If you go on overnight camping trips you’ll have had people ask you why. Why would you want to sit out in the cold and wet when you could be at home warm and dry. There is no way to really answer this question as people who don’t get it won’t get it from words alone. They need to experience it to understand.
That said, one way to try and get the message across is to show them the picture below and tell them that as chilled as that looks, it’s how I feel inside even when I’m sitting under a tarp looking out on a rainy and cold landscape.
Anyway, we are getting ahead of ourselves. Russ and I had been trying to get a date in the diary for a couple of nights away. This weekend looked like a possibility. Then to help push it along Summit to Sea got in touch and wondered if we would be interested in testing / reviewing their new Alpha Pot set. That was all the excuse we needed to confirm the date.
On the run up to the weekend it looked like we might have had three dogs with us but a week or two in advance Bella went back to her owner. Then two days before we left Sam ripped out a nail in an accident. She is fine and is now back out running etc but she had to be rested over the weekend. So it was just Marlowe coming with us.
Amazingly for a trip booked well in advance the weather was looking great. Friday after work we got to Balmaha and set off in the sunshine.
There was a bit of a breeze but nothing to worry about. It was warm and a pleasure to be out. Marlowe was a bit confused but happy to be out.
We headed straight to Creinch as this was our first choice for camping. When we arrived I got the wellies on for stomping about the island. Wellies and shorts, it’s a fashion statement of some sort
With the weather on our side we gathered some firewood and got dinner on before we set up the camp. We were testing the Alpha Pot Set 2.2, https://www.seatosummit.co.uk/products/ ... ot-set-22/ there will be a full review later.
The set includes a couple of mugs so we had an excuse to bring the good coffee. Of course having not thought to wash the set before we came the silicon lids made the first coffee taste like we were drinking out of a wellie boot :)Subsequent coffees were much better.
After dinner we got the rest of camp set up. Russ was sleeping in a hammock set up and I was on the ground in a bedroll / swag. My plan was not to use a tarp so I could see the stars.
The campsite we chose was facing out over the loch and right at where the sun set. It was a superb spot in ideal conditions.
Both Tuss and I had planned on an early night as we had both had a busy and stressful week. However we kind of got stuck with the beauty of the sunset and waiting for the stars to come out.
As it turned out there must have been some high cloud as we never saw any stars. Just the moon and Venus. Either way it ended up being a late night. As is often the case on the first night away I didn’t sleep very well. Too much going on in my head.
It’s a strange thing because I’m not stressed by Boeing away and even during the night while I’m awake I’m happy and enjoying watching the night. I just don’t sleep much. I can’t even blame Marlowe. He was providing heat in the swag and not moving in case he got evicted. Come morning he was still there making the most of it.
Since we were awake it was time for breakfast
Square sausage and wraps, the breakfast of champions.
After breakfast we decided to go for a paddle while it was still flat calm and sunny. We seeemd to have picked up a passenger in the canoe.
I was back in my water shoes for paddling. It meant my latest Quentin tattoo was getting an airing.
As I say the loch was flat calm. You don’t often see the big loch like this.
There was some cloud in the sky but thin and burning off as we paddled. Or rested
It was a joy to be outside an on the water.
This Environmental Monitoring Buoy is new. It is connected to a story I cannot tell on the open forum but if you ever see me in person ask me and I’ll tell you all about it
Great weather like this is rare for Loch Lomond but almost unheard of for Russ and I being out. We are far more used to battling through severe wind and rain, still we were not complaining.
We made a stop at bird poo island where Russ spotted a float and fishing fly.
The float was covered in small leeches.
We landed back at the campsite and decided to take a walk round the outside of the island to see if we had the place to ourselves. We did.
We found a swing that we had decided would not hold our weight but sometimes you just need to make sure.
As it turns out it was much stronger than it looked. Either that or we are not as fat as we think. I suspect it is actually the former.
By now the lack of sleep was starting to catch up with me and I was getting a headache. With the sun being properly out now I took the opportunity to have a nap in the sun. Marlowe was fine with joining in.
Once rested it was time for a late lunch. First we boiled some water for drinking later. The drain holes in the pot lids make it really easy to pour accurately.
Lunch was haggis, vegetarian haggis and mashed potatoes. The lunch of champions it need to be boiled for an hour so a test of the pots resilience.
It also meant we needed more firewood split down to keep the fire at the right level.
A watched pot never boils so Russ and Marlowe just chilled.
After our late lunch we took a wander through the middle of the island. It was pretty overgrown. With our usual winter trips we don’t get to see the islands as green as this.
Marlowe is meant to be a working breed pointing dog. However, in all the time I’ve had him he has never come close to pointing. He down not even notice squirrels and deer when they run right in front of him. Then this happened.
Not quite a full point but there he was stood still staring at the goose on it’s nest.
We backed off and left the goose alone.
We had a light dinner with marshmallows for dessert. Turns out Russ prefers his untoasted. Weirdo.
The sunset on the second night was not quite as good as the first but still a joy to watch. I didn’t make the mistake of staying up late this night. I was sleeping by about 10.30pm and only woke at 3am briefly when it started raining. I covered some kit by the fire and dragged my bedroll under a tarp before going back to sleep.
In the morning I sent Marlowe out to report on the weather. Damp, was his report. Still damp is still good weather for us and besides the rain was stopping and the sun breaking through.
Got the fire lit again for another breakfast of champions
It was overcast but clearing. The rain had stopped and the wind was low.
Before we packed up I had a last coffee. Now thankfully free of the wellie taste. I’d even managed to pick up a tan as well as a minor war wound from a branch trying to scalp me.
Packing up was straight forward and didn’t take long. We did the usual last check to make sure there were no lasting signs of our visit and were ready to go.
Leaving our temporary home for the weekend. What we will always think of as sunset beach.
It was not as calm as the day before. Nothing too exciting but you did need to pay attention a little.
It was still good paddling conditions and we were in no desperate rush to get home we we took a slightly scenic route.
We headed round to Torrinch. The campsite at Inchcailloch is ahead. We didn’t know it at the time but East Kilbride Canoe Club had been camping there.
We landed on Torrinch and had a look to see if the bamboo was growing back. Actually it looks like they’ve been keeping it cut back and maybe even sprayed with something. Looks like we won’t be getting any Pandas here anytime soon.
We then headed over to Clairinish to see if our usual campsite had been used. Surprisingly it hadn’t. Considering the weather and that we had seen a few canoes and kayaks during Saturday that seemed to be looking for a camping spot we were surprised.
Finally it was time to head back to the car. If nothing else it seemed to be getting more cloudy and like rain was coming again.
The home stretch.
And so another enjoyable trip was at an end. Felt a bit strange without Sam and with the sun being out but a great trip none the less.
That said, one way to try and get the message across is to show them the picture below and tell them that as chilled as that looks, it’s how I feel inside even when I’m sitting under a tarp looking out on a rainy and cold landscape.
Anyway, we are getting ahead of ourselves. Russ and I had been trying to get a date in the diary for a couple of nights away. This weekend looked like a possibility. Then to help push it along Summit to Sea got in touch and wondered if we would be interested in testing / reviewing their new Alpha Pot set. That was all the excuse we needed to confirm the date.
On the run up to the weekend it looked like we might have had three dogs with us but a week or two in advance Bella went back to her owner. Then two days before we left Sam ripped out a nail in an accident. She is fine and is now back out running etc but she had to be rested over the weekend. So it was just Marlowe coming with us.
Amazingly for a trip booked well in advance the weather was looking great. Friday after work we got to Balmaha and set off in the sunshine.
There was a bit of a breeze but nothing to worry about. It was warm and a pleasure to be out. Marlowe was a bit confused but happy to be out.
We headed straight to Creinch as this was our first choice for camping. When we arrived I got the wellies on for stomping about the island. Wellies and shorts, it’s a fashion statement of some sort
With the weather on our side we gathered some firewood and got dinner on before we set up the camp. We were testing the Alpha Pot Set 2.2, https://www.seatosummit.co.uk/products/ ... ot-set-22/ there will be a full review later.
The set includes a couple of mugs so we had an excuse to bring the good coffee. Of course having not thought to wash the set before we came the silicon lids made the first coffee taste like we were drinking out of a wellie boot :)Subsequent coffees were much better.
After dinner we got the rest of camp set up. Russ was sleeping in a hammock set up and I was on the ground in a bedroll / swag. My plan was not to use a tarp so I could see the stars.
The campsite we chose was facing out over the loch and right at where the sun set. It was a superb spot in ideal conditions.
Both Tuss and I had planned on an early night as we had both had a busy and stressful week. However we kind of got stuck with the beauty of the sunset and waiting for the stars to come out.
As it turned out there must have been some high cloud as we never saw any stars. Just the moon and Venus. Either way it ended up being a late night. As is often the case on the first night away I didn’t sleep very well. Too much going on in my head.
It’s a strange thing because I’m not stressed by Boeing away and even during the night while I’m awake I’m happy and enjoying watching the night. I just don’t sleep much. I can’t even blame Marlowe. He was providing heat in the swag and not moving in case he got evicted. Come morning he was still there making the most of it.
Since we were awake it was time for breakfast
Square sausage and wraps, the breakfast of champions.
After breakfast we decided to go for a paddle while it was still flat calm and sunny. We seeemd to have picked up a passenger in the canoe.
I was back in my water shoes for paddling. It meant my latest Quentin tattoo was getting an airing.
As I say the loch was flat calm. You don’t often see the big loch like this.
There was some cloud in the sky but thin and burning off as we paddled. Or rested
It was a joy to be outside an on the water.
This Environmental Monitoring Buoy is new. It is connected to a story I cannot tell on the open forum but if you ever see me in person ask me and I’ll tell you all about it
Great weather like this is rare for Loch Lomond but almost unheard of for Russ and I being out. We are far more used to battling through severe wind and rain, still we were not complaining.
We made a stop at bird poo island where Russ spotted a float and fishing fly.
The float was covered in small leeches.
We landed back at the campsite and decided to take a walk round the outside of the island to see if we had the place to ourselves. We did.
We found a swing that we had decided would not hold our weight but sometimes you just need to make sure.
As it turns out it was much stronger than it looked. Either that or we are not as fat as we think. I suspect it is actually the former.
By now the lack of sleep was starting to catch up with me and I was getting a headache. With the sun being properly out now I took the opportunity to have a nap in the sun. Marlowe was fine with joining in.
Once rested it was time for a late lunch. First we boiled some water for drinking later. The drain holes in the pot lids make it really easy to pour accurately.
Lunch was haggis, vegetarian haggis and mashed potatoes. The lunch of champions it need to be boiled for an hour so a test of the pots resilience.
It also meant we needed more firewood split down to keep the fire at the right level.
A watched pot never boils so Russ and Marlowe just chilled.
After our late lunch we took a wander through the middle of the island. It was pretty overgrown. With our usual winter trips we don’t get to see the islands as green as this.
Marlowe is meant to be a working breed pointing dog. However, in all the time I’ve had him he has never come close to pointing. He down not even notice squirrels and deer when they run right in front of him. Then this happened.
Not quite a full point but there he was stood still staring at the goose on it’s nest.
We backed off and left the goose alone.
We had a light dinner with marshmallows for dessert. Turns out Russ prefers his untoasted. Weirdo.
The sunset on the second night was not quite as good as the first but still a joy to watch. I didn’t make the mistake of staying up late this night. I was sleeping by about 10.30pm and only woke at 3am briefly when it started raining. I covered some kit by the fire and dragged my bedroll under a tarp before going back to sleep.
In the morning I sent Marlowe out to report on the weather. Damp, was his report. Still damp is still good weather for us and besides the rain was stopping and the sun breaking through.
Got the fire lit again for another breakfast of champions
It was overcast but clearing. The rain had stopped and the wind was low.
Before we packed up I had a last coffee. Now thankfully free of the wellie taste. I’d even managed to pick up a tan as well as a minor war wound from a branch trying to scalp me.
Packing up was straight forward and didn’t take long. We did the usual last check to make sure there were no lasting signs of our visit and were ready to go.
Leaving our temporary home for the weekend. What we will always think of as sunset beach.
It was not as calm as the day before. Nothing too exciting but you did need to pay attention a little.
It was still good paddling conditions and we were in no desperate rush to get home we we took a slightly scenic route.
We headed round to Torrinch. The campsite at Inchcailloch is ahead. We didn’t know it at the time but East Kilbride Canoe Club had been camping there.
We landed on Torrinch and had a look to see if the bamboo was growing back. Actually it looks like they’ve been keeping it cut back and maybe even sprayed with something. Looks like we won’t be getting any Pandas here anytime soon.
We then headed over to Clairinish to see if our usual campsite had been used. Surprisingly it hadn’t. Considering the weather and that we had seen a few canoes and kayaks during Saturday that seemed to be looking for a camping spot we were surprised.
Finally it was time to head back to the car. If nothing else it seemed to be getting more cloudy and like rain was coming again.
The home stretch.
And so another enjoyable trip was at an end. Felt a bit strange without Sam and with the sun being out but a great trip none the less.
John
Every time a canoe trip is not blogged on SotP, God makes a new kayaker.
Every time a canoe trip is not blogged on SotP, God makes a new kayaker.