Article by Ollie Sandeman- Head of Paddlesport at PYB
Every year, over the past few years, I’ve taken some time off to do a personal canoe expedition in Scotland, usually involving an area I’m yet to explore, a rather large portage and ideally a mixture of whitewater, lochs and sea.
I’d never done a solo expedition before, yet it had always appealed to me, I often find myself watching videos documenting solo trips from the likes of Jim Baird, Adam Shoalts or Noah of Northern Scavenger and wondering how I’d fair up on a solo trip.
I’d been eyeing up a trip similar to what I’d done a few years ago, a circuit starting and finishing at loch Morar which met the criteria above.
I’d mapped the trip out to be 160km starting in Loch Morar and heading into the Sound of Sleat just South of Mallaig. From here, I’d venture up to Loch Hourn then portage 6km over into Loch Cuaich, onto the Garry, into Loch Oich, Loch Lochy down to Clunes then portage over to Loch Arkaig, then would start the notorious portage 13km through Glen Pean and into Loch Morar to finish back where I started.
It was going to be tough, but I knew it was achievable in the six days I had.
Leaving Plas y Brenin after work I drove up making it to the Bridge of Orchy before I had to pull over for a kip. After a rubbish few hours sleep, I was back on the road and made it to Loch Morar for 9.30am.
Day 1
The conditions couldn’t have been better for the start of the trip, with clear blue skies and little to no wind.
Boat packed, I set off from the West side of the Loch and paddled down to the river. Unfortunately, after the first 100m is a weir which marked the first portage of the trip, a quick trolley down the road and back onto the water.
Just below the weir and under a bridge is a good little grade 2-3 rapid with a sticky hole at the bottom, with it being such a warm sunny day and confident that even with a laden boat I could make it through I hopped in my boat (nothing to do with the crowd stood on the bridge above me) thankfully, I made it through, yet a bit swamped, it was a nice way to mark the start of the trip and the beginning of the section on the sea.
Heading out of the Morar and into the Sound of Sleat, the conditions couldn’t have been better with little to no wind the water was completely calm, with seals following my boat and a white-tailed eagle flying overhead it felt great to be back in Scotland on another expedition. I made my way up to Mallaig and made the decision to cross the mouth of Loch Nevis, the cross is 6km, a big crossing in a canoe but easily manageable given the conditions. I made it a couple of kilometres into loch Hourn and set up camp.
I was treated to a lovely sunset and sat next to a fire starting to acknowledge what I had committed to, excited for the adventure which was to come.
Day 2
I had never ventured into Loch Hourn before this trip and it was one which was high up on the list, Loch Hourn translates from Gaelic to Loch Hell with Loch Nevis being Loch Heaven, well I can tell you this Loch was far from Hellish! I had a gentle headwind to paddle into but the sun was shining and the scenery was spectacular, surprisingly I saw quite a few paddlers out on the Loch including a packrafter who I got chatting to, he asked where I was headed and mentioned a video on youtube where a couple attempt the Morar- Arkaig crossing resulting in a damaged ankle and a helicopter callout. I struggled to get this out of my head for a while until I had a very welcomed distraction, suddenly ahead of me I saw a pod of dolphins playing and jumping out of the water, I sat watching drifting along whilst the pod of about 10 dolphins played a stones throw from my boat.
I reached the narrows at Caolasmòr for lunch and tracked up the tidal flow and continued to the road at Kinloch Hourn to start the portage.
It was about 4pm by the time I’d reached Kinloch Hourn and with the boat and kit loaded onto the trolley I set off up the road, it was 6km before I’d reach Loch Cuaich with a climb of 260metres. Before long it was getting dark and the only company I had were the croaking stags, every now and then I’d pan around with my headtorch and see countless pairs of eyes shining back at me.
On looking at the mapping on my phone I could tell I was close to the loch but couldn’t see water when peering over the side of the road. I had set myself the goal of reaching the Loch before pitching up for the night, but tired and looking at the steep road ahead not knowing if it was unnecessary to push on, I decided to camp in a grassy layby and reassess in the light.
Day 3
I awoke early keen to press on and cover some distance, it was dark, damp and cold but I was eager to reach the water. Back on the road I continued to trolley up the road knowing it wouldn’t be long before reaching a side track leading me down to the loch. I was escorted down the road by a herd of highland cattle some in front and some behind, it was nice to have the company albeit a bit intimidating.
I made it to the water and after breakfast and filtering some water I set off across the misty waters of Loch Cuaich, reminiscing on a previous expedition that saw my friends and I portage over from Loch Nevis into the Loch, the next day or so it’d be following part of the route we did on the expedition a few years ago, so knew there were some great sections of the upper Garry to look forward to.
Before long I’d reached the dam which fed the River Garry and portaged up and over the dam to where I could get onto the river.
The upper Garry is a section which doesn’t seem to get paddled too often however if you’re up for an adventure I’d recommend it, the first few kilometers will put your lining skills to the test navigating through shallow rapids and drops before reaching a couple of exciting grade two rapids leading into Loch Garry.
This section took up some time and left some battle marks on my now not so shiny canoe, my new Esquif Prospecteur 16 was certainly being put through its paces.
Loch Garry was perfectly calm, the only disruption being the splashes of my paddle the deer running along the side and the otter I saw playing as I was half way down the Loch.
I arrived at the dam as the light was starting to fade and portaged around to where I could easily access the water the following day and set up camp.
Day 4
Much to my disappointment during my 6 days available, there was no release schedueled on the River so I knew I’d be scraping and lining my boat down with the compensation flows, it took some time to manage my boat down the river only able to paddle one or two of the rapids, good opportunity to practice my short lining skills though!
I left the Garry and joined the Caledonian canal at Loch Oich, there was a light bit of wind so I raised the sail and made my way to Laggan Locks for lunch.
Whilst at Laggan Locks I stopped for a coffee and sausage bap and got chatting to the lady who assumed I was yet another paddler doing the Great Glen, I always chuckle to myself on these trips when people ask where you’ve been and where you’re going and the look of confusion when telling them the route.
Fuelled up, I was on the water at Loch Lochy and had a tail wind, sailing down to Clunes with a force 3 wind, brilliant to cover some kilometers whilst getting some much needed rest.
I arrived at Clunes pulling up on the banks and being greeted by a group who were paddling the Great Glen, it was about 4pm. I was pretty cold by this point, my paddling thermals were damp and having sat still whilst sailing I was chilled. I started carrying my kit up to the road and got chatting to the group, before I knew it I was sat around there fire with a slice of banana bread, refueling and reheating myself up before the portage over to the Arkaig. I love how friendly the paddling community is generally and the kindness these paddlers showed me was a much needed boost in morale, I must admit it was hard to leave that fire knowing that I had a long night ahead of me, setting my sights on reaching the end of the Arkaig before the end of the day.
With the canoe back on the trolley I set off over over the 3km portage to Loch Arkaig, whilst dragging the canoe along the road I started chatting with a lady who was out walking her dog, when she found out I was heading over into Glen Pean and doing the crossing into Morar she looked at me bewildered, having hiked the route she informed me of how steep and rough the terrain was, she wished me luck (following the trip she tracked me down on the internet to send me a message to check I’d made it!).
It was about 6pm by the time I reached the Loch, I had a rest to refuel, cooking up some dinner to give me the energy I needed for the 19km paddle across the Loch to camp.
Loch Arkaig was a Loch I had yet to paddle and one which had been high on the list for some time, with pine woodlands along the shoreline and overlooked by dramatic mountains it’s a very scenic Loch, I was treated to calm conditions and a very atmospheric paddle with the sun setting behind the mountains and light sitting in the mist.
Before long the light had gone and I was paddling in complete darkness, by this point I was just under halfway down the Loch, I was cold and tired and it was no longer such an enjoyable paddle, I decided to put some headphones in and listen to a podcast to lift my spirits and pass the time.
The sky was completely clear, and the stars were out in force spotting multiple shooting stars, suddenly I hit a rock which gave me the fright of my life, I turned my headtorch on and realised I had made it, I had reached the river Pean and it was time to set up camp, it was about 10pm.
Day 5
Once again I woke early partly due to a poor night’s sleep and partly to crack on, there was a cold mist sweeping through the valley and with lots of my kit being damp it was difficult to stay warm.
Today was going to be a big day with the plan to break the back of the portage, I set off paddling up the river hoping to get as close to the bothy as I could. Initially I could paddle, then I started to pole and then drag suddenly it was pointless the river was so low I had to portage, I was at Strathan a mere kilometre from camp.
I carried the boat up to the forestry track and started to trolley up the road towards the bothy, it was 5km up the track before I’d reach Glen Pean bothy.
Although steep the track was a well maintained forestry road up until the last 200meters or so, I had been incredibly lucky with the weather so far and today was no exception it wasn’t long before I’d shaken off the cold chill from the poor nights sleep and was sweating under the midday heat.
Carrying the boat down to the bothy I could now see the valley which lay before me looking ominous, I knew I had a real challenge waiting for me.
I stopped at the bothy and took the opportunity to have a longer lunch break to dry out kit and refuel before the trudging would commence.
The bothy was lovely and well maintained such a shame that I wasn’t to be staying there that evening.
I had reorganised my bags and set my system ready for the portage, I was carrying a Watershed 65Litre drybag with my tent, sleeping bag & mat, clothes etc with a NRS 35 litre duffel for my food and cook system.
I had tied my trolley to the bottom of the big rucksack and secured my poles and paddles to the straps on the top of the duffel. I then slung the small duffel on top of the rucksack and headed up into the valley.
On these trips I often keep my salopettes on until I crawl into my tent, this is usually as a tick prevention measure or to keep my feet as dry as possible, it was definitely required for this section, I’m sure some of the readership will relate to sinking into boggy marsh with a canoe on your shoulders, it’s a sure way to test your composure! It was a common occurrence where I’d sink up to above my knee and have to fling the canoe off and climb out the bog and reset.
The downside to this was it felt like being a boil in the bag with the heat.
There were a few sections where I’d cover on the creek poling and dragging and before too long I’d made it onto the first lochan.
I stopped here for a few minutes to take in the serenity of where I’d found myself, there were near perfect reflections on the water and it was completely still with no wind and glorious sunshine.
A short paddle and back to it, there was no track of note just broken tracks of where deer and the occasional walker had been and the river snaking its way up the valley meant you had to cross multiple times, unfortunately it was too low and windy to use.
It got to 6pm and I’d reached a steep section chocked with boulders, I considered camping for the evening but with little flat ground and the area being predominantly marshy I knew I had an hour and a half or so of light left and thought there would be a nicer spot in the small lochan past the boulders.
I knew this section was going to be tricky and dangerous so ensured the PLB was clipped to me at all times, I took the bags up and over to find the small lochan had completely dried up leaving a bog which sat between the boulder choke section and a steep climb ahead.
I carried the boat on my shoulders and carefully navigated the boulders making it down to the bog.
Light started to fade and so did morale, this was the first solo expedition I had done, with one of the attractions to doing a tough solo trip like this being to test me physically and mentally, I had faired well up to this point but with the lochan dried up, no place to camp, light fading, stags croaking and a really steep section ahead of me this was a point where I wished I had company to lift spirits.
I knew camping here was a bad move so decided to leave the boat and take what I needed for the evening and climbed up to the height of land.
I got to the top and found an amazing spot to camp which looked down on the valley towards Loch Morar, I couldn’t see the Loch, but knew once I got my boat to this point it was all downhill.
I pitched up, had some food and tried not to concern myself over the challenge id face in the morning of how to get my boat up an even harder and steeper section than the boulders.
DAY 6
The wind was so strong during the night, I had to check that my kit wasn’t going to be blown off the high point where I was camped, not only did I have to get my boat up to where I was but a further 2km to reach the Loch, portaging in really strong winds.
I climbed down to the Lochan and put the boat on my shoulders and started to clamber up the steep mossy boulder climb, resting every now and then and taking it slow in order not to make a silly mistake and injure myself.
Once at the high point I slid my boat on a line as far as I could then continued under the yoke.
Before long I could see the Loch which provided the boost I needed to press on, and before too long I arrived at the Loch just up from Oban Bothy.
The view looking back up where I had just been was pretty 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 some lunch and took a moment to take in my achievement and my last few moments alone in the Scottish wilderness, knowing 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 picked the paddle back up and pushed on for the last few km of the trip.
I’d done it, Morar to Morar 160km in 6 days. A trip that lived up to all I hoped it would be and a trip that will stick with me for some time.
No rest for the wicked boat on the roof, it was time to head over to Glenmore lodge for the Open Canoe Symposium, thankfully I had a day to recover!
If you want to follow my journey check out the short film I made titled “Wild Voyage” on Youtube at @oliversandemancanoe
-Ollie-
