Sea Kayak Harris & Lewis
7 days Harris & Lewis Camp & Wild Camp
Inclusive of travel from Inverness, all meals and all kayaking and camping equipment.
A flexible trip - we will choose between paddling an expedition or day trips from a fixed camp or a combination of the two. 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 The best beaches in the world - in our humble opinion! Harris and Lewis make an excellent sea kayaking destination, complete with everything you could want - wild islands, white sand beaches, rugged headlands, sheltered bays, sea stacks and caves. The islands are open to the full force of the Atlantic on their western side, with the east being open to the Minch - offering two contrasting coastlines that offer kayak journeying possibilities under most conditions. This trip offers intermediate paddlers a great chance to experience some wilder coastline and exposed coastline.
Trip Highlights A seven day expedition on the island of Harris & Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.
- 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 - we may paddle a continuous expedition, or day trips from a fixed camp or a combination of both.
- A chance to complete exciting sea kayaking journeys with powerful swell and exposed coastline.
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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*Sea Kayaking on Lewis - The Isle of Lewis, made from the oldest rock in Britain - Lewisian Gneiss, is a fortress against the full power of the Atlantic. It's Western edge is lined with cliffs, stacks and wave-washed beaches that have withstood countless storms. It is truly a spectacular place to explore in a sea kayak - the contrast between sheltered bays, sandy lagoons and the exposed headlands creates a landscape that offers almost everything you'd want from a sea kayak trip in a single day.
If the Western side of the island is out of bounds due to swell and wind then the Eastern side is a fantastic counterpart with several winding sea lochs to explore.
*Sea Kayaking on Lewis
| Ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway
| Sea kayak journeys
*Sea Kayaking on Harris - The Isle of Harris has some of the best beaches anywhere - Luskentyre is becoming increasingly famous for its white sand and island and mountain backdrop. We can often paddle out to island beaches and make the first footprints in the white sand. The Harris Machair, a carpet of wildflowers above the beaches, is simply stunning in the summer months and offers some great places to camp.
The Eastern side of Harris is an entirely different landscape with a rocky coastline indented with many small bays and sheltered spots - offering some very rewarding journeys when the Western side of the island is off limits.
*Sea Kayaking on Harris
| Sea kayak journeys
| Trip ends Ullapool or Inverness
Accommodation For this trip we will be camping - this will either be wild camping or in a semi-wild setting, where we camp within walking distance of the vehicle and facilities (but not an organised campsite). Tents can be provided (see kit list for full details), if booking as an individual you will not have to share a tent.
Food Includes meals - Dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 7. We can accommodate any dietary requirements if notified in advance.
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.
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).
Trip Grade The trip can be quite flexible and we'll work around the conditions that are forecast. Harris and Lewis are 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.
