By Susan Strathearn
Following several days of watching the weather forecast with a keen eye, and over packing accordingly, my new to paddleboarding optimism was rewarded with blue skies and sunshine upon arrival in Aberfoyle for my first SUP trip. Excited by the prospect of improving my paddling, and getting to know the Trossachs better, I was determined to enjoy the experience regardless. Rain, midgies, do your worst!
The first order of the day was to meet, greet and eat in Macgregors coffee shop, where I managed to simultaneously ‘break the ice’ and my satisfyingly runny egg yolk down the front of myself. It was immediately apparent from the shared hilarity of the mess I’d made that I was about to spend the next few days with like-minded people. I found this reassuring as I hadn't met many of the group before booking my spot on the trip.
The purpose of our initial meeting was for Ally (Findlay/Lead Instructor) to include us in the planning of the finer details of the coming days. This was not only an opportunity to share what the Trossachs have to offer paddleboarders, but also a chance to find out what each of us were hoping to gain from our time on the water. We agreed Loch Drunkie would be a good place to start.
Following a short journey along the Three Lochs Forest Drive, we arrived water side and I faced my first challenge of the day – what to wear? New to summer paddling, choosing appropriate layers took me longer than it probably should. With a warm sun, cool breeze and every possibility I was going to plunge into the loch, it was a tough call. Thankfully, the arrival of a fresh new club T-shirt made the decision for me and I opted to hedge my bets with bare arms, neoprene leggings, and water shoes to negotiate the unexpectedly thick mud at our launch point. Never one to miss a teaching opportunity, Ally was quick to show us how to use our boards to bridge the sludge and we completed our first team feat – no member of the team, or their shoes, were left behind.
Loch Drunkie was the ideal start we were looking for, the water was calm and, save for a few contented campers along the loch’s edge, we had the place to ourselves. We enjoyed a leisurely paddle around the perimeter of the loch where we made some initial improvements to our stroke, and I gained a new found appreciation of bare foot paddling (not something I had braved in my autumn Zero to Hero lessons).
Making the most of the good weather and holiday spirit, we rounded off our afternoon with a stop at Achray Farm for delicious ice cream before heading on to our accommodation.
We stayed in the Lochside House, Stronachlachar; a beautiful holiday home with more than enough space for the group. Every room had a beautiful view of Loch Katrine and its surrounding hills, a stunning backdrop also shared by the garden space where we enjoyed a BBQ on the first night. There was a inviting log fire in the sitting room and the kitchen island proved an excellent spot for the group to enjoy Ally’s cooking…and juggling.
Keen to enjoy a second day of excellent conditions, we were up and out sharp to explore the north of Loch Katrine. It was impossible not to relax in such a quiet,tranquil spot. Although only forty minutes from Aberfoyle, you could easily believe you were in the wilderness. The water like glass, we happily travelled along the banks of the loch exploring various inlets, waterfalls and Factor's Island - disappointed only by the fact that Rob Roy had left no reminants of his exploits behind him.
Later that evening we donned wetsuits and headed back out for what I think would be fair to call 'play time' on the water. This was a real highlight of the trip for me. Up until this point I had spent most of my time focusing on staying upright and dry, but some of the best fun to be had on a paddle board is moving around, trying different stances, pivot turns, and the occasional yoga pose. Exploring the board in this way was a great way to build confidence and improve balance. It didn't hurt to get some self rescue practice under my belt either. I'm not too proud to admit I shattered the aforementioned tranquility of the loch with shreiks of glee when a game of 'Shark' was initiated. Needless to say I did not manage to get out of the way of Ally's oncoming board in time and took a head long dive into the loch. Great fun!
Making the most of a third day of ideal conditions we chose to paddle from Stronachlacher to Trossachs Pier. This would be the furtherest I had paddled on a single trip and I was keen to see how I'd manage the distance. Moving at a steady pace we enjoyed views of Primrose Hill and enjoyed lunch by a boat shed that we were reliably informed was a filming location of the BBC's adaptation of The Thirty Nine Steps. This paddle was a chance to have a go at race paddle technique(a work in progress) and enjoy some tiny waves from the wake of passing boats. I particularly enjoyed being greeted with a blast of the Walter Scott steamship's horn as it passed by - a wave from her passagers an added bonus.
Once we reached the pier, satisfied with our efforts, we took the opportunity to enjoy another ice cream before boarding the ferry back to Stronachlachar.
For our final paddle of the trip we opted for a relaxed paddle on Loch Lomond, launching from Inversnaid. We were happy to take life at a slower pace and enjoy our surroundings on our fourth day on the water. That said, we did manged a few push ups on our boards, a final "I wonder if we can..."; climbed onto Inveruglus Isle to take a look at the ruins of a Clan McFarlane Z plan castle stronghold; and take a breath taking dook in the Inversnaid Falls before packing away our kit for a final time.
Rounding off the trip as we started, we enjoyed a spot of lunch in The Station Coffee Shop in Aberfoyle where we recalled our favourite moments of the trip and began making plans for the next.
Exhausted and happy, I reluctantly set off home in the sunshine I'd arrived in, triumphant that I had improved my technique, felt much happier navigating the Trossachs, and that neither rain nor midgies had got the better of me.
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