14th – 15th : Loch Nevis

On 14th June two Members set off from Mallaig harbour to paddle to the head of Loch Nevis.  It was a grey day, but the sea was glassy calm, so good progress was made to the first stop behind Eilean Giubhais with the added bonus of a golden eagle flying along the shore.  After turning into the inner loch, it was past the fish farms and Stoul with its profusion of lazy beds on the slopes behind before sharing lunch at Tarbet with a small flock of Mallards.  There was very little tidal movement as the pair paddled through the narrows between Kylesmorar and Kylesknoydart before following the south shore of the loch past the ruins at Ardnamurach and on to the head of the loch.  The tide was well out by the time they reached the camp spot at Eilean Tioram about one kilometre west of Surlies bothy and under the imposing peak of Sgurr na Ciche. Having erected the tents and gathered firewood they were looking forward to a sociable evening by the fire.  However, the rain and the midges had other ideas, and the evening was spent huddled in tents avoiding these curses of the highland summer! 

Day two dawned grey and quiet and the pair were on the water early to catch the narrows at slack tide.  They passed behind Eilean Maol and past Camusrory Lodge before following the north shore of the loch to Kylesknoydart where they took a short break.  Again, there was no tidal movement through the narrows, and they paddled on past Braomisaig and on to Inverie where they visited the Old Forge for a bowl of soup.  As they ate, a breeze started to pick up so they quickly launched and paddled round Inverie Bay before crossing again to Eilean Giubhais.  The wind and waves had picked up, but they hugged the shore which afforded them some shelter until Mallaig Bheag where wind against tide made the sea conditions more challenging.  However, they were soon turning into the harbour area where they glimpsed an otter swimming happily mid channel!

A great paddle with history on all sides.  We look on these shores as remote and deserted, but not so long ago every sizable burn would have at its mouth a family home or small settlement where children played as adults toiled at the lazy beds and the fishing. As kayakers we are privileged to be able to paddle close to the shore and see the ruins of these places slowly disappearing under the vegetation and with a bit of imagination hear the echoes of the past.

Distance paddled: approx. 50km

Paddlers : Ruth and Joan

20th – 22nd : Torrin

The good weather was just clinging on by its fingertips as seventeen members past and present converged on Torrin from all corners on Friday 20th June.  The forecast was good for the Saturday but not for Sunday.  Plans were made for one group to paddle from Elgol on the shores of Loch Scavaig to Loch Coruisk and the other group from the bunkhouse to Spar cave close to the end of the Strathaird peninsula.  

The first group of six paddlers was up and away early to drive to the put in at Elgol where the sea was glassy calm and the sky a threatening grey.  From there the group made good time to their first stop at Camasunary where they landed to have a look at the new bothy on the path between Sligachan and Elgol.  Another four kilometres took them into Loch na Cuilce and within sight of the Coruisk memorial hut which was built in 1959 in memory of two young climbers who lost their lives while climbing on Ben Nevis in 1953.  Having parked the kayaks well above the high tide line the paddlers made their way by the well-trod tourist path along the river which flows from Loch Coruisk over wide stone slabs into the sea. When in sight of the loch one cannot but be impressed by the grandeur of the surrounding Cuillin mountains.  By the time they had returned to the kayaks and eaten lunch the wind had picked up and as they left the shelter of Loch na Cuilce for a time they were paddling into quite a strong headwind. However, as they rounded Rubha Ban and crossed to Cladach a Ghlinne the sea state calmed somewhat, and they had an uneventful (apart from a sea eagle sighting!) paddle back to Elgol. 

The ten strong stay-at-home group opted to go from Torrin Bunkhouse front door and head south along the Strathaird peninsula which is on the west side of Loch Slapin. Their goal was Spar Cave, 9 km away and unfortunately into the wind all the way. They opted to take a refreshment break halfway there at Kilmarie on a handy shingle beach. It was a weekend of food, food and more food after all! The entrance to the cave is accessed by a narrow inlet of about 60 meters not much wider than a kayak that has vertical cliff walls some 30 meters high. It would not be a good place to be with a 2-meter-high swell running into it. Thankfully there wasn’t and they could all paddle in safely to the beach at the back of the inlet.  It was decided to split into 2 groups to explore the cave, one group watching the boats while the other group disappeared into the depths with head torches for an exploration of the flowstone staircase. It was spectacular and well worth the effort of paddling against the wind to get there. The return journey was made much easier with having the wind behind as they reversed their route back to Torrin.  A superb sighting of an eagle on the way back was the icing on the cake! 

Good to note that eagles were sighted on all the club’s trips in June. However, sad to say there were very few sightings of other seabirds one would expect to see in the waters around our coast like manx shearwaters, guillemots and razorbills.  

Paddlers:

Coruisk- Iain D, Jill S, Peter K, Joan, Chris and Kate

Spar Cave – Mike, Kirsty, Elizabeth, John J, John C, Petra, Bill & Elvire, Ewen & Andrea