Just noticed this new section. Excellent idea. So I thought I would post a recent blogg thread from SotP.
I have been promising the girls that I would take them on an overnight camping trip for ages. They were looking forward to trying out hammocks for the first time.
Last weekend Stuart_Blink was free as Zippy was off gallivanting in the US. As it happened friends of our were also away and I was dog sitting their collie Kes. Bes, Stuart and Zippy's dog would also be accompanying us.
So on Saturday morning Stuart, Eleanor & Gwen, the dogs Kes and Bes and of course myself set of from Balmaha (Loch Lomond) for an overnight camping trip.
Saturday was warm with a force 2 to 3 wind. We were not the only family out on the water either.
We headed north round Inchcialloch to the north east end of Torrinch. Here we landed and had lunch. The initial part of the journey had shown the water was a little lumpy. Eleanor had taken this in her stride but Gwen took a little longer to settle.
During lunch Kes seemed keen to try out his new PFD. He has always been fond of water and fetching a stick from the loch is as much fun as he can imagine. With a PFD he can now do this for quite a bit longer too
After Lunch we headed of to explore some more of Torrinch. Eleanor paddling with Stuart and Bes.
Kes was with me and taking this canoeing lark in his stride. Gwen had also settled into the trip too.
After some exploring we went over to our intended camp site. Much to our horror a couple of fishermen were setting up for an overnight session. They were happy for us to share the spot but there were plenty of other options so we decided to go elsewhere.
After a brief discussion we opted for the north east end of Torrinch, near where we had lunch.
Once there we set up camp. I was fortunate to find a tree arrangement that allowed both the girls hammocks to be covered by one tarp. Teddy seemed pleased too
One of the things we had planned for camp was trying to cook bread and bannock. I had a bit of a headache so was not as keen as I could have been but still determined to give it a go. We mixed up the dough with dried fruit in it and eventually managed to get it not too sticky. This was split into three parts. One to be baked on a billy and two to be toasted on sticks.
The baked portion was, shall we say, a little crispy on the outside but in my defence the billy was too big to get into the ashes of the firebox. Inside it was perfect of course.
The two pieces for toasting had been reduced to one as Kes on passing by decided one was for him
The last bit was split in two and the girls wrapped these round a stick and toasted them. I never got to see much of these are the girls seemed to be eating them within minutes, however, I was assured that they were good.
About half nine the girls went to their hammock and were sound asleep in minutes. Stuart and I stayed up for another hour or so. Enough time for me to get something to eat and my headache to pass.
In the morning the girls woke in there hammocks about half past six. Fresh and ready to go. There had been a little rain during the night but everything was dry.
As we were having breakfast an Otter swam by. Unfortunately Kes was by the shore wanting a stick thrown and the otter saw him and headed out from shore. Still I was pleased as it was my first otter sighting. Managed a picture but it is pants. You will kind of have to take my word that it was an otter.
As we broke camp a passing fishing boat warned us that the water was pretty rough round the north side of the island. We couldn't miss out on that.
Gwen was now more than happy to be out in big waves. The picture above looks as if the trim is just off but in fact the trim was pretty much neutral, it is jut a big wave they are going over.
As you can see below Eleanor was equally happy with the big water, Kes and me are not exactly upset about it either.
We headed round the north side of Torrinch and across to Creinch, an island I have not explored before. It looks like it has quite a few places for an overnight stop. Here we had lunch then headed of back to the cars to load up and head home.
Below is the map of the area showing the islands we explored.
All in all as superb trip. The girls were very keen for us to stay another night and are already nagging me about when we will next go out. So it looks like I might be doing a little less solo paddling for a while at least.
I have been promising the girls that I would take them on an overnight camping trip for ages. They were looking forward to trying out hammocks for the first time.
Last weekend Stuart_Blink was free as Zippy was off gallivanting in the US. As it happened friends of our were also away and I was dog sitting their collie Kes. Bes, Stuart and Zippy's dog would also be accompanying us.
So on Saturday morning Stuart, Eleanor & Gwen, the dogs Kes and Bes and of course myself set of from Balmaha (Loch Lomond) for an overnight camping trip.
Saturday was warm with a force 2 to 3 wind. We were not the only family out on the water either.
We headed north round Inchcialloch to the north east end of Torrinch. Here we landed and had lunch. The initial part of the journey had shown the water was a little lumpy. Eleanor had taken this in her stride but Gwen took a little longer to settle.
During lunch Kes seemed keen to try out his new PFD. He has always been fond of water and fetching a stick from the loch is as much fun as he can imagine. With a PFD he can now do this for quite a bit longer too
After Lunch we headed of to explore some more of Torrinch. Eleanor paddling with Stuart and Bes.
Kes was with me and taking this canoeing lark in his stride. Gwen had also settled into the trip too.
After some exploring we went over to our intended camp site. Much to our horror a couple of fishermen were setting up for an overnight session. They were happy for us to share the spot but there were plenty of other options so we decided to go elsewhere.
After a brief discussion we opted for the north east end of Torrinch, near where we had lunch.
Once there we set up camp. I was fortunate to find a tree arrangement that allowed both the girls hammocks to be covered by one tarp. Teddy seemed pleased too
One of the things we had planned for camp was trying to cook bread and bannock. I had a bit of a headache so was not as keen as I could have been but still determined to give it a go. We mixed up the dough with dried fruit in it and eventually managed to get it not too sticky.
This was split into three parts. One to be baked on a billy and two to be toasted on sticks.
The baked portion was, shall we say, a little crispy on the outside but in my defence the billy was too big to get into the ashes of the firebox. Inside it was perfect of course.
The two pieces for toasting had been reduced to one as Kes on passing by decided one was for him
The last bit was split in two and the girls wrapped these round a stick and toasted them. I never got to see much of these are the girls seemed to be eating them within minutes, however, I was assured that they were good.
About half nine the girls went to their hammock and were sound asleep in minutes. Stuart and I stayed up for another hour or so. Enough time for me to get something to eat and my headache to pass.
In the morning the girls woke in there hammocks about half past six. Fresh and ready to go. There had been a little rain during the night but everything was dry.
As we were having breakfast an Otter swam by. Unfortunately Kes was by the shore wanting a stick thrown and the otter saw him and headed out from shore. Still I was pleased as it was my first otter sighting. Managed a picture but it is pants. You will kind of have to take my word that it was an otter.
As we broke camp a passing fishing boat warned us that the water was pretty rough round the north side of the island. We couldn't miss out on that.
Gwen was now more than happy to be out in big waves. The picture above looks as if the trim is just off but in fact the trim was pretty much neutral, it is jut a big wave they are going over.
As you can see below Eleanor was equally happy with the big water, Kes and me are not exactly upset about it either.
We headed round the north side of Torrinch and across to Creinch, an island I have not explored before. It looks like it has quite a few places for an overnight stop. Here we had lunch then headed of back to the cars to load up and head home.
Below is the map of the area showing the islands we explored.
All in all as superb trip. The girls were very keen for us to stay another night and are already nagging me about when we will next go out. So it looks like I might be doing a little less solo paddling for a while at least.
