Packrafting Adventures in the NW Highlands
Packrafting Adventures in the NW Highlands
On the Adventure Trails - Scotland
Weather was hot which ultimately altered our plan A. This wasn’t to spoil our adventure, in actual fact it made it more enjoyable! As always, plan A was possibly slightly over ambitious which involved a 9 km bike in, 4 km paddle and a summit camp on Sail Leith, the summit camp wasn’t to be, for now!
We had negotiated the roads from Edinburgh to Perth without any real issues and made some good time. Once we hit the A9 north of Perth that’s when life slows to a frustrating crawl as it always does. It’s just the excitement of wanting to be where the adventure is that makes the slow drive all the more painful. We arrived at Aviemore and refuelled, ..on fish and chips then headed to Backcountry Scotland to pick up the packrafts from Andy. We checked the kit and horsed it into Hamish. Time to get back on the road to our destination.
We finally arrived at our destination near Laide at around 11pm, just before it got darker, I wouldn’t say dark because the night sky never fully darkened. As we got to our planned parking space for the night we discovered that the North Coast 500 travellers had beaten us to it, not a space to be had anywhere, hadn’t thought of that! No big deal really, there’s lots of places to pull over.
We quickly popped the roof and rolled out the bed. Just as I had turned around I saw that Lisa had opened the door, I suddenly went into a blind, shrieking panic as I instantly began itching!! Shut The Door, Miiiiiigiessssss... Lisa just turned around, paused and calmly told me to, “caaaaalm dowwwwwn dear, you’re okay!” An experience on Rannoch Moor years ago has traumatised me. I may hit Google and try to find some therapy for this!
The next morning we woke up, it was absolutely glorious outside and we were about to go into full on #OTATScotland attack mode. I was like a little child frantically trying to gather our kit together so we could get on the trial. Lisa, as always was the calm one, just as well really or I’d have been halfway up the route with my flip flops and G string on and not much else! “Calm down dear” I heard once again! We strapped the Packrafts to our bikes, slung our backpacks on and began to cycle the 6 miles from the road keeping Gruinard river on our left. Seeing this outstanding wilderness scenery was something special. Lisa’s kit was compact and reasonably lightweight but my insistence on filming these little adventures means that I often carry to much, my own fault! That said we did have the buoyancy aids, packrafting kit and camping gear also.
We reached the end of the track, it was HOT and thirst was hitting us already. We filtered more water and then set about assembling the Packrafts. Once that was done we sought out a place to cache the bikes. We nervously left the bikes, well hidden but still, we were apprehensive.
Getting back on the water
Paddling towards our wee basecamp
Loch na Sealga is approx. 4km in length and flanked by An Teallach and Beinn Dearg Mor at its eastern end. The Loch provided us with a superb gateway from the estate track that runs from near Gruinard Bay, along the river and then to the Loch.
It was great to get out on the water once again with the boats. They really are so simple to use and add a completely new dimension to our adventures. Once again our confidence and skills with the boats took a step up. Now I wouldn’t say we were seasoned packrafters by any stretch of the imagination, but we are getting there! The paddle was reasonably tough in the heat and our lack of maritime fitness didn't help! The wind was behind us and I'm sure helped more than we realised at the time. Andy at Backcountry Scotland had offered a sail that can be used with the Packrafts, I had declined the offer, I'm a fool at times! I think it took use around two hours but we frequently stopped to film and take pictures, how could you not in this magical place. It was nice to hit the beach and stretch the legs.
We had packed away the boats and found cache number two of the trip, once again a little apprehensive about leaving them but hidden well enough, they wouldn't be found. I also like to think that most people that come to such places are simply lovers of the outdoors and not out to cause anyone any issues. Once we had changed our wet pants it was time to walk the faint path to Shenavall Bothy. We had seen the bothy on many a program and pictures, finally we were touching its bricks and mortar. We went in and had a look around, there were a number of claimed sleeping spots so we didn't hang around. We took the path that lead out the back of the bothy and up the hill. We wanted to get that famous view across the bothy towards the Corbetts of Beinn Dearg Mor. Despite the weather being hot and sunny the promised thunderous looking clouds were appearing over to the east. It was time to get back down and prepare basecamp for the night. As we returned past the bothy another four new occupants of the bothy arrived, all carrying 5 litres bottles of water, I think they had walked in from Dundonnell. They had mentioned that the forecast had changed (again) and the thunder and lightning was due early evening and said that there was plenty of space in the bothy. Given that Plan A to camp on the top of Sail Laith was scuppered by the potential bonkers weather, we really wanted to get the next best thing, camp at Loch na Sealga shore.
The evening sun shining AT me !
As we were setting up camp I caught sight of a naked or near naked person on the northern shore of the loch. I thought I was seeing things. It was a little to far to make out what was going on but we assumed that it was someone from the bothy getting the old personal admin done. It wasn't until about 30mins later that a young lady come across to our camping spot to say hi. Once again we received some very kind words from her letting us know that there was space in the bothy if the weather got too much. Isn't it nice that once out of the city people tend to try and look after each other, how refreshing! We bid the lady, who's name we didn't get, goodnight and she headed back to the bothy. If you are reading this, say hi again.
City out, Wilderness in
After watching the sun disappear into the clouds it was time for bed. We had both put a shaft in to get from home to here and it was catching up on us. I think this was the moment that we actually began to relax and let city life leave our bodies and allow the relaxation and pleasure of the wilderness takeover.
Wakey Wakey
As Lisa unzipped the tent and lifted her head, all I heard was "OMG", my first thought was, okay what's gone wrong. She rocked back on her heals and fell flat on her back, "take a look out there", she said! We woke up to the most amazing moment of stillness I've ever seen. Im sure time had frozen overnight and left us with this motionless landscape. I'll stop writing here as I don't have the words to describe the view!
Mirror Mirror on the Loch
We moved the tent to the shingle beach where we had initially intended to camp. The decision was made to camp elsewhere because of the potential for the river to over flow given the weather conditions that were expected, those didn’t materialise other than some light rain and distant thunder. The tent didn’t take long to dry from the nights moisture, while it did we had breakfast and sat taking in these unbelievably beautiful surroundings. The wind had gotten up a little and the flat loch was no longer like a sheet of glass. It was going to be a tough paddle back to the bikes against the stiff breeze.
Breakfast vista
As we were having breakfast and preparing for the paddle back down the loch a lone cyclist appeared from behind us. We had heard that the Highland 550 race was taking place during our little adventure and heard that there was an American lady at the rear of the race, that was yesterday though! This brave English lady, still in the race was actually at the rear and was trying to find the best place to cross the river. I had earlier noticed that there was a slightly less fast flowing and shallower area just down river from our location and gladly directed her to it. 550 miles of Scottish wilderness must be a lonely trail at times so tried to have a little banter with her, I’m either not funny or her extremely tired state of mind was shutting out my cracking banter... okay I’m not funny, I get it!!! Anyway, I offered to take some pictures of her as I’m sure this is a moment she’d cherish once the pain finally leaves her body. Like all of us, being out in the wilderness is all about creating memories. I hope we have helped her to record and recall this moment in years to come. We later received a comment on some pictures we had posted on our Facebook page from Philippa Crocker to thank us for taking photos of her doing the river crossing. I hope they turned out good, when we ask a person to take a picture we never complain to the them that the picture they took is crap, let’s be honest! Cudos to Philippa!
Loch na Sealga from the beach camping spot
Breakfast with Beinn Dearg Mor watching over us
The longer we left it the more the breeze was getting up so it was time to pack up and put in. Truth be told, I wasn’t looking forward to the paddle back on account of the breeze. The plan was to tuck into the northern shore and try to shelter a little from the wind. Our fears of a tough paddle weren’t fully realised. It was incredible how the Packrafts cut through the small waves and made reasonably easy work of the conditions. We pulled into the side a couple of times to take a break and rehydrate, sitting in the boats on the water would have resulted in us drifting back towards our start point.
This trip was an absolute cracker and i'd recommend getting a plan together, Explore and Adventure will Find You!
Route in General
OS Maps - Our Route