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

Easter Paddling

A total of 138 days had elapsed since last paddling a canoe, possibly the longest gap in 30 years of canoeing and kayaking! Post lockdown comeback day was Good Friday and a day of 1:1 coaching on moving water at a site on the England-Scotland border. Conditions were near perfect with bright sunshine; little wind - possibly another six inches of water is all we could have asked for.

We should have been away on our annual Community Easter Canoe Expedition from Good Friday until the middle of this week, unfortunately for the second year running Covid had its say and we were unable to go. Most of the team who were due to be on expedition opted to head out for a day of "mellow touring" on a section of river Marion & I had never paddled before. The trip was essentially through the tidal section of the river and provided a mixture of urban & rural scenery - it was also Charis' first ever river trip paddling a kayak, she did well! Amongst the seemingly inevitable debris that seems to mar our urban rivers we saw: Kingfishers, Heron & Redshank. It was very much not our usual day on the river but nevertheless a really enjoyable trip.

Mal

 

Canoe Trip: Galloway Forest

 Date:    29-31 October 2020

Team:    Simon & Amy; Ian-T; Adrian; Andy Johnson; Marion & Me

So, this is the last catch up instalment before we make an attempt to get back to "real-time" blogging!

Marion & Andy as we utilised a temporary raft for crossing one of the lochans

Even if someone was to read this specific article in 25 or maybe 50 years time there'd be no mistaking or forgetting that 2020 was "Pandemic Year", writing at the end of February 2021 there remain only the first green shoots of recovery as the vaccine roll out programme proceeds.

As such 2020 was very much a year with a difference, the early Spring canoe trip had been cancelled and although there was much time spent paddling, climbing and trekking in the high fells the whole shape of the year was very different. This was the backdrop to us trying to squeeze a late extended trip into the year. I'd long been looking at a few trip reports from the Galloway Forest area: descriptions such as "Little Canada" were intriguing and the travel distance from our North Cumbrian base is relatively short, indeed we had already ran numerous micro-expeditions on Loch Doon with school and Community Groups.

We arrived at Loch Doon castle car park late afternoon on the last Friday of October half term, Marion and I being the last to make it, as usual underestimating travel times when towing the canoe trailer! Our initial intention had been to make an evening start, however, torrential rain and gale force winds, which had been well forecast, forced a makeshift first night.

First night we ever camped in the new van

Saturday morning couldn't have been more of a contrast to the previous evening: a mirror calm Loch Doon; blue sky & sunshine! We set off from the castle car park heading back towards the dam in good spirits. It was good to welcome Simon & Amy on their first "Community Trip" - a father daughter combination with Amy being our youngest ever extended trip member!

Beautiful morning on Loch Doon

We fratched around for a while looking for the best place to start our first portage, which was just under 2km mainly on forestry track, up to Loch Finlas. We opted to do a short section on the single track road which runs down the side of Loch Doon in order to avoid a carry over rough ground and although crossing a few contour lines the uphill portage wasn't too demanding.

Various stages of the first portage

Loch Finlas was a beautiful place to be, there was a fresh breeze directly in our faces, manageable but in order to make things a little more comfortable for the solo paddler we used painters to make a temporary raft, its a very short portage across a short section of (Water Authority?) road on into Derlach Loch for another 1km paddle. The landing from this lochan and subsequent 1.7km generally uphill portage is a strange part of the trip, the various water works in the area both old and new don't sit well in an otherwise pleasant forested landscape.

Loch Finlas & "The Bit In-Between"

The late afternoon portage from Derlach Loch to Loch Bradon wasn't my favourite part of the day, in contrast though the arrival at Loch Bradon and subsequent crossing of it just above the dam was superlative. The bright sun, occasionally interrupted by passing cloud produced an incredible light the green forestry background producing a dark band between the shimmering lake & the at times azure blue sky. As if to add to the suggestions of "Little Canada" we were rewarded by the sight of a float plane landing & taking off next to us, none of us had ever been so close to such a spectacle!

Loch Bradon

Our selected exit point from Loch Bradon, was with hindsight an error, opting to cross some rough ground in order to access the forest track for the next portage was hard work! A better choice would have been to paddle across to the Forestry Commission car park and take a slightly longer portage down the track. It was hard work crossing the rough country, however, the trolley portage through the conifers under the light of a full moon was a first for me and a memorable experience. 

Portage by moonlight

The conditions were still fine as we pitched our tents around a small leisure area in the middle of the forest just shy of Loch Riecawr - it was a comfortable night. However, we went to bed knowing that a weather system was forecast to be coming through with dubious timing. It was our hope, based on the forecasts, that it might come through late morning or even early afternoon. Sadly, the more pessimistic forecast proved to be correct and the wind speed was already well on its way towards the predicted 50mph by the time we had got up, it was accompanied by monsoon like rain! As such rather than our planned crossing of Loch Riecawr & descent of Carrick Lane (which we had hoped to paddle and line where necessary) we reluctantly went for the option of a 4km portage back to our vehicles.

Miserable final portage in the storm

The portage was a good call, the wind speed increased rapidly and a closer view of Loch Riecawr revealed it to be un-paddleable in the conditions, similarly Carrick Lane (the river flowing back into Loch Doon would have been a challenging prospect even with unloaded boats. 

This is an interesting area to journey through by open canoe and there are several possible combinations for trips of varying duration. Being prepared to portage is essential and there will be too much portaging for many. I have read one or two accounts of folk not feeling entirely welcome in the area, we experienced no such problems although it should be said we didn't encounter many people. Given its proximity and diversity its definitely an area we will consider visiting further beyond simply paddling on Loch Doon

You can also find an account of this trip on our YouTube Channel

Canoe Trip: Ardnamurchan, April 2019

Date:     Easter 2019

Team:     Maccy & Helen; Andy Johnson; Adrian; Thompa; Alex Mc; Tom; Ian; Marion & Me

Two Hobos Sitting on a Canoe

Marion & I headed up to Strontian with Alex & Tom - I love the drive to this area: quick visit to the Green Welly; Corran Ferry - all good! We were to spend the first night camping at Sunart Camping & Cycle Hire which is a great spot. After eating at the Ariundle Centre we met up with Andy, Thompa, Maccy & Helen at the Strontian Hotel for a couple of drinks - it was a great start to the week!

Ian & Adrian arrived on cue bright and early the next morning to the already well forecast issue of high winds - South Westerlies gusting well over 40 mph. Stood at the car park in Strontian considering our options it was great to bump into Colin Skeath (of canoe circumnavigation of Britain fame) - we chatted about our plans and Colin offered us some useful local insight. Maccy, Adrian and I ran the shuttle down to Lochaline, our plan had been finalised, we would go with our initial intentions and broadly speaking: Paddle Loch Sunart from Strontian to Carna; hang a left into Loch Teacuis; portage to Loch Doire nam Mart; line on to Loch Arienas; paddle the River Aline & Loch Aline. The high winds were to rob of us of any meaningful progress on the first day and we simply waited for the right tide to make a short hop to an island just off shore for our first night camping. The time spent there on this first day was excellent: talking; cooking; a bit of canoe sailing and even a bit of snorkelling on the lea side of the island!

Good Times

The morning dawned with what was still initially about a force three wind blowing straight down Loch Sunart from west to east. The tide was right so we headed off on an open crossing straight over the loch to pick up what lea we could from the higher ground to the south before heading west, whether the wind dropped a little or the strategy just worked progress was absolutely fine and we paddled down the loch with curious seals swimming close by and porpoises spotted too. We made swift progress down to Carna and made the left turn into Loch Teacuis around slack water.

Ad & Thompa heading down Loch Sunart

Loch Teacuis remains a gem of a secluded place, although in the 14 years that I had been away I would have to say that the fences and gates which have appeared at the head of the loch & the extensive de-forestation that has taken place do detract from its former appearance. We paddled down the loch with the benefit of an flooding tide and had some further encounters with the local seal population, progress towards the end of the loch was swift and by mid afternoon we were searching for a campsite. Previously camping in the woods close to the edge of the loch had been a very agreeable experience, unfortunately much of this tree cover has now been torn down leaving behind it the devastation which is sadly so commonplace with forestry operations. We finally found what could only be described as a rank, dank, minging area of woodland - some chose to pitch tents and hang hammocks, Marion & I along with Ian chose to make our calculations and take our chances in the inter-tidal margins. Marion & I electing for the slightly more risky option set an alarm for something around 4 am which was about half an hour before high water - just to make sure we didn't get flooded out. The picture shows how close we cut it!!

About a metre to spare at high water!

Ian's tent the following morning - looks safer but there wasn't much in it!

Wednesday morning was sunny with only the slightest of wind and we made short time of arriving at Kinloch Teacuis. This was to be the start of our only portage of the trip - up on to the single track road for a mixture of trolley portage and carrying to the tussock grass above the lochan of Loch Doire nam Mart in order to be afloat again. It was by now a pleasantly warm early Spring day and under bright blue skies the portage could have been worse!

The hard road!

By the time we had reached the edge of Loch Doire nam Mart and spent a little time re-fuelling the wind had freshened considerably to possibly a Force 4/5 in our faces and it was a bit of a pull across this lochan. Our exit point was a small burn not much wider than a canoe where a combination of lining on painters and a little wading precluded the need for any further portage. Arrival at the stunning Loch Arienas still presented us with a windy outlook, as such we opted to paddle only a short distance to an excellent sandy campsite where we cooked mussels collected on Loch Teacuis.

Me close to the end of the burn!

Thursday morning was once again heralded with blue skies and sunshine, the wind having dropped right off we headed across this beautiful loch to the source of the River Aline. I've paddled the river a couple of times and known it to be a pleasant run at around grade 2. However, on the day it was empty and a combination of paddling where we could, guiding on painters and pushing and shoving was necessary. Again the warm sunshine made for positive conditions. Close to the end of the river we stopped for a late morning lunch, I had a bit of whisky left so took in an impromptu Maundy Thursday last supper - it was quite poignant in this environment & to be sharing it with good friends.

Maundy Thursday, whisky with friends

The final exit of the river into Loch Aline is quite an interesting point. I've only ever been here at low tide when the drop is substantial and as such have lined down, however, I do have friends who have encountered the same location at high water and paddled this section. Once again the former was the situation on the day & so we enjoyed lining our laden craft back into salty water.

Ian, Helen, Alex & Tom at various stages of the approach to the final drop into Loch Aline

The tide had turned by the lime we were organised and afloat again so although pretty windless, progress was a little slow on this last afternoon of the trip as we lazily passed large moored steel vessels in the harbour. After sorting the shuttle a few of us opted to stay an extra night at Sunart Camping, as such another night in the Strontian Hotel was in order! It all worked out pretty well as it enabled us to drop Thompa off at Glasgow airport on the way home for his onward trip to Poland.

Yet another splendid few days in an outstanding canoeing environment, a trip with everything!

Maz & I in the presence of a large vessel at the Loch Aline quayside

You can also find an account of this trip on our YouTube Channel