Two Days, One Mega-SUP and One Incredible Team
What an adventure!
After months of planning, training, logistics, fundraising and more than a few conversations beginning with “how exactly are we going to do this?” the Edge to Edge Expedition finally took to the water.
Our challenge was deliberately ambitious: travel more than 50 miles across Scotland’s Lowland Canals over two days using a Mega-SUP relay, with our programme participants and staff working together to paddle, support, navigate and keep the whole operation moving.
We called it an Expedition for a reason.
And it certainly lived up to the name.
Day One: Glasgow to Falkirk
Day One began at Spiers Wharf in Glasgow, and for the first part of the journey, the weather was actually on our side.
That changed when we reached Twechar.
The rain arrived and, from that point onwards, barely let up.
Neither did TeamEdge.
Our paddlers rotated through their planned stages, with staff and participants supporting from the towpath, leapfrogging vehicles and kit along the route and keeping the relay moving towards Falkirk.
It was wet, demanding and at times completely ridiculous - but the team got stuck in and completed the full Day One route.
More importantly, the teamwork was phenomenal.
Those who were not paddling became cheer squads, kit carriers, navigators and supporters. Everyone had a role to play, and everyone played their part.
By the time we reached Falkirk, the waterproofs had been thoroughly tested, the Mega-SUP had covered some serious miles and Day One was complete.
Day Two: The Falkirk Wheel and Beyond
Day Two started with a moment that will take some beating.
The Falkirk Wheel.
With support from the team at Scottish Canals, our Mega-SUP entered the Wheel and TeamEdge experienced one of the most extraordinary stages of the entire Expedition.
We are currently waiting for confirmation, but we believe this may have been the first time a Mega-SUP has travelled through the Falkirk Wheel. SUPs and kayaks have made the journey before, but possibly never anything quite like ours.
Until somebody tells us otherwise, we are quietly enjoying that possibility!
The Wheel transit was captured from above by Graeme from Nexus24, who joined us as our drone pilot. We had a sneak preview of the footage shortly afterwards and knew immediately that it had captured something pretty special.
You can watch the finished Expedition film on this page (scroll to the bottom of this article!).
When an Expedition Doesn't Follow the Plan
Day Two brought very different conditions from Day One.
There were fewer paddling stages and fewer clients involved, but significantly more traffic both on the water and along the towpath. Our entry onto the Falkirk Wheel was slightly delayed and, although the team made good progress afterwards, the distances and timings we had set ourselves were always ambitious.
As the day progressed, it became clear that daylight was becoming the deciding factor.
When we reached Broxburn, we had to make the incredibly difficult decision to stop.
There was simply no safe way to cover the remaining distance before darkness fell.
Was it disappointing? Absolutely.
Was it a failure? Not even close.
Good expeditions are not about pushing forward regardless of the circumstances. They require judgement, flexibility and knowing when the right decision is to stop.
What mattered most was that everyone finished the day safely - and the way our participants responded made us incredibly proud.
There was no drama, no defeatism and no sense that everything we had already achieved somehow counted for less.
We simply accepted the decision, supported one another and started talking about finishing the remaining miles.
Because we will.
Whether we complete them stage by stage or make one final push, the Edge to Edge Expedition is not over yet.
TeamEdge will finish what we started.
TeamEdge at Its Best
If there is one thing we will remember most from the Expedition, it is the people.
Our programme participants were outstanding.
They paddled, carried, walked, waited, adapted, encouraged one another and threw themselves into every part of the challenge. Some covered miles on the water; others became the loudest and most enthusiastic cheer squads imaginable.
Everyone contributed.
Our staff team did exactly what they always do when faced with a challenge: rolled up their sleeves, solved problems, changed plans when necessary and made things happen.
Behind every paddling stage was a huge amount of work happening on dry land - transporting people and equipment, supporting participants, moving vehicles, carrying the Mega-SUP, monitoring timings and keeping everyone safe.
It was a massive team effort from beginning to end.
Supported Every Mile of the Way
None of this would have been possible without the incredible support we received throughout the Expedition.
Our business partners and supporters backed an idea that was ambitious from the outset and helped us turn it into reality.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who sponsored, donated, shared our fundraising, provided expertise, supplied equipment, captured footage or helped us with the countless practical details needed to get TeamEdge across Scotland.
A very special shout-out also has to go to Red Equipment.
We use Red equipment for a simple reason: it is kit we know we can rely on.
Over two demanding days, the Mega-SUP stood up to everything we threw at it, while the paddles, buoyancy aids and other equipment were used mile after mile in some pretty challenging conditions. And, perhaps just as importantly by the time the rain really set in, the Red canteens kept the tea, coffee and hot chocolate hot all day!
When you are taking on a challenge like this, dependable equipment isn't a nice-to-have - it is an absolute necessity. We relied heavily on our Red kit to keep TeamEdge moving across the country, and it did not disappoint.
There is much more to say about Red and the support they have given TeamEdge, and we'll be sharing more on that separately.
We also met some brilliant people along the canals.
Walkers, cyclists, local residents and complete strangers stopped to ask what we were doing, walked sections of towpath alongside us, waved from bridges and cheered the paddlers as we passed.
Those little moments of encouragement meant a huge amount to the team.
And, of course, an enormous thank you goes to Nexus24 and Graeme for capturing the Expedition from the air. Seeing the scale of the Falkirk Wheel, the canals and our tiny Mega-SUP from above has given us a completely different perspective on what TeamEdge achieved.
£12,213 and Counting
The Edge to Edge Expedition was created to celebrate ten years of Edge Group Scotland while raising funds towards our third minibus.
At the time of writing, an incredible £12,213 has been raised.
We have been completely blown away by the generosity behind that total.
Every donation, sponsorship contribution, fundraiser and share has moved us closer to another minibus - and another vehicle means more opportunities for the young adults we support to travel independently, access their communities, volunteer, gain real-world experience and take part in activities across Scotland.
To everyone who has contributed: thank you.
See More From the Expedition
We have hundreds - genuinely hundreds - of photographs and videos from the two days, and we are still gathering more.
Below you can explore a selection of images from across the Expedition, from rain-soaked Day One paddling and towpath support to the Falkirk Wheel and the miles that followed.
We will continue adding to the gallery as more footage arrives.
The Expedition might not have ended exactly where we originally planned.
But perhaps that is rather fitting.
TeamEdge took on something difficult, adapted when circumstances changed, supported one another throughout and achieved something we will remember for a very long time.
And there are still a few miles waiting for us.
To be continued...
Edge to Edge Expedition Drone Footage
Drone footage from the Edge to Edge Expedition, capturing TeamEdge paddling the Mega-SUP through the Falkirk Wheel and along Scotland’s Lowland Canals. Filmed by Graeme from Nexus24, the footage showcases the scale of the challenge, the teamwork involved and one of the most memorable moments of the Expedition.
Edge to Edge - Day 1 Gallery
Edge to Edge - Day 2 Gallery
