Wild Water, Wild Women: The SUP Symposium Redefining Adventure by Helen Trehoret

Beautiful and remote Scotland

Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin is hard to say? Helen couldn’t even begin to pronounce this Loch. This was the location of the 4th Wild Women SUP Symposium. An annual gathering that has quickly become a mainstay on the British stand-up paddleboarding community. What is the Wild Women SUP Symposium? This is more than just a weekend of workshops and fitness sessions, it’s a celebration of female strength, resilience, and connection through water. Friendships have been forged through this event. It brings together like minded women who want to connect though their love of SUP paddling. 

A New Kind of Symposium

The word Symposium has been used for kayaking meetups or technical gatherings. But the Wild Women SUP Symposium? Organiser Helen Trehoret took the idea and redefined it for SUP and here is her story.

The first event was launched in the Scottish Highlands in 2022. I have a company based out of France, Barrachou Go. I had spent the previous 8 years stand up paddleboarding in Scotland, and after a moment I stumbled upon the idea of developing a symposium. Why create this event? I had spoken to a few women who had become frustrated at being invisible in our industry. There was a real feeling of lack of confidence that rippled through the community. I wanted women to discover what they’re capable of, to push their limits. I also enjoy the wild side of SUP paddling; expeditions and exploring is what I am passionate about. SUP is an amazing tool to do that. It is so accessible, but it can take you to the edge of your comfort zone in the best possible way.

The Wild Women SUP Symposium was designed as an antidote: a space run by women, for women, where everyone could learn, laugh, fall in, get up, and try again. We certainly laugh a lot. So much so I can recognise someone by their laugh. Sometimes you just must laugh - things sometimes get a bit ridiculous in the highlands. One thing I have learnt is that a Wotsit is a very good fire lighter!

Scotland 

Each year, the Symposium moves through the Highlands, changing location, Scotland with its wild lochs, tidal estuaries, and sweeping glens provides the perfect classroom. The one thing about Scotland is that the locations are both breathtaking and unpredictable - one moment glassy calm, the next almost certainly the wind will arrive.

I enjoy moving the location each year so that we can experience different aspects of Scotland. So far, we have only done one year of sea water lochs.

This was in 2024 when the event was based out of Arisaig, and we had some of the best conditions you could ask for. The weather gods really turned on the weather for us! The sea was calm and the colours were just out of this world. In 2025 we were back in Cannich, and the weekend was based on learning crosswind technique on a loch, and navigating on the River Glass, with Jess Philips and Amanda Stollery. These two Scottish based instructors are just simply amazing instructors and are always seen charging on white water in Scotland. Between sessions, there’s time for banter, and quiet relaxation whilst tucking into Tablet (other snacks are available).

Why do we do this in Scotland? Well, there is no place like it to learn to read the wind, to paddle against currents, to find confidence even when conditions shift. The environment demands respect, patience, and adaptability. This is why it’s the best location to host this event. One of the best things we can learn in our sport is that we must be patient and go with the elements. This is more so in Scotland.

Paddling with Purpose

A typical day at the Symposium starts early. After breakfast, we all meet up for our briefing; groups split into sessions: technique on moving water, tidal navigation, expedition planning, SUP fitness, yoga for paddlers.

Workshops are small and personal, led by female instructors with serious credentials in SUP, safety, and outdoor leadership. But what stands out most isn’t their technical skill - it’s their generosity. No one is there to show off. Instead, the focus is on learning, encouragement, and discovery. It is important that we offer an opportunity for everyone to paddle, no matter how many years they have been paddling. Experience is no barrier to the event.

“Watching someone stand up on a board in rough water for the first time is magical” says instructor Leanne Bird, who’s taught at the event since the beginning. “You see this light in their eyes the moment they realise, I can do this”. 

The Symposium is about gaining experience and confidence and developing awareness of the natural world. “SUP teaches you to stand tall even when it’s wobbly,” says participant Michelle Bobertson “That’s a lesson that sticks”. This has become our tagline “stand tall even when it’s wobbly”.

This year we spent most of the time on Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin. The first Loch in the Affric Glen. This is ideal for SUP, and I would recommend it to everyone. Here we learnt how to paddle up wind and down wind. Skills that we need to develop in our sport. Also how to dodge the infamous midgies. Which were abundant this year!

More Than a Sport 

The Symposium thrives on that sense of community. Many participants arrive alone, sometimes nervous, sometimes wondering if they belong. On the second day, they’re part of the gang and are swapping gear tips (we have a lot of gear geeks at our events), paddling shoulder to shoulder, making plans for future adventures together.

The reason I developed this event was to make friends so that I could share adventures, and this year I did just that. I asked 3 other paddlers if they were ready to complete the holy grail of Scottish paddling. The Knoydart SUP Circuit. Thanks to the training and experience they had gained from the event we managed to do the 4 days circuit without any major hitches or the need to abandon circuit. This feat is a testament to the confidence that they had developed from taking part in the WWSUP events.

Facing the Elements 

Of course, wild water doesn’t always cooperate. Last year on the last day winds swept through the loch, forcing sessions to adapt. On one day we were due to paddle up Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin. But we just turned it into an upwind and downwind session. 

In 2024 we had 3 magical days in Arisaig but on the Monday the conditions became distinctly Scottish. Another time on a Knoydart Expedition the rain fell so heavily, and the wind blew so hard we had to stay in the pub! But these moments have become part of the Symposiums stories.

“Welcome to Scotland!” participant Barbara Romelle can also be heard saying. Barbara attended from the beginning. “You learn to laugh at the weather. You realise how resilient you are. I’ve paddled through rainstorms since then and thought, if I can do Scotland, I can do anything.”

A Growing Movement

Since 2022, the Symposium has expanded each year, attracting paddlers from across the UK. Some return annually; others keep in touch through local groups and online communities. 

The 2026 edition, set near Onich on the west coast of Scotland, promises to be the biggest yet, combining river sessions, tidal paddling, wild swimming, yoga, and evening talks. But the spirit remains intimate. “We don’t want to lose our sense of connection,” Helen says. “It’s about people, not numbers. We limit numbers to 25 so we can connect with each other and make friends. I am genuinely interested in learning about each person from year to year”. 

The Last Paddle

The WWSUP always finishes with a mini expedition. This is the time for the participants to put into practice what they have learnt from the workshops. Expeditions have included Loch Morar, Loch Affric and the Knoydart Circuit. The first year we managed to arrive at our chosen location. In the idyllic settings of Loch Affric. The next two years we were not so successful. This year we made it to the top of Loch Affric, and we even managed to get buzzed by a helicopter. What an experience that was! The constant adaptation of the paddle plan goes to show how fickle the Scottish weather can be. That is one thing people must be ready for when they attend the event!

The Future 

2026 is an exciting year for the Wild Women SUP Symposium. We are moving to Onich to the south of Fort William. This gives us the opportunity to paddle in the Ardnamurchan Peninsula. The site of the famous Tioram Castle. Being based here gives us the opportunity to find more sheltered conditions if the weather gets too Scottish. In 2026 we are offering Wild Swimming as an option. Scotland is perfect for wee dip! 

From these events, we have created some mini camps and events. Including the 2-day Wild SUP event in the Trossachs. Which are found just North of Glasgow! An event that was formed from a collaboration of wild SUPrs!

All info can be found on www.barrachoupaddle.com, See you next year!