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2024-03-28T18:36:38+00:00text/html2013-07-01T20:05:27+00:00Toby Speight56.971860723344 -6.6833659201879Hyskeir and Rum kayak trip
https://www.geograph.org.uk/blog/197
I'm normally wary of using the word "remote", as it's such a subjective thing. To a Londoner, the Scottish Highlands probably seems very remote, but for those of us who live there, it's England and the south that seems remote. However, even in my book, Hyskeir qualifies as "remote", with the nearest habitation more than 10km away across often rough seas.<br />
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I'd had my eye on Hyskeir for a couple of years before I got free time and good weather co-temporally. The idea was to get out to the light and explore the island, but I knew I couldn't do it in one day from Skye or mainland Scotland. Fortunately, there are a couple of bothies on Rum in just the right places to divide the trip out and the trip back.<br />
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(For a view of this trip plotted on a map, see the Geo-trips entry: <a title="http://www.geograph.ie/geotrips/604" href="http://www.geograph.ie/geotrips/604">Link</a> )<br />
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On the Monday evening, I set off from Elgol at 5pm (I failed to leave at 3pm because I left my spraydeck at home and had to return for it - doh!) and passed Soay before heading toward the sound of Canna. About halfway between Soay and Rum, a small pod of dolphin crossed my path from right to left, heading roughly towards Eigg. I then followed the coast, passing the wreck of the Jack Abry II <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2391550" target="_blank" title="NG3403 : The wreck of the "Jack Abry II" by John Allan"><img alt="NG3403 : The wreck of the "Jack Abry II" by John Allan" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/39/15/2391550_b5533db5_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="80" /></a>, and reaching Guirdil <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/643000" target="_blank" title="NG3101 : Guirdil Bothy by Calum McRoberts"><img alt="NG3101 : Guirdil Bothy by Calum McRoberts" src="https://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/64/30/643000_896c7990_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="68" /></a> around 9.30pm. Smoke from the chimney told me I'd have company, and a pleasant evening was spent. Not too late, as I needed a prompt start in the morning!<br />
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I managed to pack up and leave around 9 o'clock on the Tuesday, steering a direct course for the lighthouse. This took me within sight of the tiny protruding rock of Humla (Uamola) <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/1882198" target="_blank" title="NG1900 : Humla, a basalt outlier by George Brown"><img alt="NG1900 : Humla, a basalt outlier by George Brown" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/88/21/1882198_126c2e57_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="82" /></a>. On arrival, I briefly put ashore to consult the map, and set off in search of Mill Rocks (NM12159351) but made an error entering lat/long into the GPS - 6° 41.1' W instead of 6° 44.1'. Once I fixed that, it was another 30 minutes to the right spot, meaning I'd missed low tide by nearly an hour, and so we still don't know whether NM1293 may have an extreme low-tide Geograph or not.<br />
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Returning to Hyskeir, I made a circuit of the island. I had planned to put ashore and explore on foot, but it was starting to rain so I just looked from the sea. Even from this disadvantaged position, there's plenty to see. Wildlife included seals, geese, guillemots and puffins. And three Geographs completed the hectad: <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3534816" target="_blank" title="NM1495 : Skerry south-west of Hyskeir by Toby Speight"><img alt="NM1495 : Skerry south-west of Hyskeir by Toby Speight" src="https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/53/48/3534816_506c4322_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="62" /></a> <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3534818" target="_blank" title="NM1595 : Seals and seaweed by Toby Speight"><img alt="NM1595 : Seals and seaweed by Toby Speight" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/53/48/3534818_99975cdc_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="96" /></a> <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3534821" target="_blank" title="NM1696 : East coast of Hyskeir by Toby Speight"><img alt="NM1696 : East coast of Hyskeir by Toby Speight" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/53/48/3534821_a0da5413_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="83" /></a>.<br />
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Circumnavigation complete, it was time to aim for Dibidil. According to the GPS, it's 25km away, so another big crossing was ahead. Rum disappeared inside a raincloud, so I had to trust the technology to take me the right way. The only evidence I saw of humans between leaving the lighthouse and seeing the bothy was a CalMac ferry about 5 miles off my starboard beam (presumably the Oban to Lochboisdale service). Truly a remote place!<br />
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Slowly Rum drew closer and the cloud lifted a little to reveal the lower slopes. I grabbed a Geograph of the Fist and Finger rocks <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3534827" target="_blank" title="NM3492 : Fist and Finger Stack, south Rum by Toby Speight"><img alt="NM3492 : Fist and Finger Stack, south Rum by Toby Speight" src="https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/53/48/3534827_69cd9e13_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="89" /></a>, but it was getting a bit gloomy for photography and I was getting a bit low on energy, so I made that the last of the day. I worked my way around the rugged southern tip of Rum, and was highly relieved when I saw the bothy, which hid until the last possible moment <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/7294" target="_blank" title="NM3992 : Glen Dibidil on Rum by phil smith"><img alt="NM3992 : Glen Dibidil on Rum by phil smith" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/photos/00/72/007294_8bc7c696_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="69" /></a>. It was occupied, and I received help in getting ashore, which was very welcome in my fatigued condition. On downloading my tracklog, it turned out that I'd paddled 57.4 km, exceeding my previous maximum <a title="https://www.geograph.ie/blog/70" href="https://www.geograph.ie/blog/70">Link</a> by 10%. I slept very well that night.<br />
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On Wednesday morning, I was able to put off getting back in my kayak, as a boat was due with building materials for the bothy <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/1069026" target="_blank" title="NM3992 : Dibidil Bothy by ronnie leask"><img alt="NM3992 : Dibidil Bothy by ronnie leask" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/06/90/1069026_55205d61_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="78" /></a>. I helped unload it, then, out of excuses, I put in and set a direct course for Elgol. Still tired, I paddled steadily and slowly and eventually the remaining distance grew less and less. I allowed myself a couple of minutes for a food break halfway, then pushed on until I found myself fighting the waves washing up on the Strathaird coast. Nearly there!<br />
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I finally arrived back in Elgol <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2391375" target="_blank" title="NG5113 : Elgol Jetty by John Allan"><img alt="NG5113 : Elgol Jetty by John Allan" src="https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/39/13/2391375_be30542c_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="80" /></a> with over a hundred kilometres of sea travelled, and aches all over - but also a big smile!<br />
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Monday: 24.2 km, 4h 20<br />
Tuesday: 57.4 km, 11h 28<br />
Wednesday: 25.8 km, 5h 33<br />
TOTAL: 107.4 km, 21h 22text/html2013-10-07T18:54:31+00:00Toby Speight57.771873219657 -6.4499915614478Little Minch circuit by kayak
https://www.geograph.org.uk/blog/199
For four years or more I've nurtured an ambition to paddle across the Little Minch. The chart has sat open in my front room for uncounted hours as I fantasised about seeing for myself the islands, skerries and buoys that make this bit of sea amongst the most interesting.<br />
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So when I got a week of holiday at the beginning of September, I packed a sleeping bag and tent into my kayak, along with 4 days' worth of food and a camera, and headed out from Bornesketaig. It only took half an hour for me to decide that the wind was too much for me, and I turned back, the edge being taken off my disappointment when I happened across a basking shark on my way back.<br />
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A few weeks later, I got the chance to try again. I was encouraged by a favourable weather forecast, though this time I was constrained by having only three days available. Again, I drove to Bornesketaig, and paddled out directly to An t-Iasgair<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3681017" target="_blank" title="NG3574 : An t-Iasgair by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG3574 : An t-Iasgair by Toby Speight" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/68/10/3681017_20ab2591_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="90" /></a> - this was the sole hold-out of NG37, with several distant supplementals, but no Geograph until now. NG37 is now complete.<br />
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With my first Geograph in the bag, I then turned north-east to Eilean Trodday<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3681018" target="_blank" title="NG4479 : Sentinel by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG4479 : Sentinel by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/68/10/3681018_d759e244_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="90" /></a>. The southern half of this island fell way back in 2006, but still nobody had photographed the northern two squares<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3681019" target="_blank" title="NG4379 : A corner of Trodday by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG4379 : A corner of Trodday by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/68/10/3681019_ac90ac29_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="90" /></a>. Looking for these on my GPS map, I was shocked to find that they were no longer marked as ungeographed. Had I been beaten to it? Scanning more widely, I discovered that I was in fact missing my entire hit-list - I'd updated my GPS in a hurry, and didn't realise that the Geograph layer failed to build. All those hours of planning and dreaming were now going to have to pay for themselves, as I was going to have to complete the area by memory alone!<br />
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Having captured the two northern squares of Eilean Trodday (and thus completed NG47), I knew that my next target was the Comet Rock buoy to the northwest. This is a starboard-hand marker for the northbound shipping lane through the Little Minch.<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3681020" target="_blank" title="NG4180 : Comet Rock buoy by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG4180 : Comet Rock buoy by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/68/10/3681020_7391887c_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="90" /></a> What I hadn't realised is that it stands in a hectad of its own, so photographing it both started and finished NG48.<br />
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Now it was time to turn north, and undertake the longest open crossing of the day. The Shiant Islands present a distinctive, steep profile from pretty much every direction of approach. I aimed for the southernmost point, Mianais, and captured the small rock of Sgeir Mianais<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3681021" target="_blank" title="NG4196 : Sgeir Mianais by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG4196 : Sgeir Mianais by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/68/10/3681021_4c1c0ad9_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="79" /></a> (completing NG49) before making my way up to the isthmus joining Eilean an Tigh to Eilean Garbh and settling down for the night (with Adam Nicolson's book "Sea Room", about the Shiant Islands, for company). I'd paddled 34.1 kilometres, and completed 4 hectads. Not a bad day, really.<br />
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Saturday's Geo-Trip: <a title="http://www.geograph.ie/geotrips/671" href="http://www.geograph.ie/geotrips/671">Link</a><br />
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Sunday dawned clear and calm. I breakfasted quickly and packed the boat, then radioed Stornoway Coastguard with my plan for the day. The route was simple: cross to Lewis, and follow close inshore westwards to the small settlement of Rheinigeadal, where I wanted to stay in the hostel I'd briefly visited back in 2009.<br />
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On the way, of course, there would be plenty of Geographing opportunity - beginning with the west end of the Galtachan, the line of rocks guarding the islands from that direction. A jagged line of broken teeth protrude ready to bite any unwary boats that miss their approach. But in today's windless sunshine, they appeared almost benign. I captured the westernmost of the visible rocks<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3681022" target="_blank" title="NG3898 : Western end of the Galtachan by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG3898 : Western end of the Galtachan by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/68/10/3681022_428600ed_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="90" /></a> - the tidal skerry of Damhag was still underwater at this point. Having thus completed NG39, I re-completed it within minutes by adding the Shiants lane marker buoy<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3681023" target="_blank" title="NG3799 : Shiants marker buoy by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG3799 : Shiants marker buoy by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/68/10/3681023_e8500006_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="90" /></a> before paddling across to the "mainland" of Lewis.<br />
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I made my landfall at a small sea-cave, Uamh Mhic Iain Dhuibhe<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3681024" target="_blank" title="NB3302 : Uamh Mhic Iain Dhuibh by Toby Speight"><img alt="NB3302 : Uamh Mhic Iain Dhuibh by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/68/10/3681024_57eecb69_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="90" /></a>, which I was able to briefly explore (though the resident seals seemed a bit surprised at this), then began my westward journey. I was fairly sure that most squares I would be passing through were in need of Geographs, and also fairly sure that I wasn't likely to be completing any hectads. So I was happy to go slow and steady, and just keep clicking.<br />
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I reached Rheinigeadal at the end of the afternoon; entering the bay, I found the hostel warden's husband and children fishing from the shore, so stopped and talked to them for a few minutes before updating the Coastguard and coming ashore myself. My total for the day was 31.5 km and 16 Geographs including one more hectad completion.<br />
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Sunday's Geo-Trip: <a title="http://www.geograph.ie/geotrips/672" href="http://www.geograph.ie/geotrips/672">Link</a><br />
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Monday morning was another early start, soon after sunrise. My main objective was to get back to Skye early enough to be back at work on Tuesday; on the way I hoped to capture Sgeir In-ao and the Eugenie Rock buoy. But I knew I could begin with a gentle paddle to Sgeir an Daimh<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3681038" target="_blank" title="NG2498 : Sgeir an Daimh by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG2498 : Sgeir an Daimh by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/68/10/3681038_921ca0f9_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="73" /></a> (if I'd had my hit-list with me, I would probably have detoured along the coast a bit; as it is, I now have a good excuse to return!) From there, I turned a little to port (i.e. straight into the morning sun) aiming for the buoy north of Sgeir In-ao<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3681039" target="_blank" title="NG2993 : Lane marker north of Sgeir In-ao by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG2993 : Lane marker north of Sgeir In-ao by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/68/10/3681039_b137aa5e_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="84" /></a>. I went looking for Sgeir In-ao itself, but the tide was still too high to see it under the water.<br />
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Turning toward the sun once more, I paddled with a gentle headwind to Eugenie Rock. The sun shone brightly on the black and yellow buoy, making a very striking image<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/3681040" target="_blank" title="NG3584 : Eugenie Rock buoy by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG3584 : Eugenie Rock buoy by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/68/10/3681040_0767d88f_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="95" /></a>, with the much less strident Shiant Islands in the background. This added another square to NG38 (previously completed by me in 2010). From here, a direct course back to Bornesketaig took me close past Fladda-chùain and An t-Iasgair; I was grateful for the shelter from the tiring east wind. Arriving at the pier, I discovered that my VHF battery had run out, so my final call to the Coastguard had to wait until I'd transferred to the car and driven up to the Kilvaxter phone box. Total for the last day was 37.4 km, with 3 Geographs and 1 (re-)completed hectad.<br />
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Monday's Geo-Trip: <a title="http://www.geograph.ie/geotrips/673" href="http://www.geograph.ie/geotrips/673">Link</a><br />
text/html2014-09-11T21:44:39+00:00Toby Speight57.644750508466 -5.6462200306483Flowerdale Forest from Shieldaig croft
https://www.geograph.org.uk/blog/215
This year, most of my Geographing has been done by kayak, with only a handful of contributions from walking trips. Mindful of this, and of the approaching stag stalking season, I decided it was time to photograph on foot.<br />
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I began at Shieldaig (not to be confused with its larger namesake to the south) and set off on a very good stalkers' path. The first hour or so was quite easy, but not good preparation for what was to follow. I experienced quite a change when I left the path, immediately crossing the Horrisdale river. Unfortunately, I found my self unexpectedly seated about halfway across. I would be spending the rest of the day with squelchy feet.<br />
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I headed roughly southwest in my soggy boots across almost equally soggy landscape.<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/4137578" target="_blank" title="NG8068 : Grass, heather and myrtle by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG8068 : Grass, heather and myrtle by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/04/13/75/4137578_17903328_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="80" /></a> No large-scale features until I reached another, smaller burn. This one was showing the effects of the remnants of a hurricane that passed over earlier in the week. Floodwaters had undercut the banks in several places, giving me an excellent opportunity to illustrate post-glacial geomorphology in action.<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/4137592" target="_blank" title="NG7967 : Stream-bank erosion by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG7967 : Stream-bank erosion by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/04/13/75/4137592_3115b555_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="120" /></a><br />
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A wiggling course took in the squares on my hit-list, and I was soon on the slopes overlooking Craig.<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/4137602" target="_blank" title="NG7964 : Hillside above Craig by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG7964 : Hillside above Craig by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/04/13/76/4137602_9d3c26b1_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="80" /></a> I ascended, passing alongside Lochan Sgeireach,<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/4137608" target="_blank" title="NG8063 : Lochan Sgeireach by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG8063 : Lochan Sgeireach by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/04/13/76/4137608_2c03af85_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="80" /></a> to gain the northern slopes of Beinn Bhreac,<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/4137611" target="_blank" title="NG8163 : On Meall an Tuim Bhuidhe by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG8163 : On Meall an Tuim Bhuidhe by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/04/13/76/4137611_e8a23484_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="80" /></a><a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/4137620" target="_blank" title="NG8365 : Northern outcrop of Creag Bhreac by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG8365 : Northern outcrop of Creag Bhreac by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/04/13/76/4137620_b1f65ab7_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="80" /></a> then contoured round before dropping to Loch a' Bhealaich.<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/4137634" target="_blank" title="NG8664 : Loch a' Bhealaich by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG8664 : Loch a' Bhealaich by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/04/13/76/4137634_8e95ca29_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="80" /></a> Rough going alongside the loch alternated with a few easy sand beaches, until I regained the stalkers' path near the outflow. From there I squelched easily back down to the road, though the outlet of Loch Gaineamhach was tricky - the bridge lay washed away a quarter mile downstream and the stepping stones were well covered. I thought I might be exchanging the day's warm boot-water for a fresh cold refill!<br />
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Distance covered 38 km and ascent of 1490 m. You can see this trip plotted on a map on the Geo-trips page <a title="http://www.geograph.ie/geotrips/864" href="http://www.geograph.ie/geotrips/864">Link</a> .text/html2011-07-12T19:16:28+00:00Toby SpeightFour locations around Applecross
https://www.geograph.org.uk/blog/71
Fine weather and a weekend unexpectedly to myself gave me an opportunity to clear up a few squares around Applecross that have been outstanding for a while. First, it was to the Kishorn Yard<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2500541" target="_blank" title="NG8139 : Deep-water construction dock by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG8139 : Deep-water construction dock by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/50/05/2500541_777cedad_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="69" /></a>, where I was able to get surprisingly close to the old construction dock. From there, I was forced to head back uphill for a bit, around the boundary fence, to get some shots of the nearby shoreline<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2500546" target="_blank" title="NG8038 : Rocky foreshore by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG8038 : Rocky foreshore by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/50/05/2500546_006ca1f8_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="72" /></a><a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2500549" target="_blank" title="NG7938 : Rocky coast by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG7938 : Rocky coast by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/50/05/2500549_eea92644_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="73" /></a>. Then a sweaty reascent to the road, and in the car up to Cuaig.<br />
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Just a single square to grab at Cuaig, missed from the previous weekend's kayak trip. I had hoped to photograph the beacon at the northern end of the square, but I failed to find it, and settled on a scene of waves lapping the rocks at the shore.<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2500570" target="_blank" title="NG6958 : Rubha Chuaig coast by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG6958 : Rubha Chuaig coast by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/50/05/2500570_b57e0758_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="80" /></a><br />
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In the car again to Inverbain, and the longest walk of the day, up the path that leads to Applecross Bay, leaving before the col to get pictures of Loch Lundie<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2500588" target="_blank" title="NG7949 : Near Loch Lundie by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG7949 : Near Loch Lundie by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/50/05/2500588_b362e111_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="80" /></a> and Abhainn Dubh<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2500591" target="_blank" title="NG7851 : Abhainn Dubh by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG7851 : Abhainn Dubh by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/50/05/2500591_deb14d07_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="80" /></a>, returning via the new hydro scheme.<br />
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Finally, I stopped off at the summit of the A896 between Shieldaig and Kishorn, and trotted up the southern end of Ben Shieldaig<a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2500599" target="_blank" title="NG8549 : South ridge of Beinn Shieldaig by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG8549 : South ridge of Beinn Shieldaig by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/50/05/2500599_5155c88c_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="80" /></a>. I was tired and hungry by this point, so I spurned the summit and drove home from there.<br />
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You can see this trip plotted on a map on the Geo-trips page: <a title="http://www.geograph.ie/geotrips/301" href="http://www.geograph.ie/geotrips/301">Link</a>text/html2011-07-05T14:10:20+00:00Toby Speight57.571406156485 -5.9902847271423Rona wrap-up
https://www.geograph.org.uk/blog/70
For two years, I've intended to return to Rona to finish off the few remaining green squares. This weekend brought settled fine weather, a favourable tide (low in the early afternoon for those low-lying rocks) and, not least, no personal commitments.<br />
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So I set off out along Loch Torridon, arriving at Rubha na Fearna <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2490220" target="_blank" title="NG7161 : Sandstone dips into the sea by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG7161 : Sandstone dips into the sea by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/49/02/2490220_7a935dd6_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="75" /></a> an hour or so below low tide. Unable to find Murchadh Breac immediately, I put in briefly to get an accurate grid reference - and found the rock, still half a metre below. Hanging around for an hour or so allowed me to photograph it awash <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2490232" target="_blank" title="NG7061 : Murchadh Breac awash at low tide by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG7061 : Murchadh Breac awash at low tide by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/49/02/2490232_ce8a2099_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="72" /></a>, then I was off to Rona.<br />
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Cow Rock <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2490236" target="_blank" title="NG6262 : Cow Rock by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG6262 : Cow Rock by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/49/02/2490236_88cedea5_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="90" /></a> was my first target, though I failed to include any of the seals or puffins that were around. I tried to get Na Gamhnachain and its buoy <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/1378622" target="_blank" title="NG6363 : Skerry and buoy by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG6363 : Skerry and buoy by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/37/86/1378622_df1492eb_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="76" /></a> in the background, but those pictures were unusable due to water blurring on the lens.<br />
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A small tidal rock <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2490240" target="_blank" title="NG6161 : Skerry off Rubha na Sgàth Mòire by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG6161 : Skerry off Rubha na Sgàth Mòire by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/49/02/2490240_b2bf8bac_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="77" /></a> was all that's in NG6161; NG6160 has much more land, and I chose to climb to the top of the tallest island to get a good view of the skerries <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2490247" target="_blank" title="NG6160 : Sgeirean Buidhe Bhorlum by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG6160 : Sgeirean Buidhe Bhorlum by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/49/02/2490247_2d0ae480_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="90" /></a>. That completes hectad <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/gridref/NG66">NG66</a>.<br />
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Heading south, I was briefly distracted by a couple of dolphins leaping (you can see on the GPS track where I circled around for a better look), but eventually reached Garbh Eilean, and captured the tiny portion that extends into NG6253 <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2490251" target="_blank" title="NG6253 : The eastern tip of Garbh Eilean by Toby Speight"><img alt="NG6253 : The eastern tip of Garbh Eilean by Toby Speight" loading="lazy" src="https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/49/02/2490251_008192bf_120x120.jpg" width="120" height="90" /></a>. I believed I had completed <a href="https://www.geograph.ie/gridref/NG65">NG65</a>, but discovered after I got back that I'd missed one near the beginning of the trip - that's easily reachable by land, so I can probably return quite soon to bag that on another day. After that, it was a matter of following a bearing back to Murchadh Breac, and thence to Kenmore. Total time just over ten hours, distance 50.7km.<br />
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You can see this trip plotted on a map on the Geo-trips page at <span class="nowrap"><a title="http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/misc/geotrip_show.php?osos&trip=299" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/misc/geotrip_show.php?osos&trip=299">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="http://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span> .