Rowed Trip expedition update from Port Appin, Scotland

Colin Angus e-mails the first Rowed Trip update from Port Appin, northern Scotland:

March 24, 2008: “Storm-force winds ripped across the lake while Julie and I huddled beneath a small grove of larch trees watching waves pound the rocky beach. We dragged our two rowboats above the waterline, but still, icy froth clawed at their sterns trying to pull them back into the lake.

“It is Day 11 of our expedition and we have sobered to the fact that March is not the greatest time for cycling and rowing in Scotland. The weather has been alternating from gale-force winds to snow to rain and, on occasion, a bit of sunshine.

“Still, we’ve made good progress, and our modes of human-powered transportation have given us a unique perspective of the country. Our journey began at the most northeast tip of Scotland and since then we have traveled along quiet country lanes and coastlines, as well as through canals and lakes.

“We cycled through the Highlands with our two 18-foot rowboats in tow. Here we traversed a remote landscape of rolling hills cloaked in heather and peat. Our one-lane track forded spirited streams via stone arched bridges.

“Upon reaching the city of Inverness we packed our folding bicycles and trailers into the boats and launched the vessels in the Caledonian Canal system — a 200-year-old waterway traversing Scotland from the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is comprised of a series of lakes connected by man-made canals. The largest of the lakes is Loch Ness, renowned for the mythical Loch Ness Monster and wicked storms.

“In March the canals are quiet, and we only passed one other boat on these waterways. Our sliding seats pistoned rhythmically as we rowed silently past farmers’ fields, forest plantations, and between snow-dusted mountains. It was during our crossing of Loch Lochy that we were hit by the storm that forced Julie and I to take shelter on the lakeside.

“Eventually the gale-force winds subsided, and we were able to continue to the end of the canal system near the city of Fort William. On Scotland’s West Coast we will continue south through sinuous fjords and rugged mountains.”

Editor’s note: Check Colin and Julie’s blog and stay tuned for more biweekly Rowed Trip updates.

— Andrew D. Nystrom
Sr. Editor, Los Angeles Times Travel
[Photos: Martina Cross (top), Julie & Colin Angus / Rowed Trip]

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This entry was posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 at 11:00 am by Andrew and is filed under Eco-Travel, Europe, Great Britain, News, Tips & Advice, Outdoors & Adventure, Rowed Trip, Travel Q&A. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.