Sea Kayak Day Trips - Arisaig Coast

We don't publish a set route for any of our trips. The guide will choose a location that suits the conditions on the day and the experience and needs of the group - this is the safest and best way to operate sea kayak trips in Scotland.

The most important thing to note is that we are here to enjoy the journey - we'll take plenty of breaks and paddle at an achievable pace and will vary trip length and paddling time based on conditions to keep things achieveable and enjoyable. Attitude is just as important as fitness and we are used to working within a range of different client fitness levels. Sea kayaking is similar in intensity to purposeful walking over undulating terrain - it is moderate aerobic exercise conducted for a sustained amount of time involving lots of different muscle groups but mainly the muscles of the torso and upper body. It places a light but repetitive load on these muscles - you don't need to have big muscles but you do need to be capable of sustaining a moderate level of physical effort for several hours - and most importantly enjoy the sensation of moderate and sustained exercise.

You also need to be able to sit in an upright position in order to paddle - if you have problems with your lower back, weak core muscles, tight hamstrings or otherwise find sitting upright uncomfortable then sea kayaking may not be suitable for you. If you don't do any exercise, don't enjoy physical effort or have a very low level of fitness then you may find sea kayaking challenging.

If you have no kayaking experience at all and are very unsure about your ability to paddle due to a low level of fitness or a specific weakness/injury then taking part in a form of paddlesports that doesn't feature journeying and sustained paddling may be a better start, you can always progress to sea kayaking later on - sessions such as taster sessions or on enclosed pieces of water or shorter in duration may all be options.

Although our trips are primarily about guided experiences, you will also learn as part of the journey. A lot of learning about sea kayaking comes from experience and is best done as individuals on the move and in context. We won't spend time on long instructional briefings or static group skills practice but will give you little hints and tips on the journey to make it easier for you and suggest improvements to your technique as we go along.

The weather on the West coast of Scotland can vary through the course of the season and from area to area - Scottish islands and coastline can see dramatically better weather and more sunshine than more mountainous areas inland. The wind speed and sea state are the primary factors that affect whether we will run the trip - if the conditions are unsuitable then we will cancel and you won't be charged (any deposit paid will be refunded), we can try and re-schedule if possible. You should note that it is very rare that we have to cancel trips. For full terms and conditions see the link below. You can read more about the weather/cancellation/booking on our FAQ page.

A 50% deposit is required at the time of booking, the balance is due 30 days prior to the trip, for cancellation policy please see our full terms and conditions.

We have a much larger FAQ page that covers all aspects of sea kayak trips with us.