Sea Kayak Isle of Harris
6 days Isle of Harris Camp & Wild Camp
On this trip we will paddle day trips from a campsite, with the option to paddle an expedition if conditions allow. The conditions in the Outer Hebrides can vary and this is the best way to take advantage of the forecast for the trip.
What to Expect Sea kayaking on the Isle of Harris is a spectacular way to explore one of Scotland’s most breathtaking and remote destinations. Known for its rugged coastlines, stunning beaches, and crystal-clear waters, Harris offers a unique Hebridean landscape to explore by sea kayak.
Trip Highlights A six day sea kayak trip on the island of Harris in the Outer Hebrides paddling day trips from a campsite base.
- Sea kayak above turquoise water, walk on white sand beaches and paddle round rugged cliffs and headlands.
- A flexible trip to take advantage of the changeable conditions of the Hebrides.
- A chance to explore uninhabited islands with untouched beaches.
Grade:
Intermediate
Level 3 - Intermediate These trips are for those who have a good level of knowledge and experience gained from time spent in sea kayaks in varied conditions. These trips may feature single days of up to 25 km (daily distances will vary) and its likely we will be paddling in wind and waves as part of the trip.
- You should be confident holding a moving speed of 6 km per hour (3 Kn) and covering distances of 15 - 25 km for successive days.
- You should have some experience of handling a sea kayak in force 4 winds and be very confident controlling a sea kayak in force 3 winds including the use of a skeg and turning your kayak efficiently in the wind and in waves.
- You should be practised at paddling effectively as part of a group and know how to react and take instruction in common sea kayaking situations - including rescues and capsizes.
- Great if you want to build on existing skill and knowledge and explore more committing coastline.
Typical minimum number of days experience - 8 to 20+
As a minimum clients will have completed an introduction type course and a further course or expedition where mixed conditions were encountered and a clear progression made. Most clients joining intermediate expeditions have done several trips before over the course of more than one season, usually a mix of courses, day trips and expeditions. If a client has only ever paddled in calm water then intermediate trips are not the right choice.
Dates and Prices
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Day 1 - Ferry across the Minch
We'll meet in Inverness or Ullapool on the morning of day one, ready to take the Ullapool to Stornoway ferry across the Minch.
Once at Stornoway we'll drive South through the hills of North Harris before reaching our campsite base for the week.
Day 2 to 3 - Exploring Scarp and Taransay
The Isle of Taransay is just to the West of our base for the trip and is definilty one of the places we'll look to explore. Well known as the setting for the BBC series 'Castaway 2000', this islands is now solely inhabited by its Deer, Otters and seabrids. The island forms a trap for the deposiition of the white sand that charachterises the Hebrides and we can land on the sand spit of Corran Ra and look out to endless stretches of sand - the only difference between here and the famous Luskentyre on the Harris side of the sound is that we'll likely have the place to ourselves - the advantage of being able to travel by sea kayak.
Scarp is another island well worth exploring and features the same mix of white sand beaches and rugged coastline (you'll not get bored of it!). Towering Lewisian Gneiss cliffs, riddled with caves, give way to a hidden sandy lagoon protected from the swell. On a calm day we could circumnavigate the island or just stop at this lagoon and watch as the waves batter the exposed side of the island.
Both of these islands are in areas that are also excellent for two or three day expeditions - if we get good conditioins we'll venture out and wild camp somewhere remote.
Day 4 to 5 - Exploring the Sound of Harris
The Sound of Harris is studded with small islands and rocky Skerries. We'll take a short drive down to Leverburgh at the Southern end of Harris and from there we can paddle in mulitple directions and find excellent places to explore. We can land on uninhabited islands and explore on foot or weave round the Skerries in our kayaks watching the many Seals and seabirds that these islands are home to.
Day 6 - Journey Home
Our final day will see us driving back North to Stornoway, for our early afternoon ferry. There is enough time to explore one more beach or stroll around the town. The ferry home is a last chance to look out for Marine life, we may come across a pod of Common Dolphins or some Mnike Whales feeding in the Minch.
Accommodation For this trip we will camp at a commercial campsite, we may also choose to paddle an expedition and wild camp as part of the trip.
Food Includes meals - Dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 6. You'll need to bring snacks and lunch. We can accommodate any dietary requirements if notified in advance. You may self cater if you prefer.
Start and Finish Meet at Inverness at 07.30 or Ullapool at 09.00 on day one. Finish Ullapool at 16.30 or Inverness 18.30 on day seven.
Equipment Our expedition kit list applies to this trip. All specialist kayaking equipment and camping equipment can be provided (with the exception of sleeping bags). The only hire charge is £25 to rent a tent for the trip (MSR Elixir 2), everything else is included in the fee.
Trip Grade The trip can be quite flexible and we'll work around the conditions that are forecast. Harris is open to wind and swell from multiple directions and feature large areas of remote coastline with few landings. It is essential that you have experience in handling a sea kayak in force 4 winds and paddling in sustained chop, or waves of around 1m for sustained periods. You should have the fitness to paddle 25km in a day (actual daily distances will vary greatly).
Location
Frequently Asked Questions
Individuals, couples or small groups of friends. Our Expeditions are only open to over 18's.
Yes - 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 during an expedition but will give you hints and tips on the journey to make it easier for you and suggest improvements to your technique as we go along. We'll help you develop your knowledge and sea kayak handling skill throughout the trip but also allow plenty of time simply to enjoy the journey and the experience of sea kayaking.
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 on the West coast. The wind speed and sea state are the primary factors that affect the trip - if the conditions are difficult then we will seek out a more sheltered section of coast to run the trip. You should note that it is very rare that we have to stay off the water on multi-day trips and the vast majority of trips run as planned. For full terms and conditions see the link below. You can read more about the weather/cancellation/booking on our FAQ page.
A 25% deposit is required at the time of booking, the balance is due 11 weeks 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.
