Canoeing the Great Glen: Best tips on what to bring

Back in June we rented a canoe to two guys to paddle the Great Glen Canoe Trail.

Nothing unusual about this except that they had a lot of kit with them - a lot! Like Mary Poppins' bag, their car seemed to produce an endless supply of bags, food and BBQs! They even had two sturdy folding garden chairs that might or might not be making the trip down the Great Glen with them.

Start of Great Glen Canoe Trail in Banavie

Now I don't think the guys will mind me telling this story - we all laughed about the quantity of kit and the garden chairs at the time. And it helps to illustrate my point that canoes are spacious boats with plenty of space for all the kit you might want to bring.

However that being said, just because there is lots of room it doesn't mean it all has to be used. Chris has been telling me this for years in relation to hand bags, canoes and suitcases but it's only with boats that I actually agree with him! A canoe moves easier and gathers momentum quicker if it's a bit lighter. This is a definite advantage for longer trips however if you simply can't live without your creature comforts then by all means pack away!

Either way here's what we suggest is necessary to canoe the great glen.

The Essential Canoe Kit

All the essential canoe kit is included when you hire a canoe from us so no need to factor this into your packing. We provide you with buoyancy aids, paddles, maps, first aid kit, flares, an emergency mobile phone, dry bags, portage bags, portage trolley and waterproof clothing.

Camping and cooking kit can also be rented from us but we find most people have their own kit if they're taking on the Great Glen.

Here are just a few pointers; these may seem obvious to experienced wild campers so feel free to skip this part....

- A good, rain proof tent is important for camping in Scotland. There's nothing worse than waking up to slightly damp (or drenched) bedding after a night of heavy rain. Always make sure to check your kit out before your trip if you haven't used it in a while.

Checking kit for a Great Glen Trip

- Be sure to close your dry bags properly - get all the air out and then do at least three good folds before clipping. If you're new to dry bags, we can show you before you set off from Fort William.

- A hand shovel is a very handy piece of kit! You'll need to include this as part of your toilet bag, as well as toilet paper, a lighter and hand sanitiser. If you're not sure of the order of using these items, just ask!

- Open fire v cooker: Everyone loves cooking over an open fire but sometimes heavy rain or a late finish make a fire impossible. It's important to always bring a back up with you even if you're a seasoned camper. You don't want to risk heading to bed hungry!

Evening time on Loch Lochy

Clothing for Canoeing and Camping

We like to pack light and for a five day trip we'd bring two pairs of walking trousers, two or three t-shirts and 2 fleeces. Try not to bring anything cotton as once it gets wet it's very difficult to dry it. We'd wear one set when canoeing  and keep the rest for camp. It might not sound like a lot of kit but it actually gives you a great sense of freedom not having any change-of-clothes option.

To show you how light we usually pack - this was my bag for a week's sailing and camping in the Bahamas and I actually conceded in the end that I had over-packed! In fairness though, these bags pack down really small once all the air is gone and there wasn't as much need for warm clothes....

Packing light!

It's important to be comfortable and confident with your kit so by all means bring more clothes if you'd like. There is definitely enough room in the canoe for them! Also the Great Glen canoe trail does have hot showers all along the route so with that in mind you may want to pack a bit more.... The showers and toilets can be accessed with a key you can get from the Canal Office in Banavie. We can arrange this for you ahead of time if you'd like.

Last but definitely not least are waterproof trousers and jackets which will keep you dry and protect you from the wind so they'll keep you warm too! We'd also bring two pairs of trainers - a pair for when you're canoeing which you don't mind getting wet and a dry pair for camp.

Fueling yourself for the canoe trip

While we may save space with our clothes we definitely make up for it with the amount of food we bring! It's fair to say that we think eating well while living outdoors is a must and we make sure that we are never, ever hungry.

Fort William has a big Morrisons supermarket in the centre of town, right beside the train and bus station and is a handy place to stock up. There are not a lot of places to refuel along the way until you get to Fort Augustus (about half way through the trip). Therefore we recommend that you try to bring all the food you will need with you on Day 1 rather than relying on reaching the shops before they shut along the way.

The all important bits and bobs

Mosquito repellent/Midge head net - Repellent is a must and a head net is not a bad idea. We've just had a pretty good summer with low numbers of midges around but it's always good to be over prepared.

Sun tan lotion and a sun hat - you'd be surprised by how many sunny days we get here on the west coast of Scotland!

A sail - we recommend you hire a solo sail which cost £10 per trip. These are invaluable for canoeing on Loch Ness in particular and can make a very welcome break from paddling for a while. They're easy to use and we'll show you how before you leave.

Demo on how to use the sail prior to setting off

Hope this helps when you're planning your canoeing trip. If you've any questions please email us or call and we'll be happy to help.