Home run

The wind was already quite brisk when we got on the water, the warming effect of the mid morning sun more than countered by the cool easterly wind pouring out of Loch Moidart's North Channel.  We've found this to be an area which often funnels wind between the mainland and Eilean Shona, most noticeably in a easterly.

Although our day's paddle would be quite short there was still plenty of time for a stop along the way - white sand beaches are hard to pas by!  This one's a regular stop for us and was one of the camping options we'd considered, but not used.  There's good reason for this; any time in the "season" (although for us this is year round!) the place gets over used by groups.  As this was the second day of a holiday weekend we'd anticipated that it would be busy......

.....and we were't mistaken in that guess.  There were at least eight tents, guides with clients, walkers and a couple of dogs, one of which raced up to us snarling and barking.  Any sense of solitude or a wilderness experience would have been absent here and we were doubly glad we'd chosen Shoe Bay for our final camp.

After a break for coffee we continued north, the breeze now at our backs and pushing us up the coast into the Sound of Arisaig.  Douglas was testing the new model of kayak sail from Flat Earth Sails and was driving along at a very brisk rate.  The air seemed very sharp in the southeasterly wind - it was a great morning to be out but we could detect the first signs of the forecast increase in wind speed as whitecaps began to appear to seaward of us.

All too soon we pulled around the corner into the familiar surroundings of Samalaman Bay.  Our trip was over, and it had been another great journey from the head of freshwater Loch Shiel down to the salt of Loch Moidart and the to Loch Ailort. This is a trip we've now enjoyed several times, and it continues to be full of interest.  We've paddled in Spring, late winter and early autumn - and undoubtedly we'll do this journey again, perhaps as a full winter expedition.

We'd run a shuttle down here at the start of our trip and had capacity to take all of us and our boats back to the start at Glenfinnan to recover the other vehicle.  We were very glad we hadn't planned to bring just one vehicle and rely on bringing the others from Glenfinnan.....

...because on the holiday weekend the place was busier than we've ever seen it.  At least two kayak clubs and several small teams were all setting out on their own journeys, there's very limited parking and the road was almost blocked with cars. 

We heard later that the wind had indeed got up during that afternoon and into the following day, pinning some groups where they'd landed and causing others to alter plans, but that all had enjoyed this brilliant sea kayaking area.

A cinematic event at Shoe Bay

From our camp at "Shoe Bay" Douglas and Tony climbed a nearby rocky hill to watch the evening's cinematic entertainment.

The show began as the spotlight came up behind us......

...and cast a lovely pale light over Loch Moidart.  Beyond the loch, Beinn Resipol seemed almost translucent in the evening light.  But the rise of the full moon was just the curtain-raiser - the main event was underway in the opposite direction.

...as a smoky sunset coloured up the western sky.  As it set beyond the low outline of Muck, we speculated as to whether the sky would develop into technicolour shades or not.

A little further along the horizon, the silhouette of Eigg sailed the western sea - it's always reminded me of the outline of a ship.  Eigg and Muck have given such superb days, whether on the sea or on foot - they really do feel like old friends I'm privileged to have an acquaintance with.

There would be no technicolour blaze across the horizon on this evening, but we weren't complaining....every sunset is subtly different and this one was a slow, smouldering affair.

Below the rocky perch I'd chosen, the sand of Shoe Bay turned ghostly pale in the evening light and the colour of our boats seemed to really glow.

We created our own blaze and glow as the evening progressed....sitting around our fire and reflecting on just how fortunate we are to be able to experience evenings such as this in special places like these.

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........

Paradise found at Shoe Bay

After our short portage around the tidal fall at the foot of the River Shiel we found an inlet where we could access the salt water of Loch Moidart. As this image shows, around low water there can be quite a distance to the water here.

I was a little slower heading out from the inlet than the others, having sorted out a slight imbalance in my kayak's trim. In the five or so minutes I was readjusting the boat, the southerly wind picked up considerably and was blowing strongly by the time I headed out.  The others were already some distance away, hammering down towards Castle Tioram with sails flying.

The wind continued to gust strongly and I was cautious about putting up my own sail.  Our original plan had been to leave Loch Moidart by the South Channel and head south to camp on the north side of the Ardnamurchan peninsula.  I decided not to cross to Castle Tioram but to stay on the upwind side of the loch and head slowly along to allow the others to get back across.  What I didn't know at this point was that the group had found the wind even stronger near Castle Tioram and had made the decision to leave via the North Channel to avoid the wind rather than slogging back upwind.  We've often found Loch Moidart to be a windy place; the topography funnels wind from the south and east particularly.

Some sea kayakers carry VHF radios solely or primarily for emergencies - we tend to use ours primarily for inter-group communications, though they also have great utility in distress or emergency situations.  Douglas and I exchanged messages and the plan became for the others to exit out of the North Channel while I'd continue out of the South Channel and rejoin them on the seaward side of Eilean Shona.

I continued steadily westward, enjoying the view of the dramatically sited Castle Tioram as a bonus.  You can just about make out the rest of the group at the base of the castle in this telephoto image.  Now that the plan had changed, the camp spot we'd originally thought to use would probably be a little far to paddle to against the wind.  There was a spot I wanted to check out as an alternative though.....

There's something a bit special about a white sand beach above clear water, and this one is a particular favourite.  We stop here regularly and had noted the possibility of camping here in very small groups...but would there be space for four small tents?  We know this beach as "Shoe Bay", a name you won't find on any map.  The name refers to the very soft, fine sand into which many shoes must have disappeared over the centuries.  This image from a previous visit shows just how soft the sand here is!

The sand wasn't the only attraction on this bright late spring day - the beach is backed with rocky outcrops, each of which was packed with the cheerful yellow flowers of Primroses (Primula vulgaris).

Having established that we could get our tents on the cropped turf with some creativity in pitch selection I climbed above the beach to get a bit of a wider view....it's a photogenic spot!

I got back on the water just as the sun broke through and intensified the colours in the water.  I hoped that the others would agree that this small slice of paradise would be worth a few extra kilometres of paddling!

Squeezing out the last drop

 We weren't sure if the the weather would be conducive to paddling on the last day of our short trip based at Glenuig, but the morning turned out fine if windy.  Rain was forecast for midday, so we felt we could squeeze in a short paddle before heading home.  We headed straight out of Glenuig and turned south down the coast.  Our plan was simply to paddle towards the north channel of Moidart before turning around and heading back to Glenuig.

 It's always an interesting stretch of coast and despite the overcast conditions there was plenty of colour to enjoy.

 It was a strenuous push against a freshening F4-5 wind to reach a beach where we could stop for a short break......

 ....on a beach of pale sand......

 ...backed with tide-formed strips of shells - the stuff which would eventually become sand.

 I wandered down the beach and looked back to see the others enjoying the view out to the Small Isles, in a pose very reminiscent of a well known sculpture!

We decided to paddle just a little further to round the skerries in the North Channel of Loch Moidart, where the tide was absolutely pouring out - along with the wind.  Three of us just managed to get over the shallow sand bar.....

 ...but Allan, who was just a couple of minutes behind us found that the last drop of water had run out; he had to wade into deeper water to get back afloat.

Our run back with the wind behind us was pretty quick and we were soon back at Glenuig Bay.  The low tide made for a bit of a carry with the boats, and as we finished securing them onto the cars, a few fat drops of rain were followed by a deluge - we'd squeezed the very last drop from the weather window.

Layered light at Loch Moidart

We paddled away from the mouth of the River Shiel on salt water for the first time on this journey.  Ahead of us Castle Tioram was lit by the afternoon sun ; we paddle this area quite frequently and I've noticed that when the sun isn't shining - a rare occurence on the west coast of Scotland :o) - the castle seems to recede into the background and can be hard to make out when paddling from the mouth of Loch Moidart. No such difficulty today and we aimed straight towards the castle and its small island.

The castle takes its name from Eilean Tioram (dry island) and this probably refers to the fact that at low water the island is connected to the mainland by a sandy spit which disappears at high tide.  A stone built castle is recorded here from the 1200's but the present building probably dates from the 13th century.  For most of its history a Clanranald stronghold, Castle Tioram is currently the subject of a stalemate between its owner who wishes to convet it to a private dwelling and Historic Scotland (now Historic Environment Scotland) who wish to consolidate the ruin and preserve it for the nation.  It's a difficult situation but there may be a way forward following recent negotiations - lets hope so because while the dispute rumbles on the fabric of the building crumbles.

 At the seaward side of the island is a beautiful little beach of shell sand and coral - complete with a rocky arm to form a sun trap.  Second luncheon was proposed and carried by a unanimous majority...  We took off layers of clothing as we sat eating lunch in the warm sunshine, Douglas took this to the logical conclusion and enjoyed a swim in water which he reported as warm (for a given value of warmth - and as compared to the chill of deep Loch Shiel!).  We three joined Douglas in taking a restorative dram of Jura 10 year old, after all, we were in no hurry as we were waiting for the tide to rise sufficiently to allow up to paddle through the north channel of Loch Moidart.

 The southeastern tip of Eilean Shona still bears scars from the severe winter storms of a couple of years ago which blew down trees, stripped branches and even lifted the thin layer of turf on the shoreline rocks.

 We'd left some of our own layers off in the warm afternoon sunshine and as we passed behind Riska Island and into the wide inner part of Loch Moidart, layers of low inland cloud building in the warmth began to produce an unusual effect......

 .....of alternating light and shade - at first confined to a narrow area.....

 ...but widening gradually to encompass a sweep of tree, water and hill in layers of light.

Tranistory and unusual, my photographs don't really do justice to the alternating effect and it lasted just a few minutes before the clouds moved enough to change the scene.

We paddled on towards what appears to be a closed corner of Loch Moidart, but where we knew the North Channel lay between sun and shadow.

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.