The most southerly broch; Castle Haven

Last weekend it was neap tides on the Solway. HW here is always in early morning and evening with neaps and as the tide goes out a long way, mid day paddling is not possible from many of the bays.

I set off at 5pm on Sunday evening and crossed the mouth of Fleet Bay. I turned into Castle Haven Bay as I know of a wonderful historic site at its head. Castle Haven is passed by by most people. Its wall grow out of the Galloway rocks but have become overgrown by vegetation. It is a D shaped broch or dun. These double walled dry stone structures were built up the west coast of Scotland and the Hebrides in the final centuries BC. Castle Haven is the most southerly example.


Dun Carloway in Lewis is perhaps the most famous. As the sea was the highway of communication in those days it is likely that the owners of Castle Haven and Dun Carloway knew each other even though they are 420km apart as the sea eagle flies. Perhaps they were even on first name terms!


The typical doubled wall structure of a broch is seen from the SWE corner...


... and more clearly in this aerial view from the scran website.


Most brochs are circular but Castle Haven's west wall is straight as it follows a low line of cliffs, which drop to the bay below. The resulting enclosure is D shaped.


The quality of the interlocking stone masonry has survived two millenia. Unfortunately most of the upper structure has been raided to build some of the many 18th and 19th century drystone walls which criss-cross the Galloway countryside.


After a very pleasant exploration of this fascinating structure I made my way back down the stone steps to the sea gate and the bay below.


White campion flowers adorned the rocks below the castle walls. I returned to my kayak and paddled on in the evening sunshine.

31/05/2009 pm

Kayak Caledonia progress #9

Day 15, 5th June 36km

17:30 Tony: " We are in Brora. We had big squalls coming over today and were up at 0530 to beat the wind. We got on the water at 0730 when it was still only 4 degrees. The coastline here is really lovely with stacks and cliffs covered with birdlife. The NE wind picked up to about a six as we were passing Helmsdale so we didn't land. The Quest is handling the following seas really well. We had a surf landing on Brora Beach. We carried our gear over the golf course to the campsite and had a hot shower, glorious! We will walk into Brora for something to eat later. It's to be windy overnight and tomorrow am, so we will probably have a late start and head to Embo before cutting across the Dornoch Firth to Tarbert Ness. Not quite sure where we will stop. It's probably a bit far to the Black Isle."

Kayak Caledonia progress report #8

Day 14, 4th June 47km

21:28 Tony:
"We are in Dunbeath. I thought the east coast would be downhill all the way but we hit some of the roughest water yet between Noss Head and Sarclet Head. The tide was against us and with the NE wind it was wind against tide all the way. Unfortunately we could not get in really close to all the caves geos and stacks. Once round Sarclet we were in the lee of the cliffs so it was a good bit easier and proved to be a most interesting stretch with great rock architecture. We climbed up the hill behind Dunbeath beach and staggered to the hotel, but it was shut. That was the low point of the trip. We walked up the A9 and fortunately found a pub.

At our last stop, yesterday evening, the pub proved to be a Grade 5 experience. It was really noisy but fell silent when we walked in and all eyes were on us. After 14 days we smell pretty bad but we sure sweetened the air in that place, it was the baddest smelling pub in all Scotland. After a while the noise started again as they all started talking about us. They spoke a different language, composed entirely of four letter, one syllable words. After a quick drink, we left the public bar to the locals and went into the lounge bar for something to eat. If anything it smelled even worse. I have no idea what it was we ate. We were glad to escape to the tents.

Given the force 7 forecast for tomorrow pm, we will get going about 5am and hopefully get down to Golspie before the wind hits us. The heavy rain will hopefully cleanse le eau de Keiss out our pores."

The three pillars of Knockbrex

On Sunday I set off at 06:30am and paddled round the Islands of Fleet before heading towards the Carrick Coast of Galloway near Knockbrex. I came across three mysterious pillars. On further investigation I discovered they led to a hidden channel in the rocks.


Round a bend at the head of this channel lay a secret harbour. It was probably built for a yacht owned by the residents of nearby Knockbrex house.


A splendid morning paddle of 12km.

31/05/2009 am

Kayak Caledonia progress report #7

Day 13, 3rd June 27km

14:15 Tony phoned for a weather update for Duncansby Head area.

"We are in John O' Groats. Its only about a f3 from the north but we wondered if there was any chance of the F5 round Orkney and Shetland coming this far south."

Hello Tony, North of Duncansby Head it is showing no more than f4 N, the Head is right on the F4/f3 borderline. To the south of Wick it is showing f3 N for late afternoon evening.

"I think we will go for it, in the last hour of the tide before the overfalls kick up."

20:28 Tony: "At Sinclairs Bay. Duncansby Head was benign but stunning, the birdlife was amazing. Heading south now, thanks for forecast."

Plumage and blossom on the Solway

This time of year is a great time to visit coastal islands.


I didn't land on Murray's Isles and the reefs because cormorants, herring gulls, common gulls, oyster catchers and sandwich terns were breeding.


I landed on Barlocco Isle at the mouth of Fleet Bay and enjoyed a very bracing swim in crystal clear water.


I dried myself on sun warmed rocks beside...


... bunches of thrift, sea campion and bird's foot trefoil. The offshore breeze carried a heady scent of sweet hawthorn blossom and the coconut of gorse blossom.


Only 13km but a wonderful evening paddle.

30/05/2009

Kayak Caledonia progress report #6

Day 12, 2nd June 52km
Tony 12:00

"Hi Douglas we are a few miles west of Thurso. It's really calm after the wind yesterday so we are thinking of pushing on round Dunnet Head (a 50km day) before the weather breaks. A fisherman has said he thinks its going to kick up again this afternoon. Could you get an update on the weather? Thanks Tony."

XC weather and BBC both show f3 northerly for 1300 - 1900 Good luck :o)

Tony 22:05

"Well Dunnet Head was pretty mental. The wind did pick up to about force 4 northerly but fortunately not as much as the fisherman thought. Once we got round the head we hit a huge eddy on the other side which was hard work. We pressed on and got through the Merry Men of May as well. The tidal race here was really fast with very disturbed eddy lines which were challenging to cross. We are camped in Scotland Haven bay, just to the SE of the race. We are now just walking up to overlook the tide race and get some photos."

Tomorrow there is a solid force 4 northerly followed by force 4 dropping to 2 on Thursday. Tony and Gavin will see what it's like and maybe take a rest day.