By Tony Roberts September 12, 2003.
I suggested this course around the club a few months back. There were no other takers, but a few people were interested and suggested I report back. (The area is actually well known to some club members - eg Mike O'R, Rob S, Nick H - but was completely new to me). So here is my postcard from North Uist:
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You know you're going somewhere interesting when the aeroplane has propellers. We land at Benbecula (BEB) next to a small hut. It turns out to be the airport terminal. 'Mairi' picks us up and drives us the 15 miles or so to the Uist Outdoor Centre in Lochmaddy, North Uist. This is 2 islands further up.
Driving North through these islands - nowadays most linked by causeways - it's immediately apparent why the area is so good for kayaking. It is SERIOUSLY WET! Aside from the obvious coastline, there are countless tidal lochs reaching deep into the landscape. Tidal Races form at pinch points, and at sluices in the causeways - providing plenty of moving water for those bored with the standy-still stuff. Even what is nominally "land" turns out to be 30% water, with numerous freshwater lochs.
In such a spongey landscape, it's not even obvious where one "island" ends and another begins. Happily, the locals have sorted this all out, and given them all names. For good measure, they've also branded them all as either CATHOLIC or PROTESTANT. Most people seem to go to church on Sunday, there is hardly any crime, and food arrives on the ferry from Skye 3 days a week. You don't need a passport, yet somehow it feels as though you should...
The OUTDOOR CENTRE is in LOCHMADDY, NORTH UIST. It is used as base for various outdoor courses, and also as a bunkhouse for passing travellers (including some independent sea-kayakers). Casual visitors pay £11 a night. My non-participating partner paid her £11 for a bed, plus £16 a day for 3 meals. As a course member, I paid £420 a week for everything - full board, instruction, use of various equipment and lots of ferrying around (trips don't have to start or finish at the centre).
When you're not out getting wet, the LOUNGE in the Outdoor centre is a very pleasant place to be. It has views over the loch and stacks of magazines / catalogues full of kayaking equipment you didn't realise you needed. It also has that indespensible aid to modern living AN INTERNET TERMINAL. Internet access is free to course members, £1 per hour for casuals. It's a real bonus, as newspapers are scarce, and mobile phone coverage patchy. There is open access to the kitchen for making tea/coffee.
LOCHMADDY VILLAGE is just down the road. It has a jetty where the ferry arrives, a water tap, small shop, and a pub/hotel that does food in the evenings.
And that, dear paddler, is about it! You now know as much as I do, for there is truly nothing else here but land and sea and sky and sun and wind and rain - and the scent of drying neoprene.
So what about THE COURSE ? What happens appears to depend on who shows up and what the weather is doing. Every week will be different. As a guide, here are my notes on what we did:
DAY 1
AM: Arrived, met everyone & settled in.
PM: Warm-up session is the loch, capsize and rescue. Trying out different boats. Water amazingly clear, with deep underwater forests of kelp. 13 deg C, so not too cold!
DAY 2
AM: Planning for a 2-day expedition. Navigation prep, weather checks, packing tents, water, food.
PM: Launched Southwards from an unblemished (and apparently unnamed) beach on South Uist. Paddled to an unihabited offshore island called "Fuday" (12 ks, wind F4/5, but at our backs). Camped overnight. Made a fire of Driftwood (FURNITURE-GRADE driftwood, yet we wilfully burned it). Wine & Whisky. Glad I never joined the scouts.
DAY 3
AM: Porridge always sticks, doesn't it ? Set off padling East towards a ferry landing near Barra, with a water tap! Only a few Ks, but wind now F5/6 and on the beam. We have one inexperienced paddler (Don) who capsizes twice, and provides us with some great rescue demonstrations. (We raft up for stability, and to keep the weather off. It all works, but I'm not totally convinced about these hand pumps! They seem more suited to blowing up Christmas balloons).
PM: Don decides to rest ashore while we paddle off to circumnavigate another island called "Fuday" (does "Fuday" means island ?). Returned to catch the last ferry across to Eriskay, where the magic Land Rovers picks us all up.
DAY 4
AM: A perfect day paddle from Langais Lodge, through a chain of locks and a tidal race, out to the open sea, then back with the incoming tide (15-20 Ks). Plenty of grey seals, as usual. Also one otter.
PM: Nightime paddle through the maze of lochs around Lochmaddy. Pitch dark by the end. Wearing silly-looking wooly hats with light-sticks gaffered on. Glad no one can see us. Phosphorescence in the water.
DAY 5
AM: Another gorgeous day paddle: from the Berneray causeway, through skerries, and out into the open seaway of the Minch. A brilliant run underneath tall, craggy cliffs, wheeling seabirds. Back into Lochmaddy via the front door.
PM: By Taxi to a different pub/hotel for a change. Food pretty good, with lots of fresh local fish, but a terrible Country band playing in the public bar. Blanket on the ground.
DAY 6
AM: Classroom teaching session on Weather and Tides. They have lots of both here.
PM: SURFING session on the Atlantic-facing Solas beach. Yet another ravishingly beautiful beach, with not another human in view. Leave valuables on the shore, Land Rover unlocked as usual. A new selection of boats to try. We quickly learn that you have a sporting chance in the playboats, very little in the sea kayaks!
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So what did I think of it all ? I had expected there would more coaching / instruction, but in practice we mostly just paddled and chatted (which was vey pleasant). I had also expected to be a 'junior' on what was an INTERMEDIATE course, but in the event I was the only one who kayaked regularly, and had any "stars". It seems that a lot of people are drawn to the pleasures of sea kayaking without treating it as a sport. Don't they realise you're supposed to suffer ?
The paddling was truly wonderful - and much more varied than I had expected. We had good weather, with strong sunshine most days - but I understand it can be quite deppressing. There was always enough wind to keep the famous Scottish midges from biting - and when it was too strong to paddle into, we just just picked a sheltered area and/or a downwind trip, knowing the magin Land Rover would recover us at the end.
Overall, I really liked doing this as an organised course, rather than as a DIY operation (as some others prefer). It meant we could paddle from A to B without the burden of "2 car logistics". It gave us access to excellent tuition, in depth knowledge of the area, and a warm and convivial place to return to at night. And we didn't end up with TRENCH FOOT (and no, I'm not joking; one visitor did!)
I expect to go back next year, so if anyone's interested, let me know. They will customise a week for you if you can provide a group of 5 or 6.
