Sea Kayaking – The Atlantic Coast

Day 1 – Welcome and onto the water

You will be met by your guide at Inverness Railway station at 10.30am and we’ll transfer to Loch Linnhe or Loch Eil for an afternoon paddle, stopping en route in a local cafe for lunch.  On the water, you’ll refresh your kayaking skills and be introduced to the wonderful West Highland scenery. Afterwards, we transfer to our first accommodation, located near Loch Sunart. (L, D)

Day 2 – The Sound of Mull

Today we have a choice of areas to paddle in, one option is to head south to the Sound of Mull and Loch Aline. This stretch of water is a good place to encounter all kinds of marine wildlife such as dolphins and minke whales. After an enjoyable day’s sea kayaking, we return to our accommodation late afternoon. (B, L, D)

Day 3 – Sea Kayaking on Loch Sunart

Loch Sunart forms the southern boundary of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula and offers some lovely sea kayaking. We can explore the islands of Risga, Carna and Oronsay, all of which offer interest to sea kayakers. We will look out for otters and white-tailed sea eagles which are often spotted at this sea loch.

If time permits, we will also drive to Ardnamurchan point – the most westerly place in mainland Britain – to admire the magnificent sea views. We then transfer to our next accommodation, a classic West Highland inn located at the head of Loch Ailort. (B, L, D)

Day 4 – Sea Kayaking on Loch Moidart

After breakfast, we continue our journey along the central part of the Scottish Sea Kayak Trail. Today we explore the sheltered waters of Loch Moidart, kayaking past the dramatic ruins of Castle Tioram (dating from the 13th Century) to Eilean Shona (the beautiful island). This is one of the most stunning places on the West Coast. Passing magnificent Caledonian pines on the shoreline, we can paddle round the point, passing an abandoned village along the way. (B, L, D)

Day 5 – Sea Kayaking through the Arisaig Skerries

Heading north from the inn, we enjoy one of the best day trips by sea kayak anywhere in the world – kayaking through the Arisaig skerries. These beach-fringed islands which guard the entrance to Arisaig are home to countless seals, otters and seabirds, basking sharks are also regular visitors. Even without any wildlife, it still makes for an amazing paddle through the turquoise waters of the skerries. On clear days the Atlantic views west to the mountains of Rum and Skye are magnificent – this really is Scottish sea kayaking at its best. (B, L, D)

Day 6 – Final paddle then return to Inverness

After breakfast at the inn, we’ll enjoy a morning sea kayaking before we make our way back to Inverness. We often explore either Loch Ailort or Loch nan Uamh. We follow the coastline of the peninsula, an area that played a key role in the Jacobite rebellion of the 1740’s. This is a great way to end the trip and we can reflect on the experience as we load up the vehicle and trailer and make our way back to Fort William and Inverness, arriving in the mid to late afternoon. (B, L)