Keeping abreast of mountain names round Loch Leven.

From Poll an Dunain we enjoyed a view of the sun catching the high ridges of Creag Ghorm 758m which rises steeply behind the Ballachulish Hotel from where we had set off.

 Although we were still in deep cold shade the sun was beginning to...

 ...rise above the deep valleys on the south side of the loch.

We now enjoyed a view of one of the most iconic mountains that surround Loch Leven.

Sgorr na Ciche is only 742m high but it is a proper mountain with a fantastic view of the loch.

I was last on its summit in 1998. It was late in the day in summer. We had just traversed the Aonach Eagach ridge to its east and were in the coll below its summit. We just started to ascend the peak when a man came down the steep slope above. "It's a bit late in the day to be going up there, it's quite a challenge" says he. "Well, I think we are ready for a challenge" says I.. "Well you will need to be very careful the ground is much rougher up there, what way did you come up here?" says he. "Actually we came down to here, we have just come along the Anoach Eagach ridge." says I. "Oh" says he and he scurried off down the path.

 The English name is Pap of Glencoe and Ciche means a young woman's breast.

In contrast, Mam na Gualainn  796m on the other side of the loch is named after the rounded breast of a more mature woman.

There was little wind but what there was was straight into our teeth from the east and the cold heart of the high mountains beyond.

We had to paddle out in to the loch to get round a huge salmon fish farm. We had enjoyed delicious local salmon in the hotel the previous night so could not complain too much. In the far distance we could now see the steep south ridge of Am Bodach 1032m which rises steeply from our destination, Kinlochleven. It is part of the Mamore range, the big rounded breasts.

As we passed the mouth of Glen Coe we had a wonderful panorama of the mountains on both sides of the glen: Sgorr na Ciche 742m,  Sgorr nam Fiannaidh 967m, Stob Coire nan Lochain 1115m, and Bidean nam Bian 1150m.

It was at this point that the plastic body of my thermometer cracked in the cold. It would never again register above zero. We were getting colder by the second in the biting wind.

 At last we spotted what we were looking for...

 ...a little beach, out of the wind with some nice rocks...

 ...to sit on and in full sun. It was a great location for first luncheon as we knew we would soon be entering the perpetual shade of the upper loch.

 It also enjoyed a great view across the loch to the...

 ,...snowy ridges and peaks of Beinn a' Bheithir 1024m.

Below Bidean nam Bian the sun was lighting the Fionn Ghleann, the fair glen.

Kayaks at dawn in the Ballachuillish narrows.

 We spent a very comfortable night in the excellent Ballachuillish Hotel. We planned to launch from the hotel and so started to load the boats in the car park.

 It was minus 12C though elsewhere in the Highlands it had fallen to minus 13.7. Whatever it was a bit nippy on the hands.

Although the loch side was still in darkness the summit of Garbh Bheinn, 885m, was catching the first rays from the rising sun which was still well below our horizon.

We trolleyed the kayaks a short distance to the jetty of  the old BalLachuilish Ferry. The bridge was completed at the end of 1975 but, before that, a vehicle ferry ran across the narrows from 1903. These were flat bottomed turntable ferries and used the slipways in the shallow water at either side of the narrows. One of the last of these ferries was the Glenachulish. She was built in 1969 at the Ailsa yard at Troon on the Firth of Clyde. She served the Ballachulish crossing until the bridge opened, then she was moved to Kessock and then Kylsku to serve as the relief ferry until those crossings were replaced by bridges in 1982 and 1984. After this she moved to Glenelg for the Skye crossing where she still serves today. The Ballachuilish crossing at the peak of a spring tide always provided an entertaining ferry glide.

We planned to go up the north side of the loch to catch what little sun might make its way down to the loch through the steep mountains. The ebb tide was pouring out the narrows at 5.5 knots. Mike decided to take the eddy well up under and beyond the bridge before ferry gliding across the narrows further up.

I decided to just tough it out by ferrying across the fastest flow at the bridge. I had to PLF and was very warm by the time I got to the other side but at least I could rest while I watched Mike...

... come across into a small eddy then watch...

...Ian make his way across.

It really was a struggle against the current...

...we stuck to the shallow water...

...where the current was running slower but...

...it was literally an uphill  battle until we ...

...reached the calmer waters of the broder loch beyond. After a brief rest we

...set off on our exploration of Loch Leven.

Gradually the sun rose above the mountains and...

as we rounded the natural rock walls of An Dunan (site of an Iron Age fort) we...

...entered the natural harbour of Poll an Dunain in full sun.

Meall a' Bhuiridh

Here is news of performances of a new musical composition accompanied by a display of fine art photographic images inspired by the Glen Coe ski hill. The music is by Spad and the photography by my daughter Jennifer.

Photo Jennifer Wilcox

Photo Jennifer Wilcox

The performances are as follows:
1st March 2012– Glasgow, The Universal, 9.30pm (Tickets £6 and £4 consession)
3rd March 2012 – Glencoe Ski Centre, 6.30pm (free!)

The commission was supported by Creative Scotland.

Being a cheapskate, I thought I might head up to Glencoe on Saturday the third and go for a paddle in Loch Leven  then go for a a meal in either the Isles of Glencoe Hotel or the Clachaig before heading up to the ski centre. Anyone fancy coming?

Seakayaking desktop wallpaper calendar, February 2010

February. A lone kayaker crosses Loch Leven below the winter mountains of Glen Coe.

The February calendar is now available for download here.

Sea kayaking desktop wallpaper calendar 2010

I wish a very Happy New Year to all visitors to seakayakphoto.com. As way of a celebration of the last year and in anticipation of sea kayaking adventures yet to come, here is the 6th annual sea kayaking desktop wallpaper calendar from seakayakphoto.com. The above link will lead to high resolution photos in four different desktop sizes.


January. Sunset over Bernera Island and Mull from the west coast of Lismore.


February. A lone kayaker crosses Loch Leven below the winter mountains of Glen Coe.


March. Pladda from the old red sandstone slabs on Kildonan Beach, Arran.


April. The Cuillin of Rum from Portuairk beach, Ardnamurchan.


May. Tricky landing and launch at Portandea, Firth of Clyde.


June. Sunset over the Islands of Fleet, Solway Firth.


July. Sunset over the Outer Hebrides from the NW coast of Coll.


August. Broken knee beach, Gunna.


September. Raised beach, West Loch Tarbert, Isle of Jura.


October. Balnahard Beach, Isle of Colonsay.


November. Approaching Glen Sannox, Arran from Garroch Head, Bute.


December. Rainbow Rock, Rinns of Galloway.