Stand Up Paddleboarding on Scottish Lochs

sitting on a stand up paddleboard during a sunny Scottish day on a lake
6 August 2019
Stand Up Paddleboarding on Scottish Lochs

Heading north in the UK for a paddleboarding adventure may have never crossed your mind, and it never had for us either. But after chatting with Scottish photographer and SUP enthusiast, Emily Hutton, and staring enviously at her images of glassy waters framed by mountainous backdrops, a trip across the border in the near future seems all the more likely.

An abundance of Lochs and reservoirs lay guarded among the wild green national parks of Trossachs and Cairngorms, and provided you pick the right time of year, there's some prime paddling and exploring to be done. Continue on into the Highlands and you're really spoilt for choice. That's why we got in touch to talk further with Emily about paddleboarding in Scotland, and to give you a look through her lens. Keep reading to see what you're missing...

How did you get into paddleboarding?

I got into paddleboarding around two and a half years ago through friends of mine who took me out on their boards. It was something I hadn’t heard much about, but I became obsessed within the first five minutes of being out on the water. I started off with a really cheap paddleboard from Groupon that could hardly even handle my weight. I think when I first started I didn’t realise that size really does matter when it comes to buying a paddleboard, especially if you are a 5’9 girl like myself! After being recommended TBF boards and equipment I haven’t looked back – everything is affordable and great quality.

paddleboarding on a scottish loch

© Emily Hutton

What board are you riding?

I currently have the Entradia’ 11’6 SUP. It’s a great board for those longer paddles as it’s really sturdy and can carry a lot of extra weight. It's really easy to pack a drybag on board with any extra gear or food if you’re wanting to stop off for a picnic break. It can even handle the weight of another person. I usually pack up my TBF drybag with sun cream, flip flops, extra towels, some snorkelling kit in case I fancy going in for a dip and of course my trusty camera for taking some photographs while out on adventures.

This is totally weather dependent though. If its winter I would be packing in some extra thermals and hand warmers! With this board we got the option of adding a detachable seat which easily clips on and off making it more comfortable when you fancy a rest or even if you just having a sit-down paddle. Since this board offers a bigger platform, it means you can try out some SUP yoga which is an awesome way to de-stress and get some exercise done. The stabilisation really helps for when it comes to me getting some photographs as I can trust the board to be stable and not tip while I’ve got my camera out!

relaxing after a sup

© Emily Hutton

Where do you call home? And where do you do most of your paddling?

Home for me is a city called Stirling in Scotland. It’s known as the heart of Scotland as it’s so central to everywhere. Most paddling happens on the lochs around the Loch Lomond and Trossachs area as it’s just on the door step for me and there are plenty of spots to choose from.

What makes Scotland (or more specifically your area) so great for stand-up paddling?

Paddleboarding in Scotland is great as it seriously doesn’t lack places to go and it offers some of the most incredible scenery, which I try to capture best I can through my photographs when I am out and about. There is nothing more relaxing than chilling on your SUP in the middle of the water surrounded by nothing but nature and the mountains, which is something I try to tell through my photographs.

There are so many hidden gems and gorgeous beaches around Scotland and the laws around here are pretty lenient towards most water sports and outdoor swimming so it’s good to know you can paddle pretty much anywhere unless its privately-owned land. Now that I have a GoPro, I am wanting to take some of my paddleboard photographs to the next level and even give some video footage a go. I hope my images inspire more people to go outdoors and try something new.

sunset stand up paddleboarding

© Emily Hutton

Do you travel much with your SUP?

Yes, and this has to be my favourite thing about the TBF paddleboards is how easy and lightweight they are to pack up and travel with. The 11’6 SUP I have is definitely one of the heavier boards but the drybag it comes with makes life so easy as it has adjustable shoulder straps meaning you can wear it like a back pack making those longer distance walks much less hassle. Being able to pack the board away and keep it somewhere accessible works wonders for me as I am usually grabbing the board spontaneously in between work and college studies, so it doesn’t even have to take that much planning.

I’ve got lots of trips planned this summer around the coast and islands of Scotland with the board, (hopefully being able to try out some new things like SUP surfing) and it’s so easily done as I can just pack it in the back of the car and go, simple!

It must be cold for a good chunk of the year. How do you deal with the cold? And do you still manage to get on the board enough during the colder months?

Tropical temperatures are something Scotland almost never sees. This has never stopped me from getting outside on my SUP and I am a wimp when it comes to the cold, all it takes is a little more planning. My main recommendation would be to layer up! The wetsuit I currently use is only 2.5mm which is definitely a summer suit. I would try and bulk it out by wearing a rash vest, some good booties, a hat and gloves and a flask of hot chocolate ready for when you are finished is always a good shout. However, I will definitely be investing in a thicker wetsuit before winter this year. I’m still learning about all the great kit that’s available for the cold and it definitely shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to winter in Scotland.

Keeping scrolling for more and check out the rest of Emily's work, here.

drinking a beer on a paddleboard

stand up paddleboarding with mountains in the background