Shewie
26-04-2013, 11:04 AM
I managed to get away for a nice break last week with the usual motley crew, I was supposed to be working in Motherwell originally but that got canned, we’d already made a rough plan so the trip went ahead anyway. We headed for a favourite area we’ve visited in the past with lots of scope for projects and exploring, the forecast was for strong westerlies and having been in a pickle here a few years ago we decided early to leave the boats at home.
Thursday 18th April
After racing home from work and getting my stuff together, Pete showed up on time and after a quick brew we loaded up my motor and set off north. We made good time arriving at Ibrox to collect Josh just after nine o’clock, it was another couple of hours on empty easy roads before we reached our destination. It was a quiet calm night and the half moon gave good light in the forestry car park, we got loaded up with as much as we could carry, both Pete and I deciding to leave some food in the car for a return trip the day after.
The track was easy to follow without headtorches most of the time, occasionally turning them on for the trickier parts. Progress was good and we reached the half way point in short order, we off loaded the packs and rested by the beaver loch for five minutes. After a short breather we pressed on, coming out of the forestry we got our first look at the sea, lit up by the moon. We followed the track down the hill towards our camp, coming across a number of trees which had blown down and blocked the way, we think this probably happened in the big storms after our last visit.
We reached the area we’d be camping in but things looked a bit different to usual, the site we used the first time we ever visited was a mess of fallen trees, flotsam and detritus , thick knee length grasses and piles of seaweed. The other area we’ve camped in before was also different now, the ground was more rocky but covered in tufty straw like grasses, we backtracked slightly and eventually found a decent looking camp amongst an area of fairly spindly looking Alder. A couple were already blown down and a few were leaning, but it was about as good as we’d find in torch light so we setup. It was late and we’d all had a long day, Pete and I had a quick brew on my meths stove and called it a night.
Friday 19th April
I woke up expecting to hear howling winds and torrential rain on the tarp, but instead it was quiet calm and the sun was shining. I instantly thought midges but they were not to be seen, just as well as I’d slept with the bug net unzipped on my hammock all night.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010764P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010764P.jpg.html)
First job was to decide where to put the fire and setup a base, we salvaged some washed up polystyrene blocks for seats and Pete knocked a tripod for the fire.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010765P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010765P.jpg.html)
View south west from camp
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010766.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010766.jpg.html)
After some breakfast Pete and I took the walk back to the cars to pick up the food bags, everybody had brought too much food as usual but my food bag alone must have weighed nearly 10kg. The walk back was beautiful in the sun, life just stirring in the forest right now.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010768P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010768P.jpg.html)
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010772P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010772P.jpg.html)
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010774P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010774P.jpg.html)
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010775P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010775P.jpg.html)
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010776P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010776P.jpg.html)
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010773P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010773P.jpg.html)
We expected to meet Stephen on the trip but we never saw him, we got back to camp and chilled out for a few hours before he showed up. The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent around the fire having a good catch up, a few carving projects were started and lots of food was consumed.
Saturday 20th April
Saturday was another bright and dry day, the wind had picked up a notch overnight but we were all secure in our various setups. During the morning I went for a wander up the hill to explore the old forest further down the point, lots of old chestnut and oak trees amongst the interesting rock formations. After a couple of hours I was back at camp, feeling peckish I knocked up a batch of drop scones over the fire which I thought were very tasty.
Pete making stir fry
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010777P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010777P.jpg.html)
Josh crafting a bush
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010778P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010778P.jpg.html)
The afternoon was spent gathering up firewood and generally exploring the woods and seashore around camp, the occasional light shower came through now and then so we decided to put up the big tarp for a group shelter. In the last few hours of daylight we decided to take a walk up to the beaver loch to see if we could spot any, there was plenty of sign about, much more than last time we visited but still not a glimpse of the goofy furry dudes. The water level looked to be higher in the small loch and building works were continuing on the dam and lodge, there were lots more signs of nibbled and downed trees with various beavery trails disappearing into the undergrowth.
Thursday 18th April
After racing home from work and getting my stuff together, Pete showed up on time and after a quick brew we loaded up my motor and set off north. We made good time arriving at Ibrox to collect Josh just after nine o’clock, it was another couple of hours on empty easy roads before we reached our destination. It was a quiet calm night and the half moon gave good light in the forestry car park, we got loaded up with as much as we could carry, both Pete and I deciding to leave some food in the car for a return trip the day after.
The track was easy to follow without headtorches most of the time, occasionally turning them on for the trickier parts. Progress was good and we reached the half way point in short order, we off loaded the packs and rested by the beaver loch for five minutes. After a short breather we pressed on, coming out of the forestry we got our first look at the sea, lit up by the moon. We followed the track down the hill towards our camp, coming across a number of trees which had blown down and blocked the way, we think this probably happened in the big storms after our last visit.
We reached the area we’d be camping in but things looked a bit different to usual, the site we used the first time we ever visited was a mess of fallen trees, flotsam and detritus , thick knee length grasses and piles of seaweed. The other area we’ve camped in before was also different now, the ground was more rocky but covered in tufty straw like grasses, we backtracked slightly and eventually found a decent looking camp amongst an area of fairly spindly looking Alder. A couple were already blown down and a few were leaning, but it was about as good as we’d find in torch light so we setup. It was late and we’d all had a long day, Pete and I had a quick brew on my meths stove and called it a night.
Friday 19th April
I woke up expecting to hear howling winds and torrential rain on the tarp, but instead it was quiet calm and the sun was shining. I instantly thought midges but they were not to be seen, just as well as I’d slept with the bug net unzipped on my hammock all night.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010764P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010764P.jpg.html)
First job was to decide where to put the fire and setup a base, we salvaged some washed up polystyrene blocks for seats and Pete knocked a tripod for the fire.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010765P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010765P.jpg.html)
View south west from camp
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010766.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010766.jpg.html)
After some breakfast Pete and I took the walk back to the cars to pick up the food bags, everybody had brought too much food as usual but my food bag alone must have weighed nearly 10kg. The walk back was beautiful in the sun, life just stirring in the forest right now.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010768P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010768P.jpg.html)
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010772P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010772P.jpg.html)
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010774P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010774P.jpg.html)
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010775P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010775P.jpg.html)
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010776P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010776P.jpg.html)
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010773P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010773P.jpg.html)
We expected to meet Stephen on the trip but we never saw him, we got back to camp and chilled out for a few hours before he showed up. The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent around the fire having a good catch up, a few carving projects were started and lots of food was consumed.
Saturday 20th April
Saturday was another bright and dry day, the wind had picked up a notch overnight but we were all secure in our various setups. During the morning I went for a wander up the hill to explore the old forest further down the point, lots of old chestnut and oak trees amongst the interesting rock formations. After a couple of hours I was back at camp, feeling peckish I knocked up a batch of drop scones over the fire which I thought were very tasty.
Pete making stir fry
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010777P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010777P.jpg.html)
Josh crafting a bush
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd291/Shewie01/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010778P.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/Shewie01/media/Knapdale%20April%202013/P1010778P.jpg.html)
The afternoon was spent gathering up firewood and generally exploring the woods and seashore around camp, the occasional light shower came through now and then so we decided to put up the big tarp for a group shelter. In the last few hours of daylight we decided to take a walk up to the beaver loch to see if we could spot any, there was plenty of sign about, much more than last time we visited but still not a glimpse of the goofy furry dudes. The water level looked to be higher in the small loch and building works were continuing on the dam and lodge, there were lots more signs of nibbled and downed trees with various beavery trails disappearing into the undergrowth.