The story starts in the year 2009, when two friends from diving days, (who had now taken up kayaking) decided to paddle The Great Glen. Their trip was done in two halves due to one of them  suffering a wrist  injury. The first section, from Banavie, ended at Fort Augustus. It was restarted in October that year at Loch Ness, with Sue and I then providing mobile B&B in a “Cruiser”.  At this point neither Sue nor I had any interest in kayaks, but the trip inspired me to get involved and three years later in October 2012 I bought a kayak for me and somehow convinced Sue that it was something she wanted to get involved with, NOT!!  Another kayak was duly purchased and the rest is history. Irene’s paddling partner sold his kayak and now it became Sue, Irene and Bob that looked for places to get on the water. We are very familiar with Orkney, having dived the waters for many years and it seemed a logical thing to paddle them. A couple of dual activity holidays followed in June 2013 and August 2015 with diving in the morning and paddling in the afternoon. The Isle of Skye also saw us paddling there for two holidays in September 2013 and June 2014.  Around the end of 2013 we felt that it would be good to join with others and sought a club.  Our first club outing was the Christmas paddle and again, the rest is history. Our little group convinced some Liverpool Canoe Club members that a joint venture to the Arisaig area would be a good idea.  A week was duly arranged in 2016 and proved to be a major success. From that Irene convinced the group, but not me, that it would be a good […]

Recent open boat course (3 dock sessions and a trip) went really well. A mix of new and more experienced paddlers met for the first session in conditions that can only be described as diabolical. It was lashing down with rain and blowing an absoloute hoollie (opens dont like wind unless we have the sail up), but everyone got stuck in and just did it. Session two was glorious sunshine as the group worked on trimming the boat, tandem and solo paddling, hunting, and balance. Everyone did great. Session three focused on the ability to rescue these very large craft in a safe way, ie how to empty a boat whilst not using any muscle power, and how to get back in without using any effort. This was followed by some poling, and prying and generally progressing to such an extent that everyone is safe to join a session / trip. Session four was the trip, Farndon to Chester (12 miles), glorious sunshine, but headwind (ouch). Everyone did really well. WELL done to all! Unfortunatley there are not too many photos, but for some great 1970’s instructional videos then I strongly recomment the link below to the Path of the Paddle series. Excuse the 1970’s music, fashion and non uk health and safety, but the skills are just as valid now as then. Top tip for tandem boaters, listen out for how much communication there is!!!!!!!! Enjoy – but remember a felt hat is not as good as a crash hat in protecting your head from rocks, and PFD’s should not be quite so faded. https://www.nfb.ca/search/#?queryString=paddle&index=0&language=en

On bank holiday Monday, a sea trip was planned from Abersoch out to the St Tudwals islands on the Llŷn Peninsula at the western end of Tremadog Bay, west Wales. Most of us met at Queensferry so we could car share across to Abersoch and after a scenic drive we unloaded the boats at Abersoch beach. Andy Garland briefed us on the planned route, the expected weather and tides and the 9 of us launched about midday. Weather was cloudy with a slight breeze, a nd the water quite still as we paddled out to the St Tudwals Islands. We paddled first to the east island, and around the far edge where we met a couple of seals perched on a rock. We then paddled across to the east island around which I completed my first circumnavigation! This island is owned by Bear Grylls as a holiday home and we could see where he had complied to take down the slide he had built before Gwynedd Council spotted it. As the Islands are privately owned we couldn’t land on them so, as we were all getting peckish, we headed to a beach a little south to where we had launched. The surf was a too strong to get all 9 of us on and off safely, especially with a few of us who had never tried a surf landing, but Pete Thomas beautifully demonstrated before we started back around the headland. We were now paddling against the tide, working up an appetite, and the swell was great fun; there was even a bit of surfing. We stopped at a little beach for lunch and sat and watched the clouds clear as the afternoon sun came out. A family, also on the beach, said they had seen dolphins at a similar time […]

Click here for more Open Day and Come and Try it photos…….

Friday 14th April – River Orchy On the first day of our Scottish Easter break we were to paddle the river Orchy, a 9km stretch from the Bridge of Orchy to the Falls of Orchy. A small group had an early start to paddle the Upper Etive first at 6am, and the rest of us set off at 9am, to meet with the Etive crew at the get in. As a new white water paddler, this was my third river trip and I was a little nervous, but very excited to be paddling (described by the UK rivers guidebook) ‘one of the best trips at this grade [3-5] in the UK!’ Our get-in was by the Bridge of Orchy hotel, about a half hour drive from the hostel. We changed whilst the drivers ran the shuttle and then divided up into groups of 5 or 6, each with a combination of abilities and an instructor. We played in the waves under the bridge until everyone was ready to set off. The trip began gently, getting used to being back on the water and being in a new boat (I had borrowed a small burn, a perfect fit), until we reached the first rapid. There are a great variety of rapids on this river, nicely spread out, with the opportunity to portage any of them on paths river left. I’m glad that at the time that I didn’t know their names, as I might have been rather more apprehensive! The first rapid, ‘Big Rock’, was what is says on the tin with lines either side, a great start to the paddle and a rapid that I think everyone did. The next, ‘Chicken Chute’, a fair few of us portaged, but it was great to watch our fellow paddlers. Next came ‘Sheep […]

Monday 17th April Day 4 – Sea Kayaks at the Falls Of Lora On BH Monday the predicted state of the Falls was green, i.e “suitable for an introductory moving water training or fun in sea kayaks and canoes”.  Roger and I were on the water well before the official start time and found the conditions to be idea for breaking in/out and ferry-gliding across the estuary. On the Northern side, there was a significant back-eddy downstream of the bridge which we soon found ourselves sharing with a solitary sea otter.  Although we remained perfectly still, our boats were slowly drifting up towards the bridge thus constraining his freedom.  After a couple of minutes, he disappeared for the final time but not before giving us a great demonstration of his swimming and diving abilities.  First his head would disappear, then his back arched, and with a deft flick of the tail he was gone.  A delightful spectacle. As the ebb tide increased, I attempted to regain the sweet spot just upstream of the bridge but the speed of the water was now too great to make headway against.  After a short excursion downstream, we returned to take lunch on a sunny bench overlooking the Falls.  By this time, it was mid-flow but there weren’t any standing waves of the type that can be seen in Youtube videos.  I would love to return to this place with a guide when conditions are more challenging.

Saturday 15th April – Sea Kayaks at Shuna Island. With a strong North-Westerly forecast, our chosen destination was Shuna Island, around 10 miles South of Oban.  Shuna is a couple of miles offshore and is sheltered by the larger island of Luing.  From the previous day’s contingent of ten, two decided to do rivers and a further four decided not to proceed having inspected the site conditions on the day. The four remaining paddlers headed off towards a small low island en route to Shuna.  With the wind and swell coming from our 2-o’clock position, progress was far from easy.  Tony soon found it difficult to control his boat and decided to return to base.  Having seen him safely ashore, Roger, Nigel and I continued towards the mid-way island which had a small gap through which we were able to pass.  Then it was a similar haul to reach the northern corner of Shuna. As we approached, the wind died down and we had our lunch on a sandy beach in glorious sun with not a breath of wind.  We were amused to note that only the three plastic boats had made it.  All too soon, the next squall rolled in and we hurriedly resumed our attempt to circle the island anti-clockwise.  It soon became clear that further progress would be unwise in these conditions and we decided to head for home.   At that stage, our cars were due East of us but the wind was coming from the North-West.  Given the strengh of the wind, we decided to head directly downwind and found ourselves surfing along in fine style.  We soon reached our handy mid-way island and passed through the gap again.  By this stage, it was obvious that we would miss our preferred landing spot, but no […]

Video from Mark Young

Blackwater Hostel Sunday 16th April Day three saw nine of us make the 60 mile drive to Arisaig, with the sun beginning to make an appearance as we left the rain-soaked hills behind.  The harbour nestles at the head of the short Loch nan Ceall, sheltered to the south by the Rhu peninsula and a collection of small islands and skerries guarding the entrance just a few kilometres to the north and west.  The coastline provides lots of interest and intriguing navigation as the changing tide opens and closes waterways. The plan was to first explore the islands to the north-west, have lunch and then swing south around the peninsula.   Not long after leaving the harbour, the group split with half of us following an ever shallower route between the islands on a falling tide, while the remainder sensibly sought the certainty of open water (ie, deeper than 6 inches).  After some shuffling along the bottom and a little manual labour we eventually made it through to open water, albeit a kilometre or two away from the other half of the group.  However, radio communications and basic paddle waving saw us reunited for lunch overlooking a sandy beach warmed by the hazy sun. The afternoon saw us in more open water as we made our way around the peninsular.  The clouds cleared to leaving us in light winds and full sun.  With the cliffs of Eigg, mountainous Rhum and the pinnacles of Skye providing the backdrop, it was turning into a great paddle with a lazy Sunday afternoon feel to it – in contrast to the challenging conditions of the previous day!  Next stop was the stunning cove of Port nam Murrach.  This is a natural harbour with a small island at its mouth giving added protection.  With its […]

Sunday afternoon 16th April Sunday afternoon turned out sunny, perfect for a quick walk out the back of the hostel to Blackwater reservoir. A 13 mile round trip, with 3 deer in the valley, a big bird circling over head and a rainbow or two. The Navvies Graveyard, Blackwater Dam, Kinlochleven Excellent views of Kilnlochleven below us between the snowy peaks and the mountains around. This walk is a suitable choice for a day when the tops are in cloud, offering a lower level route along one side of the Glen Leven valley, and back along the other side, to complete a circular route. The only minus point is that since the dam of the reservoir is closed to the public, connecting the two sides of the valley involves negotiating a not so pleasant pathless section through undergrowth roughly in parallel to the dam. However it is worth the effort to enable a different return route. The eight mile long Blackwater Reservoir, which was created for hydroelectric power purposes, can be a bleak and desolate place though the walk generally features some waterfalls, a river and a couple of small lochans by way of variety from the woodland trail. Formerly two smaller villages, modern day Kinlochleven owes its existence to the aluminium works for which it is well-known. From the car park at Kinloch Road, follow the road parallel to the River Leven and cross the first footbridge on the right, signposted for the West Highland Way. Large pipes appear on the right, which connect with a building on top of a wooded hill far off to the left. This landmark seems a long way off at this stage, but it is passed later on in the walk at a key turning point where the route departs from the West […]

Friday 14th April This is a favourite first day paddle of mine to get into the swing of things.  10 of us set off from our put in on the shore below the lay-by on the A828 at Polanach Conditions at this point light wind and calm sea so off to the north tip of and around the outside to the south tip of Shuna Island By now the wind and Sea had picked up and was directly at us for the second leg to the North West end of Lismore Island a more exposed crossing of one and a half hours via the skerries of Eilean Glas and Eilean Gainimh All of us happy now we could see our landing beach and lunch spot now in the lea of the island the sea was calm again and we where greeted by three seals Soon off the water we had our half hour lunch stop and much needed rest after paddling into wind for over an hour A short leg three about 15 minutes now the weather had eased a little we headed round the north tip of Lismore past the ferry pier and back to the ferry terminal at Port Appin onto the beach and into the hotel for tea and coffee We had a few looks from the diners as we dripped our way to the bar and a few moor looks when we seated ourselves on the patio outside in the light rain I can recommend the Pierhouse hotel even after dripping all over the place we where made welcome and looked after The final leg shortly after leaving Port Appin we had a squall come through as we where very near the shore we had to take care not to get blown on to the boulders […]

Saturday Afternoon 15th April After a morning session on the River Roy I felt warmed up and ready to see what the Spean Gorge had to offer for the afternoon’s paddle. It had been a few years since I last paddled the Spean Gorge and my memory of the main features was patchy.  Once on the river, we gathered just underneath the bridge and split in equal groups of five.  I split with the boys from the Cadets Will and Tom as they had been a good omen during the mornings paddle also Sarah and Miguel and I made the five. In our groups, we set off into the Spean Gorge.  The water levels where high so creating lots of wave trains getting into the Gorge.  Paddling onwards, we viewed the first main feature in the near distance and gathered in the top eddy whilst the leaders went to scout the line down.  When the leaders found the best route, we we’re given the signal and guided successfully down one by one.  The next couple of rapids came upon us within quick succession and proved challenging but with great guidance we all managed to get down whilst staying the right way up. Further into the Spean Gorge, we hit a tight corner and it was difficult to see the line down.  Miguel bravely offered to go down first, unfortunately for him he hit the rock face, causing him to lose his balance and his paddle and a speedy recovery of Miguel and his paddling gear quickly ensued.  Following this hiccup, it was decided that a Portage was the best option for the rest of the group.  This was followed by more scrambles up the next couple of rock face’s past the ‘head banger’ a tricky grade 4 section. Back in […]

All the photos of Scottish Easter Holiday at Blackwater Hostel in Kinlochleven  click here……. River Etive