Chough Blog! (French Alps No. 1)

As part of our holiday to the the Ecrins National Park in the french alps, Kirstine and I headed off to have a look at the Glacier Blanc. The Walk from the car park at Pre de Madame Carle to the lower 'Refuge de Glacier Blanc' takes under 2 hours and provides some spectacular views.

When we arrived at the Refuge I discovered the rare and wild 'Alpine Chough'. These birds are members of the corvidae or crow family and a close relative of the Choughs that live around the remote coastal headlands of Wales and the Isle of Man.

I was pleased to find that they don't really seem to as shy as their coastal cousins - especially when there is food to be begged for.

It was a disapointing discovery when they began to form an orderly queue - not so wild afterall.

So I offered to share some of my lunch, "I say Monsieur Chough would you like a peice of my Croissant?"

"Hmmmm..." said Monsieur Chough, with a suspicious turn of his yellow beak, "...was it freshly baked this morning?"
"Of course!" I replied, "Fresh from La Boulangerie d'Ailfroide."

"La Boulangerie d'Ailfroide!" exclaimed Monsieur Chough, "Why didn't you say so, how can I resist. Merci!"

Exploring the Yorkshire Coast

Last Friday, Kev and I sloshed our way over t'other side o' Pennines through torrential rain to eventually arrive at a very foggy campsite at Robin Hood's Bay. We were hoping to explore the area looking for something new and different in the way of coastal paddling.

The whole of the British east coast is exposed to, and remains at the mercy of the might of the North Sea.

Sea kayaking here can be surprisingly exposed to the elements as we discovered soon after leaving the bay en route to Whitby. Several days of easterly winds had left 3 metre swell breaking destructively upon the reefs, cliffs and boulder beaches.

There was nowhere to land between harbours and certainly no chance of getting a close look at the intriguing coastline.

We camped at Hook's House Farm campsite and found the owners welcoming, informative and even apologetic (for the poor weather!) There is an abundance of friendly hostelries, a fish and chip shop and a local store for supplies.
Robin Hood's Bay is a good base for several days exploring.

NWSK sea kayaking trip to Northern Ireland

Ten years ago I went on a backpacking trip part of which took me along the 'Causeway Coast' of County Antrim. My intention was to see the same stretch of coastline from my kayak and visit the nearby island of Rathlin. Rathlin Island made an obvious target to get the week off to ambitious start.

Day 1
We missed the time of slack water for the crossing and by the time we were half way the tide race in the sound was kicking up some challenging conditions.

The natives on Rathlin are all very helpful. The harbourmaster let us use the harbour facilities (showers etc) and we found a permissive wild camping spot within 250 metres of the pub.

Day 2
By the next morning we had been issued with a dog! It seem that many lucky tourists get one as a courtesy of the local tourism council. Our dog was called 'Jen'. Jen acted as a guide on our walks and slept at the edge of our camp to make sure all was well throughout the night.

Day 3

We rose in the morning to cross back to the mainland close to the time of slack water and coupled with more pleasing weather conditions made for a far easier passage.

We had barely passed the town of Ballycastle when we saw a wonderful beach littered with driftwood. Our resolve was weakened such that we could paddle no further. Later that evening a generous bonfire was lit lest we perish in the cool of the night.

Day 4
The journey of promise lay ahead. The Causeway Coast threw up headland after headland with deserted beaches backed with 200ft cliffs. The geology regularly changed from white Chalk to black Basalt occasionally punctuated with seams of brilliant red Sandstone.

Day 5

We paddled from Portballintrae to Portrush and became quickly amazed that this coastline was not yet done with the 'wow' factor. Chalk arches and deep caves were all to be explored with the incoming swell making careful timing essential.
Dave's boat became a casualty of poor timing with some significant damage to the bow and a fist size puncture close to the stern. Dave's fine rolling skills kept him from harm and he was able to make a fine temporary (and waterproof) repair on a nearby beach.

Day 6
We drove to Cushendun to paddle round Fair Head to Ballycastle. With wind and tide behind us the journey around this enormous iconic headland and its 300ft cliffs was over in under 3 hours. Later that afternoon we drove to the Bushmills Education Centre where we were welcomed by Robin Ruddock and the Irish Sea Kayaking Association.

Day 7
A paddle with over 30 enthusiastic paddlers seemed hard to miss and proved to be a fitting finale to a rewarding voyage. The Irish Sea Kayaking Association extended an open invitation to us to join them on any of their monthly meets. They are a terrifically friendly bunch of folk and it was hard to say goodbye before heading off for Belfast and the ferry home.

To see more photos from the trip click here.

The Ravenglass Seaquest

A seaquest is a quest for adventure on the sea, an opportunity to combine the skills of paddling a kayak or canoe with that of orienteering. The original name is derived from a sea kayak designed and built by Peter Roscoe who started the Seaquest events on the Wyre Estuary at Fleetwood several years ago with the local 'Outdoor Adventure Group'.


Phil and Annette who frequent the Ravenglass area were quite taken with the concept that they decided to run a 'Seaquest' of their own, an I offered to go along and help out.

It was a blustery day with rain showers and some paddlers found it difficult it first, battling with the strong winds.

Conditions soon calmed down and seemed to be doing well picking up points by finding control markers up and down the three estuaries (Irt, Esk and Mite).

The winner was local lad Chris Cripps

Sean and Lojska came first in the 'mixed doubles' (3rd place overall)

I was surprised at how much there is to do in this less visited, remote coastal edge of Cumbria. The Ravenglass Campsite was splendid, there is a minature railway, a haunted castle and plenty of walking and climbing nearby.

Monasteries, Monks, Beer and bad Weather

We have been spoiled by all the sunny weather of late, so when it breaks back to the norm for this time of year it seems awfully harsh. The journey across the Pennines and up the A1 to the Northumbrian Coast lacked the expected excitement and anticipation because Dave and I knew that we were in for a soggy grey weekend. By the time we neared our destination at Beadnell we resigned ourselves to putting tents up in the rain, consoled only by the anticipation of a couple of pints of ale in a warm pub in the village.

All night long it rained ............... an awful lot .... but in the morning the rain stopped and for an hour or so it seemed we might get some paddling done. But no! the wind soon whipped up to an easterly 5-6.

We trundled up and down the coast exploring harbours and villages until we settled in Beadnell once more to find a pleasantly sheltered beach with reasonably clean 3-4ft surf.

..............and eventually got round to having some fun in the (brief) sun.

The following morning was as grey as the morning before. The one saving grace was that the wind had dropped enough for us to paddle out from Bamborough to explore the Farne Islands. St Cuthbert is the patron saint of Northumberland lived on The Farnes throughout much of his life. Eider Ducks are common along the Northumbrian coast and are often referred to locally as St Cuthbert's, or Cuddy Ducks.

Cuddy Ducks ................ one female two male.

.....who is watching who?

Easter 2007 - The Isle of Man deserves a fourth leg!

On Thursday the 5th of April a dynamic selection of NWSK's enthusiastic paddlers met at the Liverpool terminal of the 'Isle of Man Steam Packet Co.' They were to find that the overnight fast ferry to Douglas would be over 3 hours late. The waiting room in the terminal was exceptionally grim with some unusual entry and (no) exit arrangements.

After arriving on the island shortly after dawn on Good Friday, we touched base with Keirron at 'Balabrooie' which is his family home and the base for his 'Adventurous Experiences' business. Freshly armed with some local knowledge we set off for a cooked breakfast at Port Erin to make preparations for the first leg of our Manx adventure.

The First Leg of Man (29km)

We decided to start at Port St Mary on the south coast. We found good parking near to a convenient slipway and a friendly harbour keeper who gave some helpful local information. We paddled west, under spectacular cliffs that led the way to Calf Sound.

Calf Sound has strong tidal currents which can produce spectacular overfalls but we had timed our passage carefully. Once through the sound we could begin our passage north along the rugged west coast.

Our first break was after around 4 hours at the loom and the pretty beach at Niarbyl would have provided the perfect setting if it weren't for the abundance of flies. Did we smell that bad already?

After our only break of the day we decided to look for somewhere to camp for the night just to the north of Peel. We found the perfect location with soft sand to camp on and plenty of driftwood. We had views of Peel Castle close by and the Mountains of Mourne, all the way across the sea in Northern Ireland. The ferry fiasco of the previous night left us deprived of restful sleep and after a wee nip of whisky our cradles were happily left un-rocked.

The Second Leg of Man (40km)

As dawn broke I rose to the familiar feeling of cold, thirst and hunger. Oh its great to be alive! Simon soon re-kindled the fire and before long had cooked up a stack of bacon butties. One of my trademark pots of strong coffee provided the essential boost and I was ready for anything. I should point out that I was around 10 minutes late on the water, which is a point that I am not permitted to forget.

After a short section of rugged rocky cliffs and intriguing kelp infested inlets, the coastline took on a soporific monotony. Miles upon miles of shingle beaches would leave us short of visual interest for much of the day.

The main highlight would be passing Point of Ayre, the most northerly extremity on the island. The underwhelming anti-climax was almost too much to bear, as there was nothing much there. I watched my compass swing round and point south along another steep shingle beach. After a long break for sunbathing, and some delicious eggy bacon baps from Mark's cast iron skillet, we plied our final hour (or so) along the coast to Simon's home town of Ramsey.

Kirstine had taken a flight earlier and by the time we all met at Simon's house she was getting well acquainted with local traditions and white wine. Simon and his wife Tracy made us very welcome amongst their family and friends and laid on a splendid garden party with plentiful food, entertainment and surprises all round.

The Third Leg of Man (36km)

After the previous 2 days of calm weather a strong westerly broke the relaxed mood and although we had shelter from the tall cliffs of the east coast we began to realise that we might have to add a fourth leg to our circumnavigation of Man. Mark's journey was unexpectedly curtailed due to an injury to his elbow but Kirstine took his place and carried his virtual baton.

As the amended team left Ramsey Bay and passed Maughold Head the winds swept along the cliffs and slowed our progress. We took a quick break at Laxey for ice creams amongst holiday beach folk in the sunshine, but we were soon on our way again.

The increasing winds slowed our progress and the skies darkened as we drew nearer to Douglas Bay. Over 3 kilometres of exposed, gusty paddling lay between us and a well earned lunch stop. With a breath of good fortune the wind rapidly decreased just as we passed the bay's northern entrance and by the time we reached the small beach beside the lighthouse, the sun came out.

After some quick sickly troughing of Eccles Cakes and Cadbury's Cream Eggs we were soon back on a breezy sea but now with a following tide. Simon is Manx and as such felt it was his destiny to finish this circumnavigation of his homeland in no more than 3 legs. After a cheery farewell he eased away towards the sinking afternoon sunshine and would soon become invisible in the haze were it not for the occasional glint from his paddles. He reached Port St Mary in plenty of time for tea!
The rest of us mere mortals chose to spend the night on a beach within sight of the Langness peninsula, which stood between us and the last 2 hours of our final destination.

The Fourth (and final) Leg of Man (18km)

We needed an early start in order to paddle round Langness before the tide turned against us. We made it on the water well before 8-00am possibly because whisky supplies were running low.

As we approached the southern tip, Langness Point there was little sign of the forecast westerly force 4-5, but just as we turned to cross Castletown Bay the forecast came true. Lenticular clouds smothering the tops of the southern Manx fells gave us due warning of increasing winds and the onset of rain.

Port St Mary lay only 3km to the west but paddling directly into the weather would be a futile exercise. Instead we paddled north, deep into Bay ny Carrickey and made a shorter more sheltered passage having stopped briefly on a beach to consume yet more confectionery.

It was a great relief to arrive in the shelter of Port St Mary and although our challenging journey was over we still managed to muster some enthusiasm whilst hurriedly packing our kit away. It was time to find a cafe for proper sit down meal.

Thanks are due to Keirron at Adventurous Experiences for his help, hospitality and local knowledge, and also to Simon and Tracy for a their hospitality and a wonderful party.

My brother's day in the hills

Earlier today my brother, Chris sent me a quick email about his day out in Snowdonia...............



Hi Jim,
I had a great day out yesterday. Essentially did the Llyn Bochlwydd horseshoe with Giles. Day started very windy..so erred on the Western face of Tryfan...out of the sun, but also the wind. By the time we were down in Bwlch Tryfan, wind was dropping so we decided on Bristly ridge! Well it all went rather fine...................

Just before Great Pinnacle Gap found two teenagers in a bit of a state..trying to get down off the ridge. Never been up a mountain before...no food, drink, map...etc!!


But she was sporting a nice pair of fashion wellies!! Anyway thought they'd done well to get this far without killing themselves, so led them and Giles up and over...think I deserve a medal!

Happy Paddling on IOM...

Chris

North West Sea Kayakers Pre Season Meet 2007

North West Sea Kayakers hold meets early each spring and late autumn, to mark the beginning and end of the popular sea paddling season. These meets act as a social event with paddling activities, slideshows and plenty of drinking over 2-3 days.

On Friday, 23rd March Dave and I met up with Andy from Jon, Mark and Robbo's Easy Drinking Whisky Co. The plan was to paddle round the Little and Great Ormes of Llandudno before heading off to Anglesey and although the sea was quite choppy around the steep cliffs we managed a shorter, but nonetheless entertaining day out.

Not satisfied with 3 hours paddling at Llandudno, I was eager to make the most of the conditions upon my arrival on Anglesey. I teamed up with my long standing friend Peter Roscoe for an evening paddle from Trearddur Bay to Rhoscolyn and back. Departing well after sunset with a stunning orange glow at our backs meant that our return to Trearddur Bay would certainly be in almost total darkness. The magic felt as you glide through the blackness brings a whole new sensation to your sea kayaking experience. Where normally your eyes inform you as to the state of the water, at night your ears now begin to take over. The reaction of the water on your kayak feels so more enhanced too. Your spine an hips tingle with sensory overload as you become aware that you are feeling the will of the sea through your feet. A crescent moon and myriad of stars guided our return but sadly upon entering Trearddur Bay the velvety night sky was shattered by the obtrusive security lights on nearby buildings.

On Saturday morning a group of us went for a paddle from Porth Dafarch around 'The Stacks' and back. A cool northerly breeze hid the dangers of the strong spring sunshine from us, I'm certain that nobody had thought of sunscreen given the recent horrific weather.

Penrhyn Mawr is a headland between Porth Dafarch and South Stack and has a reputation for its strong tidal stream and associated overfalls.

Parliament cave is the only place to land near North Stack and even here you have to be careful. The wash from high speed ferries entering and leaving Holyhead can take your boat from the beach within the cave if you leave it too close to the waters edge. (photo - Maurice Hoare)

Upon our return to Anglesey Outdoors on Saturday evening we tucked into a splendid evening meal. This was followed by slideshows made up from photographs that our group, and others had taken on the day's various paddling trips. The party went on well into the night..........

...........but the excitement proved all to much for the latest winner of the Polish Association of Reluctant Paddlers' Award for Aquatic Excellence!

On the Sunday morning we launched our boats into the sea once more for a breezy paddle in the sunshine in search of somewhere sheltered to devour our remaining butties. (photo Andy Harpur)

The Sights and Delights of the Bridgewater Canal

Like many others I like to keep padddling right through the winter but because the sea seems such a long way off, I sometimes use my local stretch of canal to keep fit during the darker months. I live fairly close to the Bridgewater Canal where it passes through the south Manchester suburb of Stretford. A return trip to the Thelwall Viaduct near Warrington provides me with a 21 mile workout in a variety of settings.

The urban settings can be just as visually engaging as tall sea cliffs and bold headlands by the coast. The gasholder beside the University of Manchester Rowing Club provides one of the many contrasting features of urban canal life.

Rowers from the Trafford Rowing Club enjoying the broad, straight stretch where the canal runs alongside the tracks of the Metrolink tram lines.

Fibregalss Cows in the grounds of one of the latest Urban Splash Designer Appartment Developments close to Altrincham town centre.

The scenery becomes far more open and rural around Dunham Massey. After paddling for just over one hour I can be in the heart of the Cheshire countryside enjoying the sights and sounds from the seat of my sea kayak. One of the rewards of arriving at Lymm is the chip shop, which is less than 50 metres from the canal bank. You just can't beat a bag of chips washed down with a scalding mug of tea for fuelling the homeward journey.