Loch Shiel

EXPED NO.- EAEX0061

This challenging wilderness trip explores one of the most pristine natural areas of Scotland. We will journey into a remote region of lochs and mountains journeying by canoe and wild camping by night.

We will enjoy an inherently flexible itinerary and plan our trip day by day as we travel based on the conditions. This is a true wilderness trip, a long way from the nearest road or town and we are unlikely to meet other people during our adventure. At night we wild camp where we please on small islands and sandy coves, enjoying the spectacular views all around.

Courses

What is Included

4 nights wild camping (single or two-person)
All meals, from lunch on the day of arrival through to lunch on the day of departure
All transport, starting and finishing in Aviemore
The services of at least one experienced and knowledgeable canoe mentor/driver throughout your trip
All group equipment, including tents, group safety equipment and cooking/eating equipment and utensils
Please note that sleeping bags are not included but are available for hire
All specialist open canoe equipment, including canoes and buoyancy aids
Pre-journey video group call with follow-up.

Nights Accomodation

4 nights

Days Activity

5 days

Deposit (£)

£100

Price from (£)

£720

Min Group Size

6

Max Group Size

6

Guiding Ratio

1:3

Reserve Your
Place for £100

This trip is suitable for people with some previous experience in canoeing and have a good level of fitness. This is a very physically demanding trip as we canoe on wild lochs, hike remote routes on rough ground, portage our boats from loch to loch and camp in wild terrain. We will be active for up to 8 hours each day. The canoeing will be on flat-water lochs but this can be challenging in windy conditions and we may experience some waves. We will also portage our canoes over a short portage and paddle on the shiel river for a short distance.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are appropriately fit and capable for the grade of the trip you wish to join. The weather in Scotland can be unpredictable at times which can make activities more challenging, so please bear this in mind when booking. If our guides at any point feel you cannot complete a scheduled activity, they may ask you not to join that day; this would be for your safety and the well-being of the group. If you are unsure about your ability, please don’t hesitate to give our Adventure Consultants a call.

On this trip we wild camp in spectacular locations. These are often remote and hard to reach on foot alone, adding to their appeal. We provide tents and also carry a base camp tipi, which means that we can all gather together for dinner and a hot drink even if the weather is inclement.

On this trip, we wild camp beside the river each night. We provide tents and also carry a base camp tipi, which means that we can all gather together for dinner and a hot drink even if the weather is inclement. If you require a single tent we are happy to provide this, but otherwise, we do ask that those who are happy to share a tent with other travellers do so. This helps to keep our camp size small, giving us more options of where to pitch and reducing our environmental impact on these precious places.

Day by Day Itinerary (dependent on weather and water levels).

Day 1 – Meet Fort William, transfer to Glenfinnan

This morning we will meet in Fort William and then transfer to Glenfinnan and our put-in at the head of Loch Shiel. Lunchtime will provide an opportunity to visit the renowned GlenFinnan Viaduct (of Harry Potter fame) and the Jacobite Memorial to Bonny Prince Charlie and the 1775 rebellion. After loading the boats with everything we need for the following days of adventure we take to the water and paddle to our first camp-site, surrounded by wild country and towering mountains. (L, D)

Day 2 – Paddling Loch Shiel
Explore Loch Shiel making use of weather and water conditions and inspired by nature and imagination.

Day 3 – Paddling Loch Shiel and into Loch Moidart

Explore Loch Moidartmaking use of weather and water conditions and inspired by nature and imagination.

Day 4 – Exploring Loch Moidart

Explore Loch Moidart making use of weather and water conditions and inspired by nature and imagination.

Day 5 – Return to Inverness

On our final morning we’ll enjoy a leisurely breakfast and maybe a final short paddle before we start the drive back through the Highlands to Fort William, arriving early afternoon. (B, L)

Note –

This trip is very water dependent and there may be times when we have to end our Loch Shiel crossing at other places on the Loch Shiel Journey due to the safety of group participants. In this case we will adjust our itinerary accordingly.

5 nights wild camping.
All meals, from lunch on day of arrival through to breakfast on day of departure. (Meals included indicated as B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
All transport throughout the trip, starting and finishing at Fort William Railway Station.
The services of experienced and knowledgeable canoe guides / driver throughout your trip.
All group equipment including tents, group safety equipment and cooking/eating equipment and utensils. Please note that sleeping bags are not included but are available for hire.
All specialist open canoe equipment, including canoes and buoyancy aids.

Mike Devlin

Mike is an experienced outdoor instructor and paddle sport specialist, with a lifetime of leading and guiding across rivers, mountains, and remote environments worldwide, bringing a wealth of real-world knowledge and adventure to every session.

Suresh Paul

Founder of Equal Adventure and experienced educator, Suresh brings decades of expertise in inclusive adventure, combining innovative design, research, and hands-on leadership to create accessible outdoor experiences for all.

Chris Heaney

As a paddlesport coach and outdoor educator. Chris is known for delivering engaging, real-world learning both in formal education and adventure sport coaching settings. With a strong background paddling on inland waters from Utah to the Zanskar, and coastal waters ranging from North Africa to Greenland. He brings experience, energy, empathy and authenticity to every session and prioritises your needs to ensure you get the most out of every session.

James Dyer

James is an award-winning leadership coach with nearly 30 years of experience leading teams in remote and challenging environments. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a recognised professional with the Institute of Outdoor Learning, he brings valuable real-world insight to his coaching, helping individuals and organisations grow with confidence and purpose.

Andy Hall

Andy brings decades of experience across climbing, kayaking, skiing, and outdoor education. After 20 years as a head teacher at an outdoor cenatre in North Wales, he now splits his time between ski teaching in Italy and guiding across Scotland’s mountains, coasts, and rivers. His adventures have taken him from Arctic river expeditions to Nepal and Patagonia, but his heart remains in the Cairngorms, where he continues to explore and share his passion for the outdoors.

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Loch Shiel

Dates

What is Included

Details

Coaches

Courses

What is Included

4 nights

5 days

£100

£720

6

6

1:3

Full Details

Grading, Challenge and Difficulty

Safety and Comfort

Accommodation Description

Key Facts

Ethics and Inclusion

Itinerary

What is Included

Meals

Equipment List

Before and After Your Journey

Booking Guarantee

Our Adventure Promise.

Coaches

Mike Devlin

Suresh Paul

Chris Heaney

James Dyer

Andy Hall