Equipment

 A few things that make life comfortable and hygenic.

Washing up

We really like our folding washing up bowl (OK yes, we really do take the kitchen sink with us!) and a little mini-washing up kit. This consists of a small bottle of washing up liquid, a scourer and a third of a sponge in a net bag.

Going to the loo...

 When wild camping, dealing with "waste" is critically important. 

We have evolved a system with a "poo pack" this consists of a titanium trowel, a small roll of loo paper in a snappy bag, a bottle of hand sanitiser and some snappy bags for disposing of loo paper if we're somwhere where it won't degrade in the hole we dig. Scottish Sea Kayaking advise taking all loo paper home with you.  It's all wrapped up in a snappy bag.

We also like our "his n' hers" containers ... When its raining or midgy outside, it can be very nice not to have to leave the tent!

Point of Sleat

 In calm conditions, we paddled across the sound of Sleat and then along the coast to camp at the lovely beach of Camas Daraich

We met Roddy (a keen fisherman) and Marianne from Denmark there, and they took some pictures of us setting off

Malaig

 After a night in the Loch Shiel Hotel, we headed up to Malaig to start the next stage of the trip.

With a forecast of an extended period of good weather, our aim was to paddle from Malaig to Rum, via Skye, and then if possible to continue to Eigg (by kayak or CalMac ferry) to join their celebrations of 25 years of community ownership on 11 June

Lots of sorting out by the roadside in Arisaig....

 

before launching at Mallaig harbour

Loch Teacuis

 We explored Loch Teacuis.

The tidal stream is strong in the narrows, so we couldn't stay long, but had a nice lunch and collected some firewood and water from the Island of Carna

Oronsay, Loch Sunart

 Couple of nights camping on Oronsay. Nice place, but important to bring you own water.

We were camped just below the deserted village (to see our "basha" look carefully at the peninsula in the middle of the photo below).   

It must have been an incredibly tough living here. Sad too, because presumably the inhabitants had been evicted from their homes and farms in Ardnamurcen in the clearances  We were probably using the slipway they'd created.

Salen Ferry, Loch Sunart

 With force 4+ winds forecast from the North, we decided to start by paddling on the more sheltered Loch Sunart, from near Salen Ferry to spend a couple of nights on the island of Oronsay

There are limited launching points on the western end of Loch Sunart, but the picnic area about 2km to the west of Salen Ferry is a popular Kayak lauching spot, and a nice place to assemble the K2

 

Beinglas Campsite

 We started our 2022 trip to scotland today, breaking the journey at the lovely Beinglas Farm Campsite, just north of Loch Lomand. 

We'll stop here again!