Isle of Skye - Part 2

DAY 4 - Monday 6th September

Wind, Wind and More Wind!!!

After a sleepless night I finally gave up trying and just got up. The tent was still flapping about and on closer inspection there were two broken poles, ripped seams and a broken zip. Most of the guidelines had been ripped out and the only thing that stopped us blowing away was the fact we tied it to the car. My dad went over and paid for the next night and the lady in the shop said are you sure...if you thought that was bad it's going to get twice as worse and had been given weather warnings for severe gales.

We bundled the big tent into the car and put up the two smaller tents. Everyone was also packing up until finally we were the last ones there. The two smaller tents didn't look like they would last the night either so we packed up in search for more sheltered pastures. I caught the morning forecast on the VHF 'force 8 gale warnings'.

Camp at Portree
We ventured back towards the main road running through Skye and up to what you could call the capital, Portree. There was a stunning camp site up on a hill about a mile or so from the centre which was recommended in one of my dads walking magazines as the best camp site in Britain. By the time we pitched the tents for the second time today it was late afternoon. We ventured into the town for a wander round and a few pints. By the afternoon pretty much everyone that was at the last campsite was pitched here also.

DAY 5 - Tuesday 7th September

After the best night sleep since I got here (drink might have helped) I caught the mornings forecast on the VHF...'south or south easterly force 5 or 6 becoming 8 cyclonic with F9 gale warnings'. Not really what I wanted to here. Portree harbour looked pretty smooth last night but on passing by it wasn't the case today. The boats were all straining at there moorings. My dad was heading up the north east coast toward a place called Staffin.

Staffin Bay
I was up for a windy day but there was no chance! I wandered down to the beach, there was sand being blown about, spray off the sea, I could barely stand!

The gannets seemed to be having a hard time as well. These are from a video so the quality is not so good.

My dad was climbing the Quiraing today along a road that cuts through the north of the island through the mountains.

Views from the road, it wasn't misty just hazy.

Road up through the mountains

The road came out on the north west coast at a place called Uig. It still looked a little choppy but far better than the other side of the island. I unloaded at a slipway and headed out into the bay.

Poser!

I paddled under the pier where the ferry docs for Uist and Harris. The pier legs were covered in muscles and barnacles.

Out of the bay the wind picked up again, nothing to worry about though. With no plan I didn't know which way to turn. There was a stack marked on the OS map so I headed north to check it out.

There it is.

Some kind of Sea Urchin.

A sea of seaweed.

Past the stack the coast looked pretty drab and drawn out so I turned back so see what was over the south side. Looking out toward the Minch I saw a group of dolphins swimming north quite far out.

Paddling back the down drafts off the slope were extremely strong, at one point all I could do was brace. The further toward the bay I got the more the wind wrapped around the corner. The ferry passed by heading for the pier.

The sea once again was by no means rough or big, just absolutely forceful winds.

Nearing the head of the bay I had to stop and get out of the wind so I dragged (no chance of picking it up) my boat up on to these rocks.

peering over the rocks the wind eventually dropped enough to paddle back.

After a long hard slog I finally made it to the shelter of the pier wall. With all that messing about with the wind I had about an hour left before my dad came back, so I paddled across the bay into the shelter of the noth facing slopes.

At the sea's edge there were shallow reefs stretching quite far out, only a few feet deep, this was the same all around the coast from what I could see. Underneath were forests of seaweed, proper seaweed as well, not the horrible black stuff we get at home. I bet they were teaming with life.

I landed at the nearest beach where I found hand fulls of scallop shells and dried out sea urchins like the one I saw earlier.

From the back of the beach you could clearly see the downdrafts coming off the cliff behind. You could clearly make them out, swirling around like mini tornadoes.

The clouds started to look pretty menacing overhead so I started to make my way back.

And with the cloud the haze began to lift uncovering Outer Hebrides in the distance. This was another intended tip if the conditions were perfect (force 2 or less). 30km to the Shiant Isles camp overnight then another 30km to Tarbert on Harris, now that's a trip! No chance of that this week though.

Looking down on Uig Bay

We stopped off at a few places on the way back for some photo opportunities.

180ft waterfall at Kilt Rock

Islands of Rona and Raasay in the distance and The Old Man of Storr to the right

The only ones braving the conditions were the life boat crew heading back to Portree I guess. The Island of Raasay in the background is a three day trip to circumnavigate according to the Scottish Sea Kayak guidebook.

The Storr

Not completely satisfied with my 7.5nm trip earlier I get my dad to drop me off at Portree Harbour as the wind have pretty much ceased now. The life boat we saw earlier had just docked at the harbour.

I had a roam around the harbour and out to the fishing pontoon.

Our campsite must be up in the valley between these two hills.

The lifeboat was now moored off shore and on closer inspection found it was the Barra Island lifeboat just south of Uist.

Portree Harbour, the pink guest house is up for sale at £500,000 and the blue building is a really friendly pub serving real ales. Next door is a chippy with the best fish and chips I have ever had.

The Black Cullin Mountains almost capped with cloud

After a few pints in the blue pub and fish and chips next door we followed the sound of bagpipes into the high street for some traditional entertainment.

A disapointing day kayaking wise but managed to fit in some of the sights. Winds are supposed to calm dow a bit tomorrow (can't get much worse), fingers crossed!

Isle of Skye - Part 1

Back last year my dad said "do you fancy a trip up to the Isle of Skye, split the petrol I'll go walking you can go kayaking". After months of waiting the time to take the 600 mile trip up the the western isles of Scotland finally arrived. With 458 pictures taken I best get started.

DAY 1 - Friday 3rd September

We left early morning and arrived at Loch Lomond just the other side of Glasgow late afternoon. We found a camp site at the edge of Loch Long within walking distance of a pub and chippy, sorted!

Loch Long

The camp site was a little run down but we were only staying the one night.

DAY 2 - Saturday 4th September

Buachaille Etive Mor

After a quick breakfast we past through the highlands of Scotland and make our never ending journey further north. We must have stopped at every lay bye for photo opportunities.

War memorial Spean Bridge, Ben Nevis behind

Bridge at Loch Sligachan, South East Skye

Loch Brittle Camp Site and the Black Cullin Mountains, Skye
We pitch my dads aircraft hanger of a tent at what must be the most spectacular camp site ever. It is situated in the shadows of the Black Cullin mountains and at the end of Loch Brittle (sea) Loch.

We then head to our nearest pub 8 miles up the road at Carbost for a few pints for my birthday before calling it a night.

Day 3 - Sunday 5th September

OK two days gone already and I haven't got my boat off the roof yet, time for a paddle. I catch the mornings forecast...force 5-6 increasing force 7, 50 mile hr gales from south east. Our camp site was facing south east so we drove up near the pub which looked more sheltered last night.

I launched or more like slid from the Talisker distillery in Carbost. And I thought Aberthaw was bad! Amazingly this was the storey for the whole coastline. Sea weed covered everything, you were luck if you found a sandy/pebble beach anywhere.

Looking toward the Black Cullins at Loch Harport

I made my way across the loch to the far side. My dad was coming back for me in about 6 hours so I tried to take my time but with a following sea and wind I was accelerated along at 5-6kts.

Way hay! a pebble beach, but I had to fight through the seaweed to get to it. Hannah bought me a water bladder which fits to my BA for my birthday, which is great as I don't lose my water bottles anymore and keeps me well hydrated. Down side is I have to stop for a pee every half hour!

Paddling in to Gesto bay with a nice looking guest house and the remains of Gesto House which is a listed building dating back to 1760 and was the former home of the Macleods of Gesto.

Gesto House

Carrying on my journey eastward I paddle into Loch Beag. There are no noticeable tides around most of Skye apart from obvious headlands and narrows so planning was a lot easier.

Whats with the slipways in Skye?! They all seem to drop off a few feet above the water level.

I make another seaweed covered landing next to the slipway for a quick cuppa and to plan the rest of my journey.

A flight of Shags (click the image you'll soon see them)
With the wind starting to pick up the further out I get I stay close to the shore line and carry on my journey out to the intriguing shaped spit of headland in the distance.

Nature calls again! Out here I feel more alone in a kayak than I ever have and start to get the feeling the remote western isles are not really a place to be kayaking alone. I haven't seen a single person or boat. The nearest thing to habitation I have seen was a lonely guest house back a few miles at Gesto Bay and a deserted harbour.

All this is forgotten when I find this gem of a beach dividing the tip of the headland. White sand, turquoise sea and stuning views of the surrounding highlands.

I climb up the hill to get a better view of my surroundings.

To the west stunning sheltered seas surrounding the isles of Harlosh, Tarner and the largest Wiay with the mountains of western Skye including Macleod's Table in the hazy distance.

Back to the East where I came from white wave crests now gust across the water.

I cheat and drag my boat across the beach to the more inviting western side, hopefully the wind will ease off a little by the time I get back.

The end of the headland looks inviting with calm waters sheltered by the huge cliffs.

Caves, cliffs and a slight swell coming in from the south I feel more like I'm at sea now. It's a weird place, you have the mountains, the heather, bogs and reeds, sheep and cattle all right on the waters edge. Somehow doesn't seem to fit. Later in the week I even saw cows wadding in the sea along a beach.

It looked a bit choppy further out but with only a 1.5/2km crossing to the isle of Wiay I chance it.

A few minutes into the crossing the gusts whip over the headland and make paddling difficult. The sea was by no means rough but the force of the wind was enough to make me feel uneasy in such an exposed and unfamiliar place. I turn back and battle into the wind back to the beach.

I hop back over the spit and carry on my paddle into the wind and head for a lighthouse across to the entrance of the loch.

The wind had eased slightly so made it a fun paddle into the oncoming waves.

The lighthouse turns out to be a un-maned framework tower powered by solar panels. Still a couple of hours left before my dad finishes his walk I decide to follow the coast south instead of heading back up the loch.

Past the huge cliffs of my intended destination of Wiay Isle, Macleod's Maidens come into view, also an intended destination for later in the week. The maidens are three sea stacks said to be named after the mother (the larger stack) and two daughters (two smaller stacks) of the Macleod family who drowned at sea many years ago.

The cliffs rise dramatically out of the sea now providing the perfect shelter from the south easterly winds.

I test out a three picture wide angle function on my camera. With the sea being so glassy and calm and a gentle following swell I make a bee line for the light house into deeper waters in the hope of seeing a basking shark or some dolphins. No such luck.

Rounding the headland off the lighthouse the wind gusts quite strongly making paddling really difficult. Just as I was about to start my 7km paddle back down the loch I notice my dad waving his red jacket from a slipway. Thank god for that I was dreading that paddle.

With the sun now behind us on the journey back the Black Cullin's make for a perfect photo opportunity.

Roughly 15nm trip over about 4 and half hours. It was back to our local pub for a few pints of Red Cullin and Isles Ale together with home made Angus burger and chips. On returning to the camp site the wind was whipping up a gale and we find our tent practicaly flattened. We spend a few drunken momments tying it up to the roofrack on the car and spend the rest of the night wide awake waiting for it to take off again. This was the start to a very wind week!!....