Sea Kayak Orkney
8 days Orkney Campsite & Wild Camp 6 clients and 2 guides
Inclusive of campsite fees for the first two nights, dinner and breakfast on the trip and travel from Inverness.
What to Expect A sea kayaking expedition to Orkney has a lot to offer - the many different aspects and types of coastline coupled with the Atlantic on one side and the North sea on the other means that there will always be lots of energy in the sea. However, its not all big waves and exposed headlands - there are many sheltered sections of coastline to explore and they are no less spectacular than the big Atlantic cliffs. The islands are also fascinating places to explore on shore with such a diversity of history, interesting towns and scenic coastline.
We will paddle a combination of a day trip (plus a short paddle) from a campsite on South Ronaldsay followed by a 5 day expedition, this allows us the chance to explore lots of coastline.
This trip will be led by Kag and Mike who have paddled in Orkney many times before and will be a maximum group size of 6.
Trip Highlights
- Spectacular islands offering some stunning sea kayaking.
- The islands are rich in wildlife - Seabirds, Seals, Otters and Whales can all be seen here.
- A chance to complete advanced sea kayaking journeys with powerful tides and exposed coastline.
Grade:
Intermediate Plus
Intermediate plus These trips are for those who have a good level of knowledge and experience gained from several expeditions or lots of days out in sea kayaks in varied conditions. These trips may feature some longer days of at least 25km (daily distances will vary), committing coastline, longer open crossings and rougher seas.
This trip will give strong intermediate paddlers the opportunity to experience some challenging and committing paddling - we will be aiming to explore committing coastline and exposed headlands as part of this trip. There are some very strong tidal flows around the islands and so having a confident level of tidal paddling is very useful for this trip, as is paddling in confused seas such as areas of clapotis. If you have any questions about the experience level needed to join this trip then feel free to get in touch.
- You should be confident holding a moving speed of 6 km per hour (3 Kn) and covering distances of 25 km or more.
- You should be confident handling a sea kayak in force 4 winds and negotiating chop/waves of 1m.
- You should have experience of paddling in tide races and/or surf, doesn't have to be extreme but you should have some skill and experience in breaking waves.
- You should have knowledge and practice of what to do if you capsise in conditions and be an effective group paddler - knowing how to react to instructions and demanding situations in a group.
- You enjoy the chance to paddle in more demanding conditions and to develop your skill and experience, if you don't enjoy challenge and adventure then this is not the trip for you.
Typical minimum number of days experience - 10+
Clients would typically have a mixed bank of experience from at least one season of sea kayaking, typically several seasons worth of experience in a range of conditions and situations where a clear progression has been made. Clients may own their own kayak and paddle regularly or as part of a club or group.
Dates and Prices
19th - 26th June, £985 per person
Get in touch if are interested in joining this trip.
Scroll down to see the story or the trip information
Day 1 - Arrive on Orkney
We'll meet in Inverness (or you can meet us on Orkney if you wish) before driving North to the ferry crossing at Gills Bay. This ferry route offers fantastic views of the swirling tides and wild uninhabited islands of the Pentland Firth.
Once on Orkney we'll get acquainted with our surroundings by going for a short paddle - exploring the famous Churchill barriers and the sandy bays, Seals and sunken blockships.
Day 2 - Orkney Day Trip
We are based at a campsite on South Ronaldsay for the first two nights of this trip. We can access the water from the campsite and explore Orkney's scenic East coast or make use of our vehicle and travel further afield.
There are many caves to explore and three spectacular Gloups we can visit - sea caves with collapsed roofs. Any journey on the East coast of Orkney is characterised by exploring caves, landing on sandy beaches and watching seabirds and Seals (we even came within metres of a pod of Orca on our 2021 trip!).
The islands feature strong tidal flows and we'll look to use this day to help everyone get used to typical Orkney tidal paddling, to get to know each other as paddlers and to help build any missing bits of skill and knowledge that will be useful for the journey ahead.
Days 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 - Expedition
As part of this trip we'll go on expedition for 5 full days, returning the night of the 7th day or morning of the 8th day.
There are many options for expeditions in Orkney and we can choose an option that suits the forecasted conditions - the wind is always quite variable in Orkney and a flexible plan allows us to take advantage and paddle in the place that works for the skill level of the group.
On past trips we have explored the Northern Isles on the Eastern and Western sides and we've paddled around the Orkney mainland and Southern Isles. If we get excellent conditions then we can take in the more exposed coastline on the Western side of the islands, such as the photo of the Old Man of Hoy further up this page - taken on our 2021 Orkney expedition.
All the photos on this page were taken on previous Orkney expeditions.
Day 8 - Journey Home
On our final morning we'll either paddle back in from our final expedition camp, or will have arrived back on the Orkney mainland the night before. We'll wave goodbye to Orkney and head home on the Pentland ferry.
We'll get back to Inverness by late-afternoon, allowing time for onward travel.
Accomodation For this trip we will be based at Wheems campsite on South Ronaldsay for the first two nights, after that we'll be wild camping on expedition. The trip fee includes a camping pitch at the campsite. The campsite also has pods and yurts, you could book these for the trip if you prefer.
Food Includes Dinner and breakfast in the price, Dinner on day 1 through to breakfast on day 8. We could choose to eat out as a group on some evenings (not included in the price). It is also possible to self cater if you prefer.
Ferries Ferries (Pentland Ferries) - 13.30, day one. Return 11.30, day eight.
Start and Finish Meet at Inverness at 09.00 on day one, if you intend on travelling to Orkney with us (alternatively we can meet you on Orkney or at the ferry terminal). Finish at Gills Bay ferry terminal 11.30 or Inverness 16.00 on day eight. The trip includes up to 6 full days of sea kayaking and potential for short paddles on the first and last day.
Kit List Our expedition kit list applies to this trip. All specialist kayaking equipment and camping equipment can be provided (with the exception of sleeping bags).
Frequently Asked Questions
Individuals, couples or small groups of friends.
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 6 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.
