Kelp Scotland

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Do you think we’ll arrive at Uig in time to catch the 2 o’clock ferry to Lochmaddy?

Debbie inquired.  Stewart reassured her:

I hope so, I’m getting that ferry too!

Debbie, a physical therapist (known as a physiotherapist in the UK), had taken a year out from her job in Aspen, Colorado to travel around the world. She was on her way to the Western Isles of Scotland to visit the oldest rocks in the world.  She had been told that hitch-hiking in Ireland and Scotland was safe. She was picked up in Portree on the Isle of Skye, by Stewart, a landscape architect and planner.

After two weeks together, she rejoined Haggis-Backpackers’ (a join and leave as you like mini-bus service) where she explained to the other world travellers:

He led me across boggy moors for many hours to a bothy where he made a fire from wet heather.

She had passed Stewart’s initiation test, having proven herself to be rugged to go with her natural beauty. After resuming her world tour, she cut it short and returned to Scotland. A year later they were married and living in Scotland. Over the last 21 years, they have pursued their passion for wild and lonely places trekking and paddling throughout the world together.

In 2004, The Great Outdoors (TGO) magazine had a feature on sea kayaking. They realised that this was the perfect way to explore those difficult to reach wild places. Places that were almost impossible to explore on foot. They quickly developed a passion for touring by sea kayak in Scotland and around the world. All their trips have been self-guided, and usually with their own equipment.

Whilst they are members of two kayak clubs, all their expeditions are undertaken as a couple. Stewart and Debbie are both BCU 4 Star (sea) qualified and UKCC/BCU Level 1 coaches.

Their passion is for living out of their sea kayaks for many days at a time whilst exploring wild and lonely places. This website is a celebration of some of their trips.

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