Loch Long

[Shewie]

Just got back from a couple of nights out on Loch Long. I had a new boat to break in and the barnacles and limpets made a good job of doing that

I did something really dumb after getting up there which meant I lost half a days paddling, not telling you what though

So some pics ....

Getting loaded up at 05:30 on Friday morning

View from the fire on night one

Shots of camp in the morning

A few "new boat" shots

Stephen off for a bit of fishing

Me and Josh went for a tandem trip up to a nearby bothy and got to paddle with a bunch of porpoises (we think). No porpoisesy shots from me but Josh got some crackers.
View back to camp

Packed up and away this morning, gutted as usual

I think Josh and Stephen got some better pics of what we got up including processing some pine resin using a couple of different methods and the porpoise pics are beauties.

 

[bushcraft_lad]

Lovely mate thank's for taking the time

 

[Nagual]

Nice one Shewie, looks like a lovely spot. Only bit I know up that way is right at Arrochar. Where was your put in? Oh, and ya gotta tell what ya did... what ya forget, not your paddles or PFD?


Cheers,

 

[Barn Owl]

Nice photos Rich,nice canoe too.

 

[MartinK9]

Great pics, thanks for sharing.

 

[Shewie]

Nice one Shewie, looks like a lovely spot. Only bit I know up that way is right at Arrochar. Where was your put in? Oh, and ya gotta tell what ya did... what ya forget, not your paddles or PFD?


Cheers,

We put in just past the Finnart depot on the road to Arrochar, there's an old red phone box with a layby just after. We pretty much headed straight across but there's Loch Goil just a short paddle to the south or the west side right up to Arrochar looks like it could be nice.

I had all my kit mate, no problem there

 

[Grooveski]

Poor wee forlorn numpty.

A bit later and a much cheerier numpty altogether.

As is quite common where we stopped had an existing ring. Needed a quick tidy but was a nice spot once cleared up a bit.

A melting mess that was just up the hill a bit.

Looking down the loch.

The variety of mosses was eye-catching.

The whole hillside is one big lump of schist and quartz. The quartz seams were more like slabs in places. Bloody rhodies are everywhere.

Dropping back down to camp.

Cleaning up some resin. Stephen went for using a pot lid that was among the discarded junk......

....while Rich went for the beer can approach which was a little more refined and resulted in a cleaner product.

Both had their moments early on....

....but done the job.
Oh aye, the pumice, that was an unusual sight. Appeared to be a fair bit of it kicking around.

We had a seal for company.

Groups of eider ducks wooing and cooing. They were about all weekend and their antics gave us a good giggle.

Anyone know what these are? They were wee cuties, about five or six inches long.

Our porpoisey pals. Stephen and I had watched them patrol the loch on friday and it was great when they appeared again while we all just happened to be out and about in the canoes. The consensus was that there were about seven of them.

The local shellfish made up for the lack of anything biting. Back at put-in we were blethering to some of the divers and they hadn't seen any fish either.

But we still had a grand time.

Josh

 

[Mistwalker]

WOW!! Fantastic photos Shewie! Thank you very much for the short mental vacation! I think I'll have to go back through those a couple of times

You guys are killing me with all of the canoe pics, I'm still hunting for one I like that I can afford.

By the way, I love the car, wish that model V.W. were available over here!

 

[Chainsaw]

Nice one fellas, you guys have way too much fun!! :notworthy Bird looks like a black guillemot, red legs???

Cheers,

Alan

 

[The Cumbrian]

rich, did you paddle into restricted waters and get arrested by the marines?

 

[Gailainne]

Excellent weekend, cheers guys, Saturday was a really nice day, Sunday was a bit dreich, even so the clouds and mist made for some very atmospheric pictures. I dont think mine are in the same league, but I'll post my pics tonight, BTW anyone else pick up any ticks ? I found 2 when I got home, guess its time for the permethrin.

 

[Gill]

Fantastic pics lads,looks to have been a great weekend.

 

[Shewie]

BTW anyone else pick up any ticks ? I found 2 when I got home, guess its time for the permethrin.

Can't say I really checked if I'm honest, just jumped in the shower when I got in.

 

[listenclear]

Looks like a great weekend lads! The pics of the pine resin working are well impressive.

 

[andybysea]

Great stuff guy's thanks for sharing, and Gaillianne, its the start of tick season,so no surprise you picked them up were they nymph's or adults? and had they attached themselves into you or were they on your clothes?

 

[Shewie]

rich, did you paddle into restricted waters and get arrested by the marines?

If only it was that exciting, no numpty here managed to lock his keys in the car for the afternoon

My stupid remote lets me open the boot but the doors remain locked. I was getting my wet gear on and accidentaly let the boot lid drop when my key was sat on the parcel shelf

I had the AA out but they couldn't get in, they suggested trying something daft with my spare key in Leeds and a digital phone but I wasn't that confident, plus the five hour wait until the mrs got home was just too much.

I rang VW and fortunately they sent out their roadside assist guy who literally took about 5 seconds to jiggle the lock and I was in.

I seriously thought I was going to have to put a brick through the window and drive the six hours home with a major draft in the car, worst of all no camping

But he got me in and I was never happier to get on the water

 

[Gailainne]

Great stuff guy's thanks for sharing, and Gaillianne, its the start of tick season,so no surprise you picked them up were they nymph's or adults? and had they attached themselves into you or were they on your clothes?

Difficult to know, they were small and black, about the normal size I see at Loch Lomond, and oh they were buried alright.

 

[shogun]

excellent pics shewie make me want too get out now!! atb allan

 

[Doc]

Excellent stuff, guys. That's what I call a decent trip.

Particularly like the Bob Special, but I guess I'm biased!

 

[Shewie]

Excellent stuff, guys. That's what I call a decent trip.

Particularly like the Bob Special, but I guess I'm biased!

The Bob's a cracker for sure Doc, it's similar in shape to my Pack which was what tempted me I think.

I had a sneaky go in yours at Derwent Water when Ian was borrowing it last year, very easy to settle in to I found.