Trip Summary

We’ll spend three exciting days together, journeying along one of Scotland's best-kept secrets, using a wide range of skills that take us beyond standard paddling.

Our team will work with you to develop your traditional canoe skills in a real-world environment, where using these skills will significantly enhance your enjoyment and experience.

This trip involves spending time on the Rivers Orchy & Awe and a day on Loch Awe.

The loch is full of history and is littered with small islands and crannog sites. We'll likely spend both nights camping on some of these islands.

We'll decide to paddle the rivers as a team. The Orchy is mainly grade 1 with a couple of grade 2s, whereas the Awe is grade 2 with some grade 3s.

Our team will guide and support you during the trip, ensuring an incredible experience.

During the trip, if you want, you’ll gain your British Canoeing Multi-Day Touring, Open Water Touring and Canoe awards, as well as earn lots of valuable experience which will help you on your pathway to both Open Water and White Water Open Canoe (and even advanced) Leader awards.

Itinerary

Day 1 - River Orchy to Loch Awe

After meeting in Tyndrum at the Real Food Cafe, we'll load up and go to Glen Orchy and the lower section of the River Orchy. This section of river is an excellent section of class 2, which will allow us to focus on expedition river skills before we make our way down onto Loch Awe.

Day 2 - Loch Awe

From our island campsite, we'll set off on a loch journey exploring the challenges of paddling in open water with expedition boats. Depending on the conditions, we'll look at skills such as rafting and sailing.

Day 3 - Loch Awe to River Awe (depending on the group)

The River Awe flows out of Loch Awe and down to Loch Etive. This class 2(3) river will test all our new skills and take us through some classic rapids before kicking us out onto one of Scotland's many sea lochs.

*This is our ideal itinerary; however, it may change when we're on the go as we'll work with the weather and pick campsites best suited to us each day.

Do you need to be a pro boater?

No, it’s called a Learning Journey because learning is a big part of our trip. So, what level do you need to be?

Living in the outdoors?

Firstly, you’ll need to be comfortable spending extended time outside the elements.

Scotland is famous for having all seasons in one day, but more often than not, it's cold and damp, so you’ll need to be content spending time in that and taking anything else as a bonus.

Padding skill?

We’ll be on the river (where we will be paddling class/grade 1/2 and working through bigger stuff) and loch (up to F3), so it would be great to have spent some time in those environments before that. Having brain space for learning and not just surviving is always lovely!

Solo vs tandem?

Our Learning Journeys are focused on solo paddlers; however, if you and your tandem partner want to participate, contact us, and we'll devise a plan for you.