Water Rats Tour of the Outer Hebrides

The annual Water Rats cycle took place between the 6th and 10th June this year (2013) - the mission? To cycle from Barra/Vatersay to the Butt of Lewis.

20 cyclists plus 2 support crew (van) set out - the biggest group on a Water Rats tour to date.  Needless to say we completed our mission, having stunning weather all the way and even time having time for a couple of  swims off Vatersay and Berneray.  As in previous years I was the routemaster and blogger.  Follow the link below to read the blog.

Tour Blog

Photos

Garmin route files:
Day 1 - Barra and Vatersay
Day 2 - Barra to South Harris
Day 3 - South Harris to Butt of Lewis
Day 4 - Butt of Lewis to Stornoway

Corrieyairick Pass

Sunshine, snow on the hills, no wind - perfect for a bike and run from Laggan to the top of the Corrieyairick Pass.

Old lodge on the road out of Laggan

Garva Bridge

A trip through wonderful open countryside with hardly another soul around. Except that is for the workers on the temporary access road for the new Beaully Denny power line - this runs all the way from the Spey Dam to about a mile short of the pass itself.   Surprisingly it didn't detract too much from the trip itself. The new line with bigger pylons will replace the current lower voltage line. The tarred road, following Wade's road,  runs all the way from Laggan to Melgarve giving easy access to the start of the climb to the pass.    Some 'improvement' work had been done on the road out of Melgarve consisting of a soft sand topping and large stone water barriers every hundred yards - both making cycling a bit awkward.

Near Megarve

'Improved road ' from Melgarve

 I persisted on the bike though until the road turns into the corrie proper then put on my fell shoes for the rest of the route to the top of the pass. There was still a fair amount of snow at the head of the corrie with the final series of hairpins completely snow covered.

The Corrieyairick hairpins

On the hairpins

Great views from the top and an easy descent directly down through the snowfield took me quickly back to the bike.  The early evening return trip was enhanced by the setting sun which seemed to bring out the wildlife with red deer crowding the strath all the way from Melgarve to Garva Bridge and birdlife out around the Spey Dam.
 
30 miles there and back (4 running).

Corrieyairick summit

OMM2012 - Howgill Fells

It was good to be back doing the OMM after a break of 4 years.  The last attempt was in 2008  - the year of the great flood, the cancellation of the event after day 1 and the hoo-ha in the media over the 'unaccounted for'.  I did it with Bruce again (partner since our first OMM (KIMM) in 1985) - and we prudently took on the short score.   I hadn't done a lot of training but we did alright in the end - coming in 56th out of 130 finishers, and more importantly doing pretty well with the navigation, certainly not losing any points on that account.  Given our level of fitness it is difficult to see how we could have managed any better.

Day one was clear and bright but very cold (below zero) and windy - with the tops being clear navigation was straightforward. Our tactic was to take a fairly direct route to the camp site and pick up the high scoring points close to it - our key target of a 40 pointer was, however, to remain elusive.  Rolling grass covered hills made for easy terrain although some of the climbs were on the steep side - particularly the climb out of Bowderdale to Randygill Top.  All in all though a straightforward and enjoyable day with 150 points in the bag and 73rd place.

Overnight camp was in a grazed field below Wild Boar Fell - it was dry and spacious.  We were watered, fed and into bed by 7pm  - giving us a good 12 hours to toss and turn before the morning reveille at 6am (remember the clocks went back an hour during the night!).  Our start time was 8.21.

Day two broke drizzly and overcast and it remained that way throughout the day.  The tops were in cloud meaning that navigation was going to be a wee bit more challenging.  Overall though it wasn't too bad as there were plenty of paths, dykes, fences etc to help our route finding. The only stretch of bare high moorland with really low visibility was the traverse across the top of Brant Fell  The highlight (!) of the day was the climb up onto the Brant Fell Plateau - steep and unrelenting with a wee rock scramble at the end to find the checkpoint.  Lack of training was starting to show at the end as my ankles and leg muscles began to ache.  Hot soup immediately after crossing the finish line soon put that right - the organisers' had also laid on a bus back to event centre, where more food was on offer.  Certainly was appreciated.  Day two position was 40th with 105 points - we always do better in poor conditions!

All in all a fantastic two days.

PS:  We came in 25th out of 65 in the vets handicap.

Day 1 Route:

Day 2 Route:

Loch Lomond - End to End Swim

The Water Rats swim relay down Loch Lomond was held on a day of blustery conditions.  Water temperature, at 11 degrees wasn't too great either.

The start of the relay was particularly difficult as strong northerly wins blew down the loch whipping up waves and sometimes even small tornadoes!  The first swimmer (Alan) was in the water at Ardlui by 7am and we finished just after 6pm at Balloch. The top section of the loch was done by solo swimmers doing one hour stints - as we got further down pairs and eventually groups entered the water for half hour shifts.

At Balloch, when Gordon and Julie stepped out of the water there must have been ten in the loch. All in all it was a fantastic day of energetic pursuits and camaraderie - all done in memory of Gordon and Julie's wee boy Adam.We were well supported on the water by the Loch Lomond water rangers and Michael in his nice new cruiser, with many others beavering away in the background.

I had brought my kayak and had planned to paddle a fair bit of the route.  I put in at Inveruglas just after 7 am and made my way up the loch.    It was very difficult going with strong squalls often bringing me to a halt but I eventually met up with the support boats at Ardvorlich.  Given the conditions I decided to paddle back down to Inveruglas and get onto the support boat there.  After a small incident where my kayak blew off the pier and I nearly lost the contents of my dry bag (including wallet) I decided it was safer to paddle out to the boat and get on board there.  With the kayak safely stowed I entered the water for my swim at 10am - water was cold but bearable, although I never fully warmed up and my legs were often on the verge of cramp.  With the waves making sighting and sometimes breathing difficult I was pretty happy when my shift was over and I was pulled into the rangers' boat.

After that I enjoyed the trip down the loch watching the various swimmers and helping them in and out of the boat.  By the time we reached Luss the water was starting to calm down a bit so I put the kayak in the water and from there on helped to guide the swimmers and warn off marauding speed boaters.  After the shelter of the islands the wind and chop picked up again making the trip south pretty hard work  Three and a half hours in the kayak with no food and drink meant I came out with a raging hunger and thirst.

This was sated at  'The Carrick'  where Gordon's and Lynnsey's mums had laid on a spread.  Home by 10.30pm and a Sunday of tired and aching limbs.

All in it was a fantastic journey from the dark enclosed and windswept northern loch to the open greener south - with a host of great people coming and going along the route.

Click here for John Dyer's photo chronicle of the day's events.

Longa Island

Good weather was predicted and Linda was keen to get back out onto the water - a trip along Sands beach was the order of the day. There was a breeze from the NW as we set off from the Sands Campsite slipway planning to make our way along the beach to the old fishing station.

Great views, warm sunshine and small waves coming through Caolas Beag - and gannets off Lunga plunging into the sea. After a short stop at the fishing station we made our way back, doing it in about half the time it took to get there due to the tailwind.

Given the calm conditions and after leaving Linda back at the slipway I decided to have a crack at circumnavigating Longa Island.  Most days I'd looked over to the island the N/NW wind had been creating quite a bit of swell and smashing into the N shore.  Today I hoped that the more exposed far end of the island would have light seas - the only way to find out was to go there! The crossing was relatively calm and the waters at the E end were dead smooth making it easy to look into the kelp forests and watch the numerous small fish that they contained.  The calm conditions continued along the N shore although a slight swell did start to develop closer to the W turning point.  Earlier in the day I'd spotted a nuclear sub making its way up the far side of Longa into the Minch, half way along the N coast I spotted it again - this time coming back down.  It was fairly rattling along and soon passed well to the W of the island as I turned the corner to make my way down the W side of the island.  Here I also met a couple of like minded souls, kayakers going round the island in the opposite direction.  Seas were now a bit more confused due to the swell but the NW wind was picking up again and soon pushed me round the corner onto the S coast.  A great feeling of open seas at this point with views up the coast to Rua Rheid, across the Minch to the Shiants and Harris, to Skye and Rona and southwards to Redpoint and Applecross.  So far the coast had been made up of low cliffs and rocky outcrops  - all fairly dark and uninviting.  The S coast although similarly cliff based and indented was more welcoming with white barnacle covered rocks. I suppose that the sun was shining on this coast so it was going to look brighter! There did seem to be more birdlife though and as I turned onto the S coast I encountered a wildlife boat - they seemed to be looking at the birds nesting on the cliffs. Difficult to identify them but one flew passed, all black and showing a white patch on its wing - black guillemots?

I stopped at the boulder beach of Eag Mhor. Longa at this point is nearly cut in two and a short walk over low heath takes you to a similar bay on the N coast, Camas na Rainich.  I went as far as the mid point where I has fantastic views over both the N and S bays - the local gull population didn't seem too chuffed and kicked up a bit of a noise over the crags on either side.  Back on the water I explored the nooks and crannies along the length of the coast.  In doing this I managed to upset another gull. A black backed gull had been watching me from a rock, as I turned into a sheltered corner after the rock I spotted three young gulls in the water - at this the adult gull took off and proceeeded to repeatedly dive bomb me.   Later at Stron na Caillich I passed through a colony of shags - or were they cormorants? Views from here up into Garloch and across to the Torridon mountains were superb.

When I got back to the E end of the island the wind had picked up and there was a bit of a fetch developing in Caolas Beag. Pushed by the wind and waves I made rapid progess back to the slipway at Sands, spotting Linda on the beach when I was half way across.
Plenty bird life but no action in the water, not even a seal. Well, we did see a seal just off Sands beach before we set off but I would have expected a few more around Longa! I'd also spoken to a few folks who had mentioned recent sightings of porpoises and dolphins off Longa - not in luck today though.

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.