PADDLER 82
“ I love how friendly the paddling community can be , and the kindness these paddlers showed me was a much-needed boost in morale .”
PADDLER 82
reach Loch Cuaich , with a climb of 260 metres . Before long , it was getting dark , and the only company I had were the croaking stags . Occasionally , I pan around with my headtorch and see countless pairs of eyes shining back at me .
I had set myself the goal of reaching the loch before pitching up for the night . I knew I was close but couldn ’ t see water . Tired and looking at the steep road ahead , I set up camp .
DAY THREE
I awoke early , keen to press on . I continued to trolley up the road , knowing it wouldn ’ t be long before I reached a side track leading down to the loch . I was escorted down the road by a herd of highland cattle . It was nice to have the company , albeit a bit intimidating . I reached the water and set off across Loch Cuaich . Before long , I ’ d reached the dam and portaged up and over to where I could get onto the river .
The Upper Garry is a section that doesn ’ t seem to get paddled too often . However , I ’ d recommend it if you ’ re up for an adventure . The first few kilometres will put your lining skills to the test as you navigate through shallow rapids and drops before reaching a couple of exciting grade-two rapids leading into Loch Garry .
Loch Garry was perfectly calm . The only disruptions were the splashes of my paddle , the deer running along the side and the otter I saw playing halfway down the loch .
I arrived at the dam as the light was starting to fade , portaged to where I could easily access the water the following day , and set up camp .
DAY FOUR
Much to my disappointment , during my six days available , there was no release scheduled , so I knew I ’ d be lining my boat down most of the river , only able to paddle one or two of the rapids .
“ I love how friendly the paddling community can be , and the kindness these paddlers showed me was a much-needed boost in morale .”
I left the Garry and joined the Caledonian Canal at Loch Oich . There was a light wind , so I raised the sail and made my way to Laggan Locks for lunch .
At Loch Lochy , I was fortunate to have a force 3 tailwind and sailed down to Clunes . It was brilliant to cover some distance while getting some muchneeded rest .
I arrived at Clunes to be greeted by a group of paddlers . I was cold by this point ; my paddling thermals were damp and chilly , having sat still while sailing . I started carrying my kit up to the road and chatted with the group . Before I knew it , I was sitting around their fire with a slice of banana bread and a cup of tea . I love how friendly the paddling community can be , and the kindness these paddlers showed me was a much-needed boost in morale .
It was hard to leave the fire , knowing that I had a long night ahead of me . Setting my sights on reaching the end of the Arkaig before the end of the day , I set off over the 3km portage .
By the time I reached the loch , it was 18:00 . I stopped to refuel , cooking up some dinner to give me the energy I needed for the 19km paddle across the loch .
Loch Arkaig was a Loch I had yet to paddle and another that had been high on the list for some time . With pine woodlands along the shoreline and overlooked by dramatic mountains , it ’ s a very scenic Loch . I was treated to calm conditions and a very atmospheric paddle , with the sun setting behind the mountains and light sitting in the mist .