Kayaking the Hidden Arisaig Beaches

The West coast of Scotland is well known for its white sand beaches, and the small village of Arisaig is no exception. Sitting at the bottom of Loch nan Ceall, it’s tiny size means this small stretch of loch-side is the only water directly next to the town. Other beaches in the are are classed as “near Arisaig”. So what do I mean by hidden Arisaig beaches? Hidden in plain sight, under the crystal blue waters, are some of the most isolated, beautiful beaches in the world. It’s all about timing the tide.

Paddling out

I visited Arisaig with my dad, for a dad-daughter paddle trip. We woke from camping and judged the sea while sipping on tea. It was an ideal day, with lots of sunshine and the tide in our favour. Setting off from the centre of Arisaig, we paddled down the loch towards the sea. Seals watched us curiously as we floated by. One of my favourite things about kayaking is the silence of the boats, meaning lots of wildlife encounters are possible.

The waves picked up a little as we exited the loch and hit the sea, but as the tide was out it wasn’t too bad. The low tide also meant we could see our target clearly: the Skerries.

Peace and quiet

Skerries are craggy rock formations that stick out of the water on their own at high tide. Now, they were surrounded by freshly uncovered white sand Arisaig beaches. Only the sea herself had touched them. Even better, due to the shallow waters, kayaks are one of the few vessels that can explore them. Deserted and ever so peaceful.

After exploring the crystal clear waters, we glided up on shore of one of the beaches, and stopped for a hot chocolate and a nap in the sunshine. We had this incredible beach all to ourselves. It was difficult to leave the peace of this heavenly place.

The seal of approval

The paddle back to shore was a little rougher. I was in a new boat which I swiftly realised was a little too unstable for me. Luckily my dad, being the experienced paddler, had a tow line and hauled me back to shore! Wonderfully, this meant I could sit back and take in the scenery, including more seals – this time an entire colony surrounding our boats. It almost felt a little intimidating…like a seal-cult about to give us an initiation ceremony.

Plan your trip

The Arisaig Sea Kayak Centre run day trips exploring Arisaig and the surrounding area, and provide all the gear too. Of course you can bring your own boats and gear, but please only do this is you have the experience and confidence to do so.

We camped at the Sunnyside Touring Site. It’s a perfect campsite for paddlers as you can se the water from your tents, for judging the weather and sea conditions.

Why not check out some of my other kayaking posts? And I pop a lot of paddling photos on my Instagram too. If you enjoy this blog and want to fuel my writing, buying me a coffee would be wonderful!