Sea kayaking holiday in Scotland
| country: | Scotland |
| location: | Western Isles |
| departures: | 2008: 2 Jun |
| price: | From £595 (5 days) excluding flights. |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
Sea kayaking holiday in Scotland
The pristine archipelago of the Outer Hebrides is an undiscovered paradise. With rugged and remote mountains dropping down to long, white-sand beaches with the clear blue sea lapping gently on the shore, it is the perfect setting for a sea kayaking holiday in Scotland.
On this adventurous sea kayaking holiday in Scotland, we spend 6 days exploring the wild coasts of the Outer Hebrides. We’ll access uninhabited islands such as Taransay (setting for the BBC series ‘Castaway’), discover vast empty beaches of Lewis and, if conditions are right, explore the many skerries of the Sound of Harris. Paddling alongside vast, sandy beaches, round rocky headlands or venturing out to uninhabited islands, the sea kayaking is as good as anywhere in the world.
The sea is rich in wildlife and on this sea kayaking holiday in Scotland we can expect to see many birds, seals and – if we are lucky – porpoises, dolphins and whales. At night we will camp on remote beaches or perhaps on an island and enjoy a fire as the sun sets over the horizon. This sea kayaking holiday in Scotland ends with a night in Stornoway, where we’ll enjoy a superb meal and perhaps a few celebratory drams!
Such an adventurous itinerary does require some previous experience of sea kayaking (if you don’t have this, see below regarding our beginner and intermediate trips). We ask for a minimum of at least 10 days experience of sea-kayaking, and it is preferable if at least some of this was under instruction. On this sea kayaking holiday in Scotland you should be prepared for the possibility of rough conditions and have experience of kayaking in force 4 conditions. You should be confident on the water but the ability to Eskimo roll is not required.
If you don’t have the relevant experience for this trip, we offer 4 other itineraries, designed for beginner or intermediate sea-kayakers. These trips explore areas including Loch Torridon, the Sound of Arisaig, the Summer Isles and the Isle of Skye, and cost from £399 - £535pp. Please contact us for further information.
The pristine archipelago of the Outer Hebrides is an undiscovered paradise. With rugged and remote mountains dropping down to long, white-sand beaches with the clear blue sea lapping gently on the shore, it is the perfect setting for a sea kayaking holiday in Scotland.
On this adventurous sea kayaking holiday in Scotland, we spend 6 days exploring the wild coasts of the Outer Hebrides. We’ll access uninhabited islands such as Taransay (setting for the BBC series ‘Castaway’), discover vast empty beaches of Lewis and, if conditions are right, explore the many skerries of the Sound of Harris. Paddling alongside vast, sandy beaches, round rocky headlands or venturing out to uninhabited islands, the sea kayaking is as good as anywhere in the world.
The sea is rich in wildlife and on this sea kayaking holiday in Scotland we can expect to see many birds, seals and – if we are lucky – porpoises, dolphins and whales. At night we will camp on remote beaches or perhaps on an island and enjoy a fire as the sun sets over the horizon. This sea kayaking holiday in Scotland ends with a night in Stornoway, where we’ll enjoy a superb meal and perhaps a few celebratory drams!
Such an adventurous itinerary does require some previous experience of sea kayaking (if you don’t have this, see below regarding our beginner and intermediate trips). We ask for a minimum of at least 10 days experience of sea-kayaking, and it is preferable if at least some of this was under instruction. On this sea kayaking holiday in Scotland you should be prepared for the possibility of rough conditions and have experience of kayaking in force 4 conditions. You should be confident on the water but the ability to Eskimo roll is not required.
If you don’t have the relevant experience for this trip, we offer 4 other itineraries, designed for beginner or intermediate sea-kayakers. These trips explore areas including Loch Torridon, the Sound of Arisaig, the Summer Isles and the Isle of Skye, and cost from £399 - £535pp. Please contact us for further information.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | From Inverness to the Outer Hebrides. Evening paddle. |
| Day 2-4: | Sea kayaking in the Outer Hebrides |
| Day 5: | Morning paddle. Return to Inverness |
travellers' tales
My holiday was in the Outer Hebrides – a wonderful, awe inspiring and educational 7 days. The scenery was magnificent but one the most memorable experience for me was sharing it with five others that were just as impressed with both the location and history of the area as I was. (more)
highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2006 First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society. Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Despite its beauty, the Highlands and Islands is one of the least affluent regions of Scotland. On this sea kayaking holiday in Scotland, by bringing the benefits of tourism to this area and using local services and produce, we help to support local businesses, create employment and contribute to the overall sustainable development of the region. On this trip, for example, we employ a local guide, stay in a locally owned guest house on the final night and use local facilities such as shops, cafes and pubs at various points in the trip.
Sea-Kayaking is a sustainable way to travel. This sea kayaking holiday in Scotland, like all of our trips, operates on a strict 'leave no trace' policy. This concept will be explained by our guide at the start of the trip and practised throughout. With a maximum of 8 clients on this itinerary, our impact is minimized further still. This sea kayaking holiday in Scotland, like all of our Scotland-based trips, starts at a railway station to encourage travel by rail to Scotland. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |