Meet your host in Inverness and hop in the bus to the Cairngorm ski area, the launchpad of your expedition. Having packed your overnight kit and laced up your boots, you’ll skirt round the winter playground of the Northern Corries, ascending to the summit of Cairn Gorm, 1245 metres above sea level. Summit bagged, it’s downhill to Loch A’an for a quick revitalising dip before heading north via the Fords of Avon to Coire Odhar for a true mountainous wild camp for the night.

Up early to continue your push north, you’ll hike out from the mountains, through the ancient pines of the Abernethy Forest National Nature Reserve to the little village of Nethy Bridge. Following a mile or so of quiet lanes, you’ll reach the River Spey where your canoe will be waiting for you. You’ll quickly repack your kit into the canoe before hitting the water and paddling to your first riverside wild camping spot. Time to kick back with a wee dram and do a spot of stargazing from the fireside.

After your short introduction to the river yesterday, things ramp up today as you begin to get a feel for the River Spey. Your guide will fill you in on the rich cultural and industrial heritage of the Spey Valley, whilst flanked by the dramatic backdrop of the North East Highlands. Having learnt a few skills to help you handle your canoe, you’ll hit the notorious ‘Washing Machine’ section at the end of the day which gives you the opportunity to shoot a grade 2 rapid if you wish. All part of the fun!

A big day today as you progress downriver through the heart of the famous Speyside whisky region. More fun grade 1-2 rapids on the menu as the river picks up speed on its race to the sea. There’s still time to soak up the vast wilderness of the Spey though. Keep your eyes peeled for ospreys and otters, before setting up camp for the night near Craigellachie.

After yesterday's action, things will feel a little more relaxed today with the end of the expedition in sight. You’ll follow the meandering river and start to smell the sea air as Spey Bay approaches. This beautiful coastal reserve on the north Scottish coast is home to dolphins year-round - with a stroke of luck they might even be there for your finish line party! After packing up, it’s time to jump back in the bus to Inverness for your return journey home.

What's included?

Your host will supply you with the following kit to carry & use:

For the hiking part of the trip:

• Lightweight Tent (20 litres)
• Lightweight sleeping mat (5 litres)
• Cutlery, mug, bowl, plate (2 litres)
• Food, snacks etc (2 litres)
• Stove, Gas (5 litres)

For the canoeing part of the trip:

• Bigger Tent (25 litres)
• Buoyancy Aid (i.e. Life Jacket)
• Canoe, Paddles, Helmet
• 1 X 60 litre River Storage Barrel
• More food!
• Waterproofs (if requested)

Please let your host know an indication of size for the waterproof clothing and helmet on your passenger information form. Either an extra small, small, medium, large or extra-large. An approx guess will do.

What do I need to bring ready to go hiking on Day 1:

• 60-70 litre hiking rucksack with comfy waistbelt (For kit below plus all the hiking list above)
• A rucksack liner or dry bags for your kit/sleeping bag to stay dry in heavy rain
• Sleeping bag (3-4 seasons, think down to 0*Celsius, Scottish mountains can get quite chilly!)
• Waterproof breathable jacket with hood, suited to mountain walking
• Waterproof Over Trousers, suited to mountain walking
• 1x Hiking BOOTS suited to rough, rocky & wet mountainous terrain! (Not shoes/ Not trainers)
• 2X pairs of good quality hiking socks
• 1X set of hiking clothes to wear, quick drying and not cotton/denim!
• Spare socks, underwear for day 2
• Warm hat and gloves
• Sunglasses (ideally with a retainer for canoeing days).
• Sun cream because it’s always sunny in Scotland! (But seriously please take some).
• Midge repellent spray/cream and Midge net/hood- YOU NEED THESE!
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, mini toiletries (ideally, environmentally friendly.
• Swimsuit & small towel/travel towel for a dip in the loch, should you fancy it?
• Torch (preferably head torch) & spare batteries.
• Small freezer zip lock bags/dry bags for personal things like phone, wallet, mask
• 2x 1 litre Water bottle(s) or similar- Full of water ready to go please
• A few of your favourite snacks (extras in case we don’t have ones you like).
• COVID 19 Face covering & small bottle of hand sanitizer
• Personal Medication, Antihistamine/Hay fever tablets, creams lotions and potions etc

Please note that cotton (hoodies) and denim (Jeans) clothing are not recommended for our trips, as they have no thermal properties and get heavy when wet

What you need to have packed separately for Canoeing, on the afternoon of Day 2 (this will be dropped off for you on Day 2)

• 2 more sets of paddling clothes (lightweight, quick drying trousers, socks, base layer top & fleece).
• 1 set of warm, evening clothes (clothes that will keep you warm) as they may get smoky and dirty.
• 1x Canoeing shoes or Trainers or Wellies that will get wet everyday
• 1x Dry lightweight trainers for evenings around rugged campsites (No flip flops/sliders please)
• Optional - a pair of neoprene socks would help keep your feet warm when paddling
• Optional - a pair of grippy cycling gloves to protect their hands when paddling
• Shorts in case it’s a sunny week, woo hoo!

Bear in mind when packing - that all your personal kit, including sleeping bag and part of a tent - needs to fit into a 60-litre canoe barrel (about the size of the expedition rucksack you should bring).

If you like to snack, please pack your own light snacks - remember they must fit in the bag!

To Consider please:

There is a lot of planning that goes into helping make your trip run smoothly and you can help this by:

Day 1: Please turn up ready to Hike! Boots on, water filled up and Covid 19 Mask ready to wear in our vehicle. Have your extra canoeing kit & spare travelling bags separate. These will be returned to us the next day (Day 2).

When we get the canoes and your extra kit the following day: we can take away your spare smelly hiking boots/clothes and rucksack etc and they will be returned to you on the last day (Day 5) to repack all your personal belongings at the end of the canoe trip.

When packing your personal kit, e.g. sleeping bag, teddy bears, I-pads, kitchen sinks and glamorous clothing etc, please bear in mind that you need to carry this for miles. It also needs to fit into a 60-litre rucksack, then a 60-litre river storage barrel along with a tent, stove, sleeping matt and food etc! So please travel as light as you can, and please re-consider taking heavy or high value items. We give you good quality equipment, however, we cannot guarantee things will stay dry!

Food and community:

We will provide all meals and snacks from the first lunch onward. During the expedition we may ask the group to share their aims for the trip, help collect firewood, boil some water for brews and help the guide set up the kitchen or chop vegetables (all optional). We believe that small things matter and getting involved around camp will help enrich your experience. This trip gives you a chance to take time out from your usual routine, make bonds and create memories.