Glasgow to Edinburgh Paddle Challenge
Words: David Partridge
Photos from the great organisers and marshals: Colin, Tom and from Angela Kerr
This year, organiser Margaret Chapman even arranged some fantastic weather, which led to course records tumbling!
The course starts in Glasgow at Spiers Wharf; unusually for a race, you get to choose your start time (to hit the finish window at Falkirk in the afternoon). A gang of SUPpers assembled at the early end of the start window (knowing the much faster K2 and K1 canoes would be starting later. Loch SUP stalwarts Alison Rennie and Allistair Swinsco (holders of male 12 hrs 36 and female 12 hrs 47mins) were joined by Martin and Angela Kerr, David Stransky, Chris Davison (famous for his Thames Ultra and other long distance SUP achievements) and me.
The route winds out of Glasgow past weed-smoking fishermen (offering speed-enhancing substances to all the paddlers) and soon into open countryside. The route is spectacular through Autumnal trees along canals and out into the countryside with glimpses of distant hills. Toward the end, four portages gave a change of pace (Chris Davison literally sprinting past me).
The first day is on the Forth and Clyde canal, which opened in 1790. The second day starts on the other side of the famous Falkirk wheel on the Union canal, which opened in 1822 and is a contour canal (so no locks or portages over its entire 50 km!).
The arrival in Falkirk was a little anticlimactic because the famous wheel was hidden around a corner from the finish. However, we all paddled on round to take a look.
The second day was stunning, with start times chosen by the organisers to create a mass finish in Edinburgh. We left Falkirk on the Union Canal, heading after about two miles into a stunning tunnel. The next length saw us paddling through historic towns like Linlithgow, through amazing feats of engineering with the canal cut into hillsides or spanning valleys on huge aqueducts. It is strange paddling along, looking down 200 feet to the river below. The last stretch of canal on the 51km section is challenging; the water felt quite silty, and we needed to stop several times to remove weeds and gather leaves from the fins. Finally, the centre of Edinburgh arrives in view with a wonderful final stretch along parkland and streets. I was overtaken by a baby buggy propelled by a jogger and also by several speeding canoes. Alison and Alastair powered past (having set off some 5 minutes later from Falkirk), and Chris was well gone!
So the records:
Five SUPs beat the old course record for total time over the two days (me just with Angela and Alison in front (Alison with a new course record of 12hrs 17m 08 s, Allistair was a little ahead, and the incredible Chris Davison posted a new record of 11hrs 1min and 36 seconds!
The results for canoes were also brilliant (more to follow in the December Paddler magazine).
And the detail
This year’s race details are here: www.paddlescotland.org.uk/glasgow-to-edinburgh-challenge-11-12-october-2025. You will find detailed itinerary notes on (free) parking and the route.
The event is brilliantly organised and very SUP friendly, providing an incredible opportunity to paddle across Scotland in sheltered and benign waterways. I only saw a few boats moving, lots of kingfishers, incredible engineering and great company—the checkpoints operated by cheery marshals who offered encouragement and support.
If you want to do one long paddle in Scotland, this one’s for you. The route can also be paddled over a longer time, and there is detail on the route www.scottishcanals.co.uk/visit/things-to-do/paddling/the-glasgow-to-edinburgh-canoe-trail
Taking part in the organised challenge provides excellent security with vigilant marshals, an active WhatsApp group, and plenty of opportunities to share transport and logistics. I can’t believe there weren’t more SUPs. Please do add this one to your calendar for next year.
SUP Mag UK 
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