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Distant Memories of Fort William

December 16, 2007 on 8:27 pm | In Whitewater Kayaking | 3 Comments

I have just opened my e-mail and be transported back over 15 years by the time machine of a photograph.

Jez Paddling the outflow in Fort William

Jez is converting his slides to digital and he ‘discovered’ these two pictures of paddling at the outflow. The outflow is the tail race for the alumminium works hydro station in Fort William. The water comes round from various lochs above Fort William and through the turbines and then down a gully before dropping into the river Lochy just by Old Inverlochy Castle. If you have ever driven north out of the Fort just before the Road to the Isles you have driven over it.

When we worked for Outward Bound it used to be our evening stomping ground, particularly during the summer with long evenings and no water in the rivers.

Jez Paddling the outflow in Fort William - Pop out

It used to create a fantastic wave which was very fast and allowed us to practice our paddling in ‘huge’ flow.

To see a recent piece of footage of it at high water (when the tide is high in Loch Lochy the river backs up and creates nice wave just under the bridge) http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6SaIBizTuvs

There was talk of creating an white water facility there but I have no idea what happened to this idea. when I searched round there is mention of it in some of Highland Council’s paperwork but I couldn’t find much else, sad as it would be a fantastic facility and as it flows 365 days a year guaranteed water !

Tim Pickering
http://www.canoehebrides.com
My regular mantra - Everyone should visit the Outer Hebrides, it is the extreme outdoor capital of Scotland. CanoeHebrides.com - Sea kayaking Expeditions BikeHebrides.com -Quality Mountain Bike Hire

Golf in the Outer Hebrides

December 12, 2007 on 9:32 pm | In Whitewater Kayaking | No Comments

I know golf is hardly an extreme sport but it is creating news here at the moment, with Donald Trump who’s mother comes from Lewis and the Stornoway Golf Club applying to play on a Sunday. Golf could become and very dangerous game.

I am not a golfer but they tell me there are some great courses to play in the islands. I went running on the course in South Uist and it opens to the Atlantic, the course in Harris has views over to Taransay and of course there is the contoversial double nine in Stornoway in the Castle gorunds. Where the Trust, which ‘owns’ most of Lewis for the people, keep the gates locked to the castle grounds.

I do worry the Stornoway Trustees, who decide on the vision of what they want, may be a little out of step with the majority of people who live here.

As for Donald Trump and his plans, views are very polarised. There is no doubt it will affect tourism. The thing I worry about is the perception money can buy you the reversal of a planning decision.

So into the plus fours out with the clubs for a bash round before the ‘balls’ start to fly here in Stornoway