Paddleboarding on a quiet loch in the night-time – what could be more thrilling?
It might sound a little daring, but moonlit paddleboarding on Loch Faskally felt safe and peaceful, with just the glow of buildings on the shore and faint reflections on the water breaking the darkness.
I joined Lucy Mason from Adventure Paddleboarding at Loch Faskally last weekend with a colleague, Morag, and a group of fellow paddlers, all women, including Lucy’s daughter Olivia.
We met at four in the afternoon, just as the autumn light began to fade.
How did we keep safe and warm at night-time?
As we prepared for the evening adventure, I realised just how essential good gear is; we were bundled up with neoprene gloves, waterproof socks, and thick wetsuits, with woolly hats for added warmth.
After setting up our boards and doing a safety check, we gathered for a briefing on how to stay together and look out for one another once it got dark.
Lucy stressed the importance of sticking together, particularly in the darkness.
The setting was both eerie and beautiful, with the odd lorry rumbling across the nearby A9 bridge while we floated in silence.
This part of the loch is sheltered, so the water was almost mirror-like, offering perfect reflections of the surrounding landscape.
In the fading light, we paddled along, taking in the fiery colours of autumn trees.
It was serene and almost surreal, gliding across the water that was as smooth as silk.
Do you need to be an experienced paddleboarder?
The eight of us, all with enough paddleboarding experience to stay steady but few of us experts, enjoyed the stunning views and the fresh, crisp air.
But as twilight melted into night, a touch of natural apprehension crept in.
Floating in the dark, miles from shore, it felt instinctively unsettling, like my body recognised the potential danger, even though logically, I knew we were safe.
Lucy and Olivia, who is just 13, are both trained in water safety and were attentive and reassuring.
How did it feel when darkness set in?
The sense of vulnerability soon transformed into excitement as we paddled on beneath bridges into the quietest, darkest part of the water and entered the River Tummel.
Suddenly, a burst of coloured light illuminated the sky. We could see the Enchanted Forest illuminations in the distance, its hues bouncing off the clouds.
For a while, we all sat on our boards, watching the magical glow, surrounded by the silent loch and the looming forest.
Lucy brought out glow sticks, which we attached to ourselves and our boards – mostly for fun but also for visibility.
Under the moonlit sky, we looked like a colourful, floating parade in the darkness.
What can you see at night on Loch Faskally?
The stillness of the water was mesmerising.
Even in the dark, you could see faint reflections of the trees and the shadowy landscape.
It was beautiful in a way that’s hard to capture in words – a dark, mirror-like surface reflecting hints of the world around it, creating a moody and mysterious atmosphere.
As we drifted along, I noticed the occasional bird – a duck or a moorhen – skimming across the water, startled by our presence.
Their tiny splashes created ripples, briefly disrupting the stillness, while the distant hoots of night birds added to the atmosphere.
The wildlife were a little startled
The wildlife was sparse but curious, probably wondering what this neon-tinged group was doing on their loch so late.
Eventually, we turned back, paddling toward the twinkling lights of the The Green Park Hotel onshore. By then, we were tired, but in the best possible way – invigorated and content.
The hotel’s cosy glow reflected off the loch’s surface like a moonlit mirror, and we joked about heading straight there for hot chocolate after we wrapped up.
Craving a hot chocolate
Gliding towards the twinkling dam at the far end of the loch, the water grew darker and more still as we fell silent, savouring the calm before the experience ended.
As we approached the shore, Lucy expertly guided us to our landing spot, despite the pitch darkness.
Stepping off the boards and feeling the chilly water beneath us, we gathered our kit, and I felt a genuine sense of accomplishment.
I’d come expecting something fun and left with a memory of an almost surreal adventure.
I experienced Loch Faskally in a way I’ll never forget – and yes, I’m already planning to go again.
Conversation