Canoe and Bushcraft Weekend Loch Lomond
See also Canoe Bushcraft Windermere 7-8 May and 24-25 September 2022
The UK’s Largest body of water - your playground for the weekend
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).
No need to be a paddling hero
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.
There is little more Scottish than spending time on Loch Lomond
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.
Paddle, raft and sail
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.
Self-sufficiency - wonderful simplicity
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!).
Great food
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.
Climbing Spain is great for
Autism
Down's Syndrome
Have a visual impairment and want to come alone
Speech Impairments
Visual impairment and your own guide
Space and calm needs
Amputees
Older people
Walking sticks or aids
Sports Chair users
Tourettes syndrome
Hearing needs
Amputees
Older people
Walking sticks or aids
Those with an assistance dog
Normally have full time support
Manual Chair users
Speak to us if you:
Need to make arrangements for an assistance dog
Normally have full time support
Use an electric wheelchair
Are an essential chair user
Need head support
Primarily communicate using sign language
Use a hoist to transfer
Canoeing - the original adventure boat
An Exploration by Canoe
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
New skills
Open water techniques you use anywhere
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.
Making Canoing Inclusive
How we adapt canoing to your needs
We can't list everything here but below is a summary of our top enablement tools.
Outriggers and Rafting
We can stabilise your canoe by either adding outriggers to each side or by joining two canoes together.
Stable Canoes
We imported our canoes all the way from Canada to get the best most stable craft available
Seating options
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.
Land Boarding
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)
Radio headsets
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 the Powerboat
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
Transport
This trip is centred around an accessible train station. Balloch
Making Camping Inclusive
How we adapt camp to your needs
We can't list everything here but below is a summary of our top enablement tools.
Loos during the day
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.
Loos in the evening
Our island has two accessible composting toilets - nothing else not even water but two good loos
Tipi tents
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
Raised beds or floor sleeping
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.
Raised cooking and fires
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
Important Loch Lomond Info
Dates and Costs
2 days adventure and 1 nights buschcaft camping
Meet: Balloch Train Station 6pm Friday 1 July or 10am Saturday 2 July (optional extra overnight camp)
Depart : Sunday 3 July 4pm (last train to London and everywhere else)
£321 per person
Accomodation is in, tent, tarp or hammock (if suitable trees)
What is included?
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)
What do we actually do
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
Canoe Lomond Accessibility
Vision
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
Or
Come with an adventure buddy
Or
Arrange an Anyone Can volunteer guide
Cognition
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
Or
Come with an adventure buddy
Mobility
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
People who use wheelchairs (essential users)
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
Auditory
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
Or
Come with an adventure buddy
Or
Arrange an Anyone Can volunteer guide
From London by rail
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.
Other places by rail
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.
By Air
Fly into Glasgow City (Belfast, Bristol, London, Birmingham, Manchester) one train to Centre then another to Balloch
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