Scotland: Loch Etive Overnighter

On my way to meet a friend for a paddling trip out on the Isle of Mull in summer 2024, I took a small diversion over the beautiful Loch Etive for a wee solo trip.

Launching from Taynuilt jetty at high tide and making my way up the loch, I was absolutely spellbound by the serenity. With no road access along either shoreline above the Bonawe Narrows area where I’d launched, the loch feels wild and remote. The tides are very manageable above the narrows too, so even paddling against it isn’t significantly noticeable.

With a small seal colony and magnificent scenery in all directions, Loch Etive is a fabulous place to visit and one I’d highly recommend all paddlers consider, especially for an overnighter. Setting up camp on a quiet beach, having seen nobody else all day, I had a cheeky skinny dip before settling in and just soaking up the atmosphere. Thankfully a breeze kept the worst of the midges at bay.

This was the first trip I did a video for, and whilst fairly basic (and full of regrets! Why didn’t I film more of the camp? Why didn’t I shoot more B roll? Argh!), I hope it at least gives some sense of the solitude and beauty of the trip.