An expedition like no other!
The Spey
The Ultimate Canoe and Bushcraft Expedition (5 Days)
Dates: October 3rd – 8th, 2026 | Paddling Days: 5 | Only 6 Places Available
Join us for an incredible Scottish escape down the iconic River Spey—a journey that goes beyond paddling. This is a unique, fully immersive expedition combining the thrill of canoeing with comprehensive bushcraft tuition and luxurious, open-fire wilderness cooking. Escape the everyday and delve into Scotland's spectacular scenery, thrilling rapids, and the finest outdoor-cooked food. This is a truly unique trip!
Working in collaboration with Steve Le Say of Axe and Paddle Bushcraft and Laura Sylvester of Boca Loco, we have created an incredible expedition that is a feast for the eyes, mind, and belly. You will not only descend one of the UK's most scenic rivers but also learn essential primitive skills and enjoy a bespoke, Scottish-inspired wild menu cooked over an open fire by a professional chef.
Iconic Route- Canoe over 60 miles down the classic River Spey, from Loch Insh with the Cairngorms as your backdrop.
Gourmet Catering- Fully Catered by professional chef Laura Sylvester (Boca Loco) with a luxurious, Scottish-inspired menu cooked over open fires.
Bushcraft Immersion- Comprehensive wilderness skills tuition from expert Steve Le Say (Axe and Paddle Bushcraft)—from fire lighting to spoon carving.
Canoe Coaching- Expert guiding and coaching from Ollie Sandeman, safely leading you and progressing your skills over the expedition.
Intimate Group Size- Limited to only 6 participants to ensure maximum one-to-one tuition and a fully immersive experience.
Whisky Country- The River Spey flows past many famous distilleries in Scotland's malt whisky heartland.
The Itinerary
October 3rd- Loch Insh/Spey Meet at Loch Insh Outdoor Centre. Gear check and flat-water canoeing basics. First camp setup and Bushcraft session. Gourmet Open-Fire Dinner.
4th- 7th- River Spey, Canoe coaching with Ollie (moving water strategies, Grade 2 running). Bushcraft sessions with Steve (fire lighting, carving, campcraft). Luxurious wild camping and fire-cooked meals by Laura.
October 8th Spey Bay-Final paddle, finishing at Spey Bay. De-rigging and transport shuttle back to Loch Insh.
The River
The River Spey is iconic when it comes to canoe touring and a journey that should be a must on every paddler’s tick list.
Starting our journey at Loch Insh with the Cairngorms as a backdrop we’ll make our way down the river, covering over sixty miles on gentle moving water and through exciting grade 2 rapids. We’ll pass through beautiful Highland countryside and ever-changing scenery as we make our way to the sea.
There are usually many wonderful wildlife sightings when on the river, ranging from ospreys to dippers, otters, deer and salmon.
The Spey flows past beautiful villages and many distilleries with over half of Scotland's malt whisky distilleries being located in Speyside.
The Bushcraft
Steve is a primitive skills and bushcraft expert and craftsman who has spent many years practicing skills inspired by Native American culture. He spends his time making crafts and teaching others, through his business Axe & Paddle, which he founded with wife Kirsty in 2012.
During our trip Steve will provide bushcraft sessions at each camp teaching traditional methods, skills and crafts such as spoon carving, fire lighting using flint and steel, bow drill or hand drill, camp-fire cooking, campcraft skills and more…
Take a look at Axe & Paddles Instagram Here
The Food
Since a very young age Laura has been surrounded by food.
Laura takes inspiration from all corners of the globe to create fresh, exciting and delicious food which she brings to people via her event catering business Boca Loco.
Laura will be creating an exciting Scottish inspired menu which she will be cooking over an open fire each day of our trip.
Expedition food has never been so luxurious!
For an example menu put together by Laura for the trip click Here
Take a look at her Instagram Here
All dietary requirements will be catered for.
Logistics and What’s Included
The all-inclusive nature of this trip ensures a stress-free focus on learning and enjoyment.
Experience Required:
You should have a basic level of competence in paddling tandem and know the basic strokes. For those with no experience, a separate introductory day with Ollie prior to the trip will achieve the required skill level.
What’s Included:
5 Days Expert Guiding and Coaching from Ollie Sandeman.
Comprehensive Bushcraft Tuition from Steve Le Say (Axe & Paddle Bushcraft).
Fully Catered Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) for the entirety of the time on the river by Laura Sylvester (Boca Loco).
All specialist equipment: Canoes, Paddles, Helmets, Barrels, and safety gear.
Shuttle transport from Spey Bay back to Loch Insh.
Parking at Loch Insh.
Please Note:
Minimum age is 18 years old.
All participants will paddle tandem unless previously discussed with Ollie.
A deposit of £150 is required at the point of booking.
Dates:
October 3rd – 8th, 2026
Price:
£850 per person (Fully Catered)
Feast Your Eyes, Mind, and Belly. Book Your Spey Expedition Now.
What clients have had to say…..
“A massive thanks from me, awesome week and throughly enjoyed it all, great team and group of guys.
Photos were also fantastic and thank you for taking the time to get some shots.
Oh and another thanks for taking the time coaching me before we went. ”
— John Jackson
“Thank you for organising this trip - think everyone really enjoyed it. No downtime and the staff team was great. Laura’s food was perfect, Steven’s bushcraft is solid and he’s also a great entertainer - not much new to say about your canoe/leadership skills! The fact you guys got on so well really put everyone at ease. And there is no faulting that river.”
— Vincent Clairac
“Thank you for the trip, the combination of you Steve and Laura were great. The planning, the camp sights, the food and the evening activities round the fire were excellent. It was tough but added to the sense of achievement and it was good to have shorter days to hang out with the group in camp.
The timings and planning were evident but it was really relaxed.
It was the most relaxing and rewarding week I have had for many years. ”
— Dave Sayers-Carter