Seakayakers, gypsies and bothy dwellers on Morvern.

This was a memorable trip that took place early in the month of June. Our aim was to circumnavigate the Morvern peninsula in western Scotland. It is very nearly an island being nearly surrounded by Loch Sunart to the north, the Sound of Mull to the Sw and Loch Linnhe to the SE. Only 11km of land lie between the head of Loch Sunart and Inversanda Bay on Loch Linnhe. We left a shuttle at the public slipway at Strontian. Phone the Community Moorings Committee  on the number on the noticeboard to say you would like to leave a car overnight. There is a Council "No Overnight Parking" notice to keep tavelling people and campervans away but an empty vehicle should not create any problems if left at the edge of the car park and not causing an obstruction.

We left the other car here behind Inversanda Bay. It's a lonely spot and I phoned the police in Strontian to see if there was any car crime in the area. He told me there was zero car crime. Sometimes travelling people (gypsies) camp at Inversanda. I have left my car next to another of their camp sites (2km further west) while climbing Beinn Garbh several times without any problems. I usually say hello and pass the time of day with them with them on the way past and have found them polite, hospitable and interested in where we were going. If you have a suspicious nature you could always leave a car at Corran Ferry.

What a great feeling it was to be out on the water with the prospect of 115km of paddling and two nights' wild camping! The mountains of Ardgour soon slipped away astern...

 ...as we got underway by both paddle and sail power!

Morvern has few roads and it was a treat to explore its wild coast, which often tumbled steeply into the sea.

Behind us Loch Linnhe stretched away to Ben Nevis in the distance. The summit of the Ben was still streaked by snow.

After some time we came to a private bothy hidden in the woods behind the shore.

Seakayaking from Fleet Bay to Kirkcudbright.

 A 43km day paddle from Carrick at the mouth of Fleet Bay to Kirkcudbright and return.

Dove Cave.

Keeping in line on the Solway.

No wonder the doves like it.

A lone watcher on the cliffs and a horrid murder.

The quest for a haddock of gargantuan proportions.

Danger on the Solway.

Tight ropes on Slack Heugh.

Photo album map

Tight ropes on Slack Heugh.

The SW coast of Meikle Ross has steep cliffs extending from Fox Craig along to Slack Heugh.

They are a magnet for rock climbers as there are a whole range of routes right up to E numbers.

We still had a little tidal assistance, though we were now out of the main ebb flow from the Solway. We soon found ourselves at Manxman's Rock...

...then the westcoast of Barlocco Isle. Phil tried to cross the rocky bar, which connects Barlocco to the mainland at low tide. He ended up having to do a solo portage!

The tide was well out by the time we got back to Ardwall and Carrick shore. The sand is pretty firm to the south of Carrick and it is worth sticking a trolley in your kayak, if you plan to take a diversion up the Dee to Kirkcudbright for fish and chips.

Danger on the Solway

From the quayside of Kirkcudbright we took the ebb tide back down the River Dee to Kirkcudbright Bay.

We passed the Gallovidian III which is the Range Boat for the Dundrennan firing range sea danger area that extends for 24x33km along the Solway coast to the SE of Kirkcudbright. Telephone contacts for the range are: 0141 224 8501 (Range Officer) or 0141 224 8502 (Guard House).

The channel was well marked by buoys and as you can see we were well assisted by the tide which runs at 3.5knots at springs.

We were soon approaching Little Ross island again.

We aimed for the narrow Sound which separates the island from the mainland. You can get a fun little race here on the ebb particularly when there is a SW wind.

Today all was calm as we swung to the west round the reefs of Fox Craig.

The quest for a haddock of gargantuan proportions.

Entering Kirkcudbright (kir-coo-bri) Bay, the landscape changed dramatically, the cliffs gave way to gentle wooded shores.

We stopped for a break at a little beach with a view to the far side of the bay and the distant Lake District hills in England beyond.

We now had a stiff paddle against an increasing ebb tide.

As we approached the town we came across a long marina pontoon. The tide was less to its right but stronger to its left, the course which Phil, Billy and I took.

It was a relief to land at the little slipway in the centre of the town...

...under the shade of a chestnut tree and not far from the walls of Maclellan's castle.

Tony and Jim were a little way behind an not having been before were tempted by the slacker water inside the pontoon. Tony had hoped there would be a bridge to paddle under but no such luck! He landed on the pontoon and walked to the shore.

Jim spotted Tony's problem and backtracked out in to the main current. Some serious paddling effort soon had him...

...up  at the slipway as a scallop boat made her way downstream. We now set off to find some lunch. Our destination was Polarbites excellent fish and chip emporium! In addition to local specialities such as scallops (landed 50m from the shop!), their conventional  fish suppers are superb. A word of warning, unlike some other fish and chips shops somewhat optimistic descriptions of what prove to be little more than sardines, Polarbite's large haddock is truly immense. Indeed, a great white would be well sated with a fish of such gargantuan proportions. By the time we left Kirkcudbright, we were well and truly stuffed, it was indeed fortunate the the ebb tide was in full flow!

A lone watcher on the cliffs and a horrid murder.

From Dove Cave we allowed the flood tide to propel us along an incredibly convoluted coast of upended greywacke strata.

The contrast with the open expanse of Wigtown Bay could not have been greater.

Near Borness Point we saw a lone figure who watched or progress along this apparently wild coast. Up on the cliff tops all is not so wild, it is a golf course!

There was superb rock hopping as we weaved through narrow channels at the base of the cliffs.

To the east of Brighouse Bay the cliffs were covered in beautiful golden lichen but our attention was caught...

...by the Little Ross lighthouse, which appeared through a gap in the rocks.

The lighthouse is actually situated on an island that sits in the mouth of Kirkudbright Bay. The Little Ross light was built by Alan Stevenson in 1843. The light flashes white every 5 seconds. In 1960 there were two keepers on the island and one murdered the other. This link is an incredible first hand account by David Collin, one of the local people who found the keeper's body.

We had made such good progress along the coast that we now decided to see if we could paddle up to Kirkcudbright or fish and chips. The tide however was about to turn...

No wonder the doves like it.

As we passed the Meikle and Little Pinnacles, I saw the guys ahead take a sharp left.

 I knew they had found Dove cave. Jim was getting his camera out...

...while Tony had paddled straight into the recesses of the cave...

...from which there is a wonderful view out to Wigtown Bay. No wonder the doves like it.