Amanda Grant | Drumchapel and Clydebank Kayak Club: Glasgow's leading recreational canoe club

October Second Saturday Paddle – on the third Sunday!

22/10/202622/10/2026 By Amanda GrantNo Comments

River Clyde from Boden Boo beach at The Erskine Bridge to the River Leven in Dumbarton. Written by Agnes. Thank you to trip leaders Pat and Paul for taking time out to do this Third Sunday paddle (18th October) as a result of the 2nd Saturday (10 October) paddle being cancelled due to high winds. When I left the house in Dumbarton at 8am I could hardly see in front of me in fog as I drove up the A82 to meet Pat at Miller Street to get kit from the container. By the time we got to Boden Boo beach and met the other 8 paddlers Paul, Amanda, June, Noelle, Hannah, Mags, Leigh and Zoe the fog had started to clear. We got on the water about 10am and were doing some warm-up and paddling exercises when along came the Waverley Paddle Steamer. Everyone was so excited waving and taking photos until the wake from the Waverley caught Leigh unawares and capsized his...

Cuan Sound – Introduction to Tidal Water 25/27 July 2026

15/10/202615/10/2026 By Amanda GrantNo Comments

8 members: Celia, Ewen, James, Kathrine, Mairi, Mark, Arran, Noelle Written by Noelle What an intro! This was my first camping trip with DCKC and my first time out on the water in a Force 4. Having a swell of over 1 metre as well certainly added to the adventure, not forgetting the sailing boat race (across our route), the beautiful porpoises, the otter, buzzards, an eagle, terns and the Scarecrow competition. Three of us, Celia, Mairi and Noelle, arrived early on Friday evening with enough time for a walk to Ballachuan Loch and the woodland by Port Mor. With the vans and tents sorted, the last 2 tents pitched in the near dark, everyone tried to get a good sleep in the wild, wet and windy night, dreaming of our planned clockwise circumnavigation of Seil. The morning came dry and warm and the team assembled by the calm, sheltered launch point ready to paddle at 10am. Celia wisely took us to the lookout point...

Balmaha Away-Day 25/8/26

04/09/202607/09/2026 By Amanda GrantNo Comments

Balmaha Away-Day, Tuesday 25 August 2026 Leader: Amanda. - Report by: Mags & Hannah Amanda asked us to write this trip report as newcomers to the club. This will probably be our first and last as little does she know we have nae idea of what makes a good trip report but here goes!!! In case you haven’t met us, we started in the club in May and have been regulars most Tuesdays at Drumkinnon Bay, loving the loch paddles and microsessions. We also attended a couple of 2nd Saturday paddles which we also really enjoyed. The Away Day from Balmaha to Inchcailloch Island was the perfect way to wrap up a great summer on the loch before we all launch into the pool sessions in Clydebank. We met at the Balmaha Visitor Centre car park where we found out the parking is free after 5.30pm - Result!! Though high winds were forecast, the weather luckily settled right before we launched. We had a fantastic...

Glenuig August 2026

04/09/202607/09/2026 By Amanda Grant1 Comment

DCKC trip to Glenuig 21st to 23rd August 2026. The nine of us gathered at Janice’s caravan on Friday evening to plan the next day’s paddle. Next morning, we launched from the jetty into Loch Moidart. This loch is notorious for its shallowness and mudbanks waiting to trap the unwary kayaker, but we followed the narrow channel westwards to Castle Tioram. This was the 13th century stronghold of the MacDonald clan and now an unsafe ruin, situated on a little island which dries out at low tide (Tioram means”dry castle”). Landing on the small beach on the west side, we spent a happy half hour exploring, before paddling west, down the south channel of Eilean Shona. Tummies were rumbling by the time we beached at the lovely sandy bay for lunch, with wonderful views to the blue islands of Eigg, Muck and Rum. A more lively sea greeted us as we paddled up the west side of Eilean Shona to the elusive north channel, well...

All Away to the Lake of Menteith, Tuesday 28th July 2026

10/08/202607/09/2026 By Amanda Grant Comment Closed

Leader – Janice G - Report - David L This is a short report, for a short paddle on what is often termed ‘Scotland’s only lake’. It’s located approximately 28 miles from the Miller Street lockup. What made this paddle shorter than usual was neither the experience or the enthusiasm of the group of 15. All had shown fortitude in reaching the lakeside launching point by driving through menacing cloud cover in the early evening and, later, torrential downpours. Rain strong enough so roads were in spate and to upset car GPS directions. But any set back on the road was met by the determination required to paddle into a Force Eight gale, which the weather gods decided not inflict on us. Thus, delayed a little in getting on the water but not at all dismayed, the party set off with a light breeze under skies with slowly moving clouds in changing shades of grey: but no rain! Menteith, often the ‘only...

The Craic’n Summer 2026

09/08/202610/08/2026 By Amanda Grant Comment Closed

Scotland is famous for experiencing all four seasons in a single day, and this summer has certainly lived up to that reputation. We've had everything from heatwaves to floods, and just about every kind of weather in between and yet the Met Office Deep Dive describes this Scottish summer as being typically average for rain & temperature. Your views may vary!. Stop Press News The Ballachulish Bonanza is back. The village hall has been booked for Friday 23rd October, 7pm - Monday 26th 10.00am. Full details will be posted in the calendar shortly. Meanwhile, we are looking for a volunteer or two to coordinate the event and leaders for the various trips. Trips The first part of the year was especially windy, forcing us to cancel several trips, including our Second Saturday paddles, which usually go ahead somewhere. March was simply too windy, and Storm Dave put an end to all the plans for April. Thankfully, conditions improved in May, followed by a hot...

Caithness – The gift that keeps on giving.

24/07/202607/09/2026 By Amanda Grant Comment Closed

DCKC NE Coast Trip Report 26-29 June 2026 - Caithness - the gift that keeps on giving. Amanda G.At last, a trip to NE coast of Scotland coincided with good weather and a big thumbs up for 3 days paddling in an area famous for caves, sea stacks and seabirds. All was completely new to me. I have driven upon the A9 en-route to JoG, Shetland & Orkney and cycled parts of it on trips to the flow country and beyond, but never paddled there....

2nd Saturday Paddle 11th July ’26

24/07/202607/09/2026 By Amanda Grant Comment Closed

2nd Saturday Paddle 11th July 2026 - Balloch to Inchmurrin, Inchcaillach for lunch. Then south to shore near Portnellan farm and back to Balloch. Leigh E. Lead by Sandy - Paddlers: Hannah, Mags, Siubhan, James, Zoe, Leigh. Originally planned as a jaunt from Helensburgh on to Kilcreggan and as far as we could get up Loch Long - the winds changed Sandy's plans and so the paddle was moved to Loch Lomond. Beaufort 3 westerly winds, with stronger gusts and the odd white horse appearing. Grey skies and about 20 deg C. We set off from the River Leven, up the eastern shore of Loch Lomond, crossing to Inchmurrin. The wind and waves made for an entertaining choppy paddle, keeping everyone alert - and me smiling. We had a brief stop at...

All Awayday to Loch Ard. Tuesday 30/6/26

22/07/202607/09/2026 By Amanda Grant Comment Closed

DCKC All Awayday to Loch Ard. Tuesday 30/6/26 James H. Amanda was the trip organiser matching people who needed a kayak transported with those that had space on their vehicle but with constantly changing communications on people going or not going. - now understand why trip organisers ask for a week’s notice from people going on trips. The great certainty of the day was rain with the uncertainty being how heavy and when. I had rain on my drive up from Glasgow but as I unloaded my car the cloud over the Loch went from completely overcast to broken. By the time the boats were on the edge of the loch surrounding landscape was mirrored on a completely flat wind-free loch. Picture-perfect Scotland! Rain started not long after we were on the water and stopped within minutes and that was the last rain until I was in my car on the way home. Amanda did the briefing outlining the route going anticlockwise round the edge...

Gigha Circumnavigation 1/5/26

22/07/202607/09/2026 By Amanda Grant Comment Closed

Trip Report Gigha Circumnavigation - 1st May 2026 Matthew M. N-going stream begins -04:30 Oban /S-going stream begins -0155 Oban /Sp rate 1.5kn. Clyde Cruising Club Sailing Directions Part 2. The trip leader was Celia and we arranged to meet at the Tayinloan ferry car park for midday. The boats and gear were carried across the car park and onto the beach where after a briefing the group set out to cross the sound at slack tide making for Ardminish Bay. I love the feeling of settling into a loaded boat and starting an adventure. The crossing was fun, and we made good time across the water, arriving in the bay an hour later in bright sunshine with a following wind. Some of the group set out to explore the village, shop and Achamore House gardens. Sir James Horlick (of the nighttime beverage) bought Gigha in 1944. The island was subsequently...

Boden Boo to Lang Dyke 10/1/26

30/01/202607/09/2026 By Amanda Grant Comment Closed

Leading a Second Saturday paddle with DCKC is made more testing if the forecasters don’t agree with each other and all keep changing their minds about what we should expect on the day. The club paddle on 10th January was a case in point. Living in Perthshire we had had temperatures of minus 8c, snow, rain, fog and rain turning to black ice in the week preceding the event but the forecast for Erskine on BBC and XC was consistently “fine” with temperatures hovering just above zero. So, on the Thursday before, Ronnie and I decided to let our trip from Boden Boo car park to Dumbarton go ahead. By Friday night ten of us had packed ready for an early start, the days being short, but then the forecast changed to snow, freezing temperatures and fog with light winds. Being keen to get out onto the water, we decided to go ahead. On Saturday morning we awoke in the dark...

2nd Saturday Paddle; 10th May 2025 – Paul Meiklejohn

22/09/202507/09/2026 By Amanda Grant Comment Closed

Inchmurrin The trip was arranged and led by Janice with the assistance of Amanda and Richard; joined by Paul, Dearbhla, Agnes, Peter, Marek, Noelle, Susie and Mairi. Originally planned as a trip from Helensburgh to Kilcreggan, the team of leaders made the call on the Friday evening to relocate to Loch Lomond due to the forecast Force 4 to 6 winds that would be beyond conditions suited to our group. As a new paddler this was a perfect opportunity to develop my experience, which consisted of a few weeks in the pool and a single Tuesday evening session at the Loch. We set of from Drumkinnon Bay at Balloch in the glorious sunshine, heading along the west coast of Loch Lomond towards the island of Inchmurrin. We all understood that a southerly wind would be picking up later on, at which point we could make our return to base. On the way to the island we had a short unscheduled stop on the beach...

Gigha Long Weekend May 2025 – Rob Plant

22/09/202507/09/2026 By Amanda Grant Comment Closed

Celia planned another kayaking trip around Gigha for the long May bank holiday weekend. (Ed. Is this to become an annual feature in the cub calendar?) We met at Tayinloan Pier at 10am, but due to high winds, we had to wait for the ferry, as the crossing was too exposed for a direct paddle. So we boarded the ferry with trolleys attached to our kayaks. Thanks to Andrew for bringing a wide selection of trolleys for everyone to use. Once we arrived on Gigha, we portaged to the beach and launched, heading south toward our intended camping spot on Cara Island. It was only a short trip, but the wind and swell were pushing us from behind, making for a brisk paddle. Upon landing on the beach, we discovered that Mark’s boat had been taking on water through the skeg box, and all of his Lomo dry bags had failed. We worked together to dry out as much gear as possible. Thankfully, the...

Kilcreggan Trip Report – Dearbhla Mulligan

28/12/202407/09/2026 By Amanda Grant Comment Closed

On the second Saturday in December, 7 of us met at Kilcreggan pier for what was to be a very successful day of paddling. After a 6am start and a dark stop off at Balloch we were spoiled with a gorgeous sunrise on the beach. While loading our boats, there was lots of trepidatious chat about cold fingers and toes. I was told by those who’d been on the Bonfire paddle two days earlier that neoprene gloves were not the answer, and Misha pointed me to an article in last month's Craic’n about keeping hands toasty on the water. We set off with two objectives in mind: firstly, to see as many of the nice houses along the shore as we could; and secondly, to try and spot the police boat keeping an eye on us as we approached Coulport. With Amanda and Ewen taking turns at the front, we were not disappointed. Shouts of “seal” from Ryan alerted us to...