Five go to dinner

I paddled out of Loch Moidart and headed up the rugged seaward face of Eilean Shona, with a steady breeze at my back.  This breeze would of course have to be paddled against if the group decided to camp at "Shoe Bay"!

We reassembled at the mouth of the North Channel of Loch Moidart and had a quick discussion about where to camp for the evening.  One option involved a short downwind run to a camp we've used before, but we knew that we wouldn't have that place to ourselves on a busy holiday weekend.  The decision to paddle south into the wind for a few kilometres was really quite an easy one, though it was certainly an effort to make progress at the end of a long day.

Soon enough we arrived though.  I'd been a little unsure whether we'd get our four tents on the rather confined turf above the beach, though there were some other options fairly close by it would be good to all be together.

As it happened, with a little bit of creative thinking we got all the tents pitched comfortably.  We spent a pleasant hour int the relaxed routine of sorting out gear, drying damp kit and general faffing that makes such a nice rhythm at the end of a paddling day in good weather; though it's a different feeling in stormy or midgy conditions!  The view south across to the Ardnamurchan peninsula was a great backdrop to what is a really stunning wild camp site.

It was my turn to produce dinner, and this evening's fare was Mince and Tatties - with some added vegetables and a dash of red wine in the mince and butter to accompany the baby tatties, it hit the spot quite well!  Dessert was stewed Bramley apples with clotted cream and brandy....we had no intention of resorting to dried packet food on this short trip!

We five sat back in our chairs and enjoyed dinner with the best view imaginable; we wouldn't have swapped our mince and tatties here for any Michelin-starred meal in a fancy restaurant.....

After dinner Douglas and Tony climbed to a nearby high point to get an elevated grandstand view for the evening's entertainment, which was already beginning........