White Water Rafting Scotland UK

Schools Out For Rafting

Posted on 02. Jun, 2008 by peter.

Friday 23 May seen a busy day on the river with local schools. Buckhaven School, Westhill Acedemy and Mardras College were all out on the river having a Splashing good time. The sun as always was out and stayed out for the whole bank holiday weekend.

All the young people seemed to have a great time both on and in the water!!

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Tummel Season AHOY!!

Posted on 02. Jun, 2008 by peter.

Yes, it is almost that time of year again when the nice people at Scottish Hydro start releasing some water down the River Tummel at the weekends! The standard conservation flow is upped a little enabeling us to raft this stunning and exciting river with rapids such as Sharks Tooth, Zig and Zag, and the Linn of Tummel! (A two tear drop of 6-7 meters depending of the water levels in the loch that the rafts plunge into!).

SPLASH WHITEWATER will be there and ready to thrill from the 7th June through to October! The Guides are getting revved up, talking about their game plan and the correct route or ‘Line’ to take down each rapid (always a hot topic of debate!). Needless to say the bookings are stacking up and it looks like a busy season! Word has got about from the previous years and more people than ever are signing up for the best summer rafting run in Scotland!

Dont miss out on the best Summer Activity around! BOOK NOW. Anyone over the age of 16 is welcome to join us and no experience is needed. However is you fancy a slightly more sedate introduction to the world of Rafting why not join us for two sessions. First we will take you down the River Tay near Aberfeldy to teach you the basics and whet your appetite for the challenge of the River Tummel which you can do on the same day in the afternoon or the next day after a good nights sleep.

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Splash Charity Events

Posted on 02. Jun, 2008 by peter.

Each year Splash White Water Rafting supports many charities in their fundrasing efforts. Although we try to help as many charities as we can, everyone has a favourite charity and here at Splash we do that little bit extra and go a little bit further for our favourite charity BLESMA.  The British Limbless Ex-Service Men’s Association  looks after all the guys and girls who have lost limbs whilst serving with the forces. Each October Splash runs a multi-day adventure package for those at BLESMA where we get them to do things they thought they may never do again, like rafting, river bugs, kayaking and high ropes.

This Sunday 8th June we are helping with some fundraising for the Macmillian Cancer Nurses and later in the month our event management division Liquidlife is running the 70 Wild Miles Triathlon at Glencoe in aid of the CLIC Sargent Childrens Cancer Charity.

Earlier this year we helped Kidney Research with a two day rafting events that seen nearly 200 rafters raise a huge amount of funds for the charity. These are just a small amount of the charities we help each year and it great to know that our efforts are helping those who are not as fortunate as ourselves.

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HOT BRAIN WAVE

Posted on 26. May, 2008 by peter.

OK,  so the water has dropped. Due to the great sunny weather we are experiencing the River Tay is getting lower.  What this means for you, our clients,  is more time on the water to soak up the rays and enjoy the beautiful scenery.  Also a great educational opportunity to pick your guides brains about local subjects of interest and the abundance of flora and fauna. When asked, “What was the best thing about your trip?”  one couple replyed,

“Falling in! Standing up in the raft and running around it, chasing someone I didn’t even know,  Mental”.

Nothing to do with nature but it seems not everyone minds the cold water when the sun is shining! 

Now that the water is not snow-melt, it has actually warmed up a little,  just a little though! Most people are still very glad for all the equipment they are issued with here at SPLASH. A full Wetsuit layer (a ‘long jon’ on the bottom and a jacket on the top). A splash jacket to keep the wind off. A Bouyancy Aid. And to top it all off a helmet. (More to protect you from the other folk in the raft when the horse-play and games start!).

The sightings of great wildlife continue on every trip too. Just this morning an Osprey plucked a tasty trout from the river right in front of one of the rafts! Right under the noses of the fishermen on the banks.  How I laughed! Summer trips are enjoyed by all and its a great time for a family outing on the river.

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All Hail The ‘Rod Father’

Posted on 18. May, 2008 by peter.

High praise indeed for our most ’senior’ (old man) river guide this week. It seems that Rod Websters uncanny knack to pick up on the mood and ability of his clients has been finely tuned! Steve and Canyon Kev get a ‘Big-Up’ too for keeping the banter flowing and the laughter loud. After returning from their river trip on the Mighty River Tay . Kevs crew said,

“Thanks for a great day out. Shame it had to end!”

Whilst one of Rods crew commented on the beauty of the scenery, and finished with,….

“I loved the feeling of being in the wild, going so fast and not using fossil fuels! Nothing about Rods leadership could have been better. He judged the mood accurately and kept us laughing…………. I would love to come back!”

It seems everyone and everything is getting a kick out of the warm weather. All the trees are looking green again after the Scottish winter. Those with a keen eye will spot the varied bird life on the river and its banks. Oyster Catcher, Lap-wing, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Buzzard, Osprey, Sparrow hawk, Pied Dipper, and the penguin-like Little Orc have all been seen in the past few days! Rafting provides a great way to see everything from a different perspective! We are often privileged to a glimps of Otters playing, Red Squirrel searching for food and even North American Mink, no doubt after the eggs of some ground nesting bird!

A great experience for Children and Adults alike !!

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Tully Cafe’ Bar Gets SPLASHED!

Posted on 14. May, 2008 by peter.

Our New Rafting Base, The Tully Cafe’ Bar has been transformed by the addition of a number of Amazing Rafting Images that form a collection reflecting the best of the past few seasons activities.

Our resident Freelance Photographer (Lee James Kelly of K Factor Productions) has selected images that reflect the thrills that we at SPLASH live for. We want you to see what we see and get the same great feelings from the activities. Pop in for a drink and have a gander at the best of what we (and indeed you) have been up to!!

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Helping Tayside Fire and Rescue.

Posted on 13. May, 2008 by peter.

A Big compliment to our expertise and reputation was received from Crew Manager Chris McGready of Tayside Fire and Rescue Training Centre.

Crew Manager McGready got in contact with SPLASH today to ask for a hand in identifying some good locations for the Fire and Rescue crews to conduct essential swiftwater training in the region. The Guide Crew at SPLASH have a vast combined knowledge of the Rivers and Mountains of Scotland, compounded by their daily work but mainly owing to the fact that all of them are recognised outdoor enthusiasts in a vast range of disciplines, ranging from Emergency Outdoor First-Aid Response to Extreme Kayaking. A means to an end some would say!!

We look forward to being able to assist Tayside Fire and Rescue with any other advice, incident assistance and training they may require. The Fire and Rescue Crews are very committed folk and any help we can offer is gladly given to continue the reputation of Tayside and Highland Perthshire as a safe place to play outdoors.

For those aspiring to gain this level of knowledge, be it for personal training or with light to getting work in the Whitewater industry worldwide SPLASH have a number of comprehensive guide training courses to offer,both here in Scotland and overseas.

Cheers THE SPLASH TEAM.

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Rafting 101

Posted on 12. May, 2008 by peter.

Saturday the 10th of May 2008. 18 degrees C’, brilliant sunshine and not a cloud in the smooth azure sky! It sounds more like a Mediterranean Holiday brochure than Highland Perthshire. The good weather must bring all the thrill seekers out of the woodwork! 101 smiling faces greeted the guides for the afternoon rafting session at 13:00 hrs. The staff at the Tully Cafe Bar had their work cut out but rose to the occasion! Churning out endless Bacon sandwiches, full breakfasts, home-made soup and rolls, Chilli, Lattes, Cappuchinos, Double-Mocha-Frappa-Choco-Espressiaatos!!! phew! And of course lashings and lashings of cold beer or chilled white wine (after the rafting, you understand!).

Once everyone had signed on the dotted line and changed into lots of swanky rubber kit everyone was transported by our new bus contractor Bankfoot Busses, to our put-in point on the River Tay by General Wades Bridge. Floating past the historic Black Watch regimental monument, looking back upstream at the stunning backdrop vista provided by Ben Lawers, Meall Garbh and An Stuc it is very easy to see why people decided to ’set up camp’ here originally.

The promise of being able to warm up after a dip in the still ‘refreshing’ water prompted much frivolity and saw plenty of folk jumping in to cool themselves off before heading downstream to take on the grade 2 and 3 rapids. (One of the Gents on a stag weekend was sporting a ‘Mankini’, he got out of the water a little quicker) With names like The Graveyard and The Widowmaker it all sounds a bit scary! Our guides took it all in their stride, however and showed once again that it’s not half as intimidating as the names would suggest, with everyone coming off the river with huge smiles on their faces and a hunger for more adventure with SPLASH.

Here’s what you had to say!

“The best thing about the trip was going down the ‘fast bits’”.

“Thanks Rod!…for an excellent experience and a great time”!

What was the best thing about your trip?

                                    “It was all absolutely Awesome”.

What was the worst thing about your trip?

                                                                            “It ended”!

What could we have done better?

“Nothing, even the sun was shining”! thanx.

“Everyone got wet and enjoyed it!! I never thought it would be this good, we would definitely come again”.

All glowing reports then! lets hope the weather holds for next weekend ‘coz it looks like a busy one. The more the merrier we say! the guides refer to the good vibe on these days as “The Big Boat Buzz”.

Remember……….Tummel Season is coming! only 3 weeks now and the first weekend is looking like a good one! hope to see you there!

THE SPLASH TEAM.

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Summer is here AT LAST!!

Posted on 06. May, 2008 by peter.

The May Bank Holiday weekend is typically a time for lounging in the garden sipping the first of the summer Pimms and scoffing cucumber sandwiches. ‘Not So’ say all the folk who headed out with us on Saturday and Sunday! Water levels on the River Tay are holding nicely due to the snow steadily melting off the numerous Munros (a peak over 3000ft) of the Lawers range. The Sun even made an appearance too, boosting the temperature into balmy double figures! in Scotland………..imagine !!?*

The Keltney Burn Canyon is proving as popular as ever! More and more people seem to be returning to have a go at ‘that cliff jump’ they perhaps didn’t pluck up the courage for last time around!!

Here’s what you had to say about your time Rafting and Canyoning with SPLASH over the past weekend.

What was the Best thing about the trip?

“The Big jumps and then the pub!!”

“Our Guide Toby had charming banter that added to our rafting experience”.

“I highly enjoyed the whole experience, the staff are a nice bunch and the new pub/cafe is ideal. Good fun Thanks.”

“The staff have a Bad Attitude, Bad as in good! Gnarly Dude!!!!”

“I didn’t know what Canyoning was. It was Awesome.”

Romance is evidently in the air (must be the sunshine). Some of the handsome chaps on the Saturday Stag Party seemed to take a fancy to the best looking of our Guides.

“Great Staff! maybe consider topless Laura and post-rafting ……” We will leave that one to your imagination!

When asked what we could have done better one chap simply proclaimed.

“FREE CIDER”………………..We are working on Simon at the Tully Cafe Bar!

Cheers. Enjoy the Sun. (from the water, its the best place to be).

THE SPLASH TEAM.

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The ‘Hairy One’ returns!

Posted on 02. May, 2008 by peter.

After a few months away the biggest, hairiest, most bearded, most dread locked of our guides is back! Toby Saxton.

After a winter of throwing himself off snow-clad slopes and getting pulled around on skis by a huge dog!, he’s back and raring to immerse himself and our clients in the sparkling Scottish Whitewater! Tobys local knowledge and personal expertise make him a valuable asset to any team.

You are likely to bump into him if you are heading to the River Tummel for a raft trip or into the depths of the Keltney Burn for one of our Canyon Adventures! See You There.

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