SEA KAYAKING ALONG THE SCOTTISH COAST

Wemyss bay to Ardyne point

2016-06-06T23:38:00.000+01:00

some pictures of my paddle from Wemyss bay to Ardyne point on the Clyde.

Wee selfi

Toward lighthouse.

Eliean Mor

2016-03-26T13:33:00.001+00:00

Paddling out of Loch sween looking over to Jura. Started from Tayvallich. the weather was good with little wind. took my time coming down the loch as it was a beautiful evening.

Looking over to Jura

Had a wee dram at the cross on Eliean Mor. A toast to my father who passed away in 2011.

The bay at Eliean Mor. There is a small jetty on the right of the bay at Bens bothy

lochwinnoch

2016-03-26T13:16:00.002+00:00

these are some pictures from a wee paddle on Castle Semple loch at Lochwinnoch last weekend.

there was no wind and dark skys which made for some great pictures.

Basha paddling back up the Loch

fantastic day on the loch

Just about to land back at the slip.

Loch lomond

2015-07-31T12:51:00.003+01:00

The view North up the loch with Ben Lomond on the left.

Three Yew trees on the west end of Inchlonaig

Ross Point

Beautiful beach. Natural formation of slate on the beach.

Amazing slate formation

Water Lilys between Inchtavannach and Inchconnachan.

Wee Peter (Kerrs Folly) this is a statue on Loch Lomond just south of Luss. Eracted in 1890 by a local stonemason.

stunning bay.

more lilys

reeds at the edge of the loch

Loch Lomond

2015-07-02T22:02:00.001+01:00

Two wild goats on the shore of Loch Lomond.

beautiful evenings paddle on Loch Lomond

Looking north up Loch Lomond.

The light was fantastic.

Landed on an Island at the north end of the Loch and enjoyed the evening light.

very peacful evenings paddle.

black cart river

2014-09-29T14:08:00.002+01:00

A few days ago I paddled from Linwood down the Black Cart river to the river Clyde and back.

The Black Cart winds its way through farm land .

This is the old bridge coming out of Renfrew

this is the swing bridge at the Normandy hotel coming out of Renfrew

The old bridge again. beautiful.

Inverness to Noss Head

2014-08-15T16:00:00.002+01:00

Started from Rosemarkie on Saturday the 2nd of August with the intention of paddling from Inverness to Oban. Arrived in Rosemarkie with the intention of camping overnight and starting paddling on the Sunday but the forecast for Sunday was not great. The weather was not too bad on the Saturday so I decided to start my trip there and then. I unloaded the kayak and packed her up and waved my brother goodbye and set off in a good swell and a stiff breeze.

looking back to Tarbat Ness

Landed a few hours later just north of Cromarty Bay. There are not many places to land along this coast so be prepared for a committed paddle. The coast here is beautiful.

Every paddle I go on I take a bottle of whisky with me and toast my Mother and Father every beach I land on to say thanks for everything. Soppy I know but without their support I would never have seen such beauty.

End of day one

Looking south back to Cromarty.

Day two was a fantastic day with a very hot sun. I stopped off here at Balintore and met George the owner of the pub The Comm. George refilled my water bottles and gave me a dram and we sat and chatted for awhile. The generosity that you meet on a trip like this is truly fantastic. I recommend a visit to The Comm in Balintore and say hi to George for me.

The Comm pub in Balintore.

Noss Head

2014-08-08T15:37:00.001+01:00

Made great time and landed in a beautiful cove just round the head. Only to find the stress fracture just behind the seat of the kayak had got worse!!!

I had repaired this three times and it was getting worse. Both rear hatches were full of water everytime I got off the water.

I didn't fancy facing the pentland firth in that vulnerable state. My fear is the fracture giving way in a heavy sea at the wrong time. So I have decided to call it a day and come back next year and finish the trip. Thanks for all your support and many thanks to the amazing people I have met along the way. Thanks x

This is the cove I landed in just round from the Noss Head lighthouse. Beautiful. I could see John O Groats from here and spent a long time debating with myself whether to call it a day or carry on and risk the kayak failing at the wrong time. After some time and alot of swearing I decided to call it a day and phoned my long suffering brother to ask if he could come pick me up. I will not repeat what he said but you can guess just what he said!!!! He cancelled a long planned fishing trip to Mull to come pick me up. Thanks Davie for always being there when I need you mate.

my last night camped at Noss Head.

Always love pictures of sunsets. I was sitting on the beach with a wee dram and with a sad heart watched the sunset on the trip. Planning the next year with an added vigor. I will finish this lol. someday.

Slangevar (cheers "good health") to you all for your support.

Dunbeath

2014-08-06T18:18:00.001+01:00

Arrived in Dunbeath after a fantastic days paddle through some of the most amazing coastline I have ever seen. This is an amazing place to visit. I will be back. The geology along this coast is beautiful with the most incredible optical illusion of paddling downhill on the sea!!!! The rock strata is layered at and angle the gives the impression of paddling downhill when going from north to south. The sea arch of An Dunn is beautiful I paddled through this 3 times

An Dunn

After I had repaired the kayak again for the second time I found the nearest pub The Bay Owl. This is a wee pub restaurant at the top of the hill on the way out of Dunbeath. The food is excellent and I highly recommend the bay burger with cheese and bacon lol. I was made to feel very welcome straight away by Trevor and Irene the owners of the pub and not to forget Ron who was on holiday.

Second day Dunbeath.
Took a day off today at Dunbeath. Woke up to heavy rain fog and a strong swell so decided to sit it out today. went over my charts and checked the weather forecast for tomorrow. forecast is better and I should get back on the water.

Went back up to the Pub to watch the debate between Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling oh and to have another bay burger lol. After one or two pints I went back to my tent and sat outside watching the moon come out over the bay with a wee whisky. Met Richard out walking his dogs, two beautiful collies Katie and Robbie and we chatted for awhile about how beautiful Dunbeath bay is. We went to his campervan then shared a beer and a whisky and chatted about what brought us to Dunbeath. A very interesting man that was heading home to Orkney with a scooter for his daughter. Made me think about my trip and realised that it is not the journey that makes the trip, its the amazing people you meet along the way that makes it.

Dunbeath Castle just south of the village of Dunbeath.

Camped at the harbour. Repaired the stress fracture on the underside of the kayak again .Gelcoated the outside and fiberglassed the inside to try and strengthen the fracture.

Dunbeath harbour after a long day paddling in and out of all the caves and Geo's. Landed at the slip and pulled the kayak up on the trolly with a flat tyre!!!!! heavy going as the slip is steep. got there in the end after some heavy pulling. set up camp on a bit of grass at the end of the harbour. both rear hatches were full of water due to the stress fracture. Pulled out everything and laid it out to dry in the sun.

Kayaking round Scotland 2014

2014-07-30T13:02:00.001+01:00

Kayaking round Scotland August 2014

2014-07-30T08:09:00.001+01:00

Hi guys the plan is to set off on Saturday and head over to Oban and start my trip round the north of Scotland, finishing in Inverness 4 weeks later. This is to finish off the original trip that I started in 2012. Wish me luck and if you bump into on the water remember and say hi x Checked the weather and the better weather is in the east so I am now Starting from Inverness and heading east to west.

Loch lomond

2014-07-19T17:51:00.001+01:00

A few pictures of Dave on loch lomond.

Goatfell

2014-07-19T17:30:00.001+01:00

Goatfell from firth of Clyde

Arran

2014-07-19T17:25:00.001+01:00

A few pictures of my trip round Arran.

Loch Lomond

2014-01-25T13:41:00.001+00:00

Spent an afternoon paddling round the islands of Loch Lomond the other day. Was flat calm with light rain and very misty. Beautiful.

Millport

2013-07-07T01:12:00.002+01:00

This is on the west side of Great Cumbrae looking west to Bute.

Such peacfull beauty. What a perfect place to stop and eat your lunch.

Under the pier east of Millport.

There was a porpoise quietly following this boat as he sailed through the Tan. There was very little wind so I overtook this boat on a very calm sea.

I really do not have the words to express the true beauty of this picture...... Everything melts to nothing when faced with such wonder. Makes all the trials and tribulations of life worthwhile to sit on a beach and breathe.

inchmarnoch

2013-07-06T10:46:00.004+01:00

The view west from Bute to the mighty hills of Arran.

Looking north to Kintyre while heading up the west side of Bute.

This made me chuckle. He is determined to stay on his rock. He didnt move one bit as I passed.

I love the colours between the Thrift and Lichen.

I was standing on a rock drinking my coffee when this guy walked past my feet!!!!! I was gobsmacked that he was so close and he stopped and looked at me, then casually went on his way.

Sunset over Kintyre

My wee tent.

Gigha

2013-07-05T14:34:00.003+01:00

In April I took a wee trip round the Island of Gigha. The sand round here is beautiful. White sands and crystal clear water.

Channel marker in the sound of Gigha

The Boathouse pub which to my dismay was shut!!!!!

I tried to sneak up on this otter enjoying his catch but this was as close as I got when he seen me and bolted for cover.

The sea was perfect and the sun had a halo.

Beautiful.

Nice calm water on the west side of Gigha

One of the ship wrecks just off the west side of Cara

Cara Island is the home to these wild goats.

heading back to the starting point I couldnt help but to stop and look back at Cara.

This was a great trip round Gigha and Cara. A perfect day.

Eyemouth

2013-07-05T14:06:00.000+01:00

Finally after 7 weeks of paddling I finished in Eymouth. It had been one hell of an amazing journey full of fantastic people and beautiful coastline. A huge thank you to everyone that sponsored me.

Aberdeen to Crail

2013-07-05T13:59:00.001+01:00

The journey south from Aberdeen was nerve wrecking paddling through the sea harr. paddling in the fog was amazing and scary at the same time. I kept expecting a pirate ghost ship to apear out of the fog.

Very strange paddling conditions all the way to Crail. Beautiful. I camped at Stonhaven and stayed in a B&B in Arbroath which was fantastic just to get a shower!!!! hot water bliss.....

When I got to Crail I camped only to wake up to more Sea Harr. I sat and waited and waited and waited till I couldnt wait any more. The sea was flat calm and the tide was in my favour so I decided to risk it and cross the Forth from Crail to North Berwick. I was very very nervous and paddled on a compass bearing through the fog. I know it was probably not the best decision that I have ever made as the Forth is a very busy shipping lane. With my ears on super sensitive diesel engine finder mode I paddled across. After a few hours the Bass Rock appeared out of the fog and I wasmet with a clear blue sky. I never met any ships until I came out the fog and while I was busy being distracted taking pictures of the Bass Rock a huge container ship passed behind me. Close enough that if I had been 5 minutes slower it would have been lights out Alan!!!!

The Bass Rock has a Gannet colony of around 150,000 birds. As I neared the Island the sky was full of noisy Gannets. I had my hat on waiting for the inevitable direct hit from above!!!!! thankfully none came. I really didnt want to smell of rotten fish for the rest of the trip......

The light house on the Bass Rock

Aberdeen Coast

2013-07-05T13:20:00.002+01:00

Camped on the sand just north of Aberdeen. The beach here is beautiful.

Sandy beach that goes for miles north of Aberdeen.

Another great wee camp spot.

It was a beautiful sunny evening as I sat and counted fourteen support ships all anchored waiting to come into the harbour. The radio was busy with ship to shore chatter. The taffic going into and out of the habour was constant.

The Next Morning I awoke to the dreaded east coast "Sea Harr" which is a fog bank that lasts most of the day!!!! I was very nervous paddling through the fog. Very spooky indeed. When I got to the harbour entance I waited till a huge support ship left and I shot across as fast as I could in the fog. The water at the mouth of the harbour was moving fast and a pod of Dolphins were playing in the current. They came up to me and swam beside me breifly which blew me away. Wow at one point I coundnt put my paddle in the water as there was one at each side of me and I would have hit one on the head!!!!

Moray Coast

2013-07-04T19:13:00.001+01:00

All along the Moray coast I was met by overwhelming generosity. After meeting some friends in Burghead at the weekend I left a few days later with a rather sore Head. Took me two days to get my feet back on the ground. far too much whiskey and cheer. thanks guys for a geat weekend. I then landed in Porsoy and the wind picked up and I was stuck for two days there. A big thanks to the staff and customers of The Ship Inn of Portsoy. They looked after me and fed me. cheers.

The weather calmed down enough for me to get back on the water and I made it to Banff where I made a rather gaceless surf landing on the beach. Stong north easterly winds made in very difficult to launch again and after capsizing twice I ended up staying at the Banff links caravan park. The warden there Veronica gave me a caravan to stay in till the weather settled. I was ready to give in and pack up everything and call it a day. But thanks to the kindness everyone along the Moray coast showed me I couldnt let them down. Thanks guys for everything.

Gardenstown at the foot of the steep coast. Beautiful. I eat at the Garden inn pub. Well worth a visit as the food was excilent.

The coast along this stretch is beautiful.

Inverness

2013-03-15T13:47:00.001+00:00

Leaving Inverness I Passed under the Kessock Bridge. The water here was very choppy. Found a bit of a race running here so no pictures taken. I was looking out for the Dolphins here but never seen any. The water was very choppy making sighting anything in the water next to impossible.

Fort George. This was impressive as I passed, making a mental note to come back as a visitor and go in an have a look around. There is a large sandbank between Fort George and Whiteness Head. On this sandbank there was a large group of seals, I would guess aound 200 seals which all crashed into the sea and came to say hello. Very scary. They are pretty big when up close. I knew I was an intruder in thier water so quickly got out of there way.

After passing the danger area around Fort George I landed at Whiteness Head with an increasing head wind I was glad to get off the water.

The wind was very strong and it was bitterly cold so I made a little wind break for my camp fire that night. The beach was littered with all kinds of floatsam. So much Plastic is washed up on our shore.

Caledonian Canal

2013-03-15T13:15:00.000+00:00

Friendly Native.

Wild Camping is not that easy along the North shore. Found this area that had been cleared of large stones making a level platform to pitch a small tent

A rare sighting of Nessie.I know cheesy but made me smile often during long periods of paddling.

Urquart Castle. Watch out for the many tour boats!!!! The water got very choppy when I passed Urquart Bay so this was the only picture I got of the Castle.

The end of the Caledonian Canal.

Caledonian Canal

2013-03-15T12:52:00.002+00:00

Traveling along the Caledonian Canal you are treated to spectacular views of Ben Nevis at the start.

The Canal is very straight forward to paddle. Before you start make sure you register with the Lock Keeper at Corpach. There you can pick up a key for £5 which will give you access to the shower and toilet blocks, which you will pass on your travels.

The beard starting to take shape.

You will be treated to some beautiful engineering along the whole canal. This is one of the many bridges the cross the canal.

One of the many weirs.

On Loch Lochy looking back at Ben Nevis. Stunning.

Magnificent view. One of the Planets came out over Ben Nevis

Between Loch Lochy and Loch Oich. Very Canadian feel to it here.

Lichen on a branch reaching down to the waters edge.