Canoe Journey: Loch Tay & The River Tay

 

The vast majority of our extended open canoe journeys are organised and operated through the Canoes, Mountains & Caves "Community Programme" .  These events are usually fully booked up within 24 hours of us advertising them around "The Community" and this one was no exception, we'd hoped to be away doing something similar at Easter but restrictions did not allow, as such when we tentatively rearranged for the May Bank Holiday in the hope that Covid guidelines would allow just about all of those booked for Easter swiftly transferred across to the new date. As such on a damp, cool Saturday morning we met: Alistair & Iain; Maccy & Helen; Simon & Amy; Andy and Ian outside Killin Outdoor Centre. After a range of last minute items were purchased from local stores we set off to an arranged access point to Loch Tay in the area of Ardeonaig.

The earlier wet weather gave way to sunny intervals and the vehicle shuttle down to Aberfeldy was completed. We set off in flat calm conditions across the loch overlooked by Ben Lawers and its  surrounding subsidiaries all capped with snow whilst banks of misty cloud lingered just beneath their summits. In the sunshine the air felt warm but returning cloud brought a chill that didn't feel much like May!

There are one or two excellent wild camping spots on the north shore of the loch and we were delighted to find our planned target occupied by just a solitary fisherman for the night, the area was plenty big enough for us to share without us compromising his quest for solitude. The entire party had, rarely for a "Community" trip, all opted for tents on this occasion and we were quickly set up along with a communal tarp area for eating and socialising later in the evening. A late afternoon arrival allowed time for half a dozen of us to head off up the loch for a short paddle with unladen boats, however, a freshening wind ahead of a sharp shower curtailed this slightly and we returned to cook. Evening meal choices were varied but the Masterchef winner was undoubtedly Mr Johnson with his pan fried duck breast, asparagus and some sort of French beans!

There was much local dry firewood and as food was completed and darkness fell the evening saw "The Community" at its finest with much outdoor, socially distanced conversation and good humour continuing until late!

The night was a cold one, I slept well in a brand new Alpkit SkyeHigh 900 sleeping bag, Marion less well - feeling the cold slightly and now thinking that a new sleeping bag should be on the "wanted list"!

It was a bright sunny morning with just the lightest of breeze which aided our journey in an easterly direction towards Kenmore. Most of us dispensed with a layer for this leg of the trip, however, by the time we had reached the abandoned village of Lawers where we stopped to explore the sunshine had once again left us and the temperature plummeted. Despite having completed this journey on about seven previous occasions I've never stopped to explore Lawers, in fact to my ignorance I didn't even know it existed until this past weekend - its history including accounts of the mysterious Lady of Lawers is now on my reading list! Anyway, we continued on up the loch in mixed but fairly still conditions in the direction of Fearnan where we stopped for lunch. Below are some of the sunnier moments from the morning paddle

The more leisurely pace adopted on this trip allowed opportunity for wildlife observation, more specifically the bird activity was intense with a highlight being a Sparrow Hawk attempting to take a smaller bird from the water in a frenzy of activity and noise! Whilst eating lunch at Fearnan it was great to enjoy a short conversation with a local sailor about how the wind can behave on the loch, good knowledge! It was around four o'clock when we arrived on the island just offshore from Kenmore after paddling around 10 miles during the day. The island is another great camping spot and we were blessed to have it to ourselves for the evening. Another few hours in front of a roaring fire with good food and more conversation was enjoyed by everybody and it was nice to receive a visit from Beth Wallis who paddled out to visit us, great to catch up and even more local knowledge to be absorbed! From leaving Fearnan the temperature had noticeably dropped even further and as we looked back down the loch the snow line on the distant Ben More had descended markedly down the mountain - it was very cold for May and the weather forecasts, with some variability in their precision, were all predicting a rapidly deteriorating picture for the following day. As such the plan was hatched for an early start for the river section from Kenmore to Aberfeldy.

Up on the final morning for six o'clock we were on the water before seven thirty. The temperature continued to hover just above freezing and the breeze had changed direction to a south easterly. Its only a short paddle under the bridge at Kenmore to pick up the River Tay. The river level was low at just 0.5m on the Kenmore gauge but there was adequate water to get down with only minimal scraping. The highlight of the trip is undoubtedly the Chinese Bridge rapid, maybe 250m or so of excellent grade 2 water which although less bouncy at this level still provided great entertainment for us all. We continued on down to Aberfeldy in ever deteriorating conditions as the wind increased in strength adding chill to the already cold air. Its interesting to note the extent of beaver activity on the Tay, which is now extensive on the river and evident on the loch itself.

We were off the river before ten thirty and heading off on our various onward journeys.

What a great few days an opportunity to re-connect with real people; re-connect with our created environment; sharpen old skills and learn new ones, so good to be a part of this "Community".

Mal