Offers of Kayaking Fort William

Fort William is a hub for adventurers. Like Kathmandu in Nepal where hopeful mountaineers start their journeys to Mount Everest, climbers with their sites set on the highest mountain in the British Isles, Ben Nevis, use this highland town as a base. It’s also the head of two important routes: the Road to the Isles, which leads to the port of Mallaig where ferries set sail for the islands of the Hebrides, and the Great Glen Walk, which cuts across the highlands to Inverness. But not all of the journeys that begin in Fort William require walking boots or a car - set on the shore of Loch Linnhe and surrounded by waterways, it’s the perfect place to go exploring by kayak.

If you find the comparison with the Himalayas a bit of a stretch, perhaps we can convince you to see the area around this city as Scotland’s answer to the fjords of Norway. The town sits on Loch Linnhe, which is known as a sea loch but would be called a fjord in Norway as it’s an inlet of the ocean. There are many of these inlets in the region, as well as freshwater lochs; rivers and canals connect them to one another, while the highest peaks in the country keep them separate. Discovering the area by kayak gives you some of the best viewpoints for admiring the mountains, valleys, cliffs and islands of this landscape, with the additional advantage that you don’t have to tackle the steep slopes and rough paths on the land.

Where are the best places to go kayaking around Fort William?

• Loch Linnhe: This is an inlet of the sea, which winds its way through beautiful, unspoilt scenery for 30 miles from the open ocean to its head at Fort William. You’re never far from the shore on Loch Linnhe, as it’s only 1 mile wide on average, and its shape and surroundings keep it sheltered from ocean swells and the worst of the wind. Just beyond the city, it’s joined by the River Lochy, and connects to the freshwater Loch Eil. Kayaking in this area is a pleasure, where constantly changing landscapes and calm waters take you on a beautiful journey to a place of peace and tranquillity.

• Glencoe: This is the name of a village and the dramatic, steep sided valley that it sits in. The valley bottom is flooded by Loch Leven, a picturesque branch of Loch Linnhe. Until the 20th century, the only way to get to Glencoe was by crossing the loch by boat, or walking the arduous route around the shore. There are nine small islands in the loch that you can explore by kayak, or for a more adrenaline fuelled journey, try white water down the River Leven that feeds the loch.

• The West Coast: Although it means facing the additional challenges of waves and tides, sea kayaking along the West Coast of Scotland is one of the most rewarding experiences around. From here, you can easily reach the Sound of Arisaig, between the peninsulas of Arisaig and Glenuig where you can observe seals, basking sharks, sea otters, and seabirds, and the Small Isles, a group of hebridean islands, that sit out to sea. Not far away is the sea loch of Loch Moidart, where a Castle Tioram, which appears in the Highlander series, sits on a tidal island off the southern shore.

• The Great Glen: Scotland is cut into by a huge geographical fault, known as the Great Glen. Fort William is located on the western end of this valley, and it’s the perfect place to start a journey up the glen. Whether you like it or not, any route that you take will be characterised by water. A series of lochs lie along the length of the loch, from Loch Lochy and Loch Oich at the west end, to the world famous Loch Ness occupying over 20 miles of the east. These lochs are connected by rivers, including the River Oich, and the man made waterway of the Caledonian Canal. It’s a stunning part of the world where the overwhelming natural beauty is enough to leave you speechless, and you can find any kind of adventure along its length. From peaceful paddling across the surface of a loch to white water kayaking over river rapids, the Great Glen has it all.

What are the options for organising an experience?

- If you want to make a holiday in the highlands extra special, you can’t do better than booking a kayaking session around Fort William. Whether you choose a loch, a sea loch or a river, you’re guaranteed to fall in love with the scenery in a way that you didn’t know was possible. You can organise a session that takes up about half a day, 3 or 4 hours, and explore your location of choice or go shooting down a white water river for 2 hours.

- It might be the case that kayaking isn’t just an activity to do on your holidays, but the goal of your holiday itself. If that’s the case for you, then you should arrange a full day or multi day tour of the area, venturing out onto the sea and exploring the wild west coast of Scotland if possible. Any overnights can take place in shoreside accommodation in some beautiful, remote areas, or even more off the beaten track in tents. Kayak hire is also available in a number of locations around, and this is perfect if you’re experienced enough to not need a guide.

Requirements to do this activity

One of the great things about kayaks is that they’re controlled in a very intuitive way. You don’t need to be an expert to enjoy an experience, especially if you stay in the sheltered waters in the area, and even youngsters from about 12 years of age can learn to move and steer their own boat. Even younger kids, as young as 6 years old, can ride in a double, or tandem, kayak with an adult to help them.

Navigating onto the open ocean, where the wind and waves can pose problems, or down river rapids, is a more challenging experience. It’s well worth the rewards, but younger enthusiasts might have to wait until they’re 16 years old or more to join an expedition on one of these waterways. They also require specialist equipment, which is not as easily available for hire, so going with a guide is highly recommended.

We’re tempted to book one of these experiences ourselves, you should get yours before they sell out!