Knoydart is a peninsula on the west coast near the Isle of Skye. You can only get there by boat, or by a seven mile walk in along the sea loch of Loch Hourn.
So, after a long drive, including 22 miles of single track hairpin bends, I set off just before high tide on Loch Hourn, heading west.
The water was gin clear, and I made good time, hitting the narrows at high tide. You cannot paddle against the current here, so you have to time it right. A mile later I was beaching the canoe on Barisdale Bay.
I found a place to bivouac near the foreshore.
After sorting out camp, I did some fishing, had supper, and sat on the beach watching the sunset.
The next day I went hill walking.
Mobile phones don't work anywhere around here. Even at 900m above sea level, there was no signal. However, morse telegraphy woks just about everywhere, and after tuning around the 40m band, I contacted station ON5TO in Bruges, Belgium. Omer was very impressed I was using just 2 watts. I would have liked to ask him to phone my wife to tell her I was fine, but the rules don't allow 3rd party messages. One day I'll have to teach her morse.
Another sunset later, and I was heading east home.
But not before catching a bonny sea trout in Loch Hourn. The rod is from the local 'Poundshop' and cost, er, a pound. The silver toby is my favourite lure for subsistence fishing in Scotland.
A fine trip. One day I'll be back.
So, after a long drive, including 22 miles of single track hairpin bends, I set off just before high tide on Loch Hourn, heading west.
The water was gin clear, and I made good time, hitting the narrows at high tide. You cannot paddle against the current here, so you have to time it right. A mile later I was beaching the canoe on Barisdale Bay.
I found a place to bivouac near the foreshore.
After sorting out camp, I did some fishing, had supper, and sat on the beach watching the sunset.
The next day I went hill walking.
Mobile phones don't work anywhere around here. Even at 900m above sea level, there was no signal. However, morse telegraphy woks just about everywhere, and after tuning around the 40m band, I contacted station ON5TO in Bruges, Belgium. Omer was very impressed I was using just 2 watts. I would have liked to ask him to phone my wife to tell her I was fine, but the rules don't allow 3rd party messages. One day I'll have to teach her morse.
Another sunset later, and I was heading east home.
But not before catching a bonny sea trout in Loch Hourn. The rod is from the local 'Poundshop' and cost, er, a pound. The silver toby is my favourite lure for subsistence fishing in Scotland.
A fine trip. One day I'll be back.
