Balmaha Away-Day 25/8/26

Balmaha Away-Day 25/8/26

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...
Read More
Glenuig August 2026

Glenuig August 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...
Read More

The big bang 2026 expedition

By Rob PlantNo Comments
DCKC runs a weeklong club sea kayaking trip and each year a proposed area is discussed and then the weather gods take out Plan A, Plan B and Plan C… then it turns out Plan D was always the best options anyway. This year the North and North West Coasts, hopefully including going around Cape Wrath was proposed and a willing group of 8 signed up for the trip. It would be fair to say that the lead up to trip was less rigorously planned than in previous years. Although the dates were sorted months ago to suit tidal directions and Springs/Neaps dates, it was as we got closer trip organisers were in varying states of injury, snowed under at work, or for the lucky few in Canada kayaking. A Zoom planning meeting on the Wednesday evening for a Friday morning departure gave just enough time for final travel arrangements, food packing needs (5 nights camping food in the boat) and...
Read More

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

By Amanda GrantNo Comments
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...
Read More

Caithness – The gift that keeps on giving.

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....
Read More

2nd Saturday Paddle 11th July ’26

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...
Read More

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

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...
Read More

Gigha Circumnavigation 1/5/26

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...
Read More
Mingulay, Barra Head and the Uists, 14-24 August 2025

Mingulay, Barra Head and the Uists, 14-24 August 2025

By James Fraser Comment Closed
Words and Images By Paul Gardner A trip to Mingulay has been on the DCKC calendar for several years, but weather has always resulted in cancellation, or moving the trip to less exposed locations.  However, this time it worked: a forecast for settled weather, at least for long enough to make it worthwhile getting the ferry across to Castlebay on Barra. On day 1, nine people made the ferry journey in three cars and a van, arriving in Castlebay in the afternoon, with plenty daylight left to drive to Vatersay, pack up and paddle a few km to a beach campsite on the south coast.  Far enough to make sure you packed properly and didn’t forget anything, and near enough for one person to walk back to the car to collect their trousers. On day 2, we followed the chain of now-uninhabited islands south: Sandray, Pabbay and at last Mingulay, landing on a perfect beach.  We were greeted by the NTS warden Ben,...
Read More

Kilcreggan Trip Report – Dearbhla Mulligan

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...
Read More

Lochranza Arran Trip, April 2012

By dckc kayak club Comment Closed
This trip happened over the weekend of the 14/15 of April. In total, 15 club members turned up for this trip away, some members were opting to take the Bus to the Hostel, others walking. The majority paddled up from Brodick to the Hostel in Lochranza. Others paddled from different locations such as Largs via the Kyle’s of Bute to Lochranza or from Portencross direct to Lochranza, such were the options!!! The weather was kind us overall, although paddling up from Brodick some might disagree with this point with a steady Force 3-4 in our faces coupled with low temperatures made this paddle a bit more of a challenge. There was also a Naval exercise in the area and the delayed wake from the ships was quite impressive! With clear skies the Arran hills were looking very impressive as we paddled passed Sanox. Once at the Hostel we all managed to get sorted out and feed. It was then off to the Pub, where we met the local Deer just sitting...
Read More