Canoe Sail Loch Lomond 

By arrangement

Sheet in and smile

There is an amazing feeling that you get with the pull of the wind presses the float into the water and the boat kicks up its heels and scoots off accross the water. Elemental, joyous and exillerating.

The UK’s Largest body of water  

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 sailing guru 

We’re here to teach and support you from our powerboat “Freedom” There probably cannot be a more beautiful sailing classroom for a nippy light boat 

Canoe  Sailing is super inclusive

We pioneered canoe sailing as an excellent example of how with some thought sailing can be super low tech, go anywhere and inclusive of people with a huge range of needs. We can use any beach, do on land transfers and even pull the sailing canoe inside the powerboat to make on water adjustments.

padlding into the sunsetTransferring on the lake Two ladies on the canal in a canoe Wood fired kettle on the shoreNess ferry moored upCanoe Sailng with full sails Rafted Canoes on loch Ness Canoes on the shoreYellow Camping tent

An elemental conversion of wind to joy 

Canoe Sailing - lightweight, fast and independent

We love canoe sailing we love Scotland all the ingredients for a very special day indeed.

We meet at the South end of the loch at Balloch (easy access by train). And move from there by (wheelchair accessible) powerboat to our teaching spot. And begin with a briefing about how to rig and sail your boat. For some, this will be a refresher and for others the first time they have been shown the ropes. 

Important canoe sail Loch Lomond Info

Dates and Costs 

  • 1 Days Adventure on the Lake 

  • Meet: Balloch Train Station 9 AM 19th July 2023
    or
    Depart: 10 AM on 19th July 2023 at Duncan Mills Memorial Slipway

  • Depart :  4pm Duncan Mills Slipway


What is included?

  • We supply all your equipment, launch fees, waterproofs and lunch

  • Lunch Included 

  • All technical equipment

  • British qualified Sailing Instructor

What do we actually do

  • Brush up your Sailing skills 

  • Paddle the  most sung about Loch in Scotland 

  • Glyde around the beutiful islands and remote inlets

  • Have a laugh as a friendly welcoming group of like-minded people

Stern of the boat showing access gate in back
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel

Supportive Seating 

Because canoe sailing is forward facing you can sit in a suportive seat to sail, these vary from a bit of back support to a high backed lateral support seat 

Lead back controlls 

Rather than have people move to the sail controlls the ropes are lead back to a control board (in two of the canoes) so that everything is in reach for general sailing 

Making Canoe Sailing Inclusive 

How we adapt canoe sailing to your needs 

We can't list everything here but below is a summary of our top enablement tools.

Loos during the day 

We sail from our base island with built-accessible loos on the island - so you can go before. Whilst out and about we can carry portable loo and privacy shelter that can be set up in all manner of places including inside the support boat itself and wherever we have lunch in less than 10 minutes. Often though we transfer back into the powerboat, anchor the canoes and blast black to the base. 

Freedom the drop front powerboat

Our drop-front powerboat makes canoe sailing possible for people in so many ways. Self-transferring sailors can transfer in and out of the boat by pulling the canoe inside the boat. This means we can launch from anywhere the boat can get to and we can get off the canoes no matter what the environment.  

We can wizz to good sailing areas and guarantee that we can make it back to the launch points and camping spots. 

We can rescue you from the water with minimal impact on your body by essentially floating aboard and then raising the floor. 

We can come over to help with an awkward sail or stuck rope. 

Radio Guidance 

The radios in each boat make it easy to communicate, to be able to hear what's going on and avoids unnecessary shouting. 

Showing the inner salloon with a gally down one side and seating round a table all in wood
Stern of the boat showing access gate in back
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel
Cockpit of boat showing u shaped seating and large central wheel

Making camping Inclusive 

How we adapt camping  to your needs 

We can't list everything here but below is a summary of our top enablement tools.

Loos in the evening 

Built composting loos with a large turning circle and bars on the left up a challenging boardwalk with a resting point half way. At night we can pitch our privacy shelter and portable in amongst the tents

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

Canoe Sail Loch Lomond Accessibility

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Vision

  • AR_M%20 %20Can%20Travel%2010m

    Suitable for people able to navigate short stretches of rough ground unaided and longer walks with assistance

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  • We are well staffed for this trip, a lot of help is available for support both on and off activity time

    Or

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    Come with an adventure buddy

    Or

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    Arrange an Anyone Can volunteer guide

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Cognition

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  • Suitable for those able to self manage without dedicated support or with a dedicated carer

  • We will help with meals, reminding about medications etc 

  • Reliably%20follow%20instructions%20and%20safety%20rules%20with%20help

    Participants should be capable of understanding and acting appropriately around at the water's edge without constant supervision 

    Or

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    Come with an adventure buddy

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Mobility  

  • AR_M%20 %20Can%20Travel%2010m
  • The trip is possible for walking aid users.

    Regular transfers are required.
    Normally these are between a good quality, level, floating platform and a canoe 

  • People who use wheelchairs (essential users)

  • AR_M%20 %20Can%20Sit%20Unsupported%20on%20a%20Bench%203AR_M%20 %20Can%20Bum%20Shuffle%201

    This trip is possible for an adventurous wheelchair user who can self transfer and bum shuffle (we bring a motorboat as support)

    We have a portable toilet and privacy tent with portable handrails

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Auditory 

  • AR_A%20 %20Can%20Hear%20Instructions%20or%20Lip%20Read

    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

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    Come with an adventure buddy

    Or

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    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

Sounds great - let's do it

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I’ve got more questions

Ask a question or call us

We love questions, please pop anything you would like to know here and we will get back to you asap

or give us a call on 01539 310041

or drop us an email on info@anyoncan.uk

Not quite right, need different dates, want control of the itinerary or want to save money by filling your own trip?

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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Excellent accessibility icons designed by Emma Briggs Design

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European Start up Funded 

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European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development  

Europe investing in rural areas

Anyone Can: Connecting Transport Hubs to Lake Shores - Accessible Canoeing

Purchase of an accessible powered support and rescue vessel, and a mobile fleet of canoes with trailer

It is part funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development 

Supported by the Cumbria Fells and Dales Local Action Group 

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