PADDLER 86
Bio
PADDLER 86
Once at the high point , I slid my boat on a line as far as possible , then continued under the yoke .
Finally , I could see the loch , which provided the boost I needed to press on . Before too long , I arrived at the loch just up from Oban Bothy .
The view back up the valley was spectacular . I ’ m glad it wasn ’ t the view I was greeted by at Glen Pean Bothy , as I may have just turned around !
I had lunch and took a moment to appreciate my achievement and my last few moments alone in the Scottish wilderness . I knew that in 16km , I ’ d be back where I started my expedition and returning to civilisation .
Typically , the wind , which I had hoped would send me down the loch , had all but disappeared . I slowly drifted down the loch , glancing behind me every now and then to look where I had been . Then , I picked the paddle back up and pushed on for the last few kilometres of the trip .
160KM IN SIX DAYS
I ’ d done it – 160km in six days from Morar to Morar . It was a trip that lived up to all my expectations and will stay with me for some time .
With little time to rest , it was time to head over to Glenmore Lodge for the Open Canoe Symposium . Thankfully , I had a day to recover !
Bio
Ollie is the Head of Paddlesports at Plas Y Brenin , where he shares his passion for adventure and the outdoors with others . In 2025 , he will be leading an exciting expedition to the Peel Watershed in the Yukon , offering a unique opportunity to explore this stunning wilderness . Join Ollie for an unforgettable experience in a location which should be on every canoeist ’ s wish list . For more information about the expedition and how to participate , visit PYB . co . uk .
If you want to follow my journey , check out the short film I made titled ‘ Wild Voyage ’ on YouTube at @ oliversandemancanoe WWW . YOUTUBE . COM / WATCH ? V = YYZANDMKPPO