In order to try to make our Blog catch up a bit more complete we thought it would be a good idea to write up a few of the more memorable events of the "missing years" and as such have decided to complete a trip report each for the most "outstanding" canoe journeys we undertook in 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020. So here's the first one: Inverpolly Nature Reserve, April 2017.
April 2017
Team: Andy Johnson; Maccy & Helen; Ian Tulloch; Adrian Wintle; Paul Hebden; Marion & Me
After the long drive north from Carlisle and meeting various team members on the way we arrived at Elphin late afternoon with the earlier lead grey skies having given way to a bright, dry and sunny Spring day. Whilst folk unloaded gear from vehicles Ian & I completed the shuttle enabling us all to get on the Ledmore River, at the point at which it crosses the main A835.
It was just a short float down the Ledmore River, in almost windless conditions, before we entered Cam Loch. The paddle on Cam Loch was equally brief as we came to the interesting feature of the loch on which we were paddling emptying into Loch Veyatie, the place we wanted to be, via a sizable waterfall. This presented us with our first compulsory portage which was thankfully short and straightforward.
Andy-J & Maccy back on the water having just portaged the falls connecting Cam Loch & Veyatie
The early evening paddle on Loch Veyatie was sublime with near perfect conditions in the shadow of the towering bulk of Suiliven. I can't recall now how much farther we paddled that evening, it was only maybe for an hour before we found what Bill Mason would have described as an A1 campsite on the south western shore of the loch. Tree cover is quite sparse in this part of the world but there were a few about around this particular campsite so as we pitched our tent others set up hammocks & tarps for the night. We cooked; lit a fire at the water's edge; consumed the odd dram and enjoyed good conversation until after dark.
The following morning dawned a little less bright but nevertheless dry and with only the lightest of winds. This allowed us to make good progress North and West on Loch Veyatie and into the Uidh Fhearna River. The river wasn't high by any means but certainly contained enough water to grant us a clear passage to the south eastern end of Fionn Loch by around about lunchtime. This marked the start of the first of our "serious" portages, the plan being to head across to Loch Scionascaig via Na Tri Lochan (presumably "The Three Small Lochs"). There were one or two contour lines to be gained, across tussock grass, and so the sequence began: short uphill portage; short float on a lochan; short up hill portage; short float; across to the final lochan and a downhill portage / slide to the shore of Loch Scionascaig. It was hard work but a good division of labour naturally evolved amongst us with some carrying bags and others boats - the portage was hard work but didn't seem to take too long!
Ian and Helen on the Na Tri Lochan Portage
Marion at the start of the portage
By the time we were afloat again on Loch Scionascaig the wind had freshened slightly and we opted to make a relatively short journey to Boat Bay in order to camp for the night. Once inside the bay's protective harbour conditions were flat calm and we found a "marginal" campsite on the South West shore of the bay - the whole scene was really quite idyllic!
Boat Bay
Once again on departing Boat Bay the following morning conditions were favourable. We headed for the area of the Polly Lochs and probably hadn't adequately accounted in our planning for the differences in level between these small areas of water. As such we managed the short "cascades" between them by dusting down our "Trad Skills" and lining the loaded boats from lochan to lochan. We had a very competent team who enjoyed the challenge immensely!
Adrian & Myself lining a Mad River Explorer 16 on the Polly Lochs
After completing the Polly Lochs we arrived at our next objective, the River Polly. We'd planned to paddle this river down to the Fish Farm but unfortunately it was empty! A little progress was made by wading and a little more lining in places where the volume of water increased due to various constrictions in the river but progress was tortuous!
Andy-J & Myself lining on the River Polly
There was a point at which the river came close to a short track which lead on to the single track road. We opted to leave the river at this point and extend our planned portage to Loch Bad a' Ghaill by an additional kilometre. We always knew that this would be the longest and hardest portage of the trip, up and over a watershed, a total distance of maybe approaching 4km with our extra addition. This is hardly the most populated corner of the UK but it must have made for an interesting sight for the occasional driver that we met and had to give way to either on the side of the road or in one of the many passing places.
Adrian & Paul taking the strain
Our descent towards Loch Bad a' Ghaill although very welcome was heralded by a marked increase in wind speed and by the time we got back afloat again conditions had deteriorated to a F5 Westerly wind, fading light and a persistent drizzle. We headed directly for a small bay at the far South Eastern end of the loch and pitched tents for a sub-optimal night's camping in now driving rain. There was little socialising on this evening with everyone cooking in or close to their tents and taking the opportunity for an early night.
Conditions were no better the following morning: still wet and with a wind that had begun to gust up to F6, thankfully still behind us. Rather than try to paddle back out on to Loch Bad a' Ghaill we portaged the short distance across the headland and launched directly on to Loch Lurgainn.
Portage to Loch Lurghainn
On Loch Lurgainn conditions were pretty grim, the wind hadn't relented at all and the light despite it only being late morning was poor. We made a windy crossing to a headland adjacent to a large island. Before ultimately gaining some shelter in the lea of the headland as we jagged back slightly north to end our journey early afternoon at the foot of Stac Pollaidh. The mountain is quite an edifice rising up from close to the loch with much of its sandstone having been washed down over the millennia to add to the many red sandy beaches in the area.
Andy-J and Maccy crossing Loch Lurghainn in poor conditions
A bit more of Loch Lurgainn's wildness
We finished the trip in significantly different weather than we started and opted to spend another night with an element of wildness by camping amongst the trees that sit between Loch Lurghainn and the Stac Pollaidh car park, it would have been nice to be a little more remote but we heard little from the nearby single track road and celebrated the end of the journey well with our remaining supplies - bolstered by one or two additional items from Ian's car which was only a few hundred metres away on the car park!
This was an excellent trip - one of the best we've done!
Final night's camp at the foot of Stac Pollaidh
Rough outline of our route
You can also find an account of this trip on our YouTube channel
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