The Wild West

[Brynglas]

I've just spent the last three days travelling around the coast of Islay, from Craigens and Loch Gruinart taking in some of the area that Jeremy used for his journeyman course and ending up back in the relatively sheltered areas of Kildalton. the weather has been typically wet and very windy so things have been a bit less than comfortable on occasions but the upside is that I didn't see a soul during the time that I was out. There are a couple of excellently appointed bothies on the coast which ofered a welcome opportunity to get my clothes from soaked to just damp and have a bit more room to move than the bivvy bag.

If any of you guys are thinking of hitting the wilderness then I'm sure that Jeremy's Islay Journeyman would serve as a great introduction to this fantastic wild part of the world. The sea life is first class with porpoises, seals and otters regularly sighted and a great variety of sea birds and if you're lucky, a Golden Eagle. One word of caution though, and that is don't come expecting good weather and be prepared for the wind and the wet. I've had my kayak strapped to the car for over a week waiting for condidtions to improve but no luck as yet.

With some luck I'm off to the North West coast of Jura towards the end of the week. I'll keep you posted ack:

 

[bushwacker bob]

Cheers for the report Brynglass,sounds bleak and beautiful but the rest of us are having similar weather ):

 

[Hoodoo]

There are a couple of excellently appointed bothies on the coast which ofered a welcome opportunity to get my clothes from soaked to just damp and have a bit more room to move than the bivvy bag.

Sounds like a great trip! What is a bothie? bothy? eh?

 

[jamesdevine]

It really does sound like a great place and one I can imagine getting to alot easier then some other distination on my list. Great report and keep us updated on how you do if you get to Jura.

Hoodoo,
I think that a bothy is a more permanent mountian type shelter that can be anything from a barn type building to something a little lower down the scale from a hostel all do I am more then happy to be corrected by some of our Scottish members.

James

 

[leon-1]

Sounds like a great trip! What is a bothie? bothy? eh?

Terry, bothies are basically huts that the walkers/climbers use that are scattered around Scotland, they make a welcome break when the weather is dismal and all you want to do is get dry. Hence the comment about space as well, the maps of the areas have them marked on them