PADDLER 85
By the time I was halfway down the loch , I was paddling in complete darkness . I was cold and tired , and it was no longer such an enjoyable paddle . I put my headphones in to lift my spirits and pass the time .
The sky was completely clear , and the stars were out in force . I spotted multiple shooting stars . Suddenly , I hit a rock , which gave me the fright of my life . I turned my headtorch on and realised I had made it . I had reached the river Pean , and it was time to set up camp . It was 22:00 .
DAY FIVE
Today was going to be a big day as I was planning to break the back of the portage . I set off paddling up the river , hoping to get as close to the bothy as I could . A mere kilometre up the river at Strathan , the river was too low to make progress . I carried the boat up to the forestry track and started the 5km trolley up the road towards Glen Pean bothy .
Once at the bothy , I stopped for lunch , reorganised my bags , and set my system ready for the portage . I was carrying a 65-litre drybag with my tent , sleeping bag and mat , clothes , etc ., and a 35-litre duffel for my food and cook system .
I tied my trolley to the bottom of the big rucksack and secured my poles and paddles to the straps on the top of the duffel . I then slung the small duffel on top of the rucksack and headed up into the valley .
The first section was relatively easy portaging . I occasionally used the creek to pole and drag until I reached the first lochan .
I stopped here for a few minutes to take in the serenity of the lochan , and following a short paddle , I was back to it . There was no track of note , just broken tracks where deer and the occasional walker had been ; I snaked my way through , trying to avoid sinking into the boggy marshland .
I ’ d reached a steep section choked with boulders around 18:00 . I knew I had an hour and a half or so of light left , so I pressed on .
I knew this section was going to be tricky , so I ensured the PLB was clipped to me at all times . I took the bags up and over to find the small lochan had completely dried up , leaving a bog between the boulder choke section and a steep climb ahead .
I carried the boat on my shoulders and carefully navigated the boulders , making it down to the bog .
Light started to fade , and so did morale . This was the first solo expedition I had done , and part of the appeal was to test myself physically and mentally . I had fared well up to this point , but with the lochan dried up , no place to camp , light fading , stags croaking , and a really steep section ahead of me , this was a point where I wished I had some company to lift spirits . I decided to leave the boat , take what I needed for the evening , and climb to the height of the land .
I got to the top and found an amazing spot to camp , which looked down on the valley towards Loch Morar . I couldn ’ t see the loch , but I knew once I got my boat to this point , it was all downhill .
I pitched up , had food , and tried not to concern myself with the challenge of getting my boat to where I was in the morning .
DAY SIX
The wind was so strong during the night I had to check that my kit wasn ’ t going to be blown off the high point where I was camped ; not only did I have to get my boat up to where I was but a further 2km to reach the loch , portaging in powerful winds .
I climbed down to the lochan , put the boat on my shoulders , and started to clamber up the steep mossy boulder climb , resting now and then and taking it slow in order not to make a silly mistake and injure myself .
PADDLER 85