Loch Lomond should be the sea if it wasn't for a few geological occurances - just look at it on the map you can literally walk to the sea at Tarbet (which translates as a place to portage boats).
The venue is big, beautiful and potentially windy but the support is ample and equipment robust. We make this trip possible for any ability and being only a weekend if you don’t like it, its not a huge trip.
Add in a dram at bed time and cuddly haggis from the gift shop - you’ll be painting your face blue and singing for the return of your occupied lands in no time.
With a vast expanse of water we use a variety of canoeing methods to make the most of the conditions, that might be joining boats together to make a raft, sailing them, both or neither . The beauty of canoeing is the flexibity it offers.
With two full days and an overnight (option of 2 night) this adventure is a great chance to take a break from all the pressures and focus on the important things. Food, shelter, fire and friendship (and whisky!).
Our trips are always well catered, as we love good food and on this trip will cook fresh food over an open fire.
And yes this is a muck in event where we can help with your bushcraft talents in fire lighting, shelter building and campfire cuisine.
Generations of refinement in the remotest parts of the world have resulted in the ultimate inland exploration craft: the canandian canoe. It’s on trips like this that the amazing potential for fun and adventure of a simple craft and classic skills really shine through.
We meet at the South end of the lake at Balloch (easy access by train) and set off from there to explore the islands* and select our camp spot for our overnight. Chose between hammock, tent or tarp shelter for your accomodation and muck-in cooking a feast over the open fire as the sun sets.
On day 2 we set out for the North of the lake with the wind behind us, before hopping in the support boat to ride back to the car.
We have included a single nights camping on Saturday in the main plan to include those for whom 1 night under canvas may be adventure enough. Our thought is those coming from further away might like to arragne their own indoor accomodation in Glasgow or the National Park the night before and/or after. You are most welcome to a motor boat pick up on the evening of the 3rd and to spend two nights camping (we will be), so the kits already packed anyway.
* This is plan A assuming favourable weather
The canoe skills we use here are techniques used across the world for trips ranging from family barbeques to month long great lakes expeditions.
It's a great way to brush up your skills and knowledge for other journeys or if you're considering one of our cross Scotland trips it is a great trial run to see if you enjoy camping, multi day paddling and test any of our adaptions.
We can't list everything here but below is a summary of our top enablement tools.
We can stabilise your canoe by either adding outriggers to each side or by joining two canoes together.
We imported our canoes all the way from Canada to get the best most stable craft available
We have a huge range of seating options from just a comfy cushion or backrest to a full support seat with support straps if needed. We use these big seats alongside the canoe stabilisation systems to ensure that you stay upright.
We can send another climber alongside to help with positioning or understanding transitions. We can use our portable gantry hoist to board people (you will require a manual chair as the beach is challenging at Balloch)
We can talk you through the position of holds and get in the right position straight to headphones or via bluetooth to your hearing aid. This is great for enabling visually impaired people, those who need to focus on a single voice as well as those who would struggle to hear instructions
Freedom is like our superpower - by having an accessible powerboat we don't have to fight or hide from the weather - we know we can always get home and she makes rescues a doddle
This trip is centred around an accessible train station. Balloch
We can't list everything here but below is a summary of our top enablement tools.
Those who can't just pop to a bush rest assured we have a collapsible, portable rails and privacy tent. The departure point has a standard accessible toilet.
Our island has two accessible composting toilets - nothing else not even water but two good loos
We have big lightweight tipi tents they allow chair users to wheel inside and have loads of head room and manoeuvring space to get positioned right
We can sleep on a raised bed facilitating easy transfers or floor sleeping. For floor sleeping, we have tiered transfer stools to aid the changing of heights. Inflatable mats and an extra large inflatable mat for people with back problems.
We have raised fires and tables for the stoves to enable people to reach and take part in the cooking and fire lighting. The fires are special wood gas stoves that direct most heat upwards protecting low-sensation legs and wheelchairs.
The stoves also help prevent accidents as its hard to actually touch the really hot stuff
2 days adventure and 1 nights buschcaft camping
Meet: Balloch Train Station 20 July 2024 10am
Depart : Sunday 21 July 4pm 2024 (last train to London and everywhere else)
£344 per person
Accomodation is in, tent, tarp or hammock (if suitable trees)
Tent, hammock or tarp in a single or doubles (your choice)
We supply sleeping equippment including sleeping bags, mats and tents
All meals from Saturday Breakfast (if staying on Friday) to Sunday Lunch
All technical equipment
British qualified Canoeing Instructors
Transport from and to the train station
Bring only a small bag as we are travelling by Canoe - we provide everything for outdoor living
(and it is great quality comfortable stuff)
Brush up your Canoe skills
Paddle the most sung about Loch in Scotland
Paddle two to a canoe, go solo, , make rafts and sail - nearly every way of making expedition canoes travel
A dram at sunset
Camp in amazing places
Watch sunsets bemoan early sunrises
Light and cook by campfire
Have a laugh as a friendly welcoming group of like-minded people
Suitable for people able to navigate short stretches of rough ground unaided and longer walks with assistance
We are well staffed for this trip, a lot of help is available for support both on and off activity time
Come with an adventure buddy
Arrange an Anyone Can volunteer guide
Suitable for those able to self manage without dedicated support or with a dedicated carer
We will help with meals, reminding about medications etc
Participants should be capable of understanding and acting appropriately around fires and at the water's edge without constant supervision
Come with an adventure buddy
The trip is possible for walking aid users.
Regular transfers are required on most days. Normally these are between a good quality, level, floating platform and canoe
This trip is possible for an adventurous wheelchair user who can self transfer and bum shuffle (we bring a motorboat as support)
The wild areas of the journey are not adapted, or are situated across unsurfaced beaches and woodland
The essential facilites (toilets, sleeping and boats) are accesseesed over concrete, boardwalk and firm short shorn grass
We have a portable toilet, and privacy tent with portable handrails and can set up on any suitable surface or even right next to the canoe for a direct transfer
Transfers can be made bewteen the canoe and support powerboat to access you chair and then by ramp onto walkways etc
We have raised beds, intermediate transfer steps (to assist getting to ground) , and tall tents for sleeping
The portable toilet and rails can be located in the sleeping tent overningt
We have raised fireplaces and stoves for cooking
We have supportiuve seating, grip aids and one handed steering systems
We have supportive outriggers that remove most of the risk of capsize and allow for a range of seating heights.
Access to canoes can be made on land before slidin in, directly inside the powerboat (before sliding in or a side transfer from pontoon you’ll likely do all three at some point
Suitable for people with most auditory impairments that do not require signing to communicate
A BSL assistant instructor is occasionally available
We have radios and Tloop transmission units to aid hearing when seperated in differing boats
Come with an adventure buddy
Arrange an Anyone Can volunteer guide
Hop on the Caladonian Sleeper and snuggle up. You will wake up in Glasgow on the morning - 1 stop on the Glasgow underground and hop on Balloch train
TOP TIP look at buying a Glasgow return ticket separately which are often much cheaper and then buy singles onwards
Or
Travel up during the day before, stay overnight in Glasgow and get the Balloch train the next day.
Any rail route that arrives in Glasgow is easy. Glasgow is the Northern terminal of the West Coast main line and Edinburgh (50mins from Glasgow) is similarly the head of the East Coast mainline. This means that most of the UK is in easy reach of a train going the right way.
Fly into Glasgow City (Belfast, Bristol, London, Birmingham, Manchester) one train to Centre then another to Balloch
We love commissions, requests for alternate dates and requests to make specific adaptions - in fact, we would not exist without them.
So please, if you like what you read but it's not quite there or you want something different, do get in touch and we look forward to hearing from you.
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