SCOTLAND TRIP 2010Two Men, Two Rucksacks and a Canoe
Monday 17 May
Well hear it is, the trip we have been looking forward to for a long time. It’s funny how time passes quickly the older you get, it seems two minutes ago I was putting up the Christmas tree at home with the spring Scotland trip a distant thought and now we are travelling to Knoydart. As we took the decision earlier in 2010 not to do shows and courses this year, it has given us the time to do this trip that has been on the backburner for around 4 years.
Our kit is packed with the canoe on the roof as we take a steady drive to our first point of call, Invergarry Lodge. It sounds rather grand but it is a bungalow in the style of a youth hostel just on the outskirts of the village of Invergarry (for more details see Scottish Youth Hostel Association ). We arrived at the lodge around 16.00 and got settled into our bunk. The hostel was full of Munro baggers and canoeists and is fully equipped with all the mod cons of a modern home. We decided to go for a pint and some food at the Invergarry Hotel across the river, good food and beer it was too. I laid down a bet to Tony, the first one to see a Red Deer either Stag or Hind gets a fiver, but the other one has to see it for proof.
An early night was in store as we were beat from the drive up, and had a busy day tomorrow. |
| Up early and had coffee and saw a Red Hind in the field next to the hostel, went and got Tony for proof and the fiver was mine (which reminds me, he still owes me). Packed the gear, got some essential survival food from the garage (wine gums and chocolate ) and hit the A87 travelling along the northern shore of Loch Garry. We turned off the A87 onto a single track road sign posted Tomdoun and Kingie heading for Loch Quoich. We fancied a little fishing on the Loch as our intention was to have a few days paddling and wild camping. We were told we could get a fishing permit from the Tomdoun Hotel for Loch Quoich. We pulled in at the Hotel and spoke to the owner who gave his personal permission that we could fish the Loch free of charge, he seemed surprised that anyone had asked. |
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 | On we drove, getting more wild and remote the further west we went, until the dam on the eastern side of Loch Quoich came into view. We were shocked at the low level of water in the Loch, we took a measure and it was down 5 meters due to the dry spell. We travelled along to find a reasonable put in, knowing that we would have a fairly long carry with the canoe and equipment. We found a spot at grid NM 0023 0315 with good parking and a small track down to the Loch. |
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Tuesday 18th may 2We unloaded and got underway, the weather was red hot and very little wind so plenty of sun screen on. Because the water level was so low the shape of the Loch on the ground was completely different to the map, so navigation took a little longer than usual. As with all trips it takes a little time to get into it with niggles appearing along the way, paddle stroke not quite right, equipment in the wrong place etc. At one time this really used to bug me, but now I just laugh and sort it out. We headed for a small hut on the Loch side at NM 9935 0030. When we got there we found it to be a keepers lock up, but it was in a beautiful place. White sandy beach with a small burn (Allt Choire Bhuidhe) running over water worn rock, time for a brew. We spent the rest of the afternoon there fishing, drinking tea and sleeping. It was a great way to relax and get into the flow of the trip. |
We paddled on to the head of the Loch with the wind getting up, coming in from the SW. We spotted a potential camp site and decided to pull in and take a look As I stepped out of the canoe I sank to my knee in silt and decided this was no place to camp. We moved on to the western end of the Loch and found some firm flat ground at NM 9307 9923, which proved to be a good camp. Minimal Midge at the moment which was a great surprise. After we set up camp, the rest of the evening we chatted and drank tea and turned in early with a beautiful sun set, no wind and no midge.
Around 01.00 I was woken by the tent flapping in the wind and heavy rain and low cloud blowing in at us from the Loch, AAAAAHHHHHHHHH Scotland. |  |
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 | Wednesday 19th May
Woke at 04.00 and listened to the wind and rain beating on the tent, made a coffee and started to break camp nice and steady. We were in the water by 06.30 paddling into a decreasing head wind. Paddle stroke sorted as we ploughed through the water. Got back to our vehicle after a huffing and puffing carry up the side of the Loch. We decided to make breakfast and sort out our gear before moving onto Kinloch Hourn at the end of the single track road. |
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| Lots of Deer around here, who are very photogenic at this time of year. Tony got some great shots of Stags in velvet after stalking them for 10 minutes, getting within 4 meters of them. Took a steady drive down to Kinloch Hourn. The road is twisty and steep so no place for caravans or large vehicles. The tree cover started to appear (after 2 days without seeing any trees) when we landed at our destination. We paid our overnight car park fee at the café, loaded our rucksacks and started to walk to Barrisdale Bay. The area is absolutely beautiful. Kinloch Hourn is on the shores of Loch Beag which eventually turns into Loch Hourn, which is an open sea Loch. You could see down 7 to 10 meters in the crystal clear water with not a breath of wind. |  |
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 | The walk into the wild campsite at Barrisdale at points is hard going, but there are many places to stop and take in the magnificent scenery along the way. The area is teaming with wildlife - at one brew stop we even had Common Shrews running between our feet with many Red Deer browsing along the way. We were averaging between 35 to 40 sitings of Deer every day, but soon when the Midge is in full swing they move to higher ground. For most of the walk in there was a light drizzle which kept us cool. |
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| Reached Barricade campsite in the late afternoon. There is a bothy there which you can stay in for £3.00 per night, or you can camp for a £1.00. There are toilet facilities, table and chairs and a sink for washing pots etc. at grid NG 872043. All your rubbish has to be taken out, but the water from the bothy must be purified before drinking. The night was spent carrying out admin, with Tony making a dumpling noodle soup (good). We turned in as the light faded with a tough, long but satisfying day behind us. |  |
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Thursday 20th May
Woke early after a great nights sleep with low cloud and light rain. Tony’s birthday today so we decided to celebrate with a walk back to Kinloch Hourn in light rain and high humidity. The way back seemed a lot harder than the way in, and after a couple of kilometres we were soaked to the skin with sweat. We found along the track a rotting Red Hind carcass that we did not see on the way in. We studied the area and came to the conclusion that the deer had died at least a month ago higher up on a small outcrop of rock and it had eventually rolled down into its present position, possibly due to animal activity.
We reached our vehicle around lunchtime and decided to eat in the little café at Kinloch Hourn. After a good cheese on toast, egg on toast and a flagon of tea, we were on our way travelling to Fort William to pick up a B & B for the night, get cleaned up and go into the town and celebrate Tony’s birthday properly. |
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Friday 21st May
Today was a transition day. We were moving to Dunkeld to visit my Mother and Father with the intention of paddling a section of Loch Tay and the River Tay back to Dunked - a trip we have been talking about for years. A great drive north from Fort William to Spean Bridge, onto Dalwhinnie, then picked up the A9 to Dunkeld.
On arrival it was great to see my folks and Mother fed us up as we chilled out. A good bout of admin was needed to dry gear out and replenish food etc.
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 | Saturday 22nd May
It was nice to spend today with my folks, and we went to Birnam to see the famous Oak with a very impressive Sycamore next door. We studied the river at this point to see where we could get out after our paddle from the Loch. Very little rain up here too with the river running very low. An early night was had by all. |
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| Sunday 23rd May |  |
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| After a quick breakfast we loaded all our gear and drove to Kenmore on the East side of Loch Tay. We had a quick stop at Grandtully to look at the rapids and suss out the campsite. We parked briefly in the boat hire place in Kenmore and gained permission to put in here. The boat was loaded and off we went paddling west up the Loch to find a suitable campsite for the night. With lots of sun and no wind we ploughed through the Loch getting rid of those niggles. With me at the stern and Tony in the bow and a fully loaded canoe it was a joy to be out on such a fantastic day. We eventually found a good campsite on the more quieter southern shore at NN723428. A good clean gravel beach with a homemade bench and a little flat ground within the woodland. We spent the evening practicing paddle strokes and discussing our drill for when we hit the river. Much excitement in camp this evening. |
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Monday 24th May
After breakfast we set off down the Loch paddling east towards the bridge at Kenmore. There was a little chop on the water with a fresh wind coming in from the northwest. We paddled along the shore adjacent to the Tay Forest Park, and reached Kenmore bridge for 08.30, lots of Goosanders and Common Sandpipers here. We paddled a kilometre or so and ran out of water at a gravel section and had to line the boat. This drill was expected and occurred along the 40KM paddle over the 2 days. So we let the river take us at her own pace coming across small rapids and chutes, some we could paddle and some not. We reached Edradynate at grid NN886517. This is the warm up section for running Grandtully rapid further down river. The rapid was great, even better with low water possibly running at grade 2. One after the other we steered the canoe through with water piling over the bow and gunnels at parts. Grantully came into view as we rounded a left hand bend in the river, as we were camping here tonight at the Scottish Canoe Associations campsite. We landed and portaged the gear and boat to the campsite and got on with making camp, drying out kit and drinking tea. There are good facilities here with standpipe, showers and toilets. A couple of beers in the pub and back to camp for an early night. Great fun today, full of challenges. |  |
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| Tuesday 25th May - Grandtully |  |
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| Woke early after a great sleep to a beautiful morning. Started to break camp and portage kit below Grandtully rapid. We put in and went with the flow of the river -some really fast sections down chutes and immediate turns left and right. Thought we were doing well, then we got snagged on low branches which pinned me to the stern of the boat and we capsized. The water was cold but only knee deep and moving swift. We pulled into the side and emptied the boat of water and had a kit check on cameras etc. |
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| We carried along down river with more fishermen appearing, some now standing mid river. It is paramount that when paddling near fishermen you get their attention before you approach or pass them. We did this by sitting in eddy’s and waving paddles so they could draw in their line. We found this worked really well with most fishermen, thanking us as we passed, with some asking us how the water was up stream and was there any fish rising. |
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 | Reaching the end
The A9 came into view but apart from a little road noise we paid it no mind. The river bent left under the A9 bridge that I had crossed many times. It never ceases to amaze me the different perspective you get from the water. The Dunkeld Hilton and Cathedral came into view as we took the river left to chute under the left hand arch -quick water here with some fast paddle strokes to prevent being snagged on the bank.
We reached our finish point and portaged all our kit to the vehicle. This was the end of our trip and as we sat down that evening we reflected on what we had done with many new experiences under our belt.
Mike Rushton
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Mike's Kit ListTo put a little flesh on the bone of the recommended section, below you will find a list of kit and provisions for a 7 day wild camping trip on foot. You will notice that not all the items featured in the recommended section feature within this kit list. The reason for this is that I do use all the items on the recommended, but some of them I use when I am working in the forest either tree planting, fencing, walling etc. To place these items in a tough working environment such as this, only exemplifies there reason to be in the recommended section.
I would also be interested in any feedback from anyone who is trying any Tamarack recommended kit to see how you are getting on with it.
So down to business.
Equipment
Backpack - Fjall Raven Kajka 85
Dry bags for all equipment and compartments - Exped and Sea to Summit
Tent - Helsport Rindstind 1
Sleeping bag - Helsport Austfona
Sleeping mat - Pacific Outdoor Ether Thermo 6
Bivvy boots - Helsport
First aid kit -
Standard Life Systems Mountain leader first aid kit plus
Ibuprofen tablets
Tiger balm
Aloe Vera Vaseline
Dermatone z-cote sun cream
Lip salve
Vile of TCP
Field dressing
Arctic summer insect repellent
O-Tom tick twister
10 sachets of SIS GO.
Axe - Gransfors small forest
Wash kit -
Toothbrush and paste
Vile of Life Venture all purpose soap
Vile of Astral moisturiser
Life Venture mirror with a small glass mirror glued to one side
Life Venture small towel
Vile of foot powder
Aloksak containing toilet paper
Contact lens case with vile of saline solution.
Water purification -
Steripen Adventurer
Steripen pre-filter
1 litre bottle
Water carrying -
4 litre Ortlieb bladder with shower attachment
2 litre Source wide Pac.
Spare clothing -
1 pair Lundhag shorts
2 pairs of Teko summit expedition socks
Cooking pots & stove -
Mini Trangia set with burner
1 litre of fuel
Snowpeak mini solo cookset ( less the small cup )
Snowpeak Trek 900 Billy can
Small Life Venture towel
Plastic spork
Small sponge with scourer
Primus jet lighter
Crusader cup holder
GSI outdoors tea and coffee filter.
Spares and repairs bag -
Frost knife
Bahco Laplander saw
Leatherman Wave
Spyderco Double Stuff
Firesteel
6 strips of Magfire
Tent and sleeping mat repair kit
4 meters of 550 paracord
Petzl MYO XP head torch
Spare batteries for head torch and Steripen
3 meters Gaffa tape
Needle and thread.
Life Systems midge net
Navigation -
Silva 54B sighting compass
Silva romer card
Small rite-in-the rain notebook
Pace counter
0.5mm propelling pencil
Maps of the area
Clothing
Baselayer - 200g Woolpower T-shirt
Socks - Teko Summit Expedition
Trousers - Fjall Raven Greenland
Wind shirt - Fjall Raven Gutilia smock
Thermal - Montane Flux jacket
Waterproof - Norrona Recon jacket and Montane Venture pants
Extremities -
Sealskinz winter hat
Merino wool Buff
Hestra all leather c-zone gloves
Fjall Raven Serengeti cap
Hestra windstopper action race gloves.
Food Provision
I try and pack around 0.45 kg ( 1lb ) of food for each day. For an overnight trip I carry boil in the bag meals as this is quick and easy, but for anything over that it is all dehydrated food to keep the weight down. All the food that I carry I make myself, my boil in the bag meals are made at home and vacuum packed then frozen for when I need them. The dehydrated food is purchased as individual items, and brought together as a meal at the end of the day. You can purchase ready meals either boil in the bag or dehydrated but these become expensive over a long period. As ever the opportunist, I keep my eyes open for any wild food that is available to give me a varied diet. Below is a list of foods that I carry and a few recipes.
Foods
Pudding rice
Pasta
Rice
Bannock mix
Powdered egg
Salami
Jerked beef
Dried fish
Dried fruit
Nuts
Vile of honey
Cinnamon
Smash
Cuppa soups
Supa Noodles
Pesto sauce
Garlic paste
Tomato paste
Milk powder
Caster sugar
Drinks
Leaf tea
Instant coffee
Instant hot chocolate
Sachets of SIS GO |
RecipesWeights and measures for the recipes are a little vague, but just have a go and you will hit the taste you require.
Rice Pudding Breakfast
Ingredients
Hand full of Pudding Rice
2 spoons of Milk powder
Couple of pinches of ground Cinnamon
Caster sugar to taste
Glug of Honey
Boil up 2-3 cups of water and put in the Pudding Rice. Boil until still a little hard in the centre and take off the heat. Mix in all the other ingredients, place a lid on the cooking pot and leave to stand for 10 minutes or so.
Mushers Lunch
Ingredients
Hand full of diced Salami
1 cup of water
1 cup of Smash
Fry the diced Salami in a pan until it starts to go slightly brown, throw the water in with the Salami and bring to the boil. Add in the Smash and mix well.
Beef Noodle Soup
Ingredients
Hand full of dried Beef
Pack of Supa Noodles
2 sachets of Cupa Soup
Boil up 2-3 cups of water and throw in the beef for 3-4 minutes. Chuck in the Noodles and simmer until cooked, then add in the Cupa Soups and stir well.
I hope you enjoy reading this article and have a go at some of the recipes. Any feedback is much appreciated.
Mike Rushton
Tamarack |
