scotland advice

[redfox72]

hi all

i have been lurking on this site for many years and have surfaced to ask for some advice...

i am hoping to go (with a friend) to scotland in late august to indulge in a bit of camping and possibly canoeing.

requierments are:

accessable by train (as we dont fancy driving)

Deciduous or mixed woodland (as we would like to practice our bushcraft)

a round trip as well be on foot/canoe/public transport

not too wilderness as we dont want to get lost, but not touristy either...

we were thinking of hiking a round trip with overnight camps hopefully over the course of a week, but then i thought why not go in a canoe!? this may be possible as although non-canoeist we are both fit, strong swimmers and extensively first aid trained.

any advice on the location (perthshire maybe?), places to visit, canoe hire in the area and rivers to paddle (for novices) would be greatly appreciated.

many thanks

tom

 

[andy_e]

Loch Etive, canoeing up from Taynuilt. It's a sea loch so you can fish it, it's far enough out that you don't get crowds but it's close enough to civilisation that you're not getting lost. The north shore has some lovely spots. You should be able to hire canoes in the area and there is a train service from Glasgow I believe, possibly a bus service too.

 

[JohnC]

There are some trips outlined on Song of the Paddle.
there is a canoe organisation handbook, http://canoescotland.com/Default.as...logID=3&psnavcmd=CatalogItemDetails&tabid=379 that has a lot of trips outlined in some detail...

Dont forget the midge nets....

 

[Wayland]

I'd second Loch Etive.

This is the Northern tip and the end of the road for cars.

The rest of the loch feels pretty remote but in a comfortable way.

 

[andy_e]

Is that one of your own photographs Wayland? The colouring looks like a 50's postcard - I like the effect.

Edit: Found it Waylandscape site

 

[Grooveski]

Loch Ard is quite nice. It's small but pretty and most of the southern shore is campable(is that even a word ). Not that far a hike from Aberfoyle which has no train station but is easy to get to by bus.
Canoes can be hired from Kinlochard somewhere. Not sure where, just come across the canoes a few times and one couple I was blethering to said they'd hired it for the day.

P.S. I can't think of anywhere that'll hire you a canoe then come and pick you up afterwards the way they do on the Wye. Glenmore lodge maybe?
[Edit - looks like quite a few of the shops will do a drop-off/pick-up. Google "canoe hire scotland" and have a rummage around.]

 

[jackmcmanus21]

I've never been. I've heard great things about Loch Ard

 

[w00dsmoke]

Scotland? Man don't even think about it, terrible place, wet, full of tourists and midgies, congested roads awful. I hear there are nice bits in England and Wales, if I was you I'd save a little carbon imprinting and stay closer to home...

 

[ol smokey]

I know we really love it up here, you especially. Are you just trying to frighten off these nice tourists so that we can keep all this lovely countryside to our selves.
It really is nice but the Midges do a good job on their own keeping it for us locals.