Kayak and Wild Camp the West Coast of Scotland
Paddle the remote bays, rugged coastline and crystal clear waters of the dramatic West Highlands
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with local, certified kayak guidesWild camping
3 nights wild campingMeals
Munch on tasty food throughoutTransfers
Minibus transfers between Fort William and the kayaking start/end pointsEquipment
All your kayaking, camping and safety equipmentSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 7 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
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What's it like?
Paddle along stunning volcanic coastline, and wild camp on white sand beaches and islet-studded sea lochs
Discover hidden bays and wild skerries, eyes peeled for otters, porpoise, seals and sea eagles
Forage for shellfish, seaweed and coastal plants and brave the Atlantic Ocean for a cold water wild swim
One of the "Best adventure holidays in the UK for adrenaline seekers" according to The Independent
Key Information
Day 1
To the sea!
Kayaking
Please note, the route below is a sample itinerary. The actual route you paddle will be subject to the weather conditions at the time. The guides also vary the routes and camp spots used throughout the season to minimise environmental impact on any one location.
Meet your host in Fort William and drive for around 45 mins to Kinlochmoidart, perched on the remote Ardnamurchan Peninsula in the West Highlands. You'll then pack and launch your kayak onto the sheltered water of Loch Moidart for an introductory paddling and skills session, before gliding past the ruined Castle Tioram. Set up camp on the beach and enjoy your first night under the stars.
Day 2
To the beautiful beach of Smirisary
Kayaking
Today is all about building your skills and exploring the sheltered bays and islands of Moidart. You'll gradually wind your way northwards along rocky shores, hearing local folklore tales as you go. After a relaxed lunch stop, it's time to explore the entrance to Loch Ailort before crossing to the Ardnish peninsula and searching for a spot to camp for the night. The sunset from here is spectacular, all the more appreciated perched by the campfire.
Day 3
The Sound of Arisaig
Kayaking
Kickstart the morning with a fresh swim in the Atlantic then hop back in your kayak to continue steadily north and west across the mouth of Loch nan Uamh, taking some time to forage in the rocks and pools at low tide. The final wild camp will be in the wonderful islet-studded Sound of Arisaig, protected by hundreds of small tidal islands known as skerries, this is a spectacular spot for your final night under the Milky Way.
Day 4
Last paddle and swim
Kayaking
Another early morning sea dip for the brave before paddling for a couple more hours through the hidden sea lochs of Arisaig. You’ll reach a small road before lunch where you'll pack up and hit the road back to Fort William ready for your journey home.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Fort William
09:00 on Day 1
Ends
Fort William
Approx 15:00 on Day 4
Transfers
2024 - Meet in Fort William (see below for 2025)
You’ll meet your host in Central Fort William at 09:00. You will then be transferred by minibus to the start. We recommend you arrive the night before to ensure you don't miss your transfer.
Your trip will end in Fort William mid-afternoon on the final day in Central Fort William.
On the final day, there is a Citylink bus from Fort William to Inverness departing at 15.30 which we recommend for those customers heading to Inverness Airport.
2025 - Meet in Inverness
You’ll meet your host in the car park at the Tesco Metro on Tomnahurich Street in central Inverness at 08:30 on Day 1. You will then be transferred by minibus to the start point of the expedition. We recommend you arrive the night before to ensure you don't miss your transfer.
Travel options
Regular trains run to Fort William from across the UK. The nearest airports are Inverness (INV) or Glasgow (GLA). Citylink run bus services from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness. You can also get a bus directly from Glasgow Airport to Fort William (twice a day in the summer).
There are buses available from Glasgow to Fort William or from Inverness to Fort William. Please note if you are flying, you will need to arrive in Fort William the night before in order to make the start time as there are no connections which enable you to arrive early enough for the start on Day 1. Citylink and Megabus offer regular services with an approximate 2hr transfer time from Inverness, and 3 hr transfer to Glasgow Airport.
There is also the option of the Caledonia Sleeper Train
For those driving - there is a long-stay public Car Park next to The Moorings Hotel in Banavie, which we recommend using.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 3
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
You'll tuck into fresh, quality, tasty meals throughout the expedition. For breakfast, there'll be cereal or porridge with various toppings, as well as hot drinks. For lunch, you can expect wraps with a whole host of tasty fillings, fruit and some treats to keep you going. At dinner time you can expect to refuel after an active day with a three-course meal – starters might include Scottish smoked salmon, patés and oatcakes; main courses will include fresh ingredients like fish, meats and vegetables; dessert could be strawberries and clotted cream with shortbread, or cake and custard. Snacks and drinks will also be available between meals.
Vegetarian, vegan and other dietary requirements can be catered for, please just request this in advance on your passenger info form.
What is the accommodation like?
Wild Camp
You’ll wild camp in twin share tents in remote and beautiful spots by the loch-side and on the beaches. Accommodation is basic but the remote locations far make up for the lack of facilities. Your guide will bring wild toileting equipment and brief you on good practice when toileting outdoors in a wilderness environment. Single tents are available upon request at no extra cost.
Upgrades
For solo travellers wanting their own personal space, you can request your own private tent on the trip at no extra cost (subject to availability). Just request when booking.
This trip has been rated as Moderate
You do not need any previous kayaking experience as full training will be provided at the beginning of the trip and while on the water. A general level of fitness will be required. Building a little arm strength before the trip can help with sea kayaking, and hip mobility is needed. The precise difficulty level of this trip depends on the sea conditions at the time, which can change quickly. Needless to say, you should come prepared to encounter some waves. You will be in a single kayak by default however if perhaps you don't have much kayaking experience or aren't confident in having your own boat and would prefer a tandem kayak, this can be requested with your host - they are however subject to availability so please request on your booking form.
The Scottish summer is usually warm but you can expect some rain, even if it's just a little. Prepare for anything and think ‘layers'. Conditions in April and May will be slightly cooler, with the potential for frost at night. Kit-wise, the main thing is a warm sleeping bag, or an additional bag liner if you feel the cold more.
Fantastic
Brilliant few days, very well run and organised, great leadership from Stew, great food !
A change from sea to inland kayaking - a mix of fabulous and not so ……….
Our West Coast trip was changed at short notice to the Great Glens due to adverse weather conditions. The kayaking was fabulous, but unfortunately the tents failed in the extreme weather and the porterage at locks was arduous. We opted out of the leaking tents on the third night to take refuge in a local guest house. In better weather it could have been wonderful, but this wasn’t that trip.
Really fantastic trip! Elliott was
Really fantastic trip! Elliott was an excellent guide - he went the extra mile to make it a lot of fun and always had plenty of interesting facts on hand about the local area. Certainly helped that we got some great Scottish weather too!
What a wonderful trip! The
What a wonderful trip! The scenery along the coast was stunning and we were blessed with fabulous weather. Rachy, our expert guide, took care of everything, including some amazing food, and made sure we were all safe. Couldn’t have wished for a nicer group of people too, we had a great time. I have many happy memories but probably the standout for me was being surrounded by a group of friendly inquisitive seals in quiet, calm, peaceful waters. Highly recommended!
Kayak and wild camp the West Coast of Scotland.
Scotland delivered and then some! Stunning scenery, weather and a top group of humans to share it with. My 6th solo break, 3rd with MBA, from the WhatsApp group set up to food and of course our amazing guide Rach... had a brilliant time. Rach was so fantastic, I've no idea how you assess coordinate a bunch of people with varying experience and keep them out of trouble! Thank you guys for a memorable time.
Absolutely delightful holiday 4 days
Absolutely delightful holiday 4 days kayaking in Western Highlands [ helped by good weather]. Our Guide Rachel was great , very knowledgeable , courteous and respectful to all members in the group . She was very careful to adapt the activity to the abilities and wishes of the group . Could not praise her enough.
Wet, wild and very enjoyable
First time doing a guided group trip, and it was great! Our amazing guide Stew was very knowledgeable, kept us well-fed and entertained. Stew kept a close eye on the ever changing weather forecast, and despite the conditions, Stew managed to guide us safely to some beautiful beaches 🤩. Really appreciated that he made the effort to do this, as the scenery is what we wanted to experience. He also did very well to cater to the wishes of the group, taking those wanting more ‘action’ out into bigger waves. The group dynamic was great, lots of laughs and easy to get on with everyone. Highly recommend!
Exactly what we wanted.
It was 11+ hours each way driving, the temperature didn't get above 14 degrees and it was too windy and rough for us to really get out onto the sea proper. We had rain and the absolute best time. From the start communication was excellent. This helps a lot , from the kit list to the setting up of a whatsapp group prior to the start. We had a great guide, Stewart. Ours was an older group ( with the exception of my 18 year old Grandson). This was never a problem, he got the most out of us both on and off the water. Definitely made it a trip to remember for both of us.
Excellent
Superb trip. The weather was not on our side, but Elliot was great at working to flex the plan to make sure we still had a super adventurous 4 days of paddling, taking advantage of some more sheltered conditions through the lochs.
Great food, first class equipment, and would recommend wholeheartedly.
A great adventure
Just returned from an amazing few days! Unfortunately, due to some wild weather we had to adjust our plans and headed up the Great Glen Way. That in no way diminished what was an exhilarating time on the water. Rain, sunshine, wind we had it all. Our guide was Elliott, who was brilliant all round. We felt safe and well looked after with some very tasty (and ingenious given the surroundings) meals served along the way. I can't recommend this enough, just be sure to accept that the elements are often unpredictable and a midget net is an absolute must!!
Fantastic experience
Phenomenal scenery, a supportive and fun group plus our fantastic guide Calum who brought the whole experience together with enthusiasm and passion.
Thanks for an amazing adventure!
What an amazing adventure! The scenery was breathtaking and the trip was so well organised. And it helped that the group was a grear bunch of people! Our guide Callum was brilliant, he cooked up a feast every night and had the group laughing the whole time. He also did a great job of keeping up everyone's spirits when the weather changed and the kayaking became more challenging (the weather on the coast changes by the hour so come prepared for wind and rain and sun and midges all in the same day!). The beaches, white sands and views were unforgettable, a properly 'off the beaten track' experience.
A great trip
An amazing trip. Our guide Stew looked after us so well from start to finish. He was amazing, thank you. Great advice, equipment, food. Always felt safe even when the waves got choppy! Amazing locations along the lochs and coast. The route did have to be amended due to the weather conditions which was understandable, not much you can do as you have to keep safe.