Flybe / July 18

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56 / Flight Time / JULY 2018
Travel
from being aesthetically pleasing, the company’s
range uses a patented technology which ensures
boards are both rigid and relatively light. They
are not too onerous to inflate either, thanks to
the company’s clever Titan pump, which pumps
air at up to 60mph; 15 minutes later our boards
were ready to lift onto the roof of Chris’ 4x4
and we headed round the corner to Loch Spey.
HITTING THE WATER
As Barry explained, stand-up paddleboarding is
‘the easiest sport in the world’. Such dangerous
words may have filled some people with
trepidation, but he was right. Beginners start
by kneeling on their board to get a feel for the
sensation and gauge their balance. After a few
strokes, you place your hands flat on the board
and push yourself up into a standing position,
slowly drawing yourself up to your full height.
Once up, you place your paddle towards the front
of the board and draw it back towards you. Easy!
On the still, albeit chilly, waters of the loch,
it was the perfect place to learn. Our group of
nine (plus Chris’ dog, Somersault, who leapt
effortlessly from board to board), comprised
a mix of experience, and we rose to our feet
seamlessly, gliding at varying speeds and
marvelling at the scenery as we went. We were
also able to try some of the different boards in
Red’s range, from the versatile 10ft 6ins Ride
– known as the ‘Swiss Army knife’ board – to
the more dynamic 11ft Sport model, which cuts
through the water. Just ahead of us a gaggle of
Canada Geese edged nervously away.
After lunch at nearby Laggan Stores (this
too, doubled as the village shop, McKechnie’s,
in Monarch of the Glen ), we returned to the loch
to forage.
EXPLORING NATURE’S LARDER
Gin can be made from an endless choice of
botanicals, the predominant flavour being
fragrant and spicy juniper berries, which give
the spirit its classic ‘gin’ taste. To ensure our
selection of botanicals was informed, and that
we avoided picking anything deadly, we were
joined by Chris, and Jill, a local foraging expert.
Armed with lanyards detailing the botanicals
SUP doesn’t just lend itself
to rural or coastal areas.
An inflatable paddleboard
can be used to offer
a completely-different
perspective on our cities’
streets too…Here are my top
five city SUP adventures:
BR I STOL
Explore the historic Bristol
Harbourside from a different
angle. Gliding past the SS
Great Britain in the sun is the
best start to a morning.
C ARD I F F
Visit the freshwater lake at
Cardiff Bay and experience
the city’s rich history and
culture, followed by an après
SUP in one of the vibrant
waterfront bars.
ED I NBURGH
Just a short walk from the
capital’s famous castle,
Edinburgh Quay is a thriving
canal centre combining al
fresco waterside dining with a
wealth of historic streets.
E X E T E R
Fly into Exeter and head
straight to the quay. This
stretch of water is ideal for
beginners, especially when
you can unwind and visit a
pub or two downstream. The
Double Locks on the Exeter
Ship Canal is our favourite.
LONDON
Take time to slow down on
the sheltered waters of the
Royal Victoria Docks and
escape the hustle and bustle
with SUP yoga…
we were likely to find – from feathery yarrow,
which offers a herbal, fennel taste when
distilled, to bog myrtle, with its distinctive
reddish catkins, lending a woody, piney note
– as well as a pair of secateurs and a basket, we
ventured forth.
We began by foraging the banks of the loch
on foot, and together we bit into cucumbery
meadowsweet and seaweedy nettles, marvelling
at the occasional carpets of pretty viola flowers as
we went. Baskets brimming, we climbed back on
to our paddleboards and nosed along the banks
in search of further delicacies for our distillation.
The haul was slightly less bountiful than we’d
hoped, due to a recent bout of poor weather, but
we headed back to the distillery confident that
we had enough material to work with… not that
we were expected to hit on the perfect mix of
botanicals first time. Chris and Mignonne spent
three years creating over 400 different recipes
before believing they had finally nailed it.
Chris also has a wealth of experience to
draw on. He began working at a renowned
French vineyard aged 17, learning about
producing, blending and tasting fine wine,
before training to be a distiller for four years at
Diageo, the world’s largest producer of spirits.
It is this background which has informed his
unusual approach to distillation, steeping
Daffy’s botanicals for four days as opposed to
the standard few hours, which he believes gives
the spirit greater depth of flavour.
GETTING A TASTE FOR IT
We didn’t have the luxury of four days, but we
did have 12 hours. On return to base we took
our seats at the two-litre copper stills inside
Strathmashie’s charmingly rustic distillery. One
wall was lined with apothecary drawers, each
one packed with a carefully-labelled find, from
river mint and blackcurrant leaves to hawthorn
berries and Scots pine.
“We began by foraging the
banks of the loch on foot, and
together we bit into cucumbery
meadowsweet and seaweedy
nettles, marvelling at the
occasional carpets of pretty
viola flowers as we went”
John Hibbard, Co-
Founder and CEO,
Red Paddle Company
recommends
TOP F I VE
SUP
DEST I NAT IONS
Previous page, top: Loch Spey is the perfect
backdrop for learning SUP. Bottom: Writer
Nicola Smith (centre) gliding along the water
Opposite, from top left: Foraging proved an
engaging activity; bog myrtle is commonly
found on the banks of Loch Spey; Daffy’s Gin
provided welcome post-SUP refreshment; a
rich selection of botanicals was collected