Bridging the gap from river to sea

Shortly after leaving Acharacle we approached the first of two bridges on the River Shiel.  This is the "new" bridge, built in 1935 and formed of a fine triple arch.  This is one of two "Shiel Bridges" and not to be confused with the "Shiel Bridge" in Kintail.

The second bridge is a graceful single arch built by Thomas Telford in 1804 over a point where the river is force through a narrow gap.  The "old" bridge was too narrow to carry road vehicles and was replaced by the "new" bridge in the 1930's.  There's actually a channel to the left of the bridge in this image, but in today's low water level it was completely dry.  We've had a little excitement in much higher conditions here but today we drifted serenely through into a quiet zone of deep, slow moving pools.

After a quiet stretch the river changes again to a broad, shallow flow over banks of shingle which required a bit of careful route choice to avoid.

A steep bank on the right hand side is a good reference point to start looking for options to get off the river prior to the drop into the Sea Pool.  This part of Scotland is still rising after the weight of the ice sheet was released at the end of the last Ice Age and is up to 5 metres above sea level.  In simple terms, Loch Shiel and it's river used to be connected to the sea, but are now up to 5 metres above sea level....which means that the water has a bit of a drop into the sea right at the end of the river.

We chose a spot we've used previously to get off the water; at a river gauging station.  There was just enough space for our five kayaks next to the minor road.  The road may be tiny but it's quite busy as it leads down to the popular Castle Tioram.

We got our boats onto the trolleys and one by one set off down the road. 

After 150 metres or so we could leave the road and take an estate track beside the river, so we weren't holding up the traffic!

Each time we've been on this trip we've taken the time to  take a look at the river's final plunge into the sea.  There was a lot less water here than on previous trips - one autumn visit had particularly impressive volumes of water sluicing down.

A common thread on each visit is that we've not had the slightest inclination to run this rapid in fully laden sea kayaks!  Even in this lower flow there are hazards; there's a couple of big rocks submerged in the line of descent.  That said. if you arrive in low river flow and at high water springs, it's said that the descent is straightforward.  Being of the disposition which plans for envisaged conditions....we bring trolleys!

We'd come from freshwater loch to river, under two bridges and then a short portage which had bridged the gap from fresh water to salt water.  Ahead of us lay the charms of Loch Moidart and the open sea.

Grace and Flavour at Acharachle

After leaving St Finans Isle we had a pleasant run down the narrow "tail" of Loch Shiel.  Indeed, it's hard to know where the loch ends and the River Shiel begins. 

Approaching Acharacle we saw a group of five Whooper Swans on the water - winter visitors to Scotland and quite late in leaving this year it seems - though a few pairs do breed in Scotland some years.  Although we tried to give them a wide berth, the wary birds all put their heads up and turned as one to face into the breeze.

A few of the distinctive "whooping" calls and the birds accelerated into the wind.......

....to power up into the air; a graceful and beautiful sight.  we could clearly hear the thrumming noise from their wings as the flight primaries rowed the air.

We cut around the side of the pier at Acharacle to land on a muddy strip next to a small slipway...it was time for second breakfast!

A short walk up the road to Acharacle village was enlivened with the sound of Willow Warblers and our first sighting of a Swallow this year - it seemed that the summer migrants were arriving in this part of Scotland before some of the winter visitors had left.

Second breakfast was purchased at David's Bakery and Cafe - hot roast beef rolls, beefburgers or home baking - it was all delicious and freshly prepared.  We've used this cafe before and can thoroughly recommend it - there is fish and chips available in the evenings too.  Nearby, a small shop offers the opportunity to re-stock with vital supplies and there is also a public toilet in the village - Acharacle is well worth the short diversion off the water on this trip!

Back on the water after fuelling up, it was immediately obvious from the insistent pull of the current that we'd now left Loch Shiel and were in the River Shiel.

Going with the flow

We left Eilean Fhianain with a brisk easterly breeze at our backs - one of the reasons we'd chosen this particular trip was the predominantly easterly wind which was forecast - it would either be at our backs or we'd be sheltered on the west coast.

A last look back towards the mountains of Loch Shiel.......

...and then steadily onwards along the stretch of water which isn't quite Loch Shiel and isn't yet ruly the River Shiel.  Shallow water lined with salt marsh, this is a great place for waterfowl and waders to feed and to rest.

Talking of feeding and resting.....

....we landed near the jetty at Acharacle in order to check out the options for first luncheon.  Acharacle (Torquil's ford) is named for a Norse leader who was killed here along with all his men in a battle with Somerled, Lord of the Isles in 1120.  Torquil's men found the water too deep to cross and they were killed making a last stand near this spot.

We walked up the small road which leads from the wooden jetty to the village shops......where we had a choice of eating in at the Acharacle Tearoom or purchasing lunch to eat outside the Bakery. 

As we were in our paddling clothes - and it was anyway such a nice morning - we chose to eat outside the Bakery.  The coffee and Foccaccia bread are particularly recommended by your reviewers!

Acharacle is a handy stop in this area, it has a couple of options for food, a shop, and public toilets with a tap outside for topping up water.

Fuelled up and rested, we got back on the water, our boats being drawn along by the now noticeable current towards the fine triple arched road bridge over the River Shiel, built in 1935.  The footings of the bridge supports were clear of the water which certainly hadn't been the case on our winter trip, and the river flow was markedly less too.

Shortly after the road bridge the river narrows quickly and swings into a rocky gorge.  At the end, the old bridge crosses the river at the point of a ninety degree left bend.  Built by Thomas Telford in 1804, it was too narrow to carry motor vehicles and was replaced as a road bridge by the 1935 version.  You can walk from the road to this bridge and cross it, but the south side is private property.

Beneath the bridge is a small rapid where the water runs over a rocky shelf - with more water in the river it can prove exciting, but as the level was quite low it was little more than a quickening of the flow.

The rapid marks the end of the narrow section, the water slows and the river becomes wide and shallow.  A wooded hill makes a lovely backdrop to a very relaxing section of the trip where we were able to just go with the flow in the literal sense.

If making this journey when the water level is relatively high, it's good to know that there are a couple of potential egress points to allow a portage around the tidal fall where the river empties into the sea.  The first is at a gauging station marked by wires crossing above the water - we used this during our winter trip when the river was quite full.

The second point is a small patch of flat grass jutting out into the river, which Douglas, Lorna and I used to land and carry our boats up to the track alongside the water; Mike found a spot further down again, but after that there's just one option immediately above the falls - miss it and you're committed....

We put the boats on the trolleys we carried specifically for this section and portaged along the estate track through woods of beech and pine - despite pulling the boats this was a very pleasant section.  Once again the trolleys (three KCS Expedition models and one Lomo model) proved their worth and performed faultlessly.

A short detour to view the tidal fall is well worth the effort - if only to assess whether you feel it could have been paddled.  The drop from river to sea is the result of isostatic rebound, the continued rising of the land in this part of Scotland following the release of ice from the last ice age.  The fall itself is affected by two things; the amount of water in the river and the height of tide - in simple terms, when the tide is low the river has further to drop.  On neither occasion we've been here have we felt the slightest inclination to run the fall in fully laden sea kayaks......

This is the fall in comparatively low river levels but also a low tide.......

.....and this is the fall on our winter trip with more water in the river but a higher tide. 

Immediately beyond the point where the river ends, we arrived at the shore of Loch Moidart.  We carried our boats down over a patch of saltmarsh to place them, for the first time on this journey, into salt water.

At home on salt water

Back on salt water, we couldn't miss out on inspecting the River Shiel outflow from below.  The jet of water is quite impressive......

....as is the slope of water pouring into Loch Moidart!

Over the past couple of years we've come to view the Moidart area and the Sound of Arisaig almost as "home waters" as we've been lucky enough to paddle in this area numerous times.  The familiar view of Castle Tioram never becomes routine though, the dramatic outline and superb location always a highlight of a visit here.

We hoisted our sails to cross Loch Moidart, each taking a different line to either catch the best of the light onshore breeze or to avoid the strongest of the flooding tidal stream.  It was quite striking how effective the forward skeg on Douglas' Aries was when sailing upwind, he was able to sail at least a point closer than either Mike or I in our Cetus MV's

We weren't the only paddlers to be enjoying the superb Spring weather, a couple in an open canoe were also heading towards the seaward end of Eilean Shona.

As we'd set out from the head of the loch a little after low tide, we knew that the North Channel of Eilean Shona would not be passable.  This meant that our route choice was limited to taking the South Channel; but we certainly weren't disappointed as it gave the opportunity to visit one of our favourite places......

forcing through a narrow channel entrance against the flooding tide, we arrived at the glorious Shoe Bay........

On foot to the sea

Having passed the bridges on the River Shiel we now had to decide where to leave the river.   We knew that there would be a considerable rapid at the point where the river empties into the sea at Loch Moidart.  The drop is caused by the raised level of the land in this part of Scotland; a rise which continues following the release of the weight of ice when the glaciers melted thousands of years ago.

During planning for this trip I'd identified a couple of possible egress points from the river and in the event we used the first of these, at a river gauging station opposite Shielfoot. 

Photo: Douglas Wilcox

 

We loaded our boats onto trollies for the portage to Loch Moidart.  This trip is one where the use of a trolley is pretty much essential to move laden kayaks from fresh water to the sea.  The first hundred metres or so were on the public road before passing through a gate.........

.....and onto an estate track.  This was the first outing for my new trolley; an Expedition trolley from Kayak Carrier Systems (KCS).  The trolley dealt with the bumpy track and a heavy kayak with ease and proved very stable.  We found that there were two further places we could have left the river to shorten the portage but we were happy to get out early because if these last opportunities are missed.........

........this is what awaits the sea kayaker!

The five metres which the fresh water pouring out of Loch Shiel needs to drop to the sea is largely taken up with two impressive and powerful falls right at the end of the river.  The first drop becomes a boiling cauldron......

....which enters the sea in a jet of white water.

We'd arrived at the Sea Pool near low water, but after two or three dry days.  We decided that portaging would almost always be our preferred route at this spot; none of us felt the slightest inclination to attempt this run in heavily laden 5 metre boats!

And so at last we came to salt water at Loch Moidart after a day and a half exploring the beautiful Loch Shiel and its river.  Back on familiar territory, we prepared to set out on the next stage of our journey.

Water under the bridge(s)

We left Eilean Fhianain knowing that we would return one day; it's a special place.  The lightest of breezes started up, the first all day so we hoisted sail to get whatever assistance it could offer.

 ......as curious locals lined the water's edge to watch us pass by

After less than ten minutes the breeze died and mirror-calm conditions were restored.  The late morning spring sunshine was pleasantly warm, hot even, on our faces.

The lower part of Loch Shiel would originally have been beyond the snout of the glacier which formed the upper loch; Eilean Fhianan was formed as a terminal moraine.  Imperceptibly the loch becomes more like a wide, shallow river and it's quite difficult to detect where Loch Shiel truly becomes River Shiel. 

We were now paddling past houses on both banks and alongside a road, on which the traffic came as a bit of  asurprise.  We'd been on our small expedition for less than 24 hours and yet we seemed to have been out much longer.

At Moss opposite Acharacle we passed the wildlife cruise vessel "Sileas" on her winter maintenance slipway.  We spent a pleasant few minutes chatting with owner Jim Michie who was tidying away the final items of preparation for her annual safety survey prior to the start of the season.

An ex-Admiralty launch built in 1940, "Sileas" has had a really interesting career and at least three names over her 75 year life.  At various times a Navy launch, mailboat, a ferry at various west coast locations, a pier construction tender and for the last 15 or so years a graceful wildlife cruise boat. After extensive refurbishment to fit her for wildlife watching, "Sileas" had to be taken to the shores of Loch Shiel by road and physically pushed off a trailer into her new freshwater home.

Built by James Silver of Rosneath, her hull is of double diagonal teak planking on oak frames - she's truly built to last and Jim has clearly engaged in a labour of love to keep her in such fine condition.  If you're not a kayaker or canoeist, a trip on the loch aboard "Sileas" would be a super way to experience Loch Shiel.

Beyond Acharacle we were definitely on the River Shiel as we approached the first of two bridges at Shiel Bridge (not to be confused with the place of the same name in Kintail on the road to Skye), this one the newer of the two is a fine stone triple arch with decorative castellated piers constructed in the 1930's.

I've driven on the road across this bridge many ties and it was nice to get a different view as we cruised underneath.

 As we passed under the bridge we became much more aware of the flow of the river, an insistent pull of water towards the sea. We now barely needed to paddle in order to keep up a steady speed downstream.

 The River Shiel is a noted fishing river and has several wooden stages from which anglers cast for salmon and sea trout.  Rounding one of these at a sharp turn in the river, the water enters a tightening gorge framed by the arch of Old Shiel Bridge.  We approached cautiously because from ahead was the umistakable sound of rapids.......

Douglas had scouted this section on a previous visit and knew that the rapid was a short one.  Nevertheless, it takes a leap of faith to point fully laden 5 metre sea kayaks towards white water hidden around a bend in a gorge!

The boats surged forward as one by one we lined up to avoid the most disturbed water and went for it.  Although fully engaging, the rapid turned out to be of moderate grade and short-lived.  Looking at the debris high up the walls of the gorge, I was very thankful once more that I hadn't attempted this trip solo after very wet and stormy weather. 

We were now past the initial obstacle and heading quickly towards the point where the River Shiel joins the sea.  It was a little after low tide and that all this fast-moving water in the river still had the best part of 5 metres to drop before reaching Loch Moidart..........