Confined to Barracks

July 23, 2007 on 11:00 am | In Canoeing |

Am currently confined to barracks (the office) for three weeks as the wife is due to give birth any day now. 6 days down, 15 to go and I’ve got cabin fever already. To look on the bright side, being office bound means having time for tea breaks and lunch breaks. This in turn means time for studying maps and planning some new open canoe trips. I reckon I have negotiated two 3-day slots for mini expeds between now and Christmas. Any ideas for making the most of these rare opportunities away from young family and busy business would be welcome.

Top of my agenda currently is the North West Highlands. Having spent some time in Assynt in May (helping to guide 16 journalists around for the VisitScotland Media Adventure Challenge), I am itching to get back up there without clients to chill out after a hectic summer and to rediscover the joys of journeying through such a stunning landscape by canoe. Elphin to Inverpolly is looking good at the moment for the first of my escapes.

Came across this quote the other day which I just love:

“What sets a canoeing expedition apart is that it purifies you more rapidly and inescapably than any other travel.”
Pierre Elliott Trudeau

Sums it all up for me. Stay lucky.

Mike Dunthorne
http://www.boots-n-paddles.co.uk
Runs a wee nature-based activity business up by Inverness. Surrounded by lochs, rivers and the sea is a bit of a water baby and counts open boating and gorge swimming as favourite pastimes.