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Caption: Scotland’s Paddling adventures River runs
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Caption: Our team had come to Scotland in pursuit of a paddling adventure. Here are our picks of the best rivers get out on!
Picture of River Spey
Caption: Spey
Picture of River Spey
Caption: Perhaps the most iconic spot on the river was the bridge at Craigellachie. Twin towers of thick stone, complete with battlements, studded either side of the bank. If we needed a reminder that we were no longer in America, this did the trick.
Picture of River Findhorn
Caption: Findhorn
Picture of River Findhorn
Caption: The Findhorn continued its path as it emptied out of the Scottish Highlands. Craggy rock studded with pines and thorny yellow brush jutted up on either side, clearly forcing the point that the only way out was down the river. Even still, the crew was clearly gaining confidence with each new rapid. Falling was no big deal, and the subsequent swims were safe as long as you kept your feet up and pointed downstream.
Picture of River Garry
Caption: Garry
Picture of River Garry
Caption: This idyllic place was once the site of a major 1689 battle during the Jacobite Uprising. I tried to picture ranks of screaming Highlanders crashing into British ranks among the peaceful greenery surrounding us. I admit that I could not.
Picture of River Tay
Caption: Tay
Picture of River Tay
Caption: Broader and deeper than our previous rivers, the Tay was once the power source for the mighty Stanley Mills, a textile powerhouse that has been preserved for Scottish history. We would pass by the mill, but first we had to navigate a section of short waterfalls.
