Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Along the way, you may see dolphins, whales,
seals and a huge variety of birds, including golden
eagles. After setting up camp late in the afternoon
on one of the many islands, dinner is prepared and
eaten in a communal tipi before retiring to your
tent under a clear night's sky.
Sea kayaking enables you to get to remote
places like the Summer Isles that you wouldn't
otherwise be able to reach. Yet these fragile
ecosystems can easily be ruined if you ignore
a few simple guidelines on how to respect the
great outdoors. Head guide Myles Fairbank,
an experienced kayaker, has one simple rule of
engagement with the wilderness - leave it as
you found it. Group size is limited to just eight
kayakers, which minimizes impact and also
means you're more likely to see wildlife en route.
Myles insists that all rubbish is carried away
from each campsite, so you become far more
conscious of how much food you cook; the last
thing you want to carry in your canoe is half a
046 CampiNG aNd kayakiNG iN
the SummeR iSleS, SCotlaNd
The protected sandy beaches and shallow shores of
the Summer Isles are perfect places to land a kayak
and pitch a tent for the night. If you like the idea,
canoeing tours organized by Wilderness Scotland
make for an excellent choice: there can't be many
trips that leave so little trace behind them.
The journey begins and ends at Inverness train
station, where you're taken by minibus across the
northwest of Scotland to Achiltibuie, the launchpad
to the Summer Isles. Paddling 12-14km daily for
five days, guests are led along the rugged coastline
of this remote archipelago, under sea arches and
over water surges between narrow channels of
rocks. You pass the dramatic sandstone cliffs of
Eilean Flada Mar and its outlying skurries, the
dramatic peaks of Assynt, the island of Eilean
Mullagrach and the wildlife reserve of Isle Ristol.
Kayaking in the Summer Isles
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