry out a bit! We hope the Thursday trips help people who want this holiday over a long weekend. While the Tuesdays will be good for those wanting the trip during the week. Our canoes are the most stable of any of the companies running this trip. We use these exclusively.

You are welcome to wild swim in the morning/evening, at camps. Please bear in mind the lochs are cold and to follow proper wild swimming protocol. Acclimatise and let others know you are doing it, not under the influence of alcohol. We recommend swimming as a group. This activity doesn't fall within the remit of the trip and is done at your own risk. Our guides will be busy else where with camp management and unable to provide assistance.

It is very rare for a guest to leave the trip before it finishes. However, as this is an expedition-style adventure, there is no support vehicle following the group, and access to the route is limited in many areas. If you choose to leave the trip early for any reason, or if your guide determines that you are unable to continue safely due to fitness, medical, behavioural or other safety-related concerns, the guide will assist you in leaving the expedition at the next safe and practical exit point. From there, you will be responsible for arranging and paying for your own onward travel (such as a taxi, bus or train) to your chosen destination. Please note that leaving the trip early, whether by your own decision or at the guide's discretion, does not entitle you to a refund, credit or transfer for the unused portion of the trip. In the event of a genuine emergency, your guide will, of course, prioritise your safety and provide appropriate assistance. Where necessary, we will help coordinate your return to the trip start point or arrange emergency assistance as the situation requires