Scottish photographer to capture River Spey life 30 years after childhood canoe trip with father

An award-winning photographer is to begin a year-long project documenting life on the River Spey by canoeing it from source to mouth - a trip he did 30 years ago with his father.

Ed Smith, 39, will film the landscape and interview the people he meets along the way on the 10-day adventure on the water.

Ed Smith, documentary photographer, sets out on a year long project to document the environment, culture and economy of the River Spey. | Ed Smith

The river trip is the first of a multi-stage project which will then see Mr Smith embark on an autumnal bike ride along the Spey, followed by a winter canoe descent of the river in January next year. The project will end with a final bike ride in the opposite direction, from sea to source, in April 2026.

The river Spey rises in the Monadhliath Mountains to the west of Laggan in the Highlands and flows east and northeast into Moray where it joins the sea at Spey Bay.

It has a catchment area of 3367 sq. km and on its route to the Moray Firth, it passes the towns of Newtonmore, Kingussie, Aviemore, Grantown-on-Spey, Charlestown of Aberlour, Craigellachie, Rothes and Fochabers.

It runs through an area - Speyside - celebrated, internationally, for its fishing and being home to more than 50 distilleries, the highest number of any of Scotland's whisky regions. It is also where the Spey cast, a technique used in fly fishing on fast-flowing rivers, originated after the river was developed in the 19th Century.

Mr Smith left the Spey Dam on Sunday loaded with camera kit, camping gear, and food.

The photographer last completed the 100-mile trip down the Spey aged 10 with his father.

‘More than just photography’

Before setting off, the Kingussie-based photographer said: “This is more than just a photography trip.

“The River Spey is a vital artery through the Highlands, rich with history, industry and community. While it’s renowned for fishing and watersports, its deeper value lies in the way it has influenced local economies and shaped generations of communities.”

Mr Smith said he hopes to meet a range of people on his adventure, from whisky distillery owners, hoteliers and conservationists to school pupils and local families.

He said he wants to explore some of the big conversations shaping the region today through his project, including recent species reintroductions and possible future industrial changes to the area.

“There are major conversations happening right now around the future of the Spey, from the recent re-introduction of beavers to a proposed hydrogen plant, environmental debates and rural development,” Mr Smith said.

“I want to tap into those, not just to document them, but to encourage wider engagement with the combination of both understanding and questions they raise.”

Mr Smith owns Eleven41 Gallery in Kingussie, and has exhibited numerous documentary projects alongside fine art prints. He published his first book in 2023, a “personal and unique” perspective of the Northern Cairngorms.

The photography book captures a collection of almost 70 wilderness, mountain and environmental images depicting the six years that Mr Smith has lived and worked in the area, many taken during winter.

To follow and support the year-long project, connect with Mr Smith on Instagram @edsmithphoto.