Madonna of Knoydart

You're shelter from the storm
Give me comfort in your arms
-"Nothing really matters", Madonna



Paddling up Loch Nevis you come to the shelter of Inverie Bay with its isolated village backed by the Rough Bounds of Knoydart. As you round the headland, you are greeted by the open arms of the Madonna of Knoydart.



Knoydart was so remote that following the Reformation, when most of Scotland became Protestant, the Roman Catholic faith survived here in isolation and shelter. It is a great place for a winter paddle (this was last January) and it's got a pub!

The eye of the storm.

Southern Scotland has been lashed by New Year storms. They have caused widespread power cuts, cancelled New Year's firework celebrations and sea kayaking trips. We decided to go mountain biking in Galloway today.



The Eye is a 13 metre stone spire beside the Black loch in Galloway.



It was not just power lines that had been brought down.



We had a steep ascent of 500 metres.




Followed by a blast down a forest track to a section of public road. I got up to 54.3km/hr on the track.



Then more off road stuff on the Old (very old) Edinburgh Road.





It was wetter than sea kayaking. My one mistake was thinking I could keep up with my daughter and her friend! Good for burning off seasonal excess though!

Added 3/01/07:



The Eye is one of a series of sculptures that make up the "Art in the Galloway Forest Park" project.

Sea kayaking pubs: the Old Forge, Inverie

Sitting in the pub after our abortive Mull of Galloway trip, I reflected on more positive sea kayaking encounters with premises of a licensed nature. First to mind, came the Old Forge Inn at Inverie, Knoydart. Although it is on the Scottish mainland, there is no road in, so ferry or kayak trips are essential if you wish to sup their fine ales.





They do not seem to mind dripping dry suits.



These fine gentlemen, with whom we enjoyed passing a good part of a short winter afternoon in pleasant conversation, were dripping blood on the floor. They had just come off the hill where they had been gralloching deer. No one bothered about their drips either.

After some time, we made our way back down Loch Nevis to Mallaig where we arrived after nightfall.

Sea kayaking desktop photo calendar 2007.

January
Looking northeast from Sgeir a'Ghail, Loch Nevis, to Knoydart.


February
Cailean Macleod at Coldingham Bay, Scottish Borders.


March
The distant Cuillin mountains of Skye are seen to the south west from Eilean Stacan, Loch Carron.


April
The Scarba shore of the Gulf of Corryvreckan at slack water. 15 minutes later we were doing 18km/hr without paddling!


May
No, it's not Scotland! It is the wonderful reef of Les Ecrehous 10.5km NE off the NE corner of Jersey in the Channel Islands.


June
Looking towards the grey hills of Lewis from Scarp.


July
The entrance of Loch Rog, Lewis.


August
The Sound of Harris from Bearnaraigh.


September
Sea stacks at Cliobh, Lewis.


October
Paddling out to Bearasaigh and Seana Chnoc, Lewis.


November
The tidal Clachan Sound runs under the "Bridge over the Atlantic", Nether Lorn.


December
Sunset down the Sound of Jura from Loch Caolisport, Knapdale.

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May 2007 be good to you.

Year's end.

Oh well, I am not going paddling tomorrow so I will have no more 2006 paddles. Here is a shot of Loch Etive from 2 years ago.

Gimme Shelter

Oh, a storm is threatning

My very life today

If I dont get some shelter

Oh yeah, Im gonna fade away

-"Gimme Shelter", Rolling Stones

These snails had gathered for shelter under an overhanging brick on the outer wall of the Mull of Galloway lighthouse vegetable garden. The wall is exposed to the prevailing wind and is perched on the cliff edge 80 metres above the surging tides below.



Lighthouses were built to guide mariners away from treacherous coasts to safe haven. I am not sure why we were attracted there on such a day as yesterday. The Mull of Galloway lighthouse was finished in 1830 and was built by George Stephenson. It flashes white every 20 seconds. Supplies originally came by sea and were landed at the tidal jetty at East Tarbert. It has been unmanned since 1988.

Like the snails, we did not brave the weather but sought shelter in the Crown Hotel in nearby Portpatrick. We will return to sea kayak the Mull of Galloway another day.

We mulled it over and went to the pub.

The Mull of Galloway lighthouse.



Kenny, Richard, Cailean and myself assembled above the Mull of Galloway tidal race. This is where the flood tide from the Atlantic is compressed as it rushes round the Mull to fill the Solway Firth and the north Irish Sea. When we arrived on 28/12/06, a force 5 SE wind was blowing against the tide. The inshore waters forecast was SE 3 to 4 increasing 6 to 8. It was 4 days after springs. The tidal constant at the Mull is +00:15 Dover. Slack water (close in) is about is about -01:30 Dover.

Dover times were: HW 04:28 LW 11:48 HW 17:11. The Admiralty tidal stream atlas predicted SE flood flows of: 0.5 knots at 11:11; 1.2 knots at 12:11; 2.8 knots at 13:11; and 3.5 knots at 14:11.


11:06


11:30


11:38


11:42

The cliffs are 80 metres high which gives some idea of the scale of the water disturbance.


13:03
As the flood progressed it swung round from flowing to the SE to a more easterly direction. As it did so, the race came in closer to the foot of the cliffs at the east end of the Mull.



It looked nothing like the sunny, calm conditions shown in Scottish Sea Kayaking fifty great sea kayak voyages. We beat a retreat to the pub. Kenny was very disappointed.