The Great Glen.
A five day sea kayaking expedition across Scotland.
Join us in May or September 2027 for one of Scotland’s most iconic paddling expeditions. We’ll traverse the country west to east, following its network of waterways including Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal.
TRIP OVERVIEW
Cost: £615
Deposit: £205
Start Location: Fort William, Scotland
End Location: Inverness, Scotland
Days & Nights: Five days & four nights wild camping
Paddler Ability and Fitness: Suitable for those with some previous paddling experience and a reasonable level of fitness. Please get in touch if you are unsure if this trip is suitable for you.
2027 DATES
7th - 11th May
6th - 10th September
*This trip can also be run on a private basis in May & September, please get in touch for further details.
Brief Itinerary
Day 1 — Meet at Fort William train station for a welcome briefing and introductions. Prepare kit and load boats, then set off down the Caledonian Canal toward Loch Lochy.
Day 2 — Paddle across Loch Lochy, rejoin the canal, and continue to Loch Oich for the night.
Day 3 — Finish Loch Oich, follow the canal into Fort Augustus, complete the biggest portage of the trip and enjoy some free time to explore the shops before entering the famous Loch Ness.
Day 4 — Spend the day navigating the waters of Loch Ness as we head northeast.
Day 5 — Complete Loch Ness and Dochfour, rejoin the canal, and make the final push into Inverness. We aim to arrive by mid-afternoon to allow evening travel home.
Please note — This is a sample itinerary and may be altered according to weather, group needs, and conditions on the lochs.
Good to know:
All kayaking equipment is provided, including kayaks, paddles, wetsuits, spray jackets and other necessary gear. Camping kit is included too: tents, sleeping bags and air mats. Meals are provided from lunch on day one through to lunch on the final day.
Meeting: Day one, 10:00 at Fort William Station. Finish: Day five, before 17:00 in Inverness.
You need to arrange: personal insurance, and travel to Fort William and from Inverness. More details are included in the full information pack.
Still need some convincing?
Feel free to drop us an email. We are always happy to answer questions, arrange a phone call or send over our info pack, which offers some more details on the trip.
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Included in the price of our expeditions:
Professional, friendly guide(s)
Camping gear: tents, sleeping bags, air mats and camp chairs
Kayaking gear: spray jacket, spray skirt, buoyancy aid, dry bags, and a long john wetsuit when required
Meals from lunch on day one through lunch on the final day
Some local transportation (see the specific trip itinerary or contact us for details)
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We recommend that you have some prior sea kayaking experience and a basic level of boat control. If you have no experience but are interested in joining one of our trips, please get in touch - we can discuss suitable options and how to get you expedition ready!
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A full kit list is sent after booking. Most items are standard, but we recommend avoiding cotton on expeditions, once wet it’s hard to dry. You are better off opting for sports or technical clothing instead.
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Meals are provided from lunch on day one through to lunch on the final day. Breakfasts alternate between hot and cold options. Lunches usually include a selection of cured meats, cheeses, fresh vegetables and hummus. Evenings feature warm, hearty camp dinners such as curries, stews and fajitas.
Menus are flexible and we can accommodate almost all dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free. Please tell us about any specific dietary needs when you book so we can do our best to cater for them.
We also provide hot drinks and snacks during breaks, but if you’re a keen snacker or prone to getting hangry, we recommend bringing a few extra of your own!
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A reasonable level of fitness is important for all our Scottish sea kayaking expeditions. On the first and last days we typically paddle 10-15 km to allow time for loading and unloading boats. Full expedition days are usually 20-25 km, although these distances are broken up with regular stops for stretching, hot drinks, snacks and lunch.
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Some wind and rain are part of the Scottish sea kayaking experience! Safety is always our priority, so when operating in a changing environment we remain flexible: daily distances and routes may vary with the forecast. Any itinerary you see is therefore a sample and subject to change. We also have several contingency locations to use if conditions make the planned site unsuitable. If the weather is so severe that it isn’t safe to run the expedition, we will offer alternative dates or a full refund.