River Spey

The long forecast storm arrived, so we decided to head over to the East and paddle down the River Spey. This had been in our sights for a while, but a double sea kayak is an unusual thing to use!

We started at Kingussie, where there's a nice launch spot under the B970 bridge. We camped out a few miles downstream, then, with heavy rain on the way spent a couple of nights in the nice Old Bridge Inn bunkhouse at Aviemore. Easy kayak launching immediately outside.

Downstream of Aviemore, the Salmon fishing intrastructure gets ever more prominent, and it became quite hard to find somewhere to  wildcamp.  We were prospecting a rather scraggy spot when a kind fisherman showed us an idillic secret spot on one of the islands in the middle of the river.

Not saying where it is..... You'll just have to find it for yourselves!

Rum

With an uncertain weather forecast we took it easy, first taking the short paddle over to Dibidil. The next day we headed north past the spectacular cliffs of SW Rum to  the remote and beautiful beach of Samhnan Insir on the North tip of Rum.

We are enjoying our new tent: a bowfin2 made by Henry Shires of Tarptent.  Its lighter and packs smaller than our Hilliberg, but is surprisingly roomy and (we think) reasonably stormproof.

Eigg

Camped on the lovely Camas Sgiotaig beach on the West of Eigg.

I found the surf a bit alarming (so we carried the kayak round to a more sheltered corner)

For the first time we found ourselves sharing the beach with some other kayakers, who tackled the surf in spectacular fashion!

Arisaig

Set off through a herd of bathing cows from the kayak friendly campsite at Gortenachullish just north of Arisaig (NM640 879)

Scotland 2018

This year we're planning to paddle the small Isles (ie Eigg and Rum) weather permitting.

Floating Pennywort

In 2017 we got involved in the fight to eradicate the nasty invasive weed, Floating Pennywort from the upper Cam.  This totally clogged the river, from side to side.

If you see it on your rivers... don't delay.  It grows frighteningly fast, so pull it out and put the strands somewhere dry to die.

More information about how to do it here

Achateilasaig House

This was a lovely holiday cottage, in a secluded bay between Arisaig and Morar .. Much recommended. To book it, contact the owner nicklaw1@hotmail.com