WEST COAST
CANOE EXPEDITION

Day One

Arrive at Banavie Car Park (also home to Neptune's Staircase, an impressive set of locks on the Caledonian Canal) for a meet and greet. All of our events are solo-friendly; most people book onto trips by themselves and come away with a great set of new friends. You will be met by your host and given a 60l blue barrel - to decant your gear into. We will then shuttle you 20 minutes along the road to the start point for this exciting canoe expedition.

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We provide the canoes, equipment, safety gear, and show you techniques for paddling efficiently. Everyone's personal gear is packed into waterproof barrels that we provide, which are then secured in the canoes. We paddle along Loch Shiel today, with lots of small islands to choose from to camp on in the afternoon.

You'll already be getting to know your new adventure friends well, and the evenings are relaxing and a great chance for a chat, drink and some star-gazing as you reflect on the first day's adventures.

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Day Two

We paddle to the end of Loch Shiel then have a couple of miles in the River Shiel which pops us out onto the sea. The river includes a small rapid which can be portaged around (where we take the canoes out of the water and around it) or paddled through, depending on personal preferences. This brings us to the stunning bay of Loch Moidart, with a large white sand spit providing a great spot to land and admire the ruins of Castle Tioram (prounounced 'Churram'). In the afternoon we continue to explore, passing the islands of Shona Beg and Eilean Shona, before camping on a beautiful beach for the night.

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Day Three

We pass the island of Shona then journey to the South, passing Farquhar's Point and Ardtoe, where we enter the shallow waters of Kentra Bay, fed by a number of small creeks flowing off the mainland. We spend some time here, exploring, stretching the legs and making the most of the day before enjoying a beautiful beach camp in the evening.

Day Four

We leave Kentra Bay, pass by Gortenfern and paddle North, enjoying some time on Smirisary Beach, another stunning, off-the beaten-track, white sand beach. Today is another great opportunity to spot Pine Martens, seals and other wildlife. This evening is our last camp, looking out into the Sound of Arisaig. It's a good opportunity to enjoy the quiet wilderness before heading back to 'civilisation' the next day.

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Day Five

We pass Samalaman Island then enter the Loch Ailort, sheltered by Ardnish Peninsula which gives a gentle paddle to our finish point at Lochailort village. We arrive here at lunchtime, then provide transport back (c35 minutes) to the meeting point of Banavie Car Park, where the event will draw to an end. It's time to hand back your beloved blue barrel and say goodbye to your new friends - until the next adventure!

We meet in Banavie Car Park (near Fort William, postcode PH33 7PL). The event will end here also, including transport to and from the start and finish points (20 mins and 35 mins respectively).

Driving – If you are driving, the free car park postcode to follow is PH33 7PL.

Public Transport - Trains and a good coach service connect both Fort William and Inverness to Glasgow and Edinburgh and take around 3 hours.

Glasgow (West Coast Line) and Edinburgh (East Coast Line) have trains to most major cities in England including London (4.5 hours), Birmingham (4 hours), Manchester (3.25 hours) and Leeds (3 hours).

We won't be passing any shops during the week - instead you will need to bring food and drink supplies with you. This is relatively straight forward and we will send more details and suggestions to you prior to the event.

We use open Canadian canoes for this adventure - around 16ft in length. The canoes are paddled with two guests in each canoe. Each canoe carries two people, plus a large waterproof barrel each to store your equipment.

At Adventure Solos, our guests book on by themselves to enjoy a group adventure. This adventure is a great way to make new friends, and an Adventure Solos host will meet you when you arrive, introduce you to other guests and ensure that everyone is enjoying themselves throughout the event.

Canoes and all canoe-related gear are provided. You will need camping equipment for this trip, most people will bring their own but you can also hire or buy camping gear. You will need to bring sensible outdoor clothing - we will give you more information on this before the event but broadly it includes waterproofs and some warm clothing.

You do not need prior canoeing or paddling experience. It is recommended that you have at least an average level of fitness for the event. Some experience of camping is recommended - check out our Camping for Beginners events. Buoyancy aids will be provided and most people do not capsize, however we strongly recommend you are able to swim should capsize occur.