Reporting rubbish!

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Calum

Unsightly litter on the beach

As the nice weather is (hopefully) approaching and more of us will be out on the water I thought it would be a good opportunity to share some information about reporting any litter/ pollution related problems we encounter while out paddling in canoes or kayaks.

It’s annoying that we bear the brunt of a minority of other people’s actions, but as regular beach and river users we are often best placed to report issues.

For pollution and debris in the water or washed up on beaches contact the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
http://www.sepa.org.uk/about_us/contacting_sepa.aspx

For problems with general litter, public facilities, fly-tipping or dog mess contact the local council responsible for the area.

A list of contact details can be found here: http://www.cosla.gov.uk/scottish-local-government

For rubbish and pollution around harbours contact the local harbour authority.

Contact British Waterways for any problems with the canals.

Pleae share this with friends to spread the word and keep our countryside clean.

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New Scottish National Trail

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Calum

Cameron McNeishOne of the country’s leading outdoors writers and broadcasters revealed he will be working with the BBC this year to film a project that will follow a route from Scotland’s border to its north-west extremity.

Cameron McNeish will start at Kirk Yetholm in the Borders and wind his way to Cape Wrath for the series.

And with the nation’s independence high on the political agenda, Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond has given his blessing to the route, which is being dubbed the Scottish National Trail.

Mr McNeish, former editor of TGO magazine, said the idea came during a trip to Nepal having heard about the Great Himalayan Trail, which runs the length of Nepal.

The idea is not to create new paths, but to use existing ones linked to create the trail from the South to the North-West.

He said: “Basically, we’re using the existing footpaths that are there. We start off on St Cuthbert’s Way, do a couple of days on the Southern Upland Way, move on to some Tweed Trails, go into Edinburgh, then walk beside canals to the West Coast, then the Rob Roy Way. We’re kind of linking them all together.

He also said there was a move to have a definitive route for the section north of Fort  William.

“There have been a few meetings in Scotland about the Cape Wrath Trail,” he said. “It’s a fabulous, fabulous walk from Fort William to the most north-westerly part of Scotland.

“At the moment there are two or three separate ways. There was a meeting with Scottish Natural Heritage and they’re quite keen to see one distinct route, so that will probably happen.”

Keep an eye on the BBC programme schedule for this series – it should be worth watching out for.

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Scottish Fossil Code

Posted on April 1, 2012 by Calum

What should you do if you find a fossil?

Ok, so unless you’re talking about some of our staff, we can’t claim to be experts on fossils.  However, that’s not to say that we, as outdoorsy-type people won’t come across them while out and about.  You might come across them while doing a bit of rock climbing at the Cummingstown Sea Cliffs or perhaps doing a bit of weaselling at Duntelchaig.

However, what would you do if you came across one though?  Should you take a hammer to it and try and take it home with you or do you report it to someone?

The Scottish Fossil Code provides advice on best practice in the collection, identification, conservation and storage of fossil specimens found in Scotland. The Code also aims to enhance public interest in fossil heritage, promote this resource for scientific, educational and recreational purposes and help conserve the fossil heritage of Scotland.

The following website link from the Scottish Outdoor Access Code should help anwser some of your questions, and is worth keeping in mind should you be lucky enough to bump into an ancient fossil while out exploring (not our staff though).

Scottish Fossil Code

I hope you found this useful. Share it with your friends on Facebook or Twitter if you thought so.

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Win a luxury hamper

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Calum

The Munro Hamper from Scottish Hampers

We’re very excited to be able to offer subscribers of our Keeping in Touch newsletter the opportunity to win a luxury food hamper in our next free prize draw.

We will be giving away a rather tasty looking Scottish Hampers’ Munro Hamper at our next prize draw in May. In it you’ll find tasty treats including: Thompson’s Scottish Full Roast Coffee; Luscombe’s Organic Sicilian Lemonade; Bloc Mint Creams; Island Bakery Organics Shortbread; Nevis Bakery Madeira Cake; Thomson’s Scottish Vanilla Macaroon; and Claire Macdonald Strawberry Jam…..my tummy is rumbling!

To be in with a chance of winning this tasty treat, all we ask is that you continue to subscribe to our newsletter, or if you’ve not already done so subscribe now.

Good luck!

Competition rules: Please note that the luxury hamper is not exchangeable for cash. The hamper is worth £50 including delivery charges. The draw will be made on Friday 4th May 2012 and the winner will be contacted shortly thereafter. Boots N Paddles reserve the right to publish the name of the winner in the subsequent newsletter, on our Facebook and Twitter pages and on the Boots N Paddles’ website.

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Easter family activities

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Calum

Archery at Rothiemurchus

It’s that time of year again and Easter is nearly upon us. Add to that some unusually good Spring weather and you really need to have a good reason not to get outdoors to play.  We’ve got some great activities on this coming weekend at the Rothiemurchus Estate and over the Easter School holidays.

Gorge Walking at Achlean

We have Gorge Walking (6 year olds and over), Gorge Swimming at the Bridge of Brown for the more adventurous (14 years and over), Archery (8 years and over), Canoeing on the lovely Loch an Eilein (5 years and over) and don’t forget the awesome TreeZone (7 years and over).  Treezone can be booked direct online using the link provided and all others should be booked via the Rothiemurchus Estate on 01479 812345 or online.

Hope you have a great Easter!

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Ticks…look out!

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Calum

It is anticipated that 2012 could be the year of the tick.

Recent news reveals that the ticks are coming… and this year they will be more prominent than ever in Scotland. This is not good news for walkers because of the potential risk of contracting Lyme’s Disease, but there are many precautions that can be taken to avoid a bad dose of this flu-like illness.

What are ticks?

Ticks are tiny bugs that thrive in bracken. This bracken has spread alarmingly after a dry winter and an EU ban on the herbicide Asulam. Ramblers are particularly prone to tick bites, which are the main cause of Lyme disease, and can prove fatal if left untreated.

What can you do to help yourself?

Get yourself a tick remover to remove the nasty little biters. Make sure you check yourself over at the end of the day to check that a tick, or ticks!! have not attached themselves to you for a feed.

The best way to avoid ticks is to wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers, but sadly our canine friends can’t follow the same guidelines.

This is what you are trying to avoid….

This is what you're trying to avoid... a fully fed tick

With the much anticipated milder weather on the way, it pays to take a little time to check your arms and legs after any outings into the countryside (walking, biking, canoeing, etc), and if your dog seems in any discomfort then check its coat for any small lumps and bumps.

Although they love bracken, home for ticks is often long grass, which most dogs enjoy charging through as well so a tick remover should be on every dog lover’s list of must-have items.

Remember, if the ticks don’t get you, the fearsome midgies might!

Found this interesting?  Why not share it on Facebook or Twitter.

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Custom OS maps

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Calum

Customise and order a map to suit your requirements

If you’ve ever done a walk that spans more than one map sheet then the faff will be familiar; and it’s usually raining and windy when it comes to the swap, too. More and more people are using handheld mapping devices but when all else fails you may still need a map.

To get around this the Ordnance Survey (OS) has just launched a range of customisable maps.

The new Explorer (1:25000) – Custom Made and Landranger (1:50000) – Custom Made maps allow anyone to customise their own map online, centering the sheet on any location they like. You can also choose your own title and cover image from a selection of photos. The custom-made version will be the same quality and detail as these benchmark paper maps, an improvement on OS Select, the previous made to measure offering from the OS.

A new production process means that the maps are now printed on the same paper as standard off-the-shelf OS sheets, making them thinner, tougher and easier to fold – a practical option for outdoor enthusiasts for the first time.

Yes you could print your own sheets at home from mapping software, but given the price of ink these days it’s unlikely to save you much money. Custom Made maps cost £16.99, though there might be some introductory offers.

‘We carried out some research and found that our mapping is the first choice for walking – except sometimes the walks people are planning can involve needing two or more maps – there are four covering the Lake District for example’ says Gemma Nelson of the OS. She could equally have added Torridon (three Landrangers), the Rough Bounds of Knoydart (two) or the Howgills (three, for one wee hill group). ‘The new range matches the existing look and feel of our popular OS Landranger Maps and OS Explorer Maps series. They’re printed on the same paper and the map covers echo the existing products – so will match those already on people’s shelves. People can also choose from a wider range of cover images when customising their map.’

Custom made maps are available online www.shop.ordnancesurveyleisure.co.uk

Find this useful?  Why not share it with your friends?

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A legacy in time

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Calum

Boc Beag, West Highlands

The next time you’re huffing and puffing up a steep mountain track, take a moment to consider why we even have mountains to explore.

Nothing lasts in nature. Given time, lots and lots of time, towering mountain ranges wear down, expansive continents erode and vast oceans dry up and fade into obscurity.

Take the Caledonian Mountains, for example. It is difficult for our minds to grasp the concepts of geological time. While we are well-used to economists throwing around figures of billions of euro and trillions of dollars, it is nonetheless very difficult for us to imagine a timespan of hundreds of millions of years.

The Caledonian Mountains started forming some 438 million years ago. They got pushed up slowly as one of the results of ancient continents colliding with each other. Enormous forces were unleashed during the collision as the former continents rammed into each other. During a head-on crash of two cars the bonnets crumple and are thrust up into folds. Something similar happens during the head-on collisions of continents only it happens in extreme slow motion; so slowly, in fact, that the momentum of the gently moving continents carries the process on over millions of years.

During the ancient continental collision, existing rocks crumpled and folded and the mountain chain emerged. In our part of the world the Caledonian mountain range stretched from Ireland to Scotland, formed the spine of Norway and continued into parts of Sweden and Greenland. The name ‘ Caledonian’ is derived from the study of the ancient mountain range in Scotland; when the Romans invaded Britain they used the placename Caledonia for the territory we now call Scotland.

Loch Ness from above (the Great Glen is a huge natural geological fault)

The Caledonian mountains are long-gone as a continuous mountain range. Much of the range has eroded and has been recycled. However, isolated bits of the core of the former chain remain. These remains form two distinct provinces in Ireland: one in the west and north-west and one in the east and southeast. The present day mountains in much of counties Donegal, Mayo and Galway comprise the north-western element and the chain of mountains running through counties Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford comprise the south-eastern element.

The very impressive cone-shaped peaks of such mountains as Croagh Patrick in Co Mayo and the Sugarloaf in Co Wicklow are part of the legacy of the great Caledonian mountain-building event.

The original Caledonian Mountain range probably had towering peaks with dramatic sharp, sculpted features. Erosion over the past 400 million years resulted in the surviving, present day legacies of the mountain range being gently rounded.

So, the next time you are out hill-walking in the Scottish mountains, canoeing down the River Spey or the Great Glen Canoe Trail (Caledonian Canal), or sea kayaking along the west coast of Scotland, take a minute to consider the process through which the land morphed into its current form.  You might need more than a minute!

Learn more about the Caledonian Mountains: wikipedia or Scottish Geology

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Thanks to Jim Hurley of the New Ross Standard for this information.

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Song of the Paddle

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Calum

Happy paddler

I enjoy paddling (a lot), and by that I don’t mean taking my shoes off, rolling up my trousers and stepping into the icy North Sea.  I prefer the paddling that involves a boat and a paddle.

I’m not alone though as there are growing numbers of people at all ages getting involved in the huge variety of different paddlesports.  With events such as the hugely successful Tay Descent (a family friendly fun event on the River Tay) more and more people are becoming aware of the enjoyment on offer from paddlesports (Tay Descent 2012).

I tend towards canoes and sea kayaks, and with lots and lots still to learn I’m always on the look out for advice, tips, recommendations and accounts of other paddlers’ experiences.  The explosion in social media forums is making access to this information easier by the day, but my favourite forum is one that’s been established for quite some time now, and was the brainchild of a man is known as MagicKelly.

This site was created after MagicKelly spent some time searching for information on open canoeing in the UK.  There are a number of canoeing sites with sections for open canoe users, but no site devoted solely to them, so he made one!

The main part of the site has information and links for the open canoeist but the heart of the site is the forum.  This is where much of the content of the main site is created and refined.  The forum is an area where open canoeists can share ideas, ask questions arrange outings, compare kit and sell off their old kit. It is this interactive element that is the strength of the Song of the Paddle site.  If a review has left you with questions, you can ask them.  If you disagree you can say so, and why.  Even if it is just that your non-canoeing friends are tired of you talking about it, your Song of the Paddle friends are bound to be keen to hear about your latest trip and see the photos!

Assessing the next obstacle: River Garbh Ghaoir

Why “Song of the Paddle”? The Song of the Paddle is a well known book amongst open canoeists.  It is written by Bill Mason and is subtitled “An Illustrated Guide to Wilderness Camping”.  So, although it is a book about open canoeing it is also about the exploring of wild places in your canoe.

In the UK our wild places are fewer and less wild than Bill had in Canada but even here, when out in your open canoe you can get to feel more at one with nature and escape from the ties of modern life.  This is as true with a few snatched hours on the local lake or loch as it is on a multi-day camping adventure. This site passes on some of this feeling to those who have not yet heard the song, and gives a place to share your experiences for those who have heard the song.

Camping on the banks of Loch Laidon

I’ve used the forum regularly and on one particularly eventful adventure (a canoe crossing of Rannoch Moor in November), I managed to get loads of advice in the lead up to challenge, from guys that had recently done the same trip.

So go and check it out for yourself and have a look about the site. Sign up to the forum if you wish and share your thoughts with those of a like mind. I can thoroughly recommend it and commend the efforts of MagicKelly for his continued efforts in keeping the site ticking over nicely.

Song of the Paddle forum.

Useful links for sea kayakers :

Lothian Sea Kayak Club (of which I am a member)

Kayarchy

Be sure to share this with your friends and fellow paddlers!

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Norway: Outdoor Paradise

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Calum

The Outdoor Paradise - A Ski and Kayak Odyssey in Europe's Great Wild

This looks like a great read although it’s only available for pre-order at the moment.  The author, James Baxter, is a member of my local Sea Kayaking club so this is a bit of a plug too, I have to admit.

What’s it about?

This book is the story of James Baxter’s 2700 kilometre ski up the entire length of Norway, followed by his 3100 kilometre kayak down the whole of Norway’s coast.

This eight month journey took him through Europe’s most pristine natural wonders; the empty snow-covered spine of Scandinavia’s mountain chain, the Arctic taiga forests and tundra, the busy seabird colonies in the Barents Sea, the daunting seas of the Arctic Ocean and the magnificent fjords of the Atlantic coast were just some of the wonders encountered.

Through the four seasons of this breathtaking land, James unfolds his story as he slowly passes through it, solely under his own steam. Sheltering during storms and journeying through abundant good weather, he is immersed into the ebb and flow of nature as if on a pilgrimage. Yet there are many encounters with the personalities of the rich rural cultures and communities scattered across this wilderness. The book is intended to be both a narrative and a guide.

The entire 6200 kilometres of the outdoor expedition has been split into 35 sections. Each section is around 200 kilometres, or a week’s duration, and many are a very good ski or kayak destinations in their own right; such as Hardangervidda, Jotunheimen or Kungsleden on skis or Nordkapp, Vestfjorden or Helgelandskysten in a kayak.

The chapters are not only to inspire a journey, but are also valuable to help plan it, as there is much information about local conditions, natural features and logistics for each section to be gleaned from the story itself. This book is a must for any outdoor enthusiast planning a visit to Scandinavia. The book is not only an account of James’ entire expedition but also delves into a wide spectrum of observations about rural communities, local economies, farming and even regional politics, and of course the continual commentary about the extraordinary natural features, geology, fauna and flora which surprised and delighted him at every corner. The book is richly illustrated with over 800 colour photographs throughout to illuminate the text.

If you get a copy, let us know what you think about it?  Make sure you share this on Facebook or Twitter and spread the word.

Available on Amazon

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