Loch Awe Trip – Saturday 8th November

Loch Awe Trip – Saturday 8^th November

By Geraldine O’Sullivan

This is my first time writing up one of these reports so… bear with me.

This trip was one of the options available during the Loch Awe weekend.  After a late start out (slow puncture in my old banger)  Vicky and I headed up to the Village Hall after stopping off at the chippy in Inverary.  The rain was bouncing off the road and didn’t bode well for the weekend ahead.  However, we arrived to a warm welcome and some amazing stinky cheeses courtesy of Janice.   We all bedded down and made a brave attempt at shut eye amid the cacophony of snores and grunts.  Well done Andrew for bringing along the ear plugs.

The morning started well, albeit waking up with a crick in the neck and bags under the eyes from lack of sleep (my fault – only had yoga mats to sleep on unlike Tony – with his four poster).  Thanks to Jo and Moira and others (sorry still getting to know the names) we all were well fed with porridge, cereal, bacon butties and tea/coffee.  A great start to the day.

The Loch Awe team led by Donald included: Andrew, Elizabeth, Colin, Graham, Vicky, Moira, Myself, David, Jo, Lesley, Janice and Ian.  We set off to launch under the railway bridge that crosses the point where the River Orchy flows into Loch Awe.  Myself and Vicky headed off in the wrong direction initially but Andrew and Elizabeth saved our bacon and had us back in the fold in no time.

It was a glorious morning.  Bright sunshine sparkling on the water – sunglasses were needed by all.  We launched without incident (ie, me falling in before I’d even started – I was very proud of myself).  We headed up the River Orchy for a bit.  There was some interesting water flow that was rightly good practice for novices like myself.  It was good to experience the boat’s response to fastish flowing water particularly when you are trying to cross it without being swept away, which I inevitably did.  I wouldn’t mind practicing that again..   Anyway, we turned back and headed down to the Loch again.

The previous evening Donald had given us all an information sheet with lots of interesting historical facts about Loch Awe so not only were we paddling, we were in search of the legends too.  The first thing we were looking for were something called Crannogs.  I was scolded for not know what they were (man made islands) being a Primary Teacher I supposed to know everything….   Aye right!   So off we paddled in the glittering sunshine to find them, and there are a few on the Loch right nuf.

At about 1ish, I think, we landed/beached/parked (covering all possibilities here – not sure of the correct terminology so forgive me oh experienced ones).  The island we had chosen for our break was called Fraoch Eilean – which means Heather Island.  But there’s nae heather on it so there.  It does however have the ruins of a medieval castle and apparently, somewhere on the island, grow the berries of eternal youth.

We had our lunch and I marvelled, as I always do, at the kit that people bring with them.  Stools for sitting on?  I watched in envy as my bum got wetter by the minute.  Spag bol in a bag, just pour in hot water and shove it down your pants???  You need to ask Colin to explain that one.  Still it impressed me.  Now where was I, oh yes.  We had lunch and scrambled up to the castle for a gander.  It was very lonesome and Scottish.  Apparently, it was all done up for Bonnie Prince Charlie to bed down in when he came to save us from the English but we know the end of that story – I guess it all went to wrack and ruin then.  We never did find the berries of eternal youth so it’s back to slapping on the creams again ****.

After lunch we headed out onto the glorious Loch again.  Colin had a small sail attached to his kayake which was pretty impressive but the wind wasn’t in his favour unfortunately and he wasn’t too keen on his crutch heated spag bol either, so bless, not a good day for Colin.   We paddled on again further up the loch (looking out for Crannog’s and such like) until we came to another island of interest.  This time we parked (I prefer that one) on Inishail.  This was another delightful island.  It was mostly a graveyard with some beautiful celtic gravestones.  Hopefully, we’ll have some photos to go with this waffle to bring the whole experience to life for the reader.  There was generally a lot of larking about going on with gloves being stuck between the cracks in a grave stones to look like a body trying to get out hee! hee! arf! arf!  And someone, a pillar of the club no less, no names being mentioned here, pulling out a wooden cross from the ground cos it made it easier to read for the auld yins and then, save us all, brandishing it around like a sword.  Very shocking.  I’m rethinking my membership here…   No berries of eternal yuf on this island either.  ****      ****

Onie ways,  aff we went again.  Circumnavigating another island/crannog and back up the loch the way we came.  This time the sun had gone down and the wind had picked up a little bit and more effort was needed this time.  Unfortunately for Colin the wind was against us this time so that sail never did see the light of day  :o(

Well the rest of the paddle past without incident  (my memory of the trip is fading and I’ve run out of reporting to do).  After packing up and loading up the trailer, we headed back to the village hall tired but invigorated ready for the fantastic meal that had been prepared for us by Jo and Moira.   PS:  No jelly babies suffered during the making of this adventure.