Upcoming Expeditions and courses
As well as our core offer of personalised day trips, courses and expeditions designed to suit you and your group, we are offering a small selection of courses and expeditions in some of our favourite places. If you would like to book onto any of our courses or trips get in touch at wildislesseakayaking@gmail.com
All of our courses and expeditions have a maximum ratio of 1:4 to give each paddler the right support and guidance to make the most of the time on the water, and include the use of high quality kayaks, paddles and clothing.
For our availability for bespoke day trips, expeditions and coaching or alternative dates get in touch with us at wildislesseakayaking@gmail.com
Expedition -Isle of Mull, Iona & Staffa
10th - 14th August 2026 (5 days)
Fully Booked
Mull is one of our favourite islands and places to paddle. The varied coastline with towering cliffs, white sandy beaches, isolated islands, and the mountains of Mull providing a stunning backdrop mean that paddling here is an unforgettable experience. As well as being one of the best places in Scotland to see wildlife, including white tailed eagles and otters, Mull is known for its amazing geology and fascinating history.
Our aim is to run a continuous expedition making the most of the fantastic spots for wild camping, though we have the option of using the campsites at Fidden or Salen (payable at the site if used) if a basecamp or mixed style of trip suits the group and conditions.
The expedition is aimed at the intermediate paddler. This would suit paddlers with a range of experience in different conditions and who are capable of paddling 15 - 25 km a day for 5 consecutive days, including paddling in wind up to Force 4. The cost of this five-day trip is £600.
Expedition - Skye and The little minch
1st - 3rd September2026 (3 days)
Crossing the Minch is a classic sea kayaking journey that is on most eager sea kayakers bucket list! Our hope for this trip is to have the weather window to make this fantastic journey. Our back up plan is to explore the wild coastline of Skye and its surrounding islands.
The nature of Skye and The Minch and the distances involved between them mean that this trip is suitable for intermediate and above paddlers, capable of paddling 35 - 40 km a day for 3 consecutive days, including paddling in winds of Force 4 and above with the associated sea state. Experience of wild camping is also required. The cost of this 3-day trip is £350. The maximum group size is 4.
Expedition -Firth of Lorn and the Slate Isles
8th - 10th July 2026 (3 days)
The Firth of Lorn and the Slate Isles encompass the area around Oban and include Lismore, Kerrera, Seil, Scarba, Jura and the Garvellachs amongst many more. The range of islands and the fast flowing tides make this a great destination with lots of options to explore. Some of the highlights of the area include the magical island of Belnahua, the sense of history at the beehive cells on the Garvellachs, the swirling and whirling tides in the Sound of Luing and the views over to the cliffs and mountains of Mull.
This three day wild-camping expedition is perfect for someone with basic sea kayaking experience and who wants to build their skills and to experience a more challenging journey. We will aim to paddle between 15 and 25 km each day. The cost of this three-day trip is £350.
Course -
Introduction to Sea Kayaking
Get in touch for custom dates
This two-day course is a chance for people to take their first paddle strokes in sea kayaks and learn what this fantastic sport is all about. Over the two days we will cover the fundamentals of sea kayaking including how to launch and land safely, how to control our kayak and how to make the most of our time on the water, whilst enjoying amazing journeys around the Oban area.
The cost of this two-day course is £200.
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Course -
Tidal Paddling Introduction
16th October 2026
We've teamed up with the brilliant Alice McInnes from Sea Kayak Alice to deliver our Tidal Paddling Introduction course in October.
This course is designed to support paddlers to learn the techniques and tactics to survive and thrive in moving water. This includes understanding flow and eddy lines, usings appropritate strokes and reading the water. We will also look at safety and rescues in moving water.
This course is suitable for Paddlers with no or little experience of paddling in moving water on the sea as well as River paddlers wanting to take their skills onto the sea. You should be comfortable paddling in wind and waves up to Force 3/4. A roll is helpful but not essential.
The area around Oban has a great range of tidal venues, including Cuan Sound, The Falls of Lora, Loch Feochan and the Sound of Luing. We will pick the venue which best suits the weather, tides and asprirations of the group.
The cost of this coaching day is £100 and can be booked here.
Course-
Tidal Paddling Developer
14th & 15th October
We've teamed up with the brilliant Alice McInnes from Sea Kayak Alice to deliver our Tidal Paddling Developer course in October.
This course is a chance for paddlers to experience the exciting tidal venues around Oban including the famous Falls of Lora. The focus is on building skills and confidence in fast flows including reading the water, navigating strong eddylines and using the features to our advantage. We can also include sessions on planning as well as safety considerations and rescues in moving water.
For these courses the maximum ratio is 2:8 to make sure we can provide the safety, support and coaching for paddling in these environments. The venues we could use include the Falls of Lora, Cuan Sound and the Grey Dogs, depending on conditions and the aspirations of the group. We would expect paddlers to have some experience of moving water and crossing eddylines (whitewater or sea) and to be comfortable paddling in wind and waves up to Force 4. A roll is helpful but not essential.
The cost of this two-day course is £200 and bookings can be made here.