Loch Shiel

[Gailainne]

Interesting interpretation, I doubt most folk would know who he is, at least I didn't and still don't, it was just a stop over for me, the people who do know him will no doubt agree or at least understand his phlosophy, by the sounds of it his book(s) look like they could be interesting reading. Whether he would freak, I wouldn't know, and its very difficult to misunderstand someone you've never heard of.

At the end of the day I'll decide who deserves my respect. It seems I've fell short of your high ideals again, pity.

 

[Toddy]

Mike Tomkies might have written some fascinating natural world comments, but if it had been left to him there would be no access code, no right to roam, no right to canoe the loch, no right to be as much a part of our natural world as any other animal who lives in this country.

Toddy

 

[Humpback]

Gaillainne
I did this trip in 2008 and camped at the same first 3 camps you did. I enjoyed my trip immensely and your blogg has brought back lots of good memories -thanks. As to the aforementioned recluse being at pains to keep his place special he must have loved ticks because that spot was thoroughly infested with them much to my companion's chagrin when we camped there.
I look forward to visiting L Shiel again but my trip next month will be L Etive, and I can't wait.
Alan

 

[gsfgaz]

they r brilliant panoramic photo's mate ...

 

[EdS]

A bit is digging shows thatMike Tomkies is now living in Sussex

 

[w00dsmoke]

I know someone who knew Mike very well and unfortunately it seems he became very upset and angry at people tracking him down and he was at pains to keep his cottage anonymous for the whole reason of protecting the wildlife and landscape many of us love and visit. As far as I'm aware Mike was never against access he just wanted the area in his books to remain anonymous for he felt if it wasn't it would ruin it forever through disturbance etc. It's really sad when a person devotes huge amounts of their life to the study and conservation of the land and wildlife in it when it gets changed for the worse by the masses who access it by people who profess to love the same. That's the irony in it. That was my point in posting my view. Acces is fine but sometimes for very sound reasons it's better to be discrete for in the long term you are causing more harm than good if folk are not. If folk want to find out they really will, but why put up signposts? If you read the books and know the location of the house you or anyone reading it will be able to track down almost everything he wrote about for good and bad. And people will. Mikes old house has been brocken into countless times...souvineer hunters.

Trip reports are great, the photo's are awesome, but I know Loch Sheil better than most folk and I've seen the changes over the years and they are not good and thats what a photo doesn't show. Sometimes details are best left blurred for a very very good reason and I don't think that's an unvalid point to make. Obviously a lot of people don't and that's fine for them, just not for me ;-).

 

[Shewie]

Our visit was literally a leg stretch on the beach under the big oak, as soon as we realised somebody had strimmed the path up to the house we decided to move on anyway. I had planned to take a look around but we didn't fancy it when we got there. The fact that we knew it was his house was only because I'd spotted it on google when we were planning the route, just picking out some POIs on the way round you understand.
It's a real shame that there's been break ins, they must be pretty determined as access is only from the water as far as I could tell.

 

[Soloman]

Great blog with stunning pics.
Im planning to spend a couple of days on loch Sheil this august the weather gods permitting.
Soloman

 

[Doc]

I know someone who knew Mike very well and unfortunately it seems he became very upset and angry at people tracking him down and he was at pains to keep his cottage anonymous for the whole reason of protecting the wildlife and landscape many of us love and visit. As far as I'm aware Mike was never against access he just wanted the area in his books to remain anonymous for he felt if it wasn't it would ruin it forever through disturbance etc. It's really sad when a person devotes huge amounts of their life to the study and conservation of the land and wildlife in it when it gets changed for the worse by the masses who access it by people who profess to love the same. That's the irony in it. That was my point in posting my view. Acces is fine but sometimes for very sound reasons it's better to be discrete for in the long term you are causing more harm than good if folk are not. If folk want to find out they really will, but why put up signposts? If you read the books and know the location of the house you or anyone reading it will be able to track down almost everything he wrote about for good and bad. And people will. Mikes old house has been brocken into countless times...souvineer hunters.

Trip reports are great, the photo's are awesome, but I know Loch Sheil better than most folk and I've seen the changes over the years and they are not good and thats what a photo doesn't show. Sometimes details are best left blurred for a very very good reason and I don't think that's an unvalid point to make. Obviously a lot of people don't and that's fine for them, just not for me ;-).

It's an interesting thought. Books tend to attract people to certain places - I've heard that 'Into the Wild' has resulted in a lot of visitors to the Stampede Trail in Alaska, and some of these folks have taken souvenirs from the bus that Chris McCandless died in. Similarly Knoydart is well documented in print, and was somewhat busy when I was there. And I know the Mountain Bothies Association are discrete about some bothy locations.

However, every loch is on the map, and Shiel is kind of unmissable, and in this case it looks like the guys started with a map and planned a trip themselves, which is how it should be.

If/when I write a book, I will nevertheless follow the example of John Rowland's 'Cache Lake Country' - he is deliberately vague about the location. But then again, there is a Cache Lake for everybody somewhere.

 

[Soloman]

Ive looked at a few blogs on you tube where people have visited magic bus,but to take items from it just doesnt make any sense to me.
How many of us have been introduced to our wild places through books and wanted to visit first hand.
Ive time off in august and am planing to paddle loch sheil,and i must admit one thing that i'd like to do was visit gasken(wildernesse)as mikes books have had a great impact on me in the last few years,however a quick picture is all i want.
I cant see the harm in that,maybe i'll write to him ask him how he feels about it when i order his dvd's tomorrow.
Soloman.

 

[Limaed]

Our visit was literally a leg stretch on the beach under the big oak, as soon as we realised somebody had strimmed the path up to the house we decided to move on anyway. I had planned to take a look around but we didn't fancy it when we got there. The fact that we knew it was his house was only because I'd spotted it on google when we were planning the route, just picking out some POIs on the way round you understand.
It's a real shame that there's been break ins, they must be pretty determined as access is only from the water as far as I could tell.

Sadly Shewie they are very determined, a 50 kg generator was stolen from a club hut in Glen Nevis, the hut is at least an hour's walk from the carpark and you have to cross a river:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/w...-bothy-used-by-prince-charles-86908-22172902/

 

[Shewie]

Sadly Shewie they are very determined, a 50 kg generator was stolen from a club hut in Glen Nevis, the hut is at least an hour's walk from the carpark and you have to cross a river:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/w...-bothy-used-by-prince-charles-86908-22172902/

That is so sad, not sure what to say but I hope the comment about it being purpose built and no good to anyone is true. I hope they troubled and toiled, sweated and twisted the odd ankle before realising it was useless to them, scrotes !

 

[gsfgaz]

Sadly Shewie they are very determined, a 50 kg generator was stolen from a club hut in Glen Nevis, the hut is at least an hour's walk from the carpark and you have to cross a river:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/w...-bothy-used-by-prince-charles-86908-22172902/

Try 2 hours , i done it with a massive pack on , and i stayed in the famous CIC HUT ... an amazing place
full of character..... awe the famous climbers have been there ... that week we climbed tower ridge ... brilliant climb ...

 

[Gailainne]

Try 2 hours , i done it with a massive pack on , and i stayed in the famous CIC HUT ... an amazing place
full of character..... awe the famous climbers have been there ... that week we climbed tower ridge ... brilliant climb ...

A few friends of mine are doing the "Ridge" the weekend after next, I'm not joining them, I know my limitations, it looks awesome however, and I will roundly applaud them on their return, success or no.

 

[Gailainne]

It's an interesting thought. Books tend to attract people to certain places - I've heard that 'Into the Wild' has resulted in a lot of visitors to the Stampede Trail in Alaska, and some of these folks have taken souvenirs from the bus that Chris McCandless died in. Similarly Knoydart is well documented in print, and was somewhat busy when I was there. And I know the Mountain Bothies Association are discrete about some bothy locations.

However, every loch is on the map, and Shiel is kind of unmissable, and in this case it looks like the guys started with a map and planned a trip themselves, which is how it should be.

If/when I write a book, I will nevertheless follow the example of John Rowland's 'Cache Lake Country' - he is deliberately vague about the location. But then again, there is a Cache Lake for everybody somewhere.

Thanks for that Doc, but how do/can you pick just one?, with so many to choose from, especially when they can change minute to minute, far less by season.

We saw so many different faces of Loch Shiel over the three days we were there, each awesome in themselves, a simple rainbow after a very dreary, rainy (midge ridden) second morning which in itself was just beautiful, so dramatic with the low cloud level, had us spellbound, to the gorgeous sunny 3rd day.

I will look forward to reading your book someday.

Stephen

 

[gsfgaz]

Stephen, ur pics were brilliant mate, Don't stop taking photos ,that's what a camera is for then u share ur pics ... thanks for that

 

[Shewie]

I forgot to put my pics up, most of them are in the vid anyway but ....

The state of my almost new and still quite shiney boat after I got home

A quick coat of Armorall soon made it look better though

 

[wildrover]

Fantastic photos of what looks like a great trip.

 

[shogun]

excellent..photos...looked..like..a..great..trip!!

 

[PaulSanderson]

Thanks for sharing these pics...some are incredible!!! I think i have just found somewhere else in this great country to add to the bucket list!! thanks for sharing...