As you probably know, ten of us spent a week paddling in Scotland. In summary – it was an excellent trip, with lots of paddling, even if the rivers were a bit low.
The people were: Conor, Lisa, Jenny, Jim, Clive, Pete, Tony, Rich, Kim, Mark.
The rivers paddled were: Arkaig, Awe, Spean Gorge, Falls of Lora, Fechlin (high!), Garry, Roy, Etive (middle), Etive (lower), Arkaig, Spean Gorge, Fechlin (low!).
Rich and Mark managed an arrival-day blast down the Arkaig. Next day, we all warmed up on the Awe, after looking at the Falls of Lora. I’ve never seen them flowing before; a bit like the bitches (big and fast) but right next to a road bridge.
Next day, Rich and Tony had fun on the Falls of Lora. The rest of us paddled the Spean Gorge that day, low water and sunny. Lots of swims, including 4 on a single rapid. Lisa gained loads of points for her river leadership that day.
The Fechlin was much higher than it looked. Clive and Pete had a minor epic after following Rich down a grade 4, (Rich failed to get the break-out), resulting in a nasty swim with cuts (Clive), and a pin (Pete), and a walk out for both of them. Mark later had a boat exit, and lost the central buoyancy, so also had to walk out, leaving just Lisa, Tony, Rich, and Jim to finish the trip down some bouncy grade 3, 4, and 5. It created the first BCC hospital trip for a while, when Clive went off to get his lip stitched. (Quote of the day from Conor to Clive: ‘You’ll enjoy it’). While this was all going on, Jenny, Kim, and I had a pleasant play-day on the Garry without a release, but it did briefly hail on us, to give us a feel for ‘proper’ Scottish weather.
Another beautiful day sent half of the group down the Roy in low-ish water, and half for a walk up the Roy valley. Mark managed to get some new multi-coloured buoyancy from the local swimming pool!
Tony and Rich were also the only two foolhardy enough to attempt the big drops on the Etive in medium to high flow. All went OK, we have photos and videos to prove it. The whole group then got on further down and paddled the lower section.
Mark managed to roll twice on the big drop on the Arkaig. Unfortunately he hurt his arm doing this, so didn’t stay for the last two days. The other half of the group, Clive, Pete, Kim, Jenny, and Jim, used the excellent weather to walk up Ben Nevis – thick snow at the top, but glorious sunshine.
Those who were not hung-over paddled the Spean Gorge again, in low water. We all avoided head banger, but paddled the rest. Clive got bounced around interestingly in the Cauldron, but exited boat without further mishap.
Final day on the Fechlin. Very low water. Lisa, Tony, Rich, and Jim paddled this. Very rock – hoppy, and tight and technical in places. Jim rolled lots – we have video evidence.
Kim won the official fish of the week after 3 swims and 1 dry exit. Special mention goes to the technique of throwing her paddles down the Cauldron on the Spean Gorge without herself attached to them, as an excuse for portaging.
– Conor
