Spirit Of The Spey - Dave Craig

Spirit Of The Spey - Dave Craig Specialising in unique Canoe Journeys on majestic River Spey, UK's most scenic river. (6-guests min.)

The Spey Specialist, Dave Craig provides unique 2; 3; 4 or 5 day open-canoe Descents of the majestic River Spey. Included is all coaching/guiding; canoe equipment, shuttle-transport within Speyside; D,B&B accommodation with picnic-lunches en route; whisky-tasting & distillery visits as required. Guests have decribed their experience with 'Spirit of the Spey' as 'life-changing'; 'spriritual'; 'best holiday ever'!

Wednesday was another wonderful day on the water, seeking out & recording evidence of activity, this time around Loch ...
01/08/2025

Wednesday was another wonderful day on the water, seeking out & recording evidence of activity, this time around Loch Morlich, with Cairngorms National Park Beaver Officer, Jonathan Willet & The Park’s Digital Projects Coordinator, Adam Alexander.
And, we were not disappointed. Evidence of these talented, environmental engineers was abundant ~ from our encountering copious numbers of ‘beaver sticks’. Mainly from willows, these are thin twigs & branches cut & the bark stripped by the beavers ~ right through to fairly large trees felled, displaying the characteristic pointed, almost pencil-pointed remaining stump top & on the lower felled trunk. These animals are clever enough to fell mainly waterside trees, ensuring they fall into the water to allow ‘easy’ browsing in the water, where the beavers feel safest.
Any trees ‘trimmed’ or felled will coppice, which is the vigorous regrowth of a tree after being cut. Coppicing is a traditional, human woodland management technique which encourages vigorous new shoots from remaining branches or at the base of the stump. 🌳 🦫 🪵 👀 🛶 🤩

Wednesday was another wonderful day on the water, seeking out & recording evidence of activity, this time around Loch ...
01/08/2025

Wednesday was another wonderful day on the water, seeking out & recording evidence of activity, this time around Loch Morlich, with Cairngorms National Park Officer, Jonathan Willet & The Park’s Digital Projects Coordinator, Adam Alexander.
And, we were not disappointed. Evidence of these talented, environmental engineers was abundant ~ from our encountering copious numbers of ‘beaver sticks’. Mainly from willows, these are thin twigs & branches cut & the bark stripped by the beavers ~ right through to fairly large trees felled, displaying the characteristic pointed, almost pencil-pointed remaining stump top & on the lower felled trunk. These animals are clever enough to fell mainly waterside trees, ensuring they fall into the water to allow ‘easy’ browsing in the water, where the beavers feel safest.
Any trees ‘trimmed’ or felled will coppice, which is the vigorous regrowth of a tree after being cut. Coppicing is a traditional, human woodland management technique which encourages vigorous new shoots from remaining branches or at the base of the stump. 🌳 🦫 🪵 👀 🛶 🤩

Another great day (Saturday) on The Spey wi’ a rare group o’ loons fae Hatton Eberdeenshire. A team effort was evident f...
05/07/2025

Another great day (Saturday) on The Spey wi’ a rare group o’ loons fae Hatton Eberdeenshire. A team effort was evident from the start, with help being offer to those finding difficulty in fastening their kneepads! Once kitted up ~ a riverbank skills session on the Tamdhu lawn. It would appear that instructor Jerry knelt & put up a word for all of us! 🙏 😄 Launching from the riverbank at below the Tamdhu Distillery, some fine ‘Ferry Gliding’ was completed, then the group had an initial polite discussion with an angler standing in the water. On downstream to Carron Bridge where group enjoyed a delicious Ruthven House, Catering picnic-lunch, followed by a small dram of WaterProof Whisky 🥃🥃 Moving downstream under Carron Bridge the group moved on downstream towards their destination by the stunning Telford Bridge by Craigellachie. Based from my canoe top bar, guests then treated to unique virtual ‘Spey Descent via several superb Speyside Whiskies. 🌊 🛶 🛶 🥃 🥃

Throw-back to the ‘Ramsay Clan’ last day of four (23rd June) on the Spey, group members paddled well, despite the challe...
03/07/2025

Throw-back to the ‘Ramsay Clan’ last day of four (23rd June) on the Spey, group members paddled well, despite the challenging, strong W-NW winds. Highlights of the day included not only reaching Spey Bay but also an excellent tour of the historic, magical Speyburn Distillery, complete with its unique, still intact Drum Maltings. From 1967, from it was decided to stop Drum Malting, there are still grains of barley held in the in the elevators which took the to the barley third floor. One can still peek into the mesh floor area of the kiln, used for the drying the wet, malting barley & stop the germination process. With still many miles of paddling to be done after leaving the distillery, Speyburn staff kindly arranged for guests to leave with ‘drivers’ packs’, for their four exquisite drams to be savoured at a later relaxed moment. En route to Spey Bay, the intriguing Braewater Estate ‘earth pillars’ or ‘Redheaghs’, comprising glacial debris, were temporarily lit by some fleeting sunshine and the Garmouth Viaduct always serves as an impressive landmark heralding the approach to Spey Bay. 🌊 🛶 🥃

22nd June ~ Day-3 of our 4-Day Spey Canoe/Whisky Journey. Group set off from Advie Bridge, our egress point on the previ...
26/06/2025

22nd June ~ Day-3 of our 4-Day Spey Canoe/Whisky Journey. Group set off from Advie Bridge, our egress point on the previous evening. Before too long, with increasing competence & confidence, my paddlers cruised, with ease ~ on their knees ~ through the notorious Washing Machine. Another delicious Speyside Kitchen lunch was enjoyed just downstream of Marypark Bridge with, to celebrate a successful passage through the Washing Machine, a wee dram of the exquisite Tamdhu-12. Then on through Knockando rapids towards Carron Bridge, which once carried the road & Strathspey Railway. Next bridge was the Penny Bridge in Aberlour, to our egress point by the stunning Thomas Telford bridge by Craigellachie. Once the canoes were tucked-up for the night, we headed ‘home’ for another night in the cosy Highlander Inn. With a 10.30h next morning tour at the wonderful Speyburn Distillery and guests unable to have drams before getting back in the river, pre-dinner, guests sampled three excellent Speyburn elixirs. After dinner digestifs were from the Wm Grant stable, plus the exquisite Oloroso sherry matured Tamdhu Cask Strength. 🥃 🍯 🐝

Sat. 21st June ~ Day-2 of a 4-Day Spey Journey ~ another fine day as we headed on downstream from Boat of Garten, soon t...
25/06/2025

Sat. 21st June ~ Day-2 of a 4-Day Spey Journey ~ another fine day as we headed on downstream from Boat of Garten, soon to arrive at the substantial stone towers that once, via what was known as the Nethy Spur, carried trains over the Spey and on down the Strath on the Speyside Line to Craigellachie ~ sadly closed in the mid-60’s. Continuing on the railway theme, very soon we encountered the Strathspey Steam Railway train puffing its way back to Aviemore. Then we paddled under the picturesque Broomhill Bridge. Then on to met the challenge of the ‘rock garden’ between the two Grantown Bridges. Great effort by my guests. 👏 Just downstream of the Old Spey Bridge, we enjoyed our very tasty Speyside Kitchen lunch 😋 Today’s digestif ~ a wee dram of the excellent Craigellachie-13yo. The afternoon consisted of a leisurely paddle through some splishy-splashy rapids until our egress by Advie Bridge. Group were then whisked off by road to Craigellachie where we stayed overnight in the quaint, welcoming Highlander Inn. A delicious dinner was enjoyed in the The Craigellachie Hotel’s Spey Inn Restaurant, followed by a wee nightcap, then off to bed to be well rested for our next exciting Day on the Spey’ 🌊 🛶 🥃 👍

Friday 20th June ~ A beautiful start on Day-1 of a 4-Day Spey canoe/whisky Journey ~ Kincraig to the Moray Firth. Lovely...
24/06/2025

Friday 20th June ~ A beautiful start on Day-1 of a 4-Day Spey canoe/whisky Journey ~ Kincraig to the Moray Firth. Lovely group comprised Kincraig resident Mum & Dad + their 3-daughters + their 2-partners and a friend.
En route to Aviemore we had clear views of, first, Craigellachie Hill, then up towards Lurchers Crag in the Lairig Ghru. Tasty Ruthven House, Catering riverside lunch with, as a digestif, a small dram of the delicious Waterproof Whisky 🥃 All-in-all a pretty chilled day, with some adopting a somnolent position in the canoe with, later, some trisome SUP-type paddling. Following arrival at Boat of Garten, group staying D.B&B in the The Boat Country Inn, where pre- and post-dinner, guests enjoyed some of the exquisite spirits from artisan Speyside Distillery. Slàinte 🥃🥃

Posting this a little later than planned ~ Saturday 14th June: Day-:3 of Spey canoe/whisky Journey with our Ohio guests....
18/06/2025

Posting this a little later than planned ~ Saturday 14th June: Day-:3 of Spey canoe/whisky Journey with our Ohio guests. 🇺🇸
After a restful night in the beautiful Craigellachie Lodge, paddlers left from the Telford Bridge, headed for the sea. Stepping ashore at Rothes, our group encountered a character, we think, came from from the ‘Deliverance’ movie! 🌊 🛶 🐖
Our US guests loved their visit to the very quaint (well worth a visit!) Speyburn Distillery, complete with its unique Drum Maltings. After a look into & being treated to the intoxicating aromas of the dunnage warehouse, guests were, once again’ heading seaward. After gliding under the Garmouth Viaduct, our group arrived at Spey Bay, feeling a great sense of achievement. 🌊 🛶 👏 👏

Day 2 of this 3-Day Spey Journey ~ Friday 13th ~ lucky for our guests, who started from where they left off on the previ...
16/06/2025

Day 2 of this 3-Day Spey Journey ~ Friday 13th ~ lucky for our guests, who started from where they left off on the previous evening ~ at Marypark Bridge. One couple did undertake an underwater study of the Knockando Rapid but reported all was well and the water ‘ not too cold’. Picnic lunch with an exquisite Tamdhu as a digestif. Egress was by the stunning Telford Bridge by Craigellachie. Then a short walk up the hill to the wonderful Craigellachie Lodge. Some excellent Speyside drams were shared before & after a dinner in the unique Highlander Inn. All in all, another great day on the Spey. 🌊 🛶 🥃

It was a pleasure to, on Thursday of last week, be on Loch Insh introducing single and doubles canoe skills with members...
08/06/2025

It was a pleasure to, on Thursday of last week, be on Loch Insh introducing single and doubles canoe skills with members of a lovely Kincraig Family who are to, over 4-Days later this month, paddle with us from Kincraig to Spey Bay on the Moray Firth. 🌊 🛶 🛶 🛶

Sunday 18th May. Day-3 of this 3-Day Spey Journey. Our group of lovely people set off from Craigellachie’s iconic Telfor...
21/05/2025

Sunday 18th May. Day-3 of this 3-Day Spey Journey. Our group of lovely people set off from Craigellachie’s iconic Telford Bridge, headed for Fochabers. En route, guests paddled past Rothes, on under the bridges at Boat o’ Brig Normally, our groups would be headed for Spey Bay. However, due to low water levels, some channels on sections of the river downstream of Fochabers are impassible. Thus, on this occasion guests egressed by Fochabers Bridge. However, once all the kit was packed away, our reliable transport provider ~ Kelty of ‘Highland Yaks’, kindly transported guests, by road to at least allow our guests to take in the view & coastal ambiance of Spey Bay. 🌊 🛶 🛶 🛶
Special thanks go to .burley2 for, on my behalf, leading this group of lovely guests ~ with, en route, great route/channel choice & to for facilitating our easy access from Fochabers Bridge. And to my reliable transport providers ~ & Much appreciated. 🙏 🤩

Saturday, 17th May. On Day-2 of their 3-Day Spey Canoe/Whisky Journey (~ Grantown-on-Spey to Fochabers), once again bath...
20/05/2025

Saturday, 17th May. On Day-2 of their 3-Day Spey Canoe/Whisky Journey (~ Grantown-on-Spey to Fochabers), once again bathed in sunshine, our lovely ‘international group left from Marypark Bridge, headed for Craigellachie. With little or no previous experience of moving/white water, the group, with ease, creamed through the Knockando Rapids, finding little difficulty in negotiating the fallen tree partially blocking the main channel by Stoney Island. Then on through the sparkling waters for their picturesque lunch-stop by Carron Bridge. Another tasty Speyside Kitchen lunch with, as a digestif, a wee dram of the delicious Aultmore-12. Next passing the Aberlour historic ferryman’s house & under the elegant ‘Penny Bridge’. Egressing by Thomas Telford’s stunning bridge by Craigellachie, guests just had a short walk across the playing fields & were soon back in their comfy accommodation in the Highlander Inn. This evening’s dinner was enjoyed in the Craigellachie Hotel’s ‘Spey Bar’. Then before retiring for the night, for all their efforts throughout the day = a small sampling of x3 excellent Glenfiddich expressions & the superb Tamdhu-15. Slàinte Mhath!! 🌊 🛶 🥃👌 😴💤

Address

Newtonmore
PH201BA

Telephone

+447870338110

Website

http://www.speydescent.com/, https://profiles.google.com/105363579447635640950/about?

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