White Water SUP course

White Water SUP Course Overview

The River Spey is one of Scotland’s most iconic and picturesque rivers, and it’s also home to some excellent white water for paddleboarding. If you’re looking for a fun and challenging white water SUP course, the River Spey is an excellent choice.

The course is designed for paddlers of all levels, from complete beginners to experienced white water enthusiasts. So if you are a local or a holidayer staying around Aviemore and the Cairngorms, this is for you regardless. The river is graded as a 2, which means it’s perfect for those who are new to white water SUP but still want a bit of a challenge on the course. You’ll be navigating rapids, waves, and obstacles, but they’re not so intense that they’re overwhelming.

The course is led by some of the most experienced and qualified instructors in the country who will teach you all the skills and techniques you need to paddle white water safely and confidently. You’ll start with the basics, such as how to read the water, how to paddle efficiently, and how to balance on your board. As you progress, you’ll learn more advanced skills, such as how to catch waves and how to turn quickly.

The white water SUP course typically lasts for a full day, and you’ll be provided with all the equipment you need, including a wetsuit, buoyancy aid, helmet, paddleboard and paddle etc. You’ll also be given a safety briefing before you start, so you’ll know exactly what to do in case of an emergency.

One of the best things about the River Spey white water SUP course is the stunning scenery. The river runs through some of the most beautiful landscapes in Scotland, and you’ll be surrounded by woodlands, wildlife, rapids and for those interested there are nearby distilleries you could visit afterwards. It’s a truly immersive experience that will leave you feeling refreshed and invigorated.

So, if you’re looking for a fun and challenging white water SUP course, the River Spey is an excellent choice. With experienced instructors, beautiful scenery, and exciting rapids, it’s the perfect place to learn new skills and have an unforgettable adventure.

White Water SUP Course itinerary

If you’re looking for a fun-filled day of white water SUP adventure in the Cairngorms, the River Spey is an ideal destination. Here’s a rough itinerary for the course paddling on the Grade 2 rapids of the Spey:

10:00 am – Arrival and Introductions – Meet your instructor at the designated meeting point, who will provide you with all the necessary equipment, including a wetsuit, helmet, personal floatation device, stand up paddle board and a paddle etc. All the kit will be appropriately sized based off the group details sheet you need to provide us with (link sent in booking confirmation). Once everyone is kitted out, your instructor will go over the day’s plan for the white water SUP course, and give you a safety briefing. We will almost certainly need to do a shuttle to the top of the river at this point depending on people’s aims for the day and will need to leave a vehicle at the bottom with all the equipment we might wish for at the finish point; i.e. change of clothes for the end. After the day we will drop people back at the top to retrieve their vehicles.

Basic Paddling Techniques – After the safety briefing, it’s time to get started. Your instructor will develop your current skills, or teach you the basics of paddling, including how to stand up on the board efficiently in white water, how to paddle forward and backwards, and how to turn. They’ll also teach you how to read the water, which is essential when navigating rapids and waves.

You’ll start with some easy rapids and work your way up to more challenging ones as you gain confidence. Your instructor will be on hand to give you tips and advice throughout the course to help you navigate the white water safely on SUP. The two main rapids of the day are the Washing Machine and Tamdhu Rapids both of which can easily be re-run for those looking for extra challenge or adventure!

Lunch Break – After a few hours on the water, it’s time for a well-deserved break. You’ll stop at a scenic spot along the river to enjoy lunch and take in the stunning surroundings. This is also an opportunity to chat with your fellow paddlers and ask your instructor any questions you may have.

After lunch, it’s time to learn some more advanced techniques, such as how to catch waves and how to turn quickly or cross the river from one side to the other efficiently. These skills will help you navigate the more challenging sections of the river (that are coming up) with ease. Your instructor will also teach you how to recover from a capsized SUP on the course (if you wish – this may have been done already), which is an essential skill for any white water paddler.

Now that you’ve learned and developed all the essential skills, it’s time to put them to the test. You’ll embark on paddling the most technical rapids on the river (Tandhu)– hopefully,  with your new skills you will be navigating the rapids and waves with confidence. Your instructor will be on hand to offer guidance and support, but this is your chance to show off what you’ve learned and have some fun on the water. We can scout these rapids from the bank and determine the line we all want to take to navigate them effectively with options ranging from more challenging to easier.

15:00 pm – Debrief and Wrap-Up – Once the river run is complete, you’ll have a debrief and wrap-up. Your instructor will give you feedback on your performance and offer tips for improvement/where to progress from here. You’ll also have a chance to ask any final questions and share your experiences with the group.

This white water SUP course on the Grade 2 rapids of the River Spey is a great way to experience the thrill of white water paddleboarding while learning new skills and having fun on the water. With some of the best instructors in the industry, the best SUPs in the whole world (Hala), all the equipment you need, and beautiful scenery, it’s the perfect way to spend a day in the Scottish wilderness. The day can be tailored to all groups, if you wish for the day to be more fun orientated to keep the kids engaged we can accommodate that or more developmental orientated to develop your skills that is easy as well. 

We are proud to recommend local accommodation options within the area for people:

Aviemore:

Youth Hostel A budget friendly option for people.

Coylumbridge Hotel Aviemroe – good for groups and families alike.

Premier Inn – always a good shout.

Rothiemurchus Campsite – situated in the stunning forest, this is a beautiful budget friendly option.

Glenmore Campsite – situated at Scotland’s highest beach, Loch Morlich has phenomenal views across to Cairngorm Mountain.

Newtonmore & Surrounding Areas:

https://www.wherestagsroar.co.uk/ award winning accommodation in the Highlands – perfect to stay at while up on an outdoor adventure.

Invernahavon Caravan Park – a bit quieter than the others as it is a little further away from the hustle and bustle of Aviemore.

Dalraddy Holiday Park – a family and dog friendly campsite.

A white water SUP course is an excellent choice for anyone who loves adventure, adrenaline, and the great outdoors. Here are a few reasons why a white water SUP course might be right for you:

Firstly, it’s a unique and exciting way to experience the water. Paddleboarding on flat water is already a lot of fun, but white water SUP takes it to the next level. It is the fastest growing outdoor sport so why not try it for yourself and join the craze! You’ll be navigating rapids, waves, obstacles and learning to read the river, which makes this adventure a brilliant challenge for anyone with prior SUP experience. It’s an incredibly exhilarating experience that’s sure to get your heart racing.

Secondly, it’s a great workout. SUPing is already a good workout for your core, legs, and upper body, but when you add white water to the mix, it becomes even better. You’ll need to use your entire body to balance and paddle, which means you’ll be burning calories and building muscle throughout the session. We will teach you how to paddle and balance as efficiently as possible on the boards.

Thirdly, it’s a chance to learn new skills. Even if you’ve been paddleboarding for years, white water SUP requires a different set of skills and techniques. You’ll need to learn how to read the water, make quick turns, and recover from falls. It’s a challenging but rewarding learning experience that will help you become a better paddler overall and is a great way of progressing from flat water or coastal paddling to your next adventure and challenge.

Lastly, it’s an opportunity to connect with nature. Scotland is home to some of the most beautiful and rugged landscapes in the world, and white water SUP allows you to experience them up close and personal. You’ll be surrounded by stunning scenery and wildlife, and you’ll have a chance to truly immerse yourself as you paddle down river admiring it either side of you.

In summary, a white water SUP course is right for you if you’re looking for an exciting, challenging, and rewarding adventure that will help you build skills, get a great workout, and connect with nature. So why not book a course today and experience the thrill of white water SUP for yourself?

We pride ourselves on providing as much kit as possible for you.  However, the list below is what we recommend you should bring:

• Something to go underneath a wetsuit – swimwear or a spare pair of underwear. (We do provide swimshorts to wear over the top of the wetsuit for greater style and modesty.)
• Travel insurance. (We are insured for all our trips, but we recommend everyone has their own travel insurance as well.)
• Transportation to the venue for the white water SUP course. (We may be able to help with this though – if you need transportation please drop us an enquiry and we can see what we can do to help.)
• Lunch, water.
• Personal medication

Here at Highland Outdoor Adventures, we pride ourselves on providing as much as we can but you are welcome to bring your own equipment if you do prefer. The list below is what we provide you with on the day.

• Hala SUP’s -The world’s best white water stand up Paddleboards – perfect for this course.
• Paddles.
• Wetsuits
• Buoyancy aids.
• Helmets.
• SUP leashes on a quick release belt.
• Neoprene wetsuit boots.
• Swimshorts to go over the top of wetsuits.
• Dry bags so you can bring equipment you might want along with you.
• All instruction.
• All first aid and safety equipment.
• Photographs of the day provided for you at no extra cost! If the weather is good we will have a DSLR professional camera  so we can take photos and videos of your adventure and you can look back at the day for years to come. If the weather is less favourable we will bring a GoPro (as it is waterproof) so we will still be able to take photos for you.
• Fully certified instructors who are the best in the country on a SUP.
• There are public changing room at the venue split into male and female with a compositing toilet.