A canoe trip down the River Spey, six days, five blokes one river.
Description of The River Spey by the Scottish Canoe Association (SCA)
“Well known for its ‘Classic Descents’ this is a major river that can usually be relied upon to give reasonable water levels at all seasons. Probably one of the most beautiful rivers in Britain, flowing past the Cairngorms, through Badenoch and Strathspey and into the Moray Firth at Spey Bay. Whilst, before venturing on to the Spey unguided one should be a proficient paddler, there are very few highly technical rapids on the river. On sections downstream of Grantown-on-Spey there is a good number of entertaining Grade II rapids.
Truly a ‘water-path’, this river is navigable for most of its length ~ from source at Loch Spey (where the Spey shares its water shed with the turbulent River Roy). A major hazard occurring above Laggan Bridge is the Spey Dam, which like the River Roy steals the Spey's waters and takes them westward (to help power an aluminium smelter). However, good water-levels and much portage are required to make the very highest reaches navigable. Approx 1km upstream of Garva Bridge is a short Grade III rapid requiring care and at Garva Bridge the rapid is impassable in low water conditions and Grade III standard if ‘navigable’. Although Laggan Bridge is a fairly good access point, Newtonmore is normally recognised as the highest reasonable starting place unless river is fairly high. Roads run close to the river throughout its length.”
Day 1, Friday the 13th September, the longest day.
As soon as I returned home from that necessary evil that we call work I filled my front garden with my boat and kit, which had been inspected cleaned and packed.
After loading up Clives car with what looked like an aftermath of an explosion in a canoe/camping shop, we were ready. The time was 17.30, I kissed "tarrah-a-bit" to my long suffering wife Mandy and our daughter Nancy, I didn’t neglect the dog, he had a fuss too.
We drove up to another Tims house in Doncaster, hitting some rather frustrating traffic en route, upon our arrival, we proceeded to load up a yet another car plus a canoe trailer for the second leg of our journey. By 22.00 we were fed watered and on the long long road up north.
We arrived at Laggan Bridge Grid ref NN615 943 (this is as far up the river as we thought practicable) and peered over the bridge to check the level of the river and surmised that there was enough water......there was...just. Minutes after our arrival, we were to witness the most glorious of sunrises, this at 05.30.
sunrise at Laggan Bridge
The Fellowship all mucked in and unloaded the kit and boats, before the drivers Tim and Stu embarked on yet more driving, an epic four hour car shuttle.
We were very lucky to have a contact living nearby who helped with the car shuttle by ferrying our tired drivers back to Laggan Bridge.
The cars were conveniently stashed a few minutes walk from the end of the river just as it meets the sea, nearly ninety miles away from us in Spey bay.
Whilst the car shuttle was in progress the rest of us man handled kit and boats down a steep bank to the rivers edge.
Here at Laggan Bridge just as the Spey emerges from under the bridge a broad, low concrete wall had been built three quarters across the width of the river creating a narrow weir at the far end, this made us a handy "pier" for us to stack kit and lie down.
The weir had quite a small but "grabby" standing wave, which kept me entertained as I made the most of an empty boat and surfed for it a while, after play time Mike, Clive and I ate our breakfast and packed our boats.
playing on the wave
Downstream of the weir the river is shallow and narrow in places and the banks were (and still are I guess) lined with trees of which had branches covered in less fortunate trees/branches that had been uprooted by flood water. Some of these branches were dry and just the right size for the fire boxes which along with "Sherman" (Stu's wood burning stove) were to be our primary cookers for the evenings. Whilst we were waiting for Tim and Stu to return we harvested some of this wood, chatted and cat napped.
Catching up on the zzzz
Finally the two tired drivers returned, they quickly loaded their boats (we would have done it but as you know loading a boat is a personal thing) and soon enough we were on the river.
As I mentioned earlier the river was quite shallow and narrow so to negotiate the bends we had to search for the deepest channel, sometimes with success sometimes not, overhanging trees didn’t help either!
exuse my finger it will appear a few times
Various skills were called upon, paddling, poling (snubbing) and lining and on occasions plain and simple brute force was called upon to get the boats moving off "stuff" and in the desired direction.
paddling
poling
lining / walking
We had the wind at our backs, and it had a habit of disguising boulders and other underwater boat entrapments, with this in mind close quarter route finding was the name of the game; however this proved rather difficult with the fantastic scenery appearing at the turn of every corner, causing distractions and photo opportunities then ultimately an altercation with one thing or another stopping the boats dead in their tracks.
Our progress was slow, but speed wasn't on our agenda, the plan was to paddle until we could find a half decent camp site somewhere and then catch up with some much needed shut eye.
We found one, just before Spey Bridge at Newtonmore grid ref NN 700 974, overshadowed by Creag Dhubh Cairn.
We scouted the immediate area not only for our tent spaces but a spot for the communal tarp. Once the tents and tarps were pitched, we set about lighting the cooking fire in two fire boxes.
We had previously agreed that we would all supply and cook an evening meal each, tonight it was my turn. I had chosen to make a chilli which, in the main was prepared at home and then frozen. It thawed during the journey, and was cooked as a chilli should be, in billy pans suspended from tripods over an open fire.
The evening drew to a close as we stared into the flames with full bellies, a brief chat followed by a wee dram and we were all yawning. It was about eight o’clock Saturday night and we were all pretty much bushed. It had been a long long day, about thirty eight hours for me without a proper sleep.
Day two to follow..........
Cheers
Tim
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Originally Posted by midas
Campfires are best shared with friends.
It is always a pleasure to see what you can make !, instead of buying it ready made. R Proenneke.
