Canoe and Hillwalking

Explore the remote and wild areas of Assynt in Sutherland by open canoe, and climb some of the North West's most iconic mountains without the long walk-ins!

Open (Canadian) canoes have long been used for travel and exploration, enabling groups to access really remote areas more easily, whilst still being able to carry more kit than you would be able to on your back. Canoe camping enables you to travel a little more luxuriously and take those items that make life a little more comfortable. It also saves your legs and knees for the hill walking rather than tiring them out on the walk in. Assynt - the area we use for our canoe and hillwalking holidays, boasts some of Scotland's most spectacular scenery.

It is an area of dramatic mountain landscapes with the low lying areas studded with beautiful lochs and a stunning coastline, whilst dramatic peaks such as Suilven, Stac Pollaidh, Cul Beag and Cul Mor belie their modest heights. It is often described as a primeval landscape -certainly the geology is some of the oldest on earth. Our trip takes us through the Inverpolly National Nature Reserve, one of the wildest and most unspoilt areas of Scotland, a wildlife haven with the opportunity to spot otters, buzzards, eagles, deer and red and back throated divers.

On the first morning, out departure point will depend on the weather and local conditions - particularly wind direction. With favourable conditions we'll start near Elphin and have a short paddle down a slow flowing river in to the Cam Loch. This first morning will be spent learning the basics of open canoe paddling. As we will be paddling as doubles (two people per boat) there is an element of team work involved in this (ie you can blame each other). From the Cam Loch we paddle into Loch Veyatie (portaging the boats round the small waterfall between the two lochs). From here we paddle North West down the loch and eventually into Fionn Loch, with the bulk of Suilven, one of the areas most recognizable mountains, looming above us. Our first nights camp is on the shore of the loch in the shadow of Suilven.

Suilven is our first hillwalking objective and can easily be accomplished from our camp site. Having done Suilven we have different options - we may strike camp and head for Loch Sionascaig via a short portage between Lochs Veyatie and Sionascaig. Here we are in the heart of the Inverpolly wilderness. This loch with many small secluded bays and islands is our home for the next camp. With the hills of Stac Pollaidh to the south and Cul Mor and Cul Beag to the south East we have plenty of opportunity for hillwalks as well as paddling, fishing and wildlife spotting. On our last day, after a walk, we paddle out to the NW end of loch Sionascaig where we will meet our transport for the return