River Ken: St. Johns Town of Dalry to Loch Ken

DAY 1: Approx. 5 miles

Nice easy access is behind the Church, down the track beside the Police station there’s a car park of sorts and a walk down and over the bridge. Put in just above the bridge and off I went. Apparently can also put in at Allangibbon Bridge which would add a mile or so I guess, but with water levels wasn’t worth it.

From the off it was pretty evident there’d be a lot of walking/lining instead of running rapids, had to get out at most sections and pull the canoe through them. Other than two runs which were good fun as my first ones. Nothing big. I reckon another foot of water was needed at least to make them all paddle-able.

 

Loch Ken Plan

Day 1, Saturday: Up sharpish and across to Loch Ken, car and canoe packed read to go the night before. Taking the ‘Old Town Jack’ for me and Michael in his inflatable outboard. Wants to get it registered at Loch Ken and he’s getting lazy and doesn’t want to paddle! The idea is to drop me at St John’s or the bridge just upstream (whichever is easiest to put in at) and paddle down the River Ken to one of the islands near Little Kenmure Loch (about 5.5 miles). Reckon that’ll take me 3-4 hours to get down.

Foiled Again…

Few things happening, and a trip 5-6 hours away and potentially being a day and a half from the car when we’re there wasn’t a good idea… So, Loch Ken it is and hopefully our trusty comrade Green Island. If that’s busy which it could well be on a Jubilee Weekend, we’ll find somewhere on the banks or just inside the River Dee. Michael’s found that the American Crayfish are taking over Loch Ken, and people are being urged to catch/kill/eat as many as possible – sounds like our sort of challenge!
We’ll have you next time Caledonian! Maybe…

Planning The End

A rather dramatic title to mark the beginning of what should be the completion of the Great Glen canoe trip.. But certainly not the end of canoeing! The Queen very kindly has given us an extra day’s holiday for the first weekend in June, must be something important going on? And as luck would have it the very same weekend is promising to be a very sunny, if a little bold, affair… Thanks Queeny!

How Mondays Should Be

Weather was a bit less sunny than expected but still decent enough to get up to the River Wansbeck as planned. Put in at Cambois Rowing Club, with it’s own jetti and carpark it was ideal. Loaded up the canoe with some basics (lunch, drink, waterproof etc.) and headed off upstream to see how far I could get before either I gave out or it got too shallow.