My, time flies – it is now May, I have been over to N. Ireland, and I have not yet finished writing up the April trip!
I travelled up the Blackwater valley on March 31st – lovely river and scenery, and met two Gardai, who warned me that camping on the river would be challenged, and that the Fermoy to Lismore stretch was heavily guarded due to European Protected Species (so what, we paddle these areas in Scotland?). However, they didn’t say “don’t paddle”.
I spent the next day working my way back to Tony’s house at Maynooth via the Slaney (lovely little river), and the Barrow – see why it’s popular! The day after I looked at both of the main canals, the Grand out to Tullamore, and the Royal to Mullingar.
So, lots of mileage, lots of photos, lots to think about.
Between May 1st and 5th, I travelled over to N. Ireland with Mike Dales, our SCA Access and Environment Officer, on a trip paid for by a donor for us to find out about how the Irish were tackling Canoe Trails, and their infrastructure and maps and guides. A full account will appear in ‘Scottish Paddler’ due out in July this year, but we had a great time, real hospitality, great practical help (boats lent to us everywhere), and really helpful information. There are currently four trails; Lough Erne, Lower Bann, Lough Neagh, Blackwater, and a fifth to come, Strangford Lough.
We arrived at Belfast international on the Thursday night, and on Friday 2nd, met two colleagues at Toome, and paddled the first part of the Lower Bann. Then saw various points on Lough Neagh (large sheet of water!), and followed the Armagh Blackwater all the way down, lovely little river. After spending the Friday night near Castlewellan, we paddled Strangford on the Saturday, bit of a shock to me after so long away from sea paddling! The inner lough was fine, although the tide runs fast, but the Narrows were running at about 7 knots. A bit interesting in the afternoon, with wind against tide on the ebb.
Then we trekked over back west to Fermanagh, to stay two nights with Rob Henshaw, he of four circumnavigations of Ireland (kayak, wind surfer, dinghy, Drascombe), and a recent transatlantic sail. A day and a half on upper Lough Erne – fantastic! – the account and photos will appear in the book, but really superior touring canoe territory.
Since then – a weekend canoe sailing on Coniston, Lake District, and last weekend the Scottish Island Peaks Yacht race – life is just sooo busy!
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