Kayaking across Rannoch Moor

The section of the A82 between Tyndrum & Glencoe is without question one of the most spectacular roads in Britain. It’s also the first real wilderness you will encounter after leaving Glasgow & travelling through Loch Lomond & The Trossachs. I’d driven through Rannoch Moor many, many times, but always on my way to somewhere else. Never once considering the moor as a possible destination. Too lifeless, too cold, too remote, too scary. It can be a foreboding place. The first time I drove through, it was deep into autumn the moors & mountains were dark, damp & bleak. The journey back contained the most unexpected traffic jam on the moor itself. Three am atop Rannoch Moor waiting amid a mild snowstorm and random stags running free whilst the road contractor finished laying the road.

I decided to attempt a solo crossing as part of my fiftieth birthday in September 2019. I knew it was considered one of the classic Scottish touring routes, I also knew from reading about it that it would be physically and mentally challenging. The moor could be a harsh place with quickly changing weather. The moors height and exposure to the west coast means snow, sleet & storms can happen throughout the year.

The plan was to start at Loch Ba just off the A82, travel down the Abhainn Ba until reaching Loch Laidon. Then explore the remote western arm of the loch before heading up to the northern end of the loch and finishing at Rannoch station. In total this would be a 10 – 12 mile trip.

Required kit

Loch Ba

Only perfect weather was forecast the entire weekend as I launched onto Loch Ba. I’d paddled the loch a year earlier & can confirm the guide books are correct it can be a confusing loch to navigate with numerous islands & channels leading nowhere. Once past the first few islands the route becomes much clearer.

The afternoon was big skies and flat water.

I took a fairly gentle paddle down to an island that faced the beginning of the Abhainn Ba 1.5 miles in a vaguely north easterly direction. This took me around two hours to reach.

Here I would set up camp ready for an early morning paddle down the Abhainn Ba. The terrain is boggy around the loch but there are a few islands that offer some slightly higher ground.

It was a peaceful night with what seemed like acres and acres of a misty blue sky overhead. I wouldn’t be seeing many stars tonight. Plenty of birds around the loch although even at the furthest end of Loch Ba you can still faintly see & hear the traffic on the A82.

Abhainn Ba

I’d read as much as I could about this river beforehand, I’ve done very few rivers and whilst confident in my abilities and boat I was approaching it with a fair degree of caution.

There had been plenty of rain recently so I knew the Ba would be quite high which meant I’d likely be saved from low shingle beds and sand banks. What I didn’t know was how fast the river would be flowing and how much opportunity I’d get to avoid the worst of the rapids and the bigger rocks.

I set off at 10 am plenty of time to navigate the Abhainn Ba and the weather had continued being perfect. Initially the river meandered slowly but the sound of fast rushing water soon grew louder and I encountered the first set of rapids.

I secured the kayak and took a walk along the first section weighing up my options. I knew I’d have to portage* some of the way but this first section looked straightforward with visible routes through the rocks, a lull in the middle and then another short rapids section.

*Portage or portaging is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water.

I decided to go for it, back in the kayak everything secured & helmet on. First section a little bumpy with a few scrapes but successfully navigated nonetheless. The second part I managed to get myself stuck sideways against some particularly large rocks. It happened so quickly, I was swept into a channel and slammed against some rather large rocks.

My first thought when stuck sideways against a rock in my kayak fast rushing water everywhere was “Why did I do this in the first place” quickly followed, actually almost in the same thought “What will Amanda say” (my wife) but that was soon replaced with looking for options which were quickly narrowed down to one. I had to push off and hope the drop I would immediately face wouldn’t be too bad. Deep breaths, push back hard and quickly move forward to maintain balance.

The drop was okay and the second set came up quickly, my reaction times had already increased along with the realisation that hesitation was not an option. Keep control and make strokes count.

Around half way down the river almost on the stroke of twelve I stopped for lunch & coffee. I could see that the river continued to change frequently although there were plenty of places to stop and take stock.

Most of the rapid sections are navigable but there are parts as below there is simply no way through.

I made quick progress after lunch and the second part of the river was completed in just over ninety minutes. The last stretch of rapids the river more than doubled in width as it connected to Laidon, the rocks forming vertical lines across the river. It looked like a series of finishing lines.

I know people have made the crossing from Laidon to Ba and initially I considered a round trip starting & ending on Loch Ba. I’m glad I didn’t have to do that I can imagine how tough either of those options would be, parts of the Ba are fast flowing. Getting out and dragging or carrying is never much fun although sometimes it really does have to be done.

Loch Laidon – western arm

Maybe it’s a fascination with being somewhere remote due to living on a small island with dense population centres. It’s quite rare to be completely alone for miles. This is one of those rare places in the UK and one of the places I’d wanted to visit since starting paddling.

Now for what the guide books call “the remote western arm of Loch Laidon.”

Paul Theroux wrote it was never just about the destination itself but a combination of destination and the journey there.

The journey here was filled with spectacular scenery but more than that I’d had to work hard to get there. Maybe that makes the reward of standing at the end of Loch Laidon gazing happily across the moor just that little bit sweeter?

Among the mountains I could see were Stob Dearg, Buchaille Etive Mor & Creagh Dhubh but there were dozens and dozens of others. I half considered camping here, ultimately the wind put me off. The further I walked away from the loch the windier it got, I could imagine it would have made for a rough night in the tent.

Further into Loch Laidon

I left the western arm early evening on Saturday. Quite confident that I would find a suitable spot somewhere along the eastern shore of Laidon.

I made fast going against a gentle breeze and found a camping spot on a small beach full of the softest warmest sand within an hour.

Saturday night was a highlight of the trip, not only did I see the Moon and Venus but clear skies meant I saw a full sky of stars and the Milky Way itself. I’ll never tire of seeing the Milky Way and nor should anyone.

To Rannoch Station

I’d arranged for my wife & son to collect me from Rannoch Station approximately lunch time Sunday.

My estimate for reaching the end of the loch from my campsite was around ninety minutes. The morning saw plenty of mist, I didn’t mind paddling in as it visibility was still reasonable. As I made my second coffee before setting out it all rolled away into the distance.

The maps make it look like you can quickly portage from Laidon (to the separated by a rather large sand bank) Dubh Lochan. Xx Today I definitely couldn’t.

The walk up to Rannoch Station is around a mile and a half, I suggest a trolley or prepare yourself for several walks up and down the track.

I sometimes feel there should be a finishing line when you’ve completed a challenging journey. In this instance the tea room at Rannoch Station was reward enough and a good place to relax and refuel on coffee and cake after a successful journey.