Guiding

Make Things Simple & Safe with a guided trip

Why would you want to pay for a guided trip when you visit Northumberland or the Scottish borders?

I have been trading as Active 4 Seasons and been operating in North Northumberland and the Scottish Borders since 1999 and therefore know and understand the area well. After discussing your needs I am well placed to select a suitable trip/location to allow you to achieve your aims. This might be to see the fantastic coastal birds by specialist sea kayak or a relaxed open canoe trip down the mighty River Tweed. Whatever your needs I will strive to achieve this for you.

A sea kayaker
Sea kayaking

Many of the venues I use in Northumberland are accessed via private land and I have developed a good working relationship with many of the land owners. This allows me to have access to the best locations and gives me a wider choice of venues to achieve my aim of delivering a high quality and safe experience for those coming out with me.

open canoeing
open canoe guided trip in lovely Autumn colours

Guided adventures on the river

I safely operated during and since the COVID 19 measures so am quite happy to offer adventures for individuals, couples or families and small groups that do not require sharing a vehicle or a taxi ride for those people still a bit wary. I can offer a trip on the fantastic River Tweed estuary based near High water so this time varies every day! The Tweed is more exposed but Berwick is a historic town so lots to see with amazing bird life upstream of the Stephenson Railway bridge.

Longer or more challenging adventures for people who might have done guided trips with us before or have some experience. If you are looking for something different please get in touch as we pride ourselves in providing tailored adventures for all.

Check out my prices for guided trips on the prices page

Potential Autumn trips

Autumn colours on the mighty River Tweed.

I have set aside the next few Sundays for a special Autumn trip on the Tweed (min 4 hours, ideal for past clients with some experience), drop me an email for more information.

Open canoe trips can be taken all along the amazing River Tweed although I normally use the lower Tweed anywhere between Kelso and Berwick. Finishing a trip under the bridges of Berwick is quite a thing. I also have some great tributaries of the Tweed, the Till, Teviot and Whitadder.

We can sea kayak to and around the incredible National Nature reserve that is the Farne Islands to visit the amazing birds that nest there in the summer, Guillimots, Razor bills, Puffins, Shags, Black headed guls, Herring guls, Artic and Common Tern, Eider and Cormorant (up to 200,000  birds in total!). Unfortunately in 2023 there will be no landings allowed on either Staple or Inner Farne Islands due to bird influenza again. We also get the pleasure of paddling near the huge Grey Seal colony that make the Farnes their home (up to 4,000). Mostly there in the winter as they pup there then disperse North and South in the summer  Another fabulous and exciting sea kayak venue is St Abbs head – incredible cliffs, again full of sea birds nesting in the summer months (in the last few years the Northern Gannet has chosen to nest there in ever increasing numbers). We sometimes paddle across the border to Scotland from Berwick upon Tweed taking in a private beach that is often left for just us as access by foot is very difficult – I have seen deer on the beach before! Not possible from Nov to Jan due to it being a Grey Seal pupping area!

Canoe and kayak guiding and coaching in North Northumberland