Loch Etive. September 2026

Scottish Trip September 2026. Loch Etive.

 Six of us met up at the old ferry pier on the south side of Loch Etive at Taynuilt. This is a convenient parking up place to leave vehicles for the 3 day paddle to the end of the Loch and back. It also avoids the Falls of Lora, which can be paddled past on a rising tide, but the timing to do this is quite critical and would require shuttling vehicles as well. It shortens the Loch trip by around 8km. 

The paddle on the Loch is a great choice for anyone new to sea paddling, or those wishing to avoid any challenging headlands or overalls often encountered when kayaking on an exposed coastline like Pembrokeshire.

Getting packed up and ready to set off took around an hour before heading off down the Loch with low cloud and wisps of mist cloaking the hillsides. We paddled at a leisurely pace for a few hours, with skies clearing as we went, before looking for a campsite.......for 6 tents.....which took a while. 

The initial plan was to move camp each day but as we had paddled more than half the way up the Loch we decided to use this as a base for the next couple of days leaving the tents where they were, paddle to the top of the Loch and back the next day, then head back to the vehicles the day after that. Which we did, and it worked out well, saving us a lot of time packing and unpacking the boats. The mountains skirting the Loch are amongst the highest in Scotland and provide a stunning backdrop, which we got to see in all their grandeur on the 3rd day as the clouds lifted off the peaks. 

Earlier in the year, I'd paddled Loch Nevis which also gives a beautiful outing, and I would recommend a trip down either of the Lochs as both give a sense of wilderness where wildlife thrives. NB There are no roads beyond the pier where we set off down either side of the Loch, giving a sense of commitment.

I'm already looking forward to another trip in Scotland in the Spring.