Solo Winter Canoe Camping - Loch Ken - Scotland - Bushcraft - Tarp Shelter

[@finlaggan-lordoftheisles-7982]

Thanks for another excellent video. Loved it...

[@finlaggan-lordoftheisles-7982]

Also picked up some excellent ideas

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers mate 👍

[@lewisrountreeiii2937]

Great video!!

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Thanks 👍

[@philipwallis5587]

What a cracking video. Last year early October me and the guys were at loch Doon..infact just over the way from you guys hammocked..on the way back home..we called in at loch Ken..wish we'd stopped over now..what a cracking spot..and we had the canoe's with also..bugger may be on the way back from Glen Afric..we might call in for the night.😀😀👍 Love the video nice one bonny lad !! 😀😀👍👍🍻

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers Philip! Loch Ken isn't bad, especially if you're coming up from the south. The only downside I found was that the loch is flanked by two roads so there was always some degree of road noise unfortunately. Are you going canoeing in Glen Affric? That should be some trip 👍

[@philipwallis5587]

@@Adventure-Outdoors yes that's the plan. canoeing .starting on the first loch Beinn then hopefully going further down to loch Affric..then moving onto loch Maree for a week..it's a long way up for us from nth Cornwall..but worth it..sometimes I still wish I lived back in Darlo..😀😀👍

[@simonwilliamson3068]

Class👍👍👍might have look up there next year

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers Simon 👍

[@AJBAdventures]

Brilliant little adventure bud, certainly inspiring to get out more and get back to basics 👍

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Aaron boyer cheers! 👍

[@robcrusoe]

Just great outdoors ,loved the dutch oven cookery , got some great tips there too with the coffee, thanks for sharing and subscribed👍

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers Rob, much appreciated! 👍

[@chrisandsamlivingthedream]

Awesome vid buddy... lovley place .. cheers Chris & Sam

[@jeep12rc]

MERRY CHRISTMAS ! Hope you have some great adventures in the New Year !!

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers! Merry Christmas and ATB for the new year 👍

[@nealeford1964]

Thoroughly enjoyed that. Inspiring as ever!

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers Neale 👍

[@richardbrabbs8283]

Beautiful place to spend a couple of days and it looks like you were lucky with the weather good vid as always merry Christmas to you and your wife looking forward to next years trips

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers Richard! Merry Christmas 👍

[@richardsanders2794]

We regularly camp at the campsite at Loch Ken with our Oztent and you definitely need metal pegs. Canoeing on the loch is excellent and the bridge is a private access to the house across the loch. Great outdoors area, we love it. Another excellent video, thanks.

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers Richard! It's a great place sure, definitely bring my rock pegs next time though 👍

[@stevesdaysoff2759]

Good video and good camp glad you found a better spot. I more are less use the same set up when I go camping with my canoe. I camped on what they call the island on Loch Ken along the river that enters Loch Ken. Really enjoyed watching and subbed you. Thanks Steve. 🛶

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers Steve! Is that the island at the north of the loch? I'm hoping to get back there soon 👍

[@stevesdaysoff2759]

I parked near the viaduct and it's more or less straight over the other side. It's not really a Island that's what the locals call it. There's a river enters the Loch and it's a long there. 👍

[@annferricher3931]

Your videos are awesome! Scenery is gorgeous... Always enjoy the wild camping!!

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Thanks Ann! 👍

[@jackandbuddy2997]

Well played m8 defo going to give loch ken a try. I have passed it on my way to kirkcudbright to go camping... hears its rammed full of crayfish

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers mate, yes it's loaded with crayfish. A friend of mine says its also great for pike fishing 👍

[@oceansoverland]

Another great adventure. Instead of a rod next time take a collapsible net to catch a few cray fish...Loch Ken is teaming with them. That tripod is a great piece of kit...could be on my wish list :-)

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers Vince! I'd read about the American Crayfish in the loch, probably easier to catch then a fish 👍

[@bushcraftoberland]

Nice Trip best regards Enno

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Bushcraft Oberland Cheers Enno 👍

[@waytogo2791]

Thanks for taking us along. Might try out your recipe for the Stew, altough I would have to resort to a local Ale😉 Cheers from Switzerland

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

WAY TO GO cheers! The ale stew turned out great 👍

[@brucehiggason4656]

I enjoyed this vlog. I fact, I enjoy watching all your videos.

[@antonileonidas8906]

Just wanted to give you an update on my canoe purchase. In the end I settled on a Ribor 16ft 2-4 man. It's a bit heavy as you'd expect but I'm going to put a lot of kit in there as well as outfit it to my spec taking some pointers from the Ray Goodwin, OutdoorInstruction, and Jim Baird Adventure Channels all of which have done videos of outfitting for extended trips. I got the canoe at a good price including delivery and decided to update my car to accommodate. So now I have no issue either on storage or transportation but may have a little more difficulty in portaging. I've got a mobile wheel transporter that can fold up and fit inside the canoe to help me a little in this.

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Nice one! Looks like a decent canoe at a good price. I wouldn't worry too much about the weight, especially if you're just going to be paddling on open water. 👍

[@ianlyons5737]

Excellent mate, have a great Xmas.

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers Ian, Merry Christmas 👍

[@curlewpiper315]

Spent a good few weekends fishing and camping around loch Ken, canny up there like , even better in a canoe I bet . Another good vid lad 👍

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers mate, it's great when the weather is on your side 👍

[@canoecycle7005]

The island on loch Ken is one of my favourite spots up there I haven’t camped with my canoe only my kayak so far on loch Ken. Excellent camp’s

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Yeah it's a great place, the only down side I found was the near constant noise from the road.

[@marksadventures3889]

Next time you'll remember the pegs lad. I would use para-cord and tie out to trees. Like you've done. I couldn't tell people the name of stuff I've got - i know it works that's it. 3 nights on Pendle and other hills in a storm says it's right. A bit about how to use and safely go about canoeing for us newbies would be nice. Aye coffee has to be the real thing. I was thinking of doing Scotland by cycle and canoe and put the bike in the canoe when not using it, taking a hammock and small tent - i also have a trailer I could put the canoe on for transporting then swap over and carry bike and trailer on the canoe, would be my ideal. Very inspiring fella, thanks for posting.

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers Mark! Sounds like you have a few good ideas for your trip, you can't go wrong in Scotland with a canoe and a bike. Stay safe 👍

[@shaw4020]

Planet x i sheffield do a cook set with a coffee set up its bit like a jet boil stove looks good if your on a budget

[@gbwildlifeuk8269]

Have you thought of a folding bow saw instead of the laplander? It will give a quicker cut as it has a longer blade and you can use more pressure.

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

gbwildlife uk I’ve got a bow saw now, not a folding one so it’s only really useful for canoe/car camping. I’ll get myself a folding bow saw once the winter comes I reckon 👍.

[@The_Arby]

Cool canoe trip and camp out :-)

[@Str8OuttaCronton]

That’s mad! The exact spot you moved to from where you landed first night is where I camped last winter 😃

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Hi, yeah that was a good place to camp. I found there wasn't too many options up that part of the lake, hopefully I'll be able to get back up there soon 👍

[@Str8OuttaCronton]

Overland and Outdoors I only managed to go the one night, October last year. The wind was too bad the following day to explore further down like you did, it was a hard paddle back to the activity centre, I was hiding in all the inlets near collapsed when I got back to the car haha. Stunning place though I’ll definitely be going back

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

@@Str8OuttaCronton Yeah it's pretty flat around that loch so the wind can get up. At the start of this video I spent a good 40mins just trying to get away from the shore as the wind kept pushing me back 😂. I watched a video a couple of weeks ago where a few lads head up the river Dee and into Stroan Loch, looks like a really good route, might try that route next time. Heres the link to the vid - kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGPShaakh7eaqpY

[@Str8OuttaCronton]

Overland and Outdoors horrible trying to paddle with certain winds in a canoe haha. nice one for that I’ll give it a watch tonight, I was recommended canoe and kayak map of Britain and Scottish canoe touring book, literally just ordered them. I’m told gives some good routes and typical water grades

[@royblackburn1163]

Superb very inspiring as always, I notice you have put your spare wheel on the back just wondered what have you done with the space long range tank?

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Roy Blackburn Cheers Roy, I’ve just left the space empty. I wanted to get the spare out from underneath but didn’t have enough space on the roof so went with the swing arm bumper. I’ll probably put another spare back under the truck at some point as I have a habit of getting punctures. 👍

[@antonileonidas8906]

Hi and thank you for a great channel. I've noticed you have lots of kit on your videos and a bit envious especially with the Fjallraven items as I'm building up my collection myself. I'm also acquiring osprey for my adventures into the wild when the world returns to normal and find it a very individual preference finding and using kit. As I have had experience with the TA Parachute Regiment in my early twenties I think I know what to expect when returning to the wild and know the right kit at the right time is the most important thing. This said can I ask what canoe you are using and size as I'm wondering weather to purchase inflatable type or a Canadian style, transportation and trek routes will determine my eventual choice but I'd like to know your model and views. Have you done a video on this already O could watch? Also I noticed a pair of boots you put on in the morning and was wondering what these are as well as what basha/tarp you use? Any pointers would help. Thank you.

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Hi Antoni, the boots are Meindl Solden winter boots, the tarp I use is a DD 3x3m tarp. On the subject of Fjallraven; it is excellent gear but really expensive! The canoe is an Old Town Camper 16, its discontinued now as it's made from a plastic called Royalex which is no longer in production. It's tough but incredibly light weight, this one weighs 25kg but I have a smaller 12ft Old Town Pack which weighs just 15kg. They are worth looking out for on the second hand market. I've owned an inflatable canoe in the past, they are a good option if you don't have the space to store a Canadian canoe, but I'd always recommend a Canadian canoe over an inflatable. If you will be paddling on open water solo, I'd recommend a canoe between 14-16 feet, the extra length equals extra speed, straighter tracking (moving forward in a straight line) and more stability plus extra room to store gear, plus you can accommodate an extra paddler if required. Hope that helps! 👍

[@antonileonidas8906]

@@Adventure-Outdoors thank you for your reply and detailed information. Yes the Fjallraven stuff is so expensive I have just bought 1 dear stalker you wore in the video, a scarf and last years jacket setting me back a hefty amount. However I've managed to save on other things. I'm looking at canoes and really find it hard to find a solo but of course if you're buddying up it's probably better to go for a 16ft as you say. My only concern is transportation as I don't have a truck or 4x4 and only a sporty hatch. If I can find the roof racks for my model of car I don't think it will be a problem. Can you recommend any places to start looking new or pre owned. Ebay is not giving me the best options or I'm unsure of what brands to go for. I'll see what I can find with the brands you've mention though. Really appreciate the time to answer my questions. Keep posting as we all love your channel.

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

@@antonileonidas8906 Yeah eBay is a bit hit and miss for canoes, they do come up occasionally though. Theres a mad river 14 on there at the moment, I'll put the link below. The most common brands for recreational canoes are Old Town, Mad River, Venture, Enigma, Silver Birch, Hou canoes. Even if they look a bit knackered second hand they'll still last for decades. Another option is to contact canoe rental businesses and outdoor centres as they usually re-new their hire canoes every few years and sell their old ones. Years ago they all used to use Old Town Discovery canoes which are bomb proof but most of them seem to use Venture canoes these days. Here's the link to the Mad River 14, it doesn't look in great knick but a bucket of soapy water and a sponge will sort it out - www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mad-River-Explorer-14-Canoe-GREEN/264998847166?hash=item3db32982be:g:-fIAAOSwxSNf8HkB

[@fredwilkinson5059]

great video again ,especially the paddle by shots ,that is a lot of effort. As a fellow fan of fjalraven i was wondering how often you proof your gear ,i seem to do mine a lot but i do work in it. merry christmas

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers Fred! I've given up proofing the trousers, I usually wash them after every trip and then can't be bothered to do them again. When I'm out backpacking I usually just take along a pair of waterproof over trousers. The anorak I was wearing seems to do OK with a couple of coats of wax, but it's still not fully waterproof. Marry Christmas 👍

[@carletonblackwell]

Love my Jura bag it’s a good as my tundra that cost 4x as much. Great vid as always. Ever had any problems with your smock? Mines taken for ever to get almost watertight.

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers Carleton! Yeah I can't get it anywhere near waterproof, a couple of coats of wax will keep out a shower but in a downpour I the rain gets in easy enough.

[@carletonblackwell]

Overland and Outdoors I actually had a reply from them saying everything they sell is more geared up to me snow proof rather than rainproof.

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

@@carletonblackwell Ahh that makes sense, I like the fact that the G1000 is breathable even with a waxing, way more comfortable than Gortex for hiking but obviously you lose the waterproof capabilities. I think I'll eventually get a poncho to sort the problem 👍

[@19craigy78]

Great video, really enjoyed watching it. Where did you get that big aluminium chest from?

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Craigy Cheers! It’s a case made by Alutec, they make all kinds of aluminium boxes etc. 👍

[@19craigy78]

@@Adventure-Outdoors thanks big man! I have an vw camper and storage is king, so this could be perfect 👌🏻

[@thewanderingbooler]

Enjoyed that but yer obviously not very well prepared.🙈😂

[@robertgibson7716]

please remember this is a hydro system loch levels can rise quickly without any rain mate take care

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Cheers Robert 👍

[@antonileonidas8906]

Also forgot to mention that I'm currently constructing my own bespoke spray deck after searching across the Internet for stockist and only seeing a company called North Water over in Canada selling them for about $1,200 . I'll see if I can get some photos done from start to finish and with my set up.

[@antonileonidas8906]

Wow it took me ages to find your channel again. I was unsubscibed even though I had liked many of your content? Anyway good to find you again and see some new content.

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Hi mate, yeah I remember you mentioning that you were going to make a spray deck, did you ever make one? I ended up buying one from North Water, cost a small fortune but it's excellent 👍

[@antonileonidas8906]

@@Adventure-Outdoors I got as far as making the pattern and cutting out the pattern with the material then lining it almost with the velcro but hit a snag at that point as every machine I (my mother) used would clog up with the glue from the velcro as it was a sticky one sided but needed stitching for added strength. So far I have an unfinished piece in progress and all the work on the canoe done to fit it. It's a massive job for my mother's old hands to do as well as a tad unfair to ask her to finish it so I'm looking for someone that can or just have to sit up a few weeks and do it by hand hahaha. I need to get out in the canoe sometime but running my own salon doesn't make it easy. Need to watch more of your channel for some inspiration. I photographed every stage of the process so far on the cover in good detail but there's still a little more to go and I haven't worked out how to do the cut outs with zip fixtures yet. I saw your cover and think it's those ones from Canada which do cost an arm and a leg but look great.

[@tomstan6785]

Do you prefer tarp and bivy over tent even during winter ? People tell me that if I go with tarp in winter I will die.

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

If I'm going high up in the hills or if bad weather is forecast then I'll take a tent. Otherwise a tarp and bivvy bag is a great option, the nights are long in the winter and I'd rather be sat under a tarp with a campfire looking at the stars than sat in a tent for 6 or 7 hours! You won't die mate 😂👍

[@tomstan6785]

@@Adventure-Outdoors what if you would have to go for a 7-8 days and there would be mixture of woodland on some days, others days hills, some good weather and some really bad. They what would you choose?

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

@@tomstan6785 A tent.

[@sherpadaveymccrum4847]

Did anyone see the head touch or touch behind him when making stew ?

[@jamesmcmurrough3811]

Sunderland accent?

[@Adventure-Outdoors]

Aye! Loads of folk ask where I’m from in the north east, I moved a bit south almost 20 years ago so I guess my accent has softened a bit 👍

[@jamesmcmurrough3811]

@@Adventure-Outdoors I'm from sunderland like so I recognised it reet away