While I was away in Scotland on my “in at the deep end” open canoe trip, I rediscovered what it was about those northern views that does it for me! Enjoy!

Robs sickness and the foul weather finally passed over but there hadn’t really been enough rain to pump up the rivers. However it was a stunningly beautiful afternoon to finally get going.

Leaving Loch Ba, the very low River Ba made for very slow progress and we didn’t actually seem to be getting very far from the Blackmount.

Our first campsite was at the eastern end of Loch Laidon following an exciting sail under a full tarp. Beautiful location with a god awful sleeping surface. The morning mist and calm more than made up for the discomfort.

Slowly the mist evaporated to give the perfect Scottish view.

Even though the Gaur was a bigger river it was suffering just as badly from the dry weather and so more pushing, pulling, lining and cursing were the order of the day.

Slowly we crept and scraped closer to Loch Rannoch.

After what seemed an age we emerged from the body wrecking drag down the Gaur and lined the last steep falls towards open water.

On Loch Tummel we had to Battle a Mean Headwind which did test my newly learned open boat paddling technique to the limit.

Arriving at the dam it was hard to work out where to portage from, especially as we were too lazy to get the guide book out.

It took a good hour to portage the Tummel dam with just two of us and two heavily laden boats.

At least we found a decent “beer shop” when we were finally forced to give up about 40km from our intended destination. Good trip and fantastic Northern Views. When the bruises heal, I fancy another go at a similar trip.