SCOTLAND

The Tweed: A Scottish Classic!

This is a special river to us here at MTO as it was the first trip I ran as a group of Friends a few years ago! It got me hooked and to this day remains a special river. Start in the small town of Peebles and we make our way through the stunning Scottish borders paddling through towns such as Kelso, Coldstream and Norham before reaching our final destination of Berwick upon Tweed right by the sea! Along the river we will navigate a wide variety of Class II Rapids with ease due to the expert coaching you will receive from your experienced guides, we aim to get you to a standard where by the time you have left us at the end of the trip, you will be confident enough to grow your paddling experience on your own!

Loch Tay and the River Tay System

Another favorite of ours and the expedition I have ran most over my career! Starting in the quaint town of Killin where the falls of Dochart crash through the village we start our first morning looking out onto the magnificent Loch Tay which we will spend the day paddling or, with luck, sailing! We will spend the day brushing up on our canoe skills and teaching and developing as much as possible so we are prepared for the river the following day. That evening we will aim to stay on an old Crannog, an island specifically built to house a small castle like structure!

Day 2 will be our first river day, aiming to paddle from Kenmore down to just past Grandtully, where there is an option for a campsite stay if needed! This is a classic White Water section paddling through Class II rapids before reaching Grandtully which is a class III. Not to worry though as by then you will be well adept with the skills required to succeed and navigate through this incredible section of water!

Day 3 is a calm water day, all about covering distance, and the best thing is this section is just so beautiful! Stunning native woodland, mountain views and scenic villages are just some of the things you will encounter along the way. Our final day 4 will be another white water day, start the day paddling through the morning mist before reaching campsie linn where the river turns it up a notch! Classic Scottish high volume rapids are a continuous feature of the last day and it truly delivers enabling a special experience for anyone that paddles through Stanley and finishing in Perth having earned our Haggis and Pint!

Why not add a fifth day before we jump on the Loch where we will spend the time paddling the section from Kenmore to Aberfeldy, building our skills and learning how best to navigate classic high volume Class II white water? Let us know when booking this trip and we will work this around you to create your bespoke expedition.

The Royal Dee

A very rarely commercially run classic, this river suits a small group that has previously been with us on a different white water trip due to the step up in more consistent rapids. The trip starts in Braemar, just down the road from the Balmoral royal estate where the river passes through (hence the name!). The river winds around the small Highland village just down the road from the Glenshee Ski resort before we make our way towards the royal estate. We meet various rapids and challenges along the way providing the perfect opportunity for discussions on the best line to take and the most successful way to get from the top to the bottom of the rapids that range from class II to class III. Between rapids the water calms down as we pass through some of the most spectacular scenery that Scotland has to offer, Towering ancient woodlands, magical mountains and intricate tributaries that keep our river topped up with water. This trip is best run in the shoulders of the main summer season, March through to May and September through to November. This is due to water levels and to offer the chance to see Scotland in all of its Spring and Autumn glory.