Loch Gairloch and Eilean Horrisdale Kayak

The map calls it Loch Gairloch so that's what I'll call it - even though the double 'loch' seems unnecessary.  Setting off from Sands slipway I followed the coast around to the head of the loch, stopping at the golden sandy beach at the golf course for a wee rest.  I'd been along the N shore several times before and was well used to the low crags and rocky coastline - pleasant enough.  From here the coast increases in interest with low cliff plunging directly into the sea and lots to gaze at in the deep seaweed filled waters.  After rounding the An Ard peninsula I made straight for Rubha nan Eanntag, cutting out Gairloch Pier and Loch Kerry, where the 'glass bottomed' tour boat was pottering about under the crags.  From there  I rounded Eilean an t-Sabhail at the mouth of Loch Shieldaig.  A nice wee corner this with wooded shores and craggy coasts - the island itself hosted a tern colony, with its occupants intent on keeping the marauding gulls at bay. Closely following the shore from here under the low crags and rocks I made my way to Eilean Horrisdale through the narrows at Na Dunain.  The coast along here looked like prime otter and seal territory and I kept my eyes peeled for them all the way.  Apart from a few herons and the other usual birdlife nothing was showing.

I stopped on the island close to Tigh Ghobain with a good view cross to the busy bay at Badachro.  I had my camera ready when I heard russling in the bracken nearly, after a few minutes of moving bracken a troop of geese emerged into the foreshore.  Rounding the W coast of the island views over to Longa and along towards Port Henderson opened up.

 The sea was calm so I pottered about the low rounded coastal rocks and inlets until Camas Ruadh where I cut across to the small rocky islet of Glas Eilean about a km away.  This was gull city and most of the population made their presence known as I approached. From there another km,  and a seal encounter, took me to Gairloch beach again for a short stop before making my way along the N shore of the loch back to  Sands slipway - where I had the pleasant surprise of seeing Linda on the beach, perfect timing!

Weather: A nice day with a light wind from the NW.

Wildlife: Gulls, terns, geese (type?), herons, seal (type?)

Red Point, Torridon

A leisurely walk around Red Point peninsula.

There is a good car park at the end of the road that passes through Badachro and Port Henderson.  From there a signposted path passes Red Point farm to the South beach.  From the beach the path continues along the coast to the old Craig Youth Hostel, Lower Diabeg and eventually Torridon village.

There is an old fishing station  at the S end of the beach.  It looked as though one of the building had suffered from fire and in another some lobster fishing gear and cabling was stored.

At the N end of the beach there was a boat winch complete with boat - all in working order.  I saw three winches still positioned along  the route -  this one was the only one in working order, the other two looking rather rusted and forlorn.   The other two were at the South beach fishing station and on the southern shore of the North beach.

There is a good path that follows the coast between the two beaches - all pretty level.  Red Point itself is not particularly high but the rocky coast and wide ranging views across to Applecross and Skye are worth the effort.

Route details here.

Upper Loch Torridon

High tide and an easy put in at Torridon village was followed by a diagonal route across the loch in glassy seas.

The surrounding mountains reflected clearly in the water and a couple of seals followed me for a wee while.  The combination of calm seas and reflections somehow made it harder to stay balanced  - I think I was struggling to see the horizon and kept leaning to one side. After just over a mile and a half I arrived at the south shore at Stron an Dubh-aird.  From there I followed the south shore cutting across the mouths of the various bays (Obs).

By now the glassy sea had gone and there was a wind blowing down the loch from the West causing small waves.  Although the main road runs fairly close to the loch it wasn't visible until Ob Mheallaidh.  The coast was fairly low with the odd rocky outcrop, fish farm and house, behind and to the right was the grandeur of the Ben Alligin and Liathach whilst ahead was the low promontory that nearly closes off the loch at the narrows leading to Loch Shieldaig.

The plan had been to paddle across the narrows, current permitting, and make my way back by the north shore.  After a short rest stop I made my way along the coast of the promontory but as I reached Camas an Leim near to the tip the wind reached such a strength that I was hardly moving forward.  After ten minutes at less than one mile per hour I'd had enough, although tempted to try and cut across to the north shore at that point I decided to simply go with the wind and let it blow me back along the south shore.

The waves were bigger now and I fairly rattled along - that is until I was half way along the loch when I suddenly had wind in my face again. This seemed to be comimg down from Coire Mhic Nobuil between Ben Alligin and Liathach. This resulted in confused sea for a spell before the new NE wind started to dominate.  Not wishing to continue skipping along the tops of the waves now firmly coming from the NE I turned into them and made for the north shore, arriving just East of Torridon House.  In the lee of the mountains I was back to calm clear seas and enjoyed the short trip back to Torridon Village through mussel and seaweed covered rocks, small fish darting around the shallows and the odd bigger one jumping.

Gairloch - Lochs Kerry and Shieldaig

We are up at Big Sand near Gairloch for Summer holidays.   Since arriving a couple of days ago we've had a strong northerly wind, a bit of rain and generally dreich weather so we haven't really been inspired to get out.   Today broke dry and sunny, although still with a strong northerly wind.  Linda was up for a kayak so we made for the pier in Gairloch hoping that the bays there would be fairly sheltered. Calm enough at the pier but the wind was creating some decent waves further out.  We kept close to the shore and made for Loch Kerry.  As we left the harbour bay Linda found the left turn towards the loch a bit problematic and propelled by the following wind she proceeded straight on.  After a wee loop in the shelter of the pier wall we managed to turn into Loch Kerry.

Calm seas and pine trees down to the pink rocked water's edge made for pleasant paddling.   We followed the coast along to the entrance to Loch Shieldaig where the wind was picking up and blowing waves straight into the loch. 

We should have turned left into the loch but again Linda's left turn didn't work and we continued straight on into choppy seas.  We rafted up for a wee while but the wind simply kept blowing us further out into the bay.  We separated and all of a sudden Linda found her left turn. Pushed on by a following sea she was rattling into Loch Shieldaig, intent on landfall.

 As we'd previously agreed Linda beached near the road at the Shieldaig Hotel and I then made back for the car.  The wind had picked up and I encountered some decent sized waves as well as strong gusts of wind.  Cutting a few corners I was back at the car in 40 minutes and with Linda in under an hour.  Rest and recovery was at the Badachro Inn.

Map and Garmin trace.

Lismore

A fine clear day.  Perfect for heading out into Loch Linnhe and around the islands at the North end of Lismore. The start was at a fine lay-by beside the Sound of Shuna - good parking and easy access to the water.  A group of 5 kayakers had just put in when I arrived and set off down toward the marina at the South end of the sound. Didn't see them again until I arrived back -  wonder where they went?   Anyway, I headed straight across the Sound and followed the coast of Shuna to just opposite Castle Shuna. The castle didn't seem much to write home about and being surrounded by spruce plantations didn't help.  It was good though to see a couple of people busying themselves on the island farm - and the farmhouse standing proud and in good repair. Apparently the island was put up for sale in 2012 - for £1.85m.

From the calm crystal clear waters at the tip of Shuna I set off for the small islands sitting to the North of Lismore.  The islands are low lieing and occupied by nesting gulls and seals.  In fact the the first island I came to after the 1.5k crossing, a kelp covered rock really, was occupied by a group of seals who despite my efforts to sneak passed, dived into the water en masse, and soon I had their bobbing heads al around me.  Stopping for a short break on Eilean Gainimh I was haranged by the gulls who seemed to be nesting on the island.  Great views all around, right up Loch Linnhe to the NE and down to the Glen Sanda quarry to the SW - the Glencoe mountains visible to the E.

By now dark clouds had gathered to the South of Lismore and it looked as though someone was getting wet somewhere. It was still dry and sunny with me but the previously calm sea was now distinctly choppy and a fair old breeze was blowing up Loch Linnhe.  It didn't take long though to cross over to the islands and skerries around Port Ramsay on Lismore.  Passing to the E of Eliean Ramsay, I spotted another seal colony on the outer skerries - this time they stayed put as I headed towards the peninsula at the S end of Port Ramsay bay.

The green ridge, Glas Dhrium, on the peninsula had some visible remains of lime workings - a lime kiln and a couple of ruined cottages.  Lismore was the centre of a substantial lime industry over a hunded years ago with coal for the kilns being brought in from Glasgow by boats that returned full of lime.  I would see more lime workings later near Port Ramsay village and on Eilean nan Caorach. 

On my way N I picked my way through the islands of Port Ramsay to the northern tip of Lismore, pausing before crossing the channel to allow the fast 'worker' ferry from Glen Sanda quarry to pass.  Quickly crossing the tidal stream, which did it's best to try a push me round the 'wrong' side of Eilean nan Caorach, I paused to have a look at the lime workings on the island. Substantial, with a large lime kiln and a couple of the old cottages still roofed and in good repair.

Another quick channel crossing took me to Castle Stalker and from there it was back up the coast to the car.   All in all a great day - great views and weather and calm seas.

Garmin details and GPX file: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/185927903

Loch Etive - Sea Kayak

Headed for Loch Etive as I thought it would be a bit more sheltered than the open sea. In the event a strong NE wind was blowing down the loch making the journey up slower than anticipated. Put in was at Bonawe quarries with scenery for the first mile or so affected by quarry working along the north coast of the loch.

 A good number of fishermen around here though, some fishing from what looked like the floating hull of an old steamer with a portacabin dropped on top. I followed the North coast of the loch up passed a large number of mussel farms.  All of them seemed to be out of operation as there were no ropes hanging from them just a series of large plastic floats links by horizontal ropes.  This apparently is due to a different and inferior strain of mussels colonising the farms throughout the loch - all the farm owners have agreed to keep their farms dormant in an effort to eliminate the new strain. The scenery really opened up as I crossed the widest part of the loch with Ben Cruachan over my right shoulder and the Glen Etive hills, including the conical Ben Starav, dead ahead - beautiful.

As the loch narrows again, just at Rubha Bharr there is a lovely sandy beach and camping spot.  From here the north shore is covered in a mature deciduous woodland with the odd house hidden in the trees.

 Just after an old stone pier I turned and made for the south shore which I would follow back down towards the Bonawe narrows.  At first this side of the loch was more open and shallow with sandy bays and the odd rocky island before becoming wooded closer to the narrows.  I paused at one of the islets - one that I'd stopped at over 25 years ago on  kayak trip to the head of the loch - which was followed by a run over the hills and a bike back to Taynuilt from Victoria bridge.  I still recognised the spot where we'd 'parked' the kayaks amongst the rocks and seaweed and remembered the presence of seals in the area.  Looking around, sure enough, there was one tailing me yet again.

Weather:  Overcast, windy but dry

Wildlife:  A mink on the north shore near camus na Cuirte; seals (2) on small skerries on the north coast near Rubha Bharr; seals on the skerries near Inverliver Bay (south coast)

Garmin details and GPX file: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/185927939

Ardmucknish Bay

It was the Queen's diamond jubilee weekend with two days public holiday, and we were up at North Ledaig caravan park near Connel. From the caravan we had a fantastic view across Ardmucknish Bay to Mull and Moidart  and,  more to the point, only about a hundred yards or so to the shingle beach.  So when the first morning broke calm and clear I was quickly on the water and heading over towards Dunstaffnage.

The Bay was shallow, with the bottom clearly visible until the crossing to Eilean Mor.  This is the entrance to Loch Etive and there was a strong flood out of the loch that quickly took me over to the island. From there to the peninsula that houses Dunstaffnage Castle was a short hop.  The castle was surrounded by trees so there was not a lot I could see but at the first bay (Camas Rubha na Liathaig) up the coast the new college being built at Dunstaffnage came into view, a large rather dominating structure.  The coast from there towards Oban was  made up of small rocky outcrops and grassy slopes with a large fish farm just offshore.  Ganavan came into view, unexpectedly revealing modern flats and housing rather than the expected caravan and camping park.  It's a nice spot and I'm sure the houses brought in a lot more money that the campsite ever would.  The houses though aren't too intrusive and well laid out.

After a short stop and given time constraints I made back rather than going the extra mile to Oban - pity.  On the way back I took the passage at Eilean Mor into Dunstaffnage Bay and round the other side of the island.

The tide had turned and water was flooding into Loch Etive - I was surprised to see on the Garmin trace of my route that I'd taken a sharp deviation upstream as I hit the current.  Not something I'd been aware off.  Wildlife wise there was nothing much to report.  Weather - sunny and calm.

Garmin details and GPX file: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/185927957