Lochy, Fort William
Kayak spot · UK
Whitewater: a river with rapids
Is it worth the trip?
55Fair out of 100 for your dates
Best on Tue 3: Wind 1 kn gusting 4, Air 9 °C, River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go
Tue 3 · 56 out of 100
- Wind
- 1 kn
- Gusts
- 4kn
- Air
- 9°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Wed 4 · 55 out of 100
- Wind
- 4 kn
- Gusts
- 9kn
- Air
- 8°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Thu 5 · 55 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 11kn
- Air
- 8°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Fri 6 · 55 out of 100
- Wind
- 2 kn
- Gusts
- 8kn
- Air
- 8°C
- Rain
- 0.3 mm
Sat 7 · 54 out of 100
- Wind
- 1 kn
- Gusts
- 4kn
- Air
- 7°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sun 8 · 52 out of 100
- Wind
- 1 kn
- Gusts
- 6kn
- Air
- 6°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Mon 9 · 52 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 15kn
- Air
- 7°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Mon 257, fair
- Tue 356, fair
- Wed 455, fair
- Thu 555, fair
- Fri 655, fair
- Sat 754, fair
- Sun 852, fair
- Mon 952, fair
- Tue 1051, fair
- Wed 1148, fair
The spot in three facts
- Grade Iits hardest rapid III
- Moving waterthe water
- Best Jul–Aug6 good days in 7
Full forecast
every day, every number
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Air | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2Nov | 57, fair | 1 kn | 5kn | 9°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 56, fair | 1 kn | 4kn | 9°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 55, fair | 4 kn | 9kn | 8°C | 0 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 55, fair | 3 kn | 11kn | 8°C | 0 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 55, fair | 2 kn | 8kn | 8°C | 0.3 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 54, fair | 1 kn | 4kn | 7°C | 0 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 52, fair | 1 kn | 6kn | 6°C | 0 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 52, fair | 6 kn | 15kn | 7°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 51, fair | 4 kn | 13kn | 6°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 48, fair | 3 kn | 10kn | 5°C | 0 mm |
Wind and gusts are in knots, rain in mm. River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go. More
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Best time to go
best Jul–Aug
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for grade III paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan0of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb0of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar0of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr1of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May4of 7: a trip from Sat 1 May
- Jun5of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Jun
- Jul6of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Jul
- Aug6of 7: a trip from Sat 7 Aug
- Sep4of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct1of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov0of 7: a trip from Tue 3 Nov
- Dec0of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Dec
Tap a month to see this spot for a trip then.
Typical weather, not a forecast, and not the river's level: a month that is often good to be outside may still be low water.
Map
put-in, take-out, its town
Lochy, Fort William on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
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Photos of Lochy, Fort William
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More kayaking near here
1 place
- Spean Gorge 5.1 km away
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Lochy, Fort William
A river section on the Lochy, from a put-in down to a take-out. Grade I, its hardest rapid III, on the international scale. Suits new paddlers and up, by its grade. 1 paddling school, club or hire within 10 km, the nearest 5.1 km away. For grade III paddlers the best months are usually July and August, with about 6 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Spean Bridge. Within 5 km we also list 1 wind sports spot.
- River Lochy
- Grade Grade I, its hardest rapid III, on the international scale.
- Who it suits Suits new paddlers and up, by its grade.
- Access No source states the access rules: check locally.
- Schools, hire 1 paddling school, club or hire within 10 km, the nearest 5.1 km away.
Spots and rivers: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Whitewater sections © Rivermap (rivermap.org), Riverzone and Jonathan Riddell, ODbL.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,390–US$2,600 each
about US$1,390–US$2,600 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, hire car, stay, food, kayak hire.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to EDI, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | about US$423–US$886 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | about US$141–US$235 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$322–US$543 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$315–US$584 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$188–US$349 |
| Total | about US$1,390–US$2,600 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Spean Bridge
Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn
about 10 min by car · 21 places to stay
about US$121/nightcountry average
About Spean Bridge its beds, food and every spot near it
About US$121 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.
Getting there: about 14h 40m
About 14h 40m door to door from Chicago
Fly ORD → EDI, direct, then 2h 45m by road
Flights ORD → EDI on your dates · AviasalesAdeSIM for your phone · Search on AiraloAd
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Spean Bridge · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Spean Bridge · GetYourGuide
River level
River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go.
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
Bla Bheinn 5.1 km
Rockhopper Sea Kayaking 12 km
The nearest named schools, clubs and kayak or canoe hire within 25 km, in a straight line. Listings, not a recommendation. Schools, clubs and hire: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits
Saved: this link opens the same trip
The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.