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Kayaking Advice

Should you get a drysuit or a wetsuit for kayaking?

If you spend any time kayaking in cooler conditions, you’ve probably wondered whether you’d be better off in a wetsuit or a drysuit.

Kayak Trips

Northern Scotland: Duncansby Head

A rather exciting trip exploring the stretch of coast from Skirza to John O’Groats in the most northeastern corner of mainland Scotland.

Hiking Trips / Wild Camping Advice

Scotland: The Affric Kintail Way

A journey along the wonderful Affric Kintail Way in the Scottish Highlands.

Wild Camping Advice

A Beginner’s Guide to Wild Camping Gear

An overview into the basic gear needed for a night in the hills.

Kayak Trips

Scotland: Circumnavigation of the Isle of Arran (2025)

Having previously done this trip a few years ago, I decided to tag along with my friend Joe’s trip again this spring.

Kayak Trips

The Lake District: Derwentwater

A sunny day of paddling on beautiful Derwentwater, my favourite lake in the Lake District, followed by a wild camp on one of its islands.

Kayak Trips

The Lake District: Coniston

A day of paddling on Coniston Water, with a night on Peel Island.

Kayak Trips

Mid Wales: Mist and Mourning at Clywedog

Following the sudden, unexpected loss of a beloved companion, I sought solace on the water in Wales.

Gear Talk / Wild Camping Advice

My Winter Camping Gear

What I’m generally carrying in my backpack during the colder months.

sea kayaking,scotland,kayaking

Kayak Trips

Scotland: Circumnavigation of Lismore and Shuna

A four day circumnavigation of the islands of Lismore and Shuna in the sea loch, Loch Linnhe, in the Scottish Highlands.

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Hi, I'm Leigh and I love the outdoors! I'm a keen hiker and kayaker, as well as a BCU certified kayaking instructor and Level 3 Outdoor First Aider here in the UK.

I am an ambassador for Segla Gear kayaking paddles, and am also supported by Level Six paddling gear.

I love making outdoor videos of hiking and kayaking trips, and am also a bit of an outdoors gear nerd.

If you found anything on my site particularly useful and want to show some appreciation, feel free to Buy Me A Coffee!

peakandpaddleuk

My kayak and a tent is a recipe for a perfect week My kayak and a tent is a recipe for a perfect weekend 🥰 #seakayaking #wildcamping #kayakadventures #outdoorlovers
A perfect day #seakayaking #outdoorlife #kayakadve A perfect day #seakayaking #outdoorlife #kayakadventures #wildcamping
A grand day out #seakayaking #wildcamping #kayakad A grand day out #seakayaking #wildcamping #kayakadventures #scottishhighlands
Out with my kayak on a solo overnighter 😍 #seakaya Out with my kayak on a solo overnighter 😍 #seakayaking #wildcamping #kayakadventures #paddling
Scotland ❤️ #seakayaking #phseakayaks #outdoorlife Scotland ❤️ #seakayaking #phseakayaks #outdoorlife #scotland #seglagear
Scenes from a sea loch 😍 #seakayaking #wildcamping Scenes from a sea loch 😍 #seakayaking #wildcamping #kayakadventure #explorescotland_
A slice of heaven #scotland #seakayaking #scottish A slice of heaven #scotland #seakayaking #scottishhighlands
Looking all cool and stuff #kayaking #seakayaking Looking all cool and stuff #kayaking #seakayaking #adventure #outdoors
I finished my latest video and made it live on You I finished my latest video and made it live on YouTube before changing my mind about it 🙈 Find it via the YouTube link in my profile! This was a fantastic weekend of sightseeing around the northern end of Loch Awe, a very long loch in western Scotland. We had four seasons of weather, saw castles and camped on a beautiful island with a very old cemetery on it. A loch that lives up to its name!
#kayakadventures #wildcampinguk #kayakcamping
I finally finished editing my Loch Awe film, altho I finally finished editing my Loch Awe film, although it won’t be uploaded for another week or so! Here are some shots from it. #kayaking #kayakadventure #wildcamping #lochawe
A perfect weekend on beautiful Loch Awe! #lochawe A perfect weekend on beautiful Loch Awe! #lochawe #kayaking #kayakcamping #explorescotland
A few wintery days on Loch Lomond #scotlandisnow # A few wintery days on Loch Lomond #scotlandisnow #kayaking #wildcamping #kayakcamping
24 hours on Loch Awe #scotlandisnow #kayaking #wil 24 hours on Loch Awe #scotlandisnow #kayaking #wildcamping #kayakcamping
Coffee tastes best when you’re camping. Especially Coffee tastes best when you’re camping. Especially if you’re alone on an island. With a kayak. #wildcamping #kayakcamping #kayaking
My latest video is up on YouTube ☺️ Come along on My latest video is up on YouTube ☺️ Come along on a wee paddling adventure on Loch Lomond, exploring some of the islands and camping on one of them for a couple of days in some very rainy weather! I geared up with @phseakayaks again, this time borrowing a fabulous lightweight carbon Kevlar infusion Cetus MV in a striking colour scheme, very important because the first rule of kayaking is that you have to look cool 💁‍♀️ #kayaking #wildcamping #explorescotland #kayakcamping
More shots from my Loch Lomond video! One of those More shots from my Loch Lomond video! One of those perfect “getting away from it all” trips 🥰 #kayaking #kayakcamping #lochlomond #solokayaking
Some shots from my latest YouTube video of two day Some shots from my latest YouTube video of two days of rainy, peaceful camping on Inchconnachan, an island on Loch Lomond #lochlomond #kayaking #kayakcamping #wildcamping
A stunning temperature inversion over Loch Awe las A stunning temperature inversion over Loch Awe last weekend #lochawe #cloudinversion #outdoors
Some highlights from a fabulous overnight trip on Some highlights from a fabulous overnight trip on Loch Awe #kayaking #kayakcamping #wildcamping
Some highlights from a week in wonderful Scotland Some highlights from a week in wonderful Scotland #kayaking #lochlomond #lochawe #wildcamping #explorescotland
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Come along with Donny and I as we spend a weekend exploring the upper reaches of Loch Awe in the Scottish Highlands, a loch full of history, islands and beautiful ruins. 

Thanks to @PHSeaKayaks for lending me this Lightweight Carbon Kevlar Cetus MV for my trip! This is my favourite long distance kayak, and I've owned two of them myself. They're especially good for photography/videography as they're almost ludicrously stable.

And thanks to @donnywilcox  for the great company, additional footage and wonderful music. You can see his video of this trip here: https://youtu.be/SERtz37yKP8?si=qGN9w485-46TwD8n

00:00 Intro
00:40 Preparing to Launch
01:15 Getting on the Water
02:15 Eilean Beith
02:42 Froach Eilean
03:50 Badan Tomain
04:21 Lochawe Village
05:18 Kilchurn Castle
06:54 Inishail
07:56 A Garden of Stone
08:57 Evening
10:22 Morning
10:51 A Stunning Temperature Inversion
11:31 Unexpected Weather
12:37 The Black Isles
13:22 A Crannog
13:48 Heading Back

#kayakadventures #kayaking #wildcamping
Castles & Islands: Kayak Camping On Loch Awe
Come along with me for a bit of exploring around the islands in the south of Loch Lomond, followed by a couple of days of rather rainy camping on Inchconnachan, otherwise known as "Wallaby Island”.

This is what I’d call a very slow adventure.  We all need one from time to time.

Thanks to P&H Sea Kayaks for the loan of this gorgeous Cetus MV in Lightweight Kevlar Carbon Infusion layup. The very low weight of this high performance kayak makes solo trips like this a lot easier!

Recording of The Bonnie Banks Of Loch Lomond sung by Barbara Ann Macdonald, used with permission.

00:00 Intro
01:00 Launch at Luss
02:40 The Islands
06:50 Inchconnachan Shore
07:25 Coffee Time
09:05 Good Morning
10:30 The Joy Of Solitude
12:20 The Second Morning
13:05 Preparing To Leave

I use @segla-gear  paddles and @LevelSixInc  paddling gear. 

#kayakadventure #kayakcamping #wildcamping #lochlomond
My Own Island: Winter Kayak Camping On Loch Lomond
Come along on an absolutely perfect weekend of paddling and camping in one of my favourite places, the beautiful Loch Etive in western Scotland. This film is a love letter to both kayaking, as well as the outdoors and how it makes me feel, and I hope it resonates with all of you.

I was joined on this trip by @donnywilcox  and you can watch his video of the trip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJL3buRzBts

I paddled the P&H Volan 158 sea kayak for this trip, a perfect weekender kayak for the mid sized paddler.

1:00 Taynuilt
4:50 Rubha Barr
6:24 Day Two
7:17 Walk Up The Glen
8:40 Heading Up The Loch
11:37 Aird Trilleachan
13:48 Ruins at Inverghiusachan
14:43 Evening Light
16:20 Day Three
17:45 Heading Back Down The Loch
19:00 The Seals Of Inverliver

#seakayaking #wildcamping #kayakadventure
Being Here: Winter Sea Kayaking and Camping in the Scottish Highlands
With the last of autumn's colours fading into winter, I found myself strolling and enjoying the textures, smells and sounds of the woodland here in the Chilterns, where I live, its mixture of coniferous and broad-leafed trees a vibrant contrast of reds and greens, the snap of twigs and crunch of dead leaves deeply satisfying underfoot.

If you enjoy my videos, you can buy me a coffee to support me! 🙂
https://buymeacoffee.com/peakandpaddleuk

#silenthiking #wildcamping #outdoors #hiking
Calming, Silent Hiking in the Chiltern Hills | Buckinghamshire, England
When I made my first video last summer, I never would have thought that many people would want to watch a shy, 40-something woman paddling and ambling around, so thank you to everyone who tuned in to watch in 2025! Here is my end of year highlight reel.

I used to think you had to go off on big expeditions to have adventures, but anyone can have a micro adventure. Just plan your route, pack your bag, and go out there. Disconnect from the hustle and bustle, and go find yourself again 😄
Stop Scrolling and Go Outside #microadventures #wildcamping #kayaking
A quiet, gentle weekend enjoying the two western valleys of Great Langdale, following the paths through Oxendale and Mickleden, hiking amidst autumn colours, the sound of the rivers and the shifting clouds. 

Conditions on the first day sadly cut filming short in the late afternoon, and persistently poor weather for the rest of the weekend presented some challenges, but I hope that this video will fill you with a sense of peace and calm. Mickleden, in particular, is one of my favourite parts of the Lake District, and the atmospheric conditions throughout the Saturday were absolutely wonderful, really showcasing the last days of autumn.

If you enjoy my videos, you can buy me a coffee to support me! 🙂
https://buymeacoffee.com/peakandpaddleuk

#hiking #thelakedistrict #wildcamping
Gentle, Silent Hiking in the Lake District | Great Langdale
A gentle sea kayaking outing along one of my favourite sections of the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast, launching from Cwm-Yr-Eglwys and paddling into Newport Bay. Calm swells, rugged cliffs, and good company made for a perfect day on the water.

If you enjoy my videos, you can buy me a coffee to support me! 🙂
https://buymeacoffee.com/peakandpaddleuk

#seakayaking #pembrokeshire #kayaking
Sea Kayaking around Cwm-Yr-Eglwys in Newport Bay | Pembrokeshire Coast, Wales
A memorable night and morning in Eryri, Wales
Moments Like These #wildcamping #hiking #clouds
Just down the road from the heaving peaks of the Glyders and the Carneddau lies a quieter, often overlooked mountain, Crimpiau. Though modest in size, it more than makes up for it with breathtaking 360º views across the Eryri skyline. 

From Capel Curig, I took the long, winding way up, following part of the Snowdonia Slate Trail as it wandered through the undulating landscape before the short, steep climb to the summit. A calm night alone at the top gave way to an unforgettable morning, as the valleys below filled with a sea of cloud. A truly unforgettable autumn trip.

If you enjoy my videos, you can buy me a coffee to support me! 🙂
https://buymeacoffee.com/peakandpaddleuk

#wildcamping #silenthiking #hiking
Peaceful, Silent Hiking in Eryri/Snowdonia | Incredible Cloud Inversion
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