The first day of our week-long West Highland sea kayaking cruise saw us dropped off at the entrance to Loch Nevis, which separates Mallaig from the remote Knoydart Peninsula. A gentle start to the week with a 12km paddle down the loch to Tarbert for lunch. The weather was fine with a gentle breeze against us, something to bite into. For some reason paddling on a flat calm oily sea feels like paddling in treacle. We had fantastic clear views of the Knoydart mountains raising straight up out of the end of Loch Nevis.

Just after setting off we saw two or three porpoises out in the middle of the loch. Some of us took the shortest route to Tarbet straight down the middle of the loch. The others who took the long way round, sticking to the shore, were rewarded with a close up of an otter and a pair of distant sea eagles.

This is a fine paddle were tidal currents are weak but being surrounded by high mountains, wind squalls can come from nowhere. Tarbet is an idyllic little spot with an easy walk over to Loch Morar. There is limited free camping at the far east end of Inverie Bay, only about 15 minutes walk from mainland Britain's most remote pub The Old Forge. Try to arrive at the campsite at high tide, the bay dries out for several hundred metres at low tide.

Other possibilities are to continue up to the end of Loch Nevis to Sourlies Bothy or go up the coast past Sandaig Bay and Airor towards Loch Hourn.

For more sea-kayaking trips in the Lochaber area and useful paddling info visit the sea-kayaking pages of the Outdoor Capital of the UK website.

For water safety advice visit www.nationalwatersafety.org.uk

- Ken

posted by ocuk @ 9:22 PM