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BICYCLEMANIA TRAILFINDERS aka 'KIDDER & CHIEFY'S SCOTTISH TRIP |
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The info:
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For the trip we used one of the many B&B's located on
the edge of the Caledonian Canal, overlooking Fort
William, Ben Nevis and the surrounding area. |
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DAY 1: Canoeing:
Fort William, Caledonian Canal, Loch Lockey.
Kidder & Chiefy load up the 17 footer Canadian canoe they have
hired for the trip up the canal and into Loch Lockey. All the
kit loaded the pair dip the paddles into the still waters of the
canal and head off. Kidder & Chiefy were like duck in water,
neither of the pair had commanded a canoe let-alone a fully
loaded 17 footer. When the pair reached the lock gates they had
to man-handle the canoe & kit some 300 yard's along the
quay-side to the edge of the loch.
Canoe loaded off they paddled out into the dead calm waters of
Loch Lockey, but half way across the bay, loch, or what-ever the
wind picked up whipping the waters into 2 foot monster waves (Well
it was to them). Chiefy was not bothered he was prepared
to weather the waters, for he was driving the boat wearing a
full wetsuit. Kidder was up at the pointy bit surveying the
horizon for a glimpse of the camp-site or a monster, unaware of
the storm clouds gathering behind.
The pair found the camping spot using there expert
navigationally skills & drove the canoe up onto the beach. The
sun was setting so there was no time to waste, so first things
first, open a bottle of red wine (a nice little number
with a hint of berries) fire-wood patrol was next and in
no time the pair had a roaring fire. Kidder & Chiefy dinned in
style that night with Aberdeen Angus steak with a mushroom sauce
& baby new potatoes followed by cheesecake. (Oh to live
the outdoor life) |
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DAY 2: Mountaineering, Canoeing:
Loch Lockey shores to
Sron a Choire Ghairbh 935m
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pair got kitted up & set off to find the trail which would lead
them up to the summit.10 minutes later they were lost, so like
true mountain troopers the pair made a B-line straight up the
hillside carving a way through the wild terrain. 200 ft higher
they found the fireroad, it had been a hot climb to this point
so surplus kit off they made tracks to the start of the trail
path. The trail snaked its way up through the forest crossing
mountain streams and out into open land. It was a long hard
climb to the summit, but what a fantastic reward waited for them
at the top. The views were beautiful but unfortunately time was
not on there side, so the decision was made to head back down
before it got dark. The wind had pick up too, the pair were
nearly blown over several time heading back but they made it
down to base camp, tea on and time to inspect there battled
feet.
After tea Chiefy came up with a bright idea, the pair would
paddle across the Loch to a pub for a few pints. So Kidder set
up a landing beacon so they could navigate the way back to camp
after a skin full. So off they set out into the black still
waters of the Loch with only a small light from the pub as an
aiming point. half way across the waves picked-up hitting the
canoe it made for a rough ride not being able to see the waves
before they hit you. The pair landed the canoe and walked up the
drive to the main door of the pub only to find it has shut up
for winter, (Well that's bollocks) Kidder gets out
his phone and calls in for a E-vac, lucky for them Kidders mum &
dad are staying just down the road at a holiday complex. 10
minutes later the pair are sat in the pub with a nice pint of
Guinness, a few hours later the pair are dropped off at the
canoe and head off into the black night aiming for the light on
the opposite shores of the Loch. Again half way across the waves
are big and this time they are ready, but Chiefy's hat blows off
and it's lost at sea, well Loch. |
Thumbnailed pictures
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DAY 3: Canoeing:
Loch Lockey shores to
Extraction Point Laggan Loch
After a good fry-up the pair break camp and load up the canoe
for the return leg back to Fort William, but the weather has put
pay to that, so it's go with the flow to Laggan Loch. The pair
battle with the waves all the way trying to keep the canoe on an
even keel, Chiefy drove the boat like an old sea dog. At the
extraction point the pair dumped the canoe and headed off to the
pub for a couple of pints, they contacted the support who came
and took them back to the B&B.
Back at the B&B it was a quick change and out for some tea and
beer. The first pub/hotel the pair went into charged them £6.80
for two pints, so Kidder & Chiefy downed the expensive liquid
and moved on to some where else. Bellies full and a few pints
later the pair found themselves in some grubby pub watching a
Scottish football match. The night was late so the pair retired
to the B&B. |
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