Paddleboarding on Loch Faskally and the River Tummel

Welcome to another Paddleboard adventure! This time I was really excited to meet up with great long-time friends from Northern Ireland who had booked a cottage at Pitlochry, in the middle of the Scottish highlands.

The weather was absolutely fantastic (unlike the usual midges and rain) and we had an amazing couple of days to share a fun time on Faskally loch, with 2 paddle boards and an inflatable Kayak to share between the 4 girls – the boys escaped with their dog Bosie, a Portuguese water dog who unsurprisingly loves water! – to grab a coffee at the visitors centre above the Pitlochry Dam.

The spot we chose to set off from was ideal as it was only a few minutes from the rented cottage, and had great access to the Loch. Also the parking only cost us £2.00 for the full day!

To get there, follow the road that leads down behind the Pitlochry market (The payment meter is at the entrance) at the Northern end of the town.

Unfortunately there are no facilities at the parking area, which is basically a small grass field (watch out for the muddy pot-holes). However there are toilets and a café at the visitor centre itself – which we were told by the boys – had an amazing selection of cakes and other more substantial foods on offer. (Apparently the almond slice was fantastic!)

This visitor centre with all the facilities is only a 5-minute walk from the Loch-side, so it is very handy.

As for the ‘launching pad’ for the Paddleboards. There were several small gravely bays to choose from around the edge of the loch, just a short distance from the parking area.

My friends had brought along an inflatable Kayak, which I have to say was a much better quality than the one I bought for my husband – and promptly dumped after only one trial as I feared for my life on it!

However I have to admit after the events of the day, I think the inflatable Kayak proved its worth – maybe think again about this piece of kit.

Loch Faskally Info

Loch Faskally is a man-made reservoir created in the late 1940s as part of Scotland’s Tummel Hydro-Electric Scheme. The loch is held back by the Pitlochry Dam, complete with Scotland’s first salmon ladder.

This 310-metre passage of 34 pools allows thousands of salmon each year to make their way upstream, and visitors can even watch them through an underwater viewing window. (unfortunately closed for repair when we visited).

The loch itself is only about 2 miles in length from the Pitlochry dam to the beginning of the river Tummel at the northern end where is goes under the A9 trunk road.

Today, Loch Faskally is just as famous for recreation as for engineering. Anglers flock here for brown trout, pike, and salmon, while walkers can do circular trails linking the dam, fish ladder, and surrounding woodland.

Faskally Forest, with its mix of native and ornamental trees, red squirrels, and birdlife, makes an especially magical visit in autumn.

Whether you come for paddleboarding, kayaking, fishing, walking, wildlife, or simply the scenery, Loch Faskally is an amazing place to spend some quality time.

Oh…and try to make the Pitlochry Highland Games on 13 September 2025! I’ve put a wee video below of a Pipe band warming up in the August games before the ‘main event’ – I just love the sound of the Pipes!

Paddleboarding on Faskally Loch

After spending what seemed like an age getting the boards and the Kayak inflated, we headed off to the water and soon getting our feet wet launching the craft.

The water conditions were excellent even when we got away from the shoreline, just a gentle breeze for most of the time out in the open water.

The sun was blazing down as we set off across the open water to the far ide of the loch, then headed up towards the northern end where we sailed under the A9 road bridge and the rail bridge to the beginning of the Tummel river.

As the current from the river really slows down as it enters the loch, we were easily able to push on up the river for some distance, before aching muscles demanded a wee rest!

Pitlochry Boating Station is worth a mention especially if you fancy a try at paddleboarding or boating in general, but do not have a board with you.

Situated on the Northern end of the Loch just before you access the river Tummel, it offers boat and board hire and has an excellent café for a variety of snacks. It is accessible from the road and has free car-parking for customers.

After spending some time exploring around the Lochside and the Tummel, it was time to push-off for home. This was much harder than expected unfortunately as a small breeze had picked up against us. This is where the Kayak came into it’s own and they were able to push through a lot easier that the poor souls on the Paddleboards!

However we all made it back safe and sound – my floatation device never got wet for any reason! (Seriously I always wear some sort of floatation device).

By the end of the day Muscles were tired, sunburn was something of an issue, but the midges stayed away!

All in all a fantastic day to remember, spent with the best of friends – and their dog Bosie!

Interested in trying out Paddleboarding or Kayaking for yourself? Then I can highly recommend Driftwood Adventure (NOT an affiliate link!). Based in Edinburgh, they can arrange a huge variety of outdoor trips, including Paddleboarding, Kayaking, Hill Walking, Bushcraft, mountain biking and much more. – they maybe even include this trip to Pitlochry in the future 🙂