Loch Ken Trip

Back home now after our trip across to Loch Ken, and feeling pretty tired even though we slept well. It was a bit windy on the way up to Green Island from the aqueduct so me and Josh struggled a bit in to the wind. Luckily Michael was close at hand in his new boat (with engine) to give us a bit of a tow for the last 1/2 mile or so. So we got to the island with plenty of time to get our hammocks/tarps setup, start the fire and put up Michael's new tipi (absolute bargain). Had the usual extravagant camping food of fajitas and koftas and went out in the boat afterwards to head back to the car to get some water (and my hipflask), then back to the island for the night. Sat in the tipi with the petrol stove going and it was toasty warm, think we're sold on a small stove and some winter camping.

 

Had a good nights sleep with the customary 2am toilet break and then through to around 7:30, Michael and Josh joining me about 8:30ish. Got the few things tidied up and dishes washed from the night before… Yes, we did take everything including the kitchen sink!!
  

Got all packed up and loaded the boat up with all the kit to keep the canoe light as I was paddling back down myself while Michael and Josh played in the boat.
Took a few pics on the way down from the canoe, was a really nice paddle down with the wind at my back. Good to get out in the canoe and learn that ‘J-Stroke’.
   

Really good trip out with the canoe and boat, and a lovely Loch to go back to for more exploring.

Well Needed..!!

Sat on the train heading back from London in need of the weekend quickly to have a well deserved chill out at Loch Ken in the canoe. The week so far has been made up of;

Mon: Pinder's, 5:30 start, 9pm finish
Tue: Pinder's, 7am start, 9:30pm finish
Thu: London, 6am start, 8pm finish

And tomorrow (Friday) I'm back to Pinderfields after the 20 week scan, so more than likely a late finish again!! Trying to take this bit of time to think about what to take across to Loch Ken for Sat/Sun's trip in the new canoe. Going to be the first of hopefully many this year, even if they are just short weekenders. Although would be nice to get another bit of the Great Glen under our belts.

So for the ultimate relaxing canoe weekend what do I need... The basics are a good start; hammock, tarp, sleeping bag, underblanket, groundsheet, life jacket, knife, fire starting (yes, I know there's a few methods I have here). But to make this a little bit more comfortable as we now have the space, I think there's also room for a couple of seats maybe and a fishing rod if I can get hold of one in time!! And let's not forget the generous helping of food and drink we always seem to take along! :o)

I may even take my cowboy hat and harmonica just to annoy Michael a little bit.

Bring on Saturday is all I'm saying, and bring on the chillin'

Oh my god , its nearly 2 years

I cant believe its 2 years in Sept since we started this and are still only about a third of the way. I think the work/life balance is more work than life at the minute.

We have a short trip planned to Lock Ken next weekend , just something easy to hopefully get us back in the swing of things ready for the next leg of the great glen hopefully later this year. I was on Loch Ken a week or so ago with my son , we have bought a zodiac inflatable and just ran up to the island in that , camped over night and headed back the next day. We came up from the south end of the loch from the campsite , through the zoned area for waterskiing and up to the island. Even though I thought we had it all sussed we did take the wrong route back through the waterski zone , after getting told off from one of the park rangers and being instructed to wait for the senior ranger to come and see me I had expected this was going to be my first and last visit to Loch Ken but the senior ranger was a really nice guy, clearly explained my mistake and then chatted for ages with me about the area and good places for canoeing on the Loch. Even if we stuck to the edges of the Loch I still dont think it will be much fun in the canoe if the waterskiing boats are running up and down there. Head down over from the north end i think. Green Island was very small but quite nice. Clearly well used by campers as there was the usual rubbish left behind , will make sure i take a spare carrier bag or 2 and bring it back with us. There are a couple of small sandy beaches only about 6 foot wide but perfect for getting the canoe/inflatable in and out. There are just about enough big trees spaced right for our hammocks with a small clearing in the middle for a fire and chilling out.

The Maiden Voyage

Been up to the QE2 lake near Ashington to test out the canoe, and it's great. Everything we expected and more probably. We thought it would be much easier to paddle than the inflateable but this was a dream, considering the Old Town Discovery is an entry level canoe it shows just how much better the real deal is!!

Got it off the car and the few bits we'd brough along in the canoe (basically a JetBoil Stove for a cuppa, and I brought a seat although Michael forgot his!). It's only about half a mile across the lake but it really didn't take us long at all and neither of us felt even the slight bit tired by it.

Had a nice cup of coffee even after it boiled out the top of the JetBoil because somebody didn't keep an eye on it.. I'm looking at you Michael! Went out for a little solo paddle to test that out as well and I think you could cover the same distance solo as we were together in the inflateable. Don't get me wrong, the little Stearns Backcounty has certainly done it's job and has been great. But we're ready for the proper thing now.

Anyway.. Finished off the coffee and got back in the canoe to head back over to the car. No hassles at all, canoe lifted out and back on top of the car. Perfect! Sat for a few minutes while my feet dried off a bit watching a bunch of youngsters in one man kayaks and thought about how much better a Canadian Canoe is!

Got it stowed away nicely in the unit ready for more adventures to come... can't wait!

A New Era

Been looking and thinking about this since the start of the year... and we finally took the plunge and bought a proper canoe!! Old Town Discovery! Yeeeaah!!!! Can't wait to see how much easier it is to paddle, and how much more junk we can fit in this compared to the inflateable. The 'Green Emerald' has done us proud but it's time to move onwards and upwards with the 'Red Ruby'! Hahah.. It's red, obviously.

Planning on a quick trip up to QE2 lake for a test on Saturday when Michael's back from Manchester with it. Had it strapped to his roof for the last couple of days!

Roll on the Great Glen!