Great Glen Shuttle Service

Explore Highland offer bespoke and an emergency Great Glen Canoe Trail shuttle services for those taking on this formal Canoe Trail. Based in Inverness we offer a cost-effective shuttle service for canoes, kayaks and paddleboard groups of any size.

Great Glen Bespoke Shuttle Service

Groups meet normally at the Coop, Telford Street car park, just beside the Canoe Trail free parking. Here there is space to pack your kit into your hired drybags and barrels. Plus if you have forgotten anything, you can pop in for additional food at the Coop or if its camping equipment related, Go Outdoors store is 400m away.

After loading up our minibus and/or trailer, you can part your cars in the Great Glen Canoe Trail car park by Muirtown Basin, where there are designated parking spaces you can leave your vehicle(s) for free during your Great Glen Canoe Trail expedition.

From her we shuttle to your requested drop off point. Majority of which is to the top of Neptune’s Staircase at Banavie, Fort William. This takes just under two hours in summer, but with swing bridges opening, tourists on the road, road works and occasionally delays for road traffic accidents, it can take a little longer.

During the shuttle we also offer safety advice en route and can stop off briefly at the side of Loch Ness, Fort Augustus, and Loch Lochy to highlight various options to assist and aid in making your expedition across Scotland much easier and safer.

Great Glen Canoe Trail Shuttle to Banavie

Five hour shuttle overview:

  • 5 mins – Meet n greet clients at Coop, Telford Street, Inverness
  • 20 mins – Load minibus and trailer with packed barrels and bags
  • 5 mins – Clients move cars to Canoe Trail car park at Muirtown Locks
  • 2 hour – Shuttle kit (and clients if needed) to Banavie Fort William
  • 10 mins – Unloading minibus and trailer of bags, boats & kit
  • 20 mins – Advice on packing, moving, portaging and sailing if required
  • 2 hour – Return drive to Inverness

These are approximate timings allowing for 50mph trailer/minibus speed limit and loading/unloading.

Great Glen Canoe Trail Shuttle Costs

Below are the shuttles costs from Inverne to various locations within the Great Glen.

  • to Banavie – from £150 no trailer, £200 with trailer
  • to Well of Seven Heads – from £120 no trailer, £160 with trailer
  • to Fort Augustus – from £80 no trailer, £110 with trailer
  • to Foyers – from £90 no trailer, £120 with trailer
  • to Dores Beach – from £45 no trailer, £60 with trailer
  • to Dochgarroch Locks – from £35 no trailer, £50 with trailer

Prices from based on weekday shuttles for our hire clients. Explore Highland can transport up to 2x open canoe or 4x plastic sea kayaks on minibus roof rack. For additional craft numbers a trailer is required.  J-bars and additional padding can be supplied for glass/carbon sea kayaks. Please request at time of booking so additional time can be added to fit bars.

Great Glen Canoe Trail Additional Resources

All clients who use our shuttle service have access to a number of key safety documents (pdf format) to assist both when route planning and during your Canoe Trail.

These include;

  • GGCT Self-Guide Check List for group leaders
  • Great Glen Canoe Trail Map includes key trail features including portage points
  • GGCT Distance Matrix giving distances from key locations
  • GGCT Stay Over List of local commercial campsites and bunkhouses
  • GGCT Egress Points you can exit the lochs/canals for collection/emergency uplift
  • SCA Paddlers Access Code including consideration to fishermen on river sections
  • Scottish Outdoor Access Code information covering wild camping

See – Downloads

Emergency Shuttle Uplift

Should the weather turn for the worst or one/all of the group decides not to continue on with their paddling adventure, Donald is able to respond swiftly by text and plan an emergency uplift around current workload.

Obviously there are times when he can’t including when out guiding multiday trips himself but there are other options he can suggest.

All our hire & shuttle service clients receive a 24 hour emergency contact number to text at time of hire, should this option be required.