Wild Women
SUP Symposium 2024
Symposium Weekend
Date: 5 – 8 September 2024
Location: Arisaig. Scotland
After the success of 2023 we are doing it again! a whole weekend dedicated to SUP paddling in the wild! With women and for women! This time we are extending it from the Friday to the Sunday. Whether you want to gain confidence on the water, learn how to paddle on white water or learn how to plan your first SUP expedition, then this is the event for you!
There are 2 prices for this event, the 2 day or 3 day price, we also over a single day price of £80 please contact us for this price!
Where is Arisaig
The evening meal on Saturday night will be at Astley Hall (address: New Street, Airsaig)
Accommodation
Arisaig is a little more complicated than Cannich. We highly recommend you book into a campsite for this event. Wild camping is a bit difficult here.
Choices are
This has a choice of pods, camping and van camping.
(Helen is staying here fyi)
No tents in advance
Breast Cancer
In 2024 we will donate £5 of every entry to Breast Cancer UK. Breast cancer is around every corner and has touched a few members of our tribe.
Find out more about Breast Cancer Prevention and the work they do by clicking on the picture!
Ticket Pricing
1 Day Ticket £85
1 Day Ticket £80
2 Day Ticket £160
3 Day Ticket £240
Expeditions (more info bottom of page)
Mini SUP
Expeditions
Knoydart
Expeditions
Stretch yourself in this paddle session aimed at getting some miles under the belts! You will paddle in a group to a local Loch . Learning how to paddle in a group and paddle at a distance with a side wind / head wind / tail wind! This is a session aimed at intermediates.
Group Size Max: 6
Days offered:
Friday
Session Length: Full day
Instructor: Helen Trehoret
Location: TBC
River SUP for beginners. Discover River SUP for the first time with Coach Emy Mcloed
Group Size Max: 6
Days offered: Friday
Session Length: FULL day
Instructor: Emy Mcloed
Material Needed: SUP . River Finds. Quick Release Leash and Harness.
The level will be adjusted to the groups needs. From Beginner to intermediate paddlers!
The coaching sessions will safety, planning, effective paddle techniques, standing confidently, posture and position on the board. The session will adapt to suit each individial on the day
Group Size Max: 6
Days offered:
Saturday | Morning and Afternoon
Sunday | Afternoon
Session Length: Half Day
Instructor: Claire Scott
Location:
Material needed: SUP
River SUP for beginners. Discover River SUP for the first time with Coach Julie Partridge and Jess Philips
Group Size Max: 6 x 2
Days offered: Saturday and Sunday
Session Length: FULL day
Instructor: Julie Partridge and Jess Philips
Material Needed: SUP . River Finds. Quick Release Leash and Harness.
The level will be adjusted to the groups needs. From Beginner to intermediate paddlers!
Get stretching for paddle mobility. This is a session to get flexible in a way that will help you paddle better. This sessions is aimed at beginners and intermediates!
Group Size Max: 8
Days offered:
Sunday | Morning
Sunday | Afternoon
Session Length: Half day
Instructor: Leanne Bird
Location:
Material Needed: SUP inflatble.
Get fit for paddling. This is a session to get strong in a way that will help you paddle better. This sessions is aimed at beginners and intermediates! Take the ideas home with you and do them before a SUP session!
Group Size Max: 8
Days offered:
Saturday | Morning and Afternoon
Session Length: Half day
Instructor: Leanne Bird
Location:
Material Needed: SUP inflatble.
Learn how to plan your first expedition with this land based SUP expedition talk. Subjects covered, Ocenaographical themes, Expedition planning, Map skills, and Q and As
Group Size Max: 15
Days offered:
Sunday | Afternoon
Session Length: Half day
Instructor: Helen Trehoret
Location: Village Hall
Stretch yourself in this paddle session aimed at getting some miles under the belts! You will paddle in a group to the head Loch Beinn a Mdheadhoin. Learning how to paddle in a group and paddle at a distance with a side wind / head wind / tail wind! This is a session aimed at intermediates.Group Size Max: 6
Days offered:
Saturday | Morning
Sunday | Morning
Session Length: Half day
Instructor: Helen Trehoret
Location:
What is risk? How do you avoid it? Mitigate and Manage Risk? What can go wrong? Learn about the environment, self and others. Learn what to do when it does go wrong (the fun part). Learn how to self-rescue (Getting back on the SUPboard), towing techniques, rafting up and working as a team when it goes wrong.
Group Size Max: 6 – 8
Days offered:
Saturday | Morning
Saturday | Afternoon
Session Length: Half day
Instructor: Pat Mcdonald
Location: Loch Morar
Equipment needed: SUPboard, Paddle, QR leash and belt. PFD
Group Size Max: 6
Days offered:
Saturday | All Day
Saturday | All Day
Session Length: Full Day
Instructor: Leeane Mackay
Location:
Our Team
r
Julie Partridge
Caire Scott
Pat McDonald
Julie Partridge
Julie is a White Water SUP coach and Coastal Leader based in the Highlands. Julie co-founded the Cairngorms Pride Paddlers a monthly social paddling group for the LGBTQ community. The group aim is to introduce and develop members paddling skills and help them to explore new environments whilst growing a social LGBTQ community in the Highlands.
Scottish instructor Claire Scott will be on hand teach beginners and newbies to the sport.
A SUP die hard and responsible for the a facebook community of 1500 that covers all things SUP this is the women to talk about SUP in the North East Scotland!
Pat Macdonald
A qualified SUP instrucctor and adventure guide, over the past few years. Pat has shared the delights of paddleboarding exploration with clients on both the Cornish coast and Monmouthshire rivers. Pat believes that anyone can master the basics of SUP, safely with the right encouragement and guidance. Coming from an engineering background she is a SUP gear nerd. Ask her what’s in the bag!
Jess Philip
Leanne Bird
M
Leeanne Mackay
Jess Philip
A paddler with a passion for White water and expedition sup. She is based in the west coast of Scotland where she works as an outdoor instructor and runs her own business Dipper Paddle boarding coaching and guiding on rivers.
“I really love helping people explore new places to paddle and continue to develop their skills in different environments”.
Leanne Bird
As Founder of Leanne Bird Wellbeing and Adventure, Leanne’s mission is to support and inspire people
to live happier and healthier lives, for the long term. Through her wellbeing services and adventure
experiences, she is passionate about empowering people to discover themselves and ultimately, discover their freedom.
A qualified SUP instructor, surf coach, personal trainer and yoga instructor, Leanne brings together a
broad breadth of knowledge and skills to provide well structured, tailored programmes for groups
Leeane Mckay
Qualified SUP Coach, open and coastal water, and SUP Yoga Instructor. Founder of Paddle Bliss Nairn and Blue Space Highland.
Leeanne is passionate about paddling and enablement. Her coaching conveys the importance of supporting individuals to have a positive experience whilst reaching their own personal goals. There’s nothing she enjoys more than watching a paddler who said ‘I can’t do it’ actually doing it!
Leeanne likes to promote wellness through blue space activities. Utilising our beautiful coastal environments whilst ensuring safety on the water. She provides a safe space for individuals who may be experiencing mental health issues. Combining this with NHS advice and strategies for enhancing well-being individials are able to work on their paddling skills and learn ways to support their own wellbeing.
Helen Trehoret
Event Organiser Helen Trehoret. Helen has a passion for the outdoors. Based in France, but no stranger to paddling in Scotland. Her passion lies in exploration, and wild paddling, as well as surfski paddling, downwind SUP and foiling.
French qualifed paddler instructor she has been SUP paddling for over 10 years!
Wing, Foiling, surfsking she does it all!
Helen’s passion is to promote sports, and paddling for women. Allowing them to achieve their goals!
F.A.Q.
Arisaig is west of Fort William, you will enjoy views of Egg and Rum from the shores of Arisaig
You can drive to Arisaig. You catch a train to Arisaig from Fort William, this is the famous train that passes over the Glenfinnan viaduct.
If you want to bring your own iSUP then no problem. But if it will be a struggle due to catching a flight, then we have iSUPs and paddles available! You do need to bring your own personnal paddle equipment. A wetsuit, or long john.
For the River SUP you need a quick release harniss and River fin. If you don not have this please contact the instructors directly. It will be your responsbility to arrange this!
Totally! This symposium is totally for beginner paddlers! There are plenty of sessions aimed at beginners.
He can come. However, the time in the workshop is only for ladies!
Yes! We will have a food on the saturday, and we will make it affordable for your partner to join in!
Mini SUP Expedition
Information
Add on 2 days to your symposium with this mini expedition.
Practice your expedition planning, and navigation skills that you learnt at the weekend!
The plan is to paddle in loch Ailort or Loch Morar and set up camp! and spend the night wild camping! Before heading back the next day. The total distance would be about 6 KM there and 6KM back!
Bundle this ticket into the weekend!
Includes
Doesn’t Include
Knoydart Expedition
Ready for something more ruggered? and adventurous? Then we are offering a guided trip to Knoydart! To find out more information on this trip click on the button below!
Wild Women Shop
Take back memories with this Wild Women Swag! Available online here!