Back again... wow, what a trip

Well I am back on dry land, though it was swaying a bit yesterday.

What an amazing trip, Scotland at it's best, great weather, no midgies, long white sandy beaches and a calm sea.

We started out on the worst day of the trip ... it rained, thankfully not someting we were going to see again... We launched from Kylesku and headed up Loch Glencoul. We headed up into Loch Beag and took in the waterfall ( longest drop un the UK) before heading Glen Coul bothy. Seems that we just missed Sam Weir and his group from Kayak Scotland. We headed back down the Loch under Kylesku bridge and back into the harbour. A lovely afternoon paddle even in the rain.

After camping at Achmelvich, we set off from the campsite the next morning. Despite the beautiful beach, Mark decided we should launch from the rocky cove on the campsite.... !!!!. We had a great trip, Point of Stoer was wonderful and relatively calm, thankfully. We landed in at Clashnessie bay, a lot nicer than the launch, on a beautiful sandy beach. Supper was in Ullapool, fish and chips, probably the best I've had in years... the one next to the CalMac ferry office on the front.

I popped back to Inverness for 2 days whilst Dave and Jen went to the Summer Isles. Mark and Johnathan had to go back to work. Two days later and I was back in the chipper in Ullapool and ready to start the next part of the trip.

Jen, Dave and I got the ferry out to Stornoway, the weather was amazing, the Minch was like a mirror. There were loads of dolphins who provided an wonderful show for us. From Stornoway we went to Valtos and on to the campsite at Cnip. It is the most stunning beach and the pitch I got was great, a fabulous view.

We paddled out to Campaigh, through caves and arches. We were incredibly lucky with the conditions, which were really calm, they allowed us to go through the cave which goes right through Campaigh. The conditions perked up a bit so we headed back in. The bird life was great with loads of Puffins, Black Guillemot, Shags, and Eider. The next day we headed round Bernera, exploring the coastline, not nearly as interessting as the trip out to Campaigh but a lovely trip.

After 3 nights on the campsite at Cnip it was time to pack up and head to Harris via a visit to Callanish Stones. It was an interesting day... firstly we went to the aid of a chap in a camper who had reversed off the road, despite our best efforts we couldn't get all his wheels back on the solid ground, that seemed to set the theme for the day. After unloading on the beach we managed to get Jen's car stuck in the sand, it took a lot of digging and a passing large chap to get us out. I then managed to put the van in a hole at a very jaunty angle, just to round things off day. We finally got on the water from Horgabost and headed over to Taransay. We went round the island to Loch na Uidhe bay, where we camped up. A great view back to Harris. We explored a bit of the island on foot and found a great arch and some amazing coves. The camp site was lovely but is did get a bit breezy catching the onshore breeze ....

Having finally got organised we reluctantly left the stunning bay and headed on round the island and headed out to Toe Head. A great crossing with a gentle swell though a bit lumpy at Toe Head and we were round into the Sound of Harris. There were quite a few Scua down the coast here and they were determined to come as close as possible, I adpoted a nice high paddle stroke! Lunch was on Rubh an Teampaill, on a lovely little beach. From here went out round Ensay and on to Killegray. Having camped on an bit of an exposed site last night we opted fror a nice sheltered beach. Pitching on the sand was a bit interesting and my little titanium pegs were not much use, I had a very saggy looking tent. We spent the evening in shorts on the beach, watching the sun set and porpoises feeing in the channel between us and Berneray. This has to be one of the most amazing views I have ever seen, so tranquil and beautiful. I recommend the beach as a campsite (grid ref 969840)

We explored the Sound of Harris next day. The conditions were a bit more interesting and the crossing from Glisaigh to the skerries south of Killegray a bit lumpy with a following sea, that was soon forgotten as we spotted an otter with her cubs on the way up the east of Killegray. The crossing over to Ensay was fun with loads of eddies and bubbling sea as the the water tried to funnel through the channel between Ensay and Killegray. After a late lunch on Ensay it was back to Leverburgh, where we had left the car round in the sheltered waters of An t-Ob. After collecting my van from Horgabost we went to the campsite at Minch View at Drinishader.... it was awful, don't go there. The site at Horgabost is far better though at the moment it has no showers they are planning to up grade it further. We decided it should be Minch Inch View as all you could see from the site was an inch of the Minch!! Watch out for the Great Scua, who thinks it is his domain!!!

We caught the 7.30am ferry from Tarbet to Uig, drove over Skye and got the 11.35 ferry from Armadale to Mallaig and were on the water Silver Sands north of Arisaig at 1pm. We meandered down to Arisaig exploring the coast and had a leisurely late lunch on a little coral beach on one of the islands in the bay. Whilst we had been in the shelter of the bay the wind had got up and as we headed back up the caost it all got a bit lumpy bumpy.... a good reminder never to take the sea for granted and a fun way to round off the trip.

Dave and Jen have now arrived back in Cornwall, and are planning the next trip north already. It really was Scotland at it's very, very best ....WOW....

Having spent all those days in my kayak and before my legs atrophied completely, I headed off mountain biking today. Just a little trip round the Spey Valley but again just beautiful conditions. This is turning into one of the best May's for years....