Canoeing / Kayaking by Raasay House

Sea Kayaking in Scotland offers some of the best chances to get up close to our sea birds, otters, dolphins and especially seals; who with their inquisitive nature have been known to show a keen interest in our paddlers.

The sheltered bay in front of the house provides a superb introduction to sea kayaking and the skills needed to deal with tides, waves and currents. The Sound of Raasay also boasts some of the most breathtaking surroundings you’ll find for Sea Kayaking in Scotland.

If you prefer more quiet waters, try loch kayaking! All of our loch kayaking sessions take place a 5-minute walk from Raasay House at Loch a’ Mhuilinn (Home Loch), a small, secluded, scenic 6 foot deep Loch, originally constructed as a water source for Raasay House.

At Raasay House we have a fleet of ‘sit on top’ kayaks which are perfect for beginners as they are incredibly stable and unsinkable crafts. We also have a small number of more traditional styled ‘closed boats’ which we use for teaching skills based sessions or refining paddling techniques.Originally developed by Inuits for hunting in sub Arctic waters kayaking is now recognized as an Olympic sport.

A typical beginners session will include learning about the boats and paddles as well as practicing correct paddling technique before taking to the water to learn the basics of forward paddling and other paddling strokes, which will help you to control your kayak. These skills will be interspersed with games and challenges designed to put your new abilities to the test.

We also offer advanced skills coaching for people wishing to improve their kayaking or follow the British Canoe Unions ‘star’ awards system.