18th – 19th September – Loch Nevis
After the wettest of summers everyone was holding out for an Indian summer…and by golly the week beginning 16th September certainly delivered with perfect weather to undertake one of the calendar’s notional paddles to the head of Loch Nevis. The short notice meant that only two members set off from the slip below the boardwalk and paddled past the Lord of the Isles before turning into Loch Nevis on the calmest of seas under the bluest of skies. An hour of easy paddling brought the pair to the beach behind Eilean Giubhais for a quick cuppa before turning into the loch proper. After passing the fish farms they reached Stoul where great swathes of the hillsides are covered in the parallel lines of old lazy beds. Another quick stop was taken at Ardintigh before they paddled past Tarbet Bay and into the swirling waters of the narrows where the spring tide was gathering pace. Around 6km later they arrived at Sourlies Bothy where mercifully the tide was well in (it can dry out for over a kilometre there!). After a quick look round the bothy the paddlers returned to their boats and paddled round to the narrow stretch of land leading out to Eilean Tioram where they pitched the tents on a narrow stretch of raised ground behind the beach. Having anxiously watched the tide creeping ever closer to the tents a quick dinner was cooked after high water before the pair turned in for the night watched over by a herd of deer who were totally unconcerned by their presence.
The morning dawned bright, clear and windless and the paddlers were on the water early to catch the ebb tide going back through the narrows. Here the views to the sunbathed white buildings on Kyles Knoydart and Ardnamurach were amazing. It was decided to hug the north shore of the loch before calling in at Inverie for a coffee at the café. They were rewarded with a magical encounter with an otter and seeing hundreds of sea urchins feeding on kelp under the water. After coffee and scones and a leg stretch at Inverie the paddlers set off round Inverie Bay and past Plastic Mary to begin the last leg of their journey back to Mallaig agreeing that it was one of the best trips ever!
Distance paddled: approx. 50km.
Paddlers: Iain and Joan
25th September – (Not) Troup Head
Another plan hits the dust as northerly winds and swell scuppered plans to paddle Troup Head on 24/25th September. However, a very pleasant alternative was hatched in the form of a one day paddle on Loch Sunart. On the 25th September, five paddlers set off from the picnic site just west of Salen and paddled to Dun Challain where they stopped for elevenses. This island and its Dun (fort) was well placed to watch for invaders coming from the west and making their way far inland to Strontian.
From there they paddled west past Laga Bay and Glenborrodale Castle sighting a golden eagle circling high above Ben Laga. They rounded Risga Island and headed for the narrow channel between Oronsay and Carna. The even narrower channel between Oronsay and Eilean nan Eildean rewarded the paddlers with sightings of young seals, an otter and lots of grey heron.
After stopping on Carna for lunch the group paddled through Caol Carna and back into Sunart, past the fish farm and on to admire the remains of the large concrete jetties at Glencripesdale, all the while taking note of suitable campsites for future adventures!
Crossing the glassy calm waters of Loch Sunart, the group were soon back at the take out. Boats were loaded on to cars and the paddlers headed off home nursing memories of a great day’s paddling!
Distance paddled: approx. 22km.
Paddlers: Mike, Bill Scott, Tony, Elizabeth and Joan
