Words:
John R. Dean

John R. Dean

Photos:
Neale Brown

Canoeists:
John R. Dean,
John R. Marshall,
Margaret Perry, and
Neale Brown

Pensioners Canoeing on the River Spey

Mid-summer solstice canoeing in northern Scotland. What could go wrong? The northeast part of Scotland has few midges, a beautiful valley and mountain scenery, an iconic river, some intriguing named rapids, plenty of wildlife spotting and friendly people fishing. Plans were made, dates were confirmed, paddling and camping kit was sorted, food was bought, and the meeting point was coordinated between the team. And so, we set off from the Newcastle upon Tyne area with a rendezvous at Loch Insh in the early afternoon, allowing plenty of time for the shuttle and the start of the canoe trip along 68 miles to Spey Bay.  

Day one
A useful meeting and dropping-off point is Kincraig Church, Kincraig, on the shore of Loch Insh. It was a lovely starting point with an opportunity to watch, along with the twitchers, the nesting osprey chick on the nearby island while others did the shuttle. Fully loaded, we set off under the single-track road bridge downstream. This grade 1 stretch of the river provided sufficient meandering to keep you interested and alert for river debris (a necessity with the remnants of previous storms evidenced in the river). Our secluded overnight wild campsite provided ample space for tents and hammocks.

Day two
All packed, and with a check that we have ‘left no trace,’ we set off towards Aviemore and past the prominent Duke of Gordon Monument, located on Torr Alvie, on the river left. The monument was erected for the 5th Duke of Gordon (1770-1836), by subscription in 1839-40, for raising of the Gordon Highlanders. A quick snack break in the grounds opposite The Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore, in mizzle; the quickness of the break was due to the mizzle and the fact that the pub was not yet open. Meandering on past the Spey Valley Golf Club, you reach the bottom of the valley. The river slows down, and the fantastic scenery of mountains and valleys surrounds you. At least it would have done if the mizzle had not now turned to rain. So, our chances of seeing the mountains of the Cairngorms National Park were gone. Our overnight stay at the very small campsite (river right) at Balliefurth comes at a welcome time after the ‘valley’ bottom paddle.

Day three
We awake to summer, a brilliant blue sky, warmth, and a good river flow. We are away bright and early with great excitement. Onwards past the new Cairn Distillery (river left), we soon reach the bridge over the Spey at Grantown-on-Spey. We go under the picturesque ‘Old Spey Bridge’, and it’s not even lunchtime!

Elevenses arrives, and we take a break near Cromdale Church, a lovely picnic site. We look at the summer wildflowers and butterflies/moths as we contemplate the summer warmth. It had been sadly lacking the previous day, so the sun reflecting off the water, blue sky and peacefulness were now the new norm. We go past Advie and a lunchtime stop, to the mightily named ‘washing machine’ rapid. As you approach the rapid, it is easily possible to stop in an eddy on the right-hand bank (What3words: toothpick.included.houseboat) and ‘inspect’ by either standing up in your canoe or a short walk along the bank.

We have done this rapid many times before saw we were confident that we knew what to do. Following a clear leadership strategy of ‘four little ducks’ we safely paddled through. As we had three different canoe manufacturers, this resulted in different amounts of taking water on board, from none to some. After a brief stop for bailing, we were off under Blacksboat Bridge and the Knockando rapids.  With more caution, a simple strategy of maintaining ‘line of sight’ and only one canoe travelling at a time (eddy hopping) was applied to navigate our way down and enjoy the bouncy waves.

As it was now only early afternoon, we decided to continue further downstream instead of camping on an island. Passing the visible Dalmunach Distillery at Carron, we safely paddled under Carron Bridge and onto Aberlour and the Victoria (suspension) Bridge. Aberlour provides an excellent place to stock up on food items if supplies run low, as it is only a short walk from river to town.

Onwards past the vast-looking Macallan Estate, on river left, we are now thinking about looking for an overnight campsite. The Old Craigellachie Bridge provides a lovely backdrop for paddling in this part of the river and is an opportunity for another snack break. This part of the river has some long accessible bank-based fishing sites that can mean a lot of anglers are present. However, it wasn’t too congested on this occasion. Overnight camping takes place near Rothes.

After a long paddle, it is still only 4.30 pm. Tents and hammocks are up, dinner is prepared, and a welcoming campfire is struck in the firepit. There was plenty of chatter about the rapids around the fire, and all too soon, we retired for the night and our last paddle. As we pass Boat O’Brig, it seems everyone is out fishing for salmon with rods. So, we use a lot of whistle (see Useful Information) and have plenty of chats with the anglers about whether we have seen any salmon jumping, where they having a good day, had anyone caught a salmon etc.

Day four
We awake to another bright, sunny morning with a breeze that we soon learned would either assist or hinder our progress. Nothing stopped our progress; it just made you knuckle down and paddle as we headed off to Spey Bay. All too soon, we pass under the Spey Bridge at Fochabers and the tidal part of the river. A friendly fisherman reminds us of the tree strainer hazard fast approaching on the sandbank high wall of a river right bend.

As we had seen on the previous descent of the Spey in 2023, we took a low water level alternate that cuts off the corner. The landscape in this part of the river is always very different from the rest of the Spey; sand dunes, masses of Giant Hogweed, and gravel banks all make for a changing view. What was very noticeable, even from 2023, was a large number of significant fallen trees in the river and bankside debris that made navigation with caution mandatory.

Our final stop and egress point is next to the Scottish Dolphin Centre. The river levels at this time of year (June) proved to be excellent for canoeing fully laden canoes. This, combined with some variable weather (it was Scotland!) and a group of canoe friends, made for a fantastic trip, which is never complete without a group photograph to finish.
One of us is not yet a pensioner, but will be by the time you read this.

Useful information:
The Spey River runs through Badenoch, Strathspey, and Moray. In addition to its natural beauty, it is renowned for salmon rod fishing, whisky distilleries, and wildlife.

River Spey levels: These can be obtained from a host of sources, including The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (an example for Aberlour www2.sepa.org.uk/waterlevels/default.aspx?sd=t&lc=234150)

Use your whistle: When approaching anglers who can be on both riverbanks, blow your whistle in advance to gain their attention. Mutual respect and a chance for a chat are all part of the Spey experience.

Camping sites: The Spey has plenty of opportunities for wild camping amongst its many islands and inlets.

Scottish Outdoor Access code: www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/

Paddle Scotland: River Spey Access Officer: riverspeyaccess@gmail.com

Facebook site: www.facebook.com/riverspeyadvisor

Useful book: River Spey Canoe Guide: A Canoeist And Kayaker’s Guide to Scotland’s Premier Touring River (2014), Nancy Chambers, Pesda Press. www.pesdapress.com/pdfs/RiverSpeyCanoeGuide.pdf