Loch Hourn and Barrisdale

I'd had the weekend at the end of October penciled in for a trip up North for a wee while - given that Linda was going to be away in York with her pals.  My original plan was to stay in Glen Nevis hostel on Friday night and then to make for Loch Morar on Saturday for a paddle, camping out either at the head of the loch near Oban Bothy or, after a short portage, on the shores of Loch Nevis near Tarbet.  Everything went according to plan until I arrived at Loch Morar.  The forecast gale force winds and heavy rain had turned the loch into a maestrom.  Looking for a more relaxed paddle I turned to my map.  The winds were from the South so Loch Hourn on the northern edge of Knoydart looked like it might offer more favourable conditions - only 20 miles from where I was but by road a trip of over 60 miles, including 21 on the narrow road from Loch Garry to Kinloch Hourn.  It was well worth it. The head of the loch was calm, the water inviting.

I set off at the end of the ebb tide with Barrisdale in mind as an overnight stop. Although relatively calm (most of the time) I was hit by a steady stream of squalls that drenched me and regularly brought me to a standstill - nevertheless it was a great wee paddle of about 2 hours down to Barrisdale.  No difficulty at the narrows at Caolas Mor although the tide had by now turned.  The main problem was getting far enough into Barrisdale Bay to avoid a long kayak haul.  Managed to get to within about 200 m of the North shore of the bay before I had to get out and drag - by now the tide was flooding back in and by the time I'd fitted the kayak wheels I was back in shin depth water!.  I headed along the track looking for a spot to camp and also for the bothy that I'd read was in the vicinity.  Just after Barrisdale House I bumped into the gamekeeper (the only permanent resident of the bay area) and he pointed out the bothy - about 100m passed his house and about 1 km from the shore.  Given that  the wind and rain by now were building up again a night in the bothy sounded a better option than the tent.  It's a posh wee bothy with electricity, a toilet and running water!  No other residents there so I enjoyed a quiet night with a book (Kindle!) and a bottle of red.

On looking out next morning I was greeted by a calm, dry day and a group of stags - although during the night a storm had raged blowing my kayak across the track.  I set off on the return trip at high tide, making it an easier haul to the water's edge, but a paddle all the way to the head of the loch in an ever strengthening ebb tide.  The flow at Caolas Mor was certainly building up but I sneaked around the north shore and only had around 50m to paddle into the teeth of it.  If it had been a problem it would have been easy enough to haul over the spit of land at the narrows.  The rest of the trip was a lovely calm paddle up the loch taking about an hour longer than the way out given the direction of the tide.  Overall a great loch to paddle - narrow, enclosed, spectacular mountains, plenty of wildlife and glorious isolation.  I'll certainly be back.

Interesting facts?  No road in or out of Barrisdale - sea or foot is the only way in -  and no roads along either shoreline.   All the cottages along the loch appeared to be in good condition - probably used as holiday homes.  Loch Hourn = 'Loch Hell' - see wikipedia.  Barrisdale - spelt with two 'r's on the OS map and one inside the bothy   Just in case you're bothered - check out this paper (extract below)!

Wildlife? Herons galore, one about every 200 metres.  One seal on the way out at Eilean Mhogh-sgeir and  about ten of them on the way back about half a km east of the island.  (resting on a rock on the North shore until they all jumped in for a nosey as I passed by).  At the cottages east of Caolas Mor I found a John Dory lying on the surface, barely alive.  ....and of course the stags in Barrisdale and another group at the side of the road at Loch Quoich.

More photos on Picasa.



Barrisdale, dale of Barri (or: dale of Barre) A Norse name, like Arnisdale means ‘dale of Arne’. Real West Coast people prefer the spelling with double r , as the maps’ll have it, because of the way older people (i.e. the native Gaelic speakers) pronounce(d) it – e.g. the grandmother of Iain Warren, stalker of the Barrisdale estate at the time we write this. Peter MacRae as well is of the opinion that this is the correct spelling. We must note, however, that Barisdale with a single r is the habitual spelling of present day estate owners, and thus it is the form in which it will often appear in public, as on signs, letterheads etc.