When The Loch Sleeps

Paddleboarding under a canopy of stars, Loch Faskally transforms into a shimmering, secret world

- by RACHEL McCONACHIE

Paddleboarding on a quiet loch in the nighttime - 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 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.

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.