Paddleboarding spots in Highland
186 launch spots across Highland
Every mapped spot in Highland
Zoom in to split a cluster; open a pin for the spotMap of every spot in Highland
The interactive map opens on any device with JavaScript. The full list of launch spots is below.
Launch spots
Showing 24 of 186
SeaLochinver put-in
Highland, ScotlandLochinver is a working fishing village at the head of Loch Inver, a sea loch on the Assynt coast in north-west Sutherland. This put-in near the harbour pier gives access to the loch close to Culag Woods and the White Shore beach.
SeaLochcarron put-in
Highland, ScotlandA slipway in Lochcarron village, on the shore of Loch Carron, a sea loch on Scotland's northwest coast near where the Kyle railway line runs along the shore. The village's community site lists kayaking on the sea loch among its visitor activities.
SeaLochaline put-in
Highland, ScotlandLochaline is the main village of Morvern, on the north shore at the mouth of Loch Aline where it opens into the Sound of Mull. The village slipway mainly serves the car ferry to Fishnish on Mull and local dive-charter boats, and the village has a shop, hotel and marina. Much of the loch's shoreline beyond the village is private estate land, so paddlers are generally expected to ask permission before launching there.
SeaKinlochleven put-in (Loch Leven)
Highland, ScotlandThis slipway is at Kinlochleven, on Loch Leven near the site of the former British Aluminium works at the head of the loch. Loch Leven here is a sea loch running west through Glencoe to Loch Linnhe, and paddlers on forums note the water at the very head of the loch is tidal and river-influenced rather than open loch.
SeaKingairloch put-in
Highland, ScotlandKingairloch is a hamlet at the head of Loch a' Choire, a sheltered arm of Loch Linnhe on the Morvern peninsula. The put-in is close to the estate's Victorian Boathouse, now run as a restaurant, and gives access to the wider loch.
RiverInverlochy put-in (River Lochy)
Highland, ScotlandThis slipway is on the River Lochy at Inverlochy, on the northern edge of Fort William, close to the ruins of Inverlochy Castle where the river nears Loch Linnhe. Paddlers running the River Lochy from Gairlochy use the stretch by the castle ruins as a take-out.
Riverabove River Ness
Highland, ScotlandA whitewater put-in on the River Ness near the hamlet of Dochgarroch, upstream of Inverness. The river runs about six miles from Loch Dochfour, at the north end of Loch Ness, to the Moray Firth, running parallel to the Caledonian Canal for the first half of its course.
SeaWilkhaven put-in
Highland, ScotlandA slipway at Wilkhaven, a small settlement on the Moray Firth coast close to Tarbat Ness at the northern tip of the Tarbat peninsula, reached via Wilkhaven Pier Road.
SeaWest Laroch put-in (Ballachulish)
Highland, ScotlandThis slipway serves West Laroch, one of the former slate-quarrying hamlets that make up Ballachulish, launching onto Loch Leven near where the loch narrows toward Loch Linnhe.
SeaTrumpan put-in
Highland, ScotlandThis slipway lies on the west coast of the Waternish peninsula, on Loch Dunvegan close to the uninhabited island of Isay, roughly a kilometre offshore. The scattered township of Trumpan runs along this stretch of coast between Loch Dunvegan and the open Minch to the north.
SeaKyle of Tongue causeway slipway, Melness side
Highland, ScotlandThis slipway sits at the western end of the Kyle of Tongue Causeway, on the B870 side of the crossing towards Melness. It reaches the same tidal sea loch as the Tongue-side slipway, with currents running fast through the road bridge on the flood and ebb.
SeaKyle of Tongue causeway slipway, Tongue side
Highland, ScotlandThis slipway sits at the eastern end of the Kyle of Tongue Causeway, where the A838 crosses the tidal sea loch on Sutherland's north coast. Much of the Kyle empties to sand and mud at low tide, and a tide race runs under the causeway bridge, so paddlers time launches around high water.
SeaToigal put-in (Mòrar)
Highland, ScotlandThis slipway sits at Toigal, a small hamlet on the A830 just south of Morar village, where the short River Morar carries the outflow of Loch Morar into the sea. Loch Morar, one of the deepest freshwater lochs in Scotland, reaches the coast here after a run of under a mile.
SeaStruanmore put-in
Highland, ScotlandThis is one of two small slipways at Portnalong on Skye's Minginish peninsula, launching onto Loch Harport near where the loch opens toward Ardtreck Point and Loch Bracadale. Portnalong was founded in 1921 by crofters resettled from Lewis and Harris.
SeaStrathan put-in
Highland, ScotlandStrathan is a scattered crofting settlement on the south shore of Loch Inver, a sea loch on the Assynt coast, about two miles south-west of Lochinver. The put-in sits close to Bagh an t-Strathain, the bay the settlement is named after.
SeaStaxigoe Harbour
Highland, ScotlandStaxigoe is a small natural harbour on the Caithness coast about two miles northeast of Wick. It was once Europe's largest herring salting station, with as many as 50 boats anchoring here at the trade's peak, before the industry moved to Wick's larger harbour. A slipway still serves the handful of small boats kept here today.
RiverSpean (Upper)
Highland, ScotlandThis is the put-in for the upper River Spean near the hamlet of Roughburn, close to Laggan Dam below Loch Laggan, where the river begins its westward run to Spean Bridge and the Great Glen. This upper section runs from the dam down to Inverlair Falls and is paddled when the dam is releasing water.
RiverRiver Spean Gorge put-in
Highland, ScotlandThis is a whitewater put-in on the River Spean just west of Spean Bridge village, at the head of the Spean Gorge section that runs down to the confluence with the River Lochy. The gorge is a sustained, committing whitewater run with limited escape routes, popular with experienced kayakers.
SeaSouth Kessock Slipway
Highland, ScotlandA public slipway at South Kessock in Inverness, on the Beauly Firth close to where the firth narrows under the Kessock Bridge and opens into the Moray Firth.
SeaAn Druim Fhearna put-in (Sleat)
Highland, ScotlandA slipway on the Sound of Sleat at An Druim Fhearna, on the east coast of the Sleat peninsula, southern Skye. The Sound of Sleat is the sea channel separating Sleat from the Scottish mainland at Knoydart and Glenelg, narrowing to a quarter of a mile at Kyle Rhea further north.
SeaOrd put-in
Highland, ScotlandAn unnamed slipway on the coast at Ord, on Loch Eishort in the Sleat peninsula, a short distance from the signposted Ord Public Slipway on the same shore. Paddlers using this stretch note it as a bit exposed, with a rocky shore and space to park.
SeaSkirza put-in
Highland, ScotlandSkirza is a small, remote fishing settlement on the north shore of Freswick Bay, between Skirza Head and Ness Head, about three miles south of Duncansby Head. Its jetty and slipway are still used by local boats fishing for lobster and crab, and by others launching into the bay.
SeaSkirinish put-in (Kensaleyre)
Highland, ScotlandThis put-in is on Loch Eyre, a sea-loch inlet of Loch Snizort Beag near Kensaleyre on Skye's Trotternish peninsula. The Kensaleyre standing stones sit nearby on the loch shore, close to the site of the former Skirinish estate that gives this launch point its name.
SeaSkerray harbour slipway
Highland, ScotlandSkerray Bay is a small natural harbour on Sutherland's north coast, sheltered by a rocky ridge and open to the north. The pier here was completed in 1896, and the bay is used today by divers heading out to Eilean nan Ròn and other sites offshore.
Save your own spots
Keep the places you launch, check the wind and shelter before you go, and log every paddle. Add a spot to the directory too, and other paddlers will find it. Free to start.
Some launch spots in this directory are seeded from open data. © OpenStreetMap contributors · Open Database Licence (ODbL)