Coast to Coast

Cross Scotland By Foot & Canoe

LOCATION

Glen Affric

PLACES

10 Total

2025 DATES

17 - 23 May

PRICE

£1225

BOOK

HERE

Scotland's mountains, rivers and lochs offer a truly unique adventure opportunity. Join us on this expedition to cross Scotland from COAST TO COAST, taking in some of the finest mountains, remotest glens, most ancient woodlands and finest rivers of this majestic landscape.

This seldom travelled route gives you the chance to cross the heart of Scotland on foot and by canoe, starting at Loch Duich and ending at Beauly on Scotland's east coast. Using mountain navigation skills and canoe expeditioning, while expertly guided by ourselves and our partners Howl Bushcraft, this trip gives you the skills to have your own epic adventures.

Expedition Highlights

Our journey starts on the coastal shores of Loch Duich, surrounded by mountains and the smell of the sea. We have an informal night here on a campsite where we can get to know one another, do final kit checks and discuss plans. The following morning we hike out east towards the Gates of Affric and into some of the most remote and epic mountains in all of Scotland. Spending two days in the hills gives us a chance to learn mountain skills and navigation, sleeping high in the munros and (hopefully!) having stunning views out towards Skye and beyond.

A taste of life on our coast to coast expedition

The mountain phase ends as we descend into Glen Affric and into some of the most ancient Caledonian Pine forest in Scotland. Meeting our canoes in Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin, we explore this stunning loch, camping on an Island and soaking up the atmosphere of the grandfather pines and peaty waters. Continuing east, we pick up up the rivers Affric and Glass, giving us a chance to work on true canoe expedition moving water skills. Finally, as we near the end of our trip, we pick up the river Beauly and enter the Aigas Gorge, a nationally significant wildlife refuge and Mecca for canoeists and wildlife lovers. Our trip ends close to Beauly as we debrief and celebrate this epic adventure.

Trip leaders Steven Hanton and Jamie Dakota are both qualified Mountain Leaders and Canoe Instructors and are passionate about sharing their expedition experience. Join us!

Coast to Coast Expedition Syllabus

Mountain Skills & Bushcraft

Map reading & mountain navigation
Route planning
Lightweight wild camping
Mountain safety
Firelighting
Campfire cookery
Tree and plant ID & edible, medicinal and utilitarian uses.
Wildlife tracking; identify animal tracks and signs.

Canoeing Skills

Canoe trip planning
Loading a canoe & gear shakedown
Flat water paddling skills; strokes and trim
Moving water skills; strokes, route choice, ferry gliding & breaking in/out of the current
Rescue techniques for flat and moving water.
Expedition canoe skills; poling, snubbing, lining, tracking & portaging

pancakes for breakfast with campfire cookery

2 people looking out at a sunset from a Scottish mountain

canoe expedition group enjoying warmth from the fire

canoe expedition team cheering in their canoes at the end of a trip

beautiful sunset over canoe camp in the woods

LOCATION

Scotland

DATES

17th - 23rd May 2025

PRICE

£1225

PLACES

10 Total

BOOK THIS EXPEDITION

We start the trip at the head of Loch Duich, heading east over mountains, through Glen Affric, ending at Beauly on Scotland's east coast.

A DETAILED KIT LIST WILL BE SENT OUT WITH OUR BRIEFING PACK WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE COURSE

EQUIPMENT WE'LL BE PROVIDING:

(If you have your own of any of the following and would like to bring it please feel free)

Personal floatation device
2 Paddles per person
Helmet
Canoes
Cooking equipment
Water filters
Group shelter

KIT YOU NEED TO BRING:

FOR THE MOUNTAIN PHASE:

Waterproof hiking boots
65l approx rucksack
Waterproof map case
Sylva Type 4 compass
1/2 person lightweight hike tent
Small cook stove, pot

FOR THE CANOE PHASE:

You are limited to one day-pack per person no bigger than 45 liters, with extra kit stored in a portage pack or barrel no bigger than 50 litres. This is to ensure we have nice, balanced boats and space to be comfortable as we travel.

Personal kit should be packed into durable dry-bags (Ortlieb or Exped make good ones), vital items to be double bagged i.e. sleeping gear, dry clothes.

DAY PACK

Items to be kept in a small rucksack, the idea is this pack will contain anything you might need during the day without you having to open your overnight gear pack whilst travelling. On ordinary rucksack is fine for this.

Brew kit- mug, spoon, tea/coffee/hot chocolate etc (a small camping stove is a useful extra)
Waterproofs: jacket and trousers
Head-torch and spare batteries
Water bottle
Wooly Hat
Flask for hot water/ hot drink
Small First aid kit- plasters, painkillers, steri-wipes etc (should fit in a trouser pocket).
Toilet kit- tissues, hand sanitizer, lighter, wet-wipes
Sun-cream and insect repellent - Smidge or something with deet in it works.
Sunglasses
Midge head net - The ones by Smidge are good - most others have mesh sizes too large.
DITCH KIT (inside its own dedicated dry bag within your day pack)
- Good warm thick jacket/fleece
- Thick woolly hat
- Warm gloves
  Warm Buff/ scarf
- Good thermal base-layer top
- Chocolate bar
- Silver space blanket

MAIN PACK

This kit should be stowed in a portage pack or plastic barrel.

Warm Sleeping bag-in its own dry bag
Sleeping mat
Tent
A full set of warm, dry clothes for the end of the day.
Waterproof socks/ warm socks
Camp shoes ( old trainers or lightweight boots area ideal)
Wash kit: toothbrush/paste, soap, small towel as minimum
Spectacles/contact lenses/spares
Plate/bowl and eating utensils
One luxury item-a book, MP3 player, etc

OTHER KIT

Knee Protection - canoe kneeling pad or soft, comfortable knee pads.
Waterproof whistle to be carried on your person.
A stainless steel fixed blade knife - Mora knives are perfect.
Canoeing footwear that will get wet - old trainers are fine, some folks like neoprene booties.

Travel and arrival - Detailed joining instructions will be sent out to you well in advance of the expedition.
Accommodation - All camping. You will need to bring your own tent/tarp/basha as per the kit list.
Food and Drink - This expedition is fully catered. Food will be typical canoe camping fayre or mountain rations. We take our catering seriously and we aim to make the food one of the highlights of the trip. We can cater to vegetarians and some medical intolerances but vegans and more unusual food requirements can be tricky when group cooking. We are always happy to chat about this before booking.
Weather/conditions - Scotland in May can be changeable, please make sure you read the kit list thoroughly.
Age requirements - 18+.
Fitness/ability - You need a reasonable level of fitness to complete this expedition. During the mountain phase we will be walking between 10 - 15km per day in mountainous terrain. The canoeing phase can also be strenuous at times; particularly when portaging or in adverse weather. Please contact us to discuss if you are at all unsure about your fitness level and we will be happy to give you more details.
Payment - To book we will take a £200 non returnable deposit with the balance due 8 weeks before the expedition start date. See our full Terms and Conditions.
Insurance - We have comprehensive liability insurance and risk assessments, but we suggest that you have your own insurance policy that covers your kit and yourself.
First Aid/Medical - The leaders are experienced in remote first aid and are trained to First Response Emergency Care level 4 (Ambulance ECA). We will carry a comprehensive expedition first aid kit and Garmin Inreach device for emergencies. Please bring with you plenty of any required personal medication.
Toilets - On expedition, toilets will consist of a spade and a walk a good distance from camp.

What happens if I'm late for a course? Please keep us informed on your journey if you are going to be late. Due to the nature of the trip, we can not wait to long before launching.

Where do I park and is it safe? Full joining instructions will be sent out before the expedition.

Do you allow dogs? I'm afraid not. In our experience dogs are very hard to manage around our kitchen and food so unfortunately we have a no dog policy.

Is there phone signal? It will be patchy.

Do most people come on their own? Yes they do, and enjoy the welcoming atmosphere and like-minded people. We also have many people that choose to come with a friend or family member who also wants to have an awesome time.

Do I need prior experience? Not at all. We will be covering all tuition. Previous canoeing/mountain experience is a bonus however.

Are there any hazards or risks I should be aware of? There's no such thing as completely risk-free outdoor activities. Your course leaders have 20 years of experience in bushcraft and canoeing so rest assured the risks have been carefully assessed and mitigated as best as is possible. You are in good hands and a full safety brief will be given were required. That said, canoeing on big lochs and on moving water has inherent risks and so you must be made aware of these.

There are ticks present in the woods (like almost all UK woodlands which have a deer population) but you will receive a brief and the risks from Lyme disease are minimal.

Are there midges? Midges are present but in May there are typically few. They can be a nuisance on still, muggy overcast days but while on the water we will have little trouble.

What is your cancellation policy? Full terms and conditions are available here but basically;

You'll get a 100% refund if we cancel the course (almost never for weather, sometimes if there are not enough bookings but 8 weeks in advance of the course)
If you have to cancel then we will always try to refill the course place, and if we can we will refund you in full.
Full course fee is due 8 weeks before course
- If you cancel 4 - 8 weeks before the course you are liable for 50% of the course fee.
- If you cancel less than 4 weeks before the course then you are liable for 100% of the course fee
- This is due to the fact that courses involve a large amount of planning and expense in advance.
- Sometimes we can transfer you to another course if there is availability.