After a week at home and trying to sort out grown up things. I was more than ready to escape to the river, and when my friend Dennis Newton called me to tell me he was heading to Scotland the next day, I jumped at the chance to run away from Credit card bills, Visa applications and job hunting.
We arrived in Scotland to find no water, when I say no water. I mean NO WATER! Absoloutley (bloody) nothing. The rivers where drier than a nuns CENSORED.
Luckily for us, it doesn’t take much water at all to get down some of the Scottish burns and tribs to the Etive like the Alt Chorain (spelling?) provided great entertainment in the form of (slightly) damp seal launches. All be it at the cost of several layers of plastic from the bottom of our kayaks.
Mid week we got a small influx of rain that proved enough water to top the Etive up just enoug to make it worth while. This river often doesn’t get the credit it deserves as it gets run so often but it is honestly one of the best sections in the U.K, especially at higher flows. It’s most well known rapid is by far Right angle falls, A twisting little dog leg rapid leads into a beautiful 15ft (ish) waterfall that is perfect for first timers or people looking to work on their free fall technique with almost no consequences.
The Morriston was also churning out releases and it felt great to be back on this river. It is split into the upper and the lower with both providing a small but great selection of boofs and slides. It is also really easy to lap each section without having to set shuttle!
After several days of hunting for water and no rain forecast anytime soon, we reluctantly packed up our things and started the long drive home to Credit card bills, Visa applications and various other grownup things that I hate doing.
See you on the water,
Bren