Stand-Up Paddleboarding, SUP lets you walk to the water’s edge and keep going. You don’t have to start swimming, climb down into a boat or struggle to stand on a surfboard, instead, you can easily stay upright and propel yourself gracefully over the surface of the water with a long paddle. This makes it an accessible, stress-free way to explore rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Scotland makes up about a third of the area of the UK, but with it’s fascinating coastline of fjords, firths and islands, as well as the shores of rivers and lochs, there are more opportunities for SUP here than in any other part of the British Isles, and among them are some of the best. Keep reading to find out more.

Where are the best places to go paddleboarding in Scotland?

• Southwest Scotland: The regions of Ayrshire and Galloway are between the English border and Scotland’s largest cities. Inland lochs like Loch Doon and Loch Ken have still waters with beautiful surroundings which make them perfect places for SUP. You can also go paddleboarding on the sea here, including at Stranraer where Loch Ryan is a protected inlet of the sea.

• Central Belt: This may be the most urban part of the country, but that doesn’t mean that there’s no paddleboarding fun to be found. On the contrary, within easy reach of Edinburgh you can take a SUP tour of the Firth of Forth, exploring islands and the beaches around Portobello. You can also admire the huge modern Kelpies sculptures that sit at the mouth of the Forth and Clyde Canal in Falkirk.

• Loch Lomond: Less than 15 miles from the centre of Glasgow, Loch Lomond is one of Scotland’s natural treasures, and has been a favourite among tourists for hundreds of years. The loch boasts the largest island in a freshwater lake in the British Isles, Inchmurrin, and sits in the shadow of Ben Lomond, a peak that is almost a 1000 metres above sea level. This is a safe bet for a life changing SUP experience. As well as Loch Lomond, Loch Earn, on the edge of the National Park, is another great location which isn’t as well known.

• Perth and Kinross: This is the region where the highlands meet the lowlands. Rivers and lochs form a network of waterways across the region as water flows from the mountains to the sea. There are numerous paddleboarding opportunities here, including on Loch Tay and the River Tay, as well as smaller lochs and rivers.

• Northeast Scotland: Around the city of Aberdeen, long sandy beaches are popular among surfers, and are a good starting point for a paddle into the North Sea. Around the coast, the southern shore of the Firth of Moray is famous for its Speyside whiskey distilleries, but less well known for its excellent SUP spots.

• The Cairngorms: This is one of the most extreme areas of the Scottish Highlands, but if you don’t fancy the risky high altitude pursuits on offer here, you can take a peaceful paddle on Loch Insh or Loch Laggan. You can also let the current take you on a journey down the River Spey, passing through this breathtaking landscape. You’ll be happy to learn that you won’t have to complete the return journey by paddling against the current, you’ll get picked up at the end of the route.

• The Great Glen: Scotland is split by a huge geographical fault line from Fort William in the west to Inverness in the east. In and around the valley, known as the Great Glen, you’ll find some SUP experiences to rival any in the world. Aside from the most famous lake in the world, Loch Ness, there are Loch Dufour, Loch Linnhe and Loch Shiel, all of which offer stunning views if you go out on a paddleboard. There are also rivers that you can enjoy in this way - the River Ness and the River Beauly, which reach the sea in Inverness, and the Caledonian Canal, which runs the length of the glen.

• The Hebrides: Off the west coast of Scotland, two chains of islands run parallel to the coast. The Inner Hebrides include Skye, an island of unending beauty, where you can admire the natural scenery and fantasy castles by SUP. Other islands where you can enjoy paddle boarding are Mull, Colonsday, Tiree and Bute. The Outer Hebrides are more remote and less inhabited, but if you’re adventurous enough to visit them you can experience the magic of paddleboarding in the oceans surrounding Lewis and Harris, the largest island in this archipelago.

• The Far North: The farthest flung region of mainland UK, this is a sparsely populated place where you’re not likely to be bothered by crowds of tourists, especially if you’re out on the water on a paddleboard. From Plockton and the Applecross peninsula, you can enjoy views across the sea to Skye. Gairloch also offers great addling on the North Atlantic, whereas a little way inland you can discover Loch Maree and its many islands, or Loch Assynt, presided over by a stunning castle. Further north still, the towns of Thurso and Tongue look towards the arctic circle, and are visited by cold water creatures like walruses and orca. It takes a long time to get there, but there’s nothing like paddleboarding along this coast.

What are the options for organising an experience?

There’s a huge range of locations for paddleboarding in Scotland. Some of them, particularly sheltered lochs or inlets of the sea, are forgiving places, where you can have fun and enjoy the surroundings without any prior experience of SUP. However, more remote and wilder bodies of water present more challenges, and, especially when it comes to open ocean routes, deserve our respect. If you’re not familiar with paddleboarding, we recommend that you take a lesson to become more competent and comfortable. Usually lasting between 1 and 2 hours, these lessons are run by passionate paddlebaorders who want you to get the most out of the activity, and you can find them in many different parts of the country.

Once you’ve got a feel for SUP, and an appetite for adventure, you should think about going on a tour. An expert guide will take you to the hidden places you might not find on your own, and prove that Scotland is one of the best places in the world for paddleboarding. Depending on the route, these tours can last from a couple of hours to half a day, or a full day with stops along the way. SUP hire is also available in many places. You can rent the equipment by the hour, or for a full day or more in some places, and go off exploring at your own rhythm.

SUP also allows you to think outside the box. The simplicity of the sport means that you can adapt it and change it to make the personalised experience that you want. One way to do this is by enjoying SUP Yoga, disconnecting from your troubles and from the shore on a tranquil lake. Or why not go on a paddleboarding tour at sunset, and watch the colour light up the Scottish coastline?

Requirements to do this activity

Paddleboarding is safe, intuitive and fun, and that’s why it’s perfect for people of all ages and abilities. Anyone can get started, even if they don’t have experience of watersports. And children take to the activity easily as well. As long as there’s equipment of the right size for prospective SUP initiates, even 8 year olds can get involved. Full size boards and paddles can be used by teens who have started their growth spurts, and adults. When it comes to the more extreme and remote locations, or longer tours, participants might be required to be over 14 or 16 years of age, and to have experience of SUP or other paddle sports.

Try it once and you’ll never forget it, that’s a promise. All you need to do is tell us where and when, and we’ll take care of the rest.