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"Mum risks dangerous whirlpools to help trust" is the heading of the article in the Aberdeen Evening Express. Rather worryingly it goes on to report I have 2 children. Where are my 3rd child and my 2 grandchildren ?.  Surely "Grandmother risks life in dangerous whirlpools to help Trust" may have been a slightly more accurate and interesting headline. However this is the Evening Ex and the poor reporter had to contend with interviewing me with a backdrop of roaring traffic on the A85, and all publicity as they say.......
The Press an Journal could have had the heading "N.E woman is not lost at sea" (there is an urban myth that the parochial P&J reported on the sinking of the Titanic as "N.E. man lost at sea") but had "N.E. woman swims across whirlpool to raise £1300 for charity". Accurate in all respects but the total which has increased by nearly £400 in 2 days with more promised!
The final leg of the challenge is now complete with 427.72 on the clock. These last 2 days have been hard. The swim done , my clothes stinking I just wanted home. Wednesday I did 50 miles, yesterday 71 and today 56. The hills became harder and harder but when I stoppped in at Mary and Nigel's in Aberdeen I traded my wet camping gear (it had rained last night at St Cyrus) for mushrooms, broccoli and onions. So a much lighter load  for the last 18 miles and something for my tea. My clothes are undergoing an industrial strength wash, I have had a lush infused bath , food and a glass (or 2) of something cold and bubbly, the cat has been stroked ( a lot, he is high maintenance)everything else can wait for the morrow. Photos to follow and much much much thanks for everyone's support and help to get me there and back in one piece.

Whose idea was this ?

23 rd August
Having eventually fallen asleep the morning light through the open fly sheet woke me gently just before my raucous alarm went off. I had been conserving the battery by switching off my phone except for an all important communication with Struan at Coastal Connection. They were coming to pick me up at 09.10 approximately. I had given the battery a boost with a solar -powered charger that had been converting sun energy into a pitifully small amount of mobile friendly energy for 2 days.
After striking camp and having a breakfast of malt loaf , dried bananas , coffee and tomato I nipped up to thank Joan   and Mike for the toms but no- one appeared up so I left a note.

Coastal Connection are coming

I was ready when the boat came. Andrew who was crewing for Struan for the day came to the jetty with the rib.
He first took the bike and trailer  back to the boat. I saw him hand up the trailer ( not light weight) to Struan who had to carry it towards the bow of the bigger boat. I was a little concerned as to what might  happen to Struan and trailer if there was a slip but I needn't have worried.

Bike and  Trailer transferred by Andrew

The trailer is loaded

Then it was my turn and soon I was on board and we were off. Rory from JMT had come to take photos for the publicity and friends Carole and Alan were also on board to give  support
The weather was again kind but there was more of a swell. I tried not to think of what was ahead as we cruised and drifted around the Corryvreckan looking at the eddies , swirls and riffs of water. We saw plenty of seals but no cetaceans.
I got into my wetsuit , found my seasick bands and was ready to go when the instruments on the boat indicated that the tide speed had dropped to 0. 5 knots.
I was loaded back into the rib along with Andrew, who was going to be keeping close by in the rib, and Rory. They deposited me on the rocks on the Jura side and then I waited for the go ahead and I was off. (Videos by Alan Scott)

I swam without putting my head in properly to get warmed up but found that I couldn't get into a rhythm , always my problem when under pressure. I rolled onto my back and quickly felt comfortable . I was counting strokes and after a while figured I had covered about half the distance. I stopped to tread water and asked Andrew of we were half way. He told me that I had done about 2/3 rds and only taken 15 minutes.

This was great but unfortunately it then started to unravel a bit. The sea was increasing, maybe I had gone out too strongly but I felt I was tiring so I slowed down and it became more of a struggle. The waves were hitting me and at times it was difficult to breathe. Scarba wasn't getting any closer but Andrew, Rory, Struan Carole and Alan all continued to shout encouragement.

Then Andrew said 75 metres. This wasn't far so I tried to get back into a rhythm. With only 25 metres to go I felt I couldn't go on . This was terrible and I knew that to give up then would be something I couldn't live with. Andrew was there again telling me that I had plenty of time and that I could do it so I took a few more strokes and finally touched Scarba and tried to haul myself onto the rocks. I missed a couple of times then was there and almost threw up.

It took a while to get my breath back but I still had to get back to the rib because the sea was such that Andrew couldn't bring the rib in to where I was.
Actually this turned out to be easy and I just let Andrew haul me in.
Back on the main boat everyone was  congratulating me and asking how I felt. Truth be told I had no idea. I had just swum the Corryvrechan and I didn't quite believe it. It was all over so quick after months of preparation. No I was not going to do it again.  Struan told that I had taken 30 minutes so I had plenty of time to spare.
The sea however had changed and what had been almost flat calm was now full of white horses so it's a good thing I finished when I did.
Hot drinks and chocolate restored my equilibrium and eventually I was able to work up the energy to get out of my wet suit and into some warm clothing. Struan took us back to Coastal Connection base where I met his parents ( the rest had already met them) more congratulating and Alan and Carole produced a bottle of Champagne which somehow I managed to open and pour out for all. I was still in a bit of a daze.

(L-R)Struan, Heather , dogs, Alan, Carole, Rory

Then we loaded bike and trailer between Heather's car and A&C s and Heather showed us the way to Poppies on the other side of Oban where A&C treated me and Rory to some much needed food! This also took a good few miles off  my bike ride that day.
I was able to charge up my phone and between Rory and myself we started to let people know that I had done it. Finally we all needed to get on the road to our various destinations. I set off on the bike to Dalmally ( hopefully) the others went on by car.
I discovered that all my good luck with the weather was now beginning to turn and I had to contend with a stiff head wind. However just  occasionally if I passed someone I shouted out" I ve just swum the Corryvreckan " I think it was just sinking in. At  Dalmally I decided that I would pamper myself with a B&B rather than camp. I stumbled across Mabel who runs a B&B next door to the place where John Smith ( former leader of the labour party in opposition) was born.
Mabel spoilt me rotten with food, a bath and a good blether. Fell into bed  and couldn't sleep!
Wednesday to Crieff to Deirdre 's and Ronald and Alison's.
Thence home by Friday maybe.
Photos to be posted Saturday or Sunday

One more sleep

End of Public Road

Rush hour on Jura

Woke after  a wonderful sleep. Packed up and reached the road end by nine. Found it guarded by a herd of coos who weren't going to budge. Inched past them making reassuring noises that  I wasn't going to take their calves.The track at this point looked no worse than the public road but it didn't last and for 5 miles pushed the bike and trailer, the latter getting caught on the rushes in the centre of the track. Generally though it was ok if a bit slow.

Barnhill

A mile after the house where George  Orwell wrote 1984 I came  to  Kinauachdrachd at about 11.30 . I  went to introduce myself to Joan and  Mike to find that their son, Duncan had just arrived with Ian McKinnon by boat from the mainland. Duncan remembered my parents and their  V.W.  van. Ian is the grandson of the former ferryman who lived at Kinaudrachd. His father had been one of 9 children brought up there. Ian had some fascinating historical tales to tell. Also he knew various people I knew. We discussed how well the weather looked for my swim and then I  went off to pitch my tent to leave Joan and Mike to their visitors.
My campsite was down on the bay. Kinuachdrachd apparently means "harbour of  the ebbing tide" another good omen for me. I may get to see otters. Kinuachdrachd has some of the ancient woodland that use to cover the whole of Jura. It has survived by being protected from grazing pressures that has seen most of Jura reduced to open moorland.

Kinuachrachd

Later I stopped in on Joan and Mike whose visitors had gone. Mike is in a wheelchair as a result of Lyme disease (a tick-borne illness which is extremely debilitating if not treated early). We set the world to rights  ( well a bit ) before I headed to the north end of Jura to see the Corryvreckan . On the way I met Polly and Mike , an English couple who are on holiday. They were interested in what I was doing and promised to look up John Muir Trust on their return to the world of computer communications. (they did and sponsored me, Thank-you so much!)

Gulf of the Corryvrechan

To me , when I got there , the Corryvreckan looked reasonable but as I sat in the lovely sunshine it seemed to grow bigger. I returned my tent to find a gift of 3 home grown tomatoes from Joan & Mike. delicious
I rightly guessed that I wouldn't sleep   nor would I see any otters. Tomorrow, well ....

From the Paps

To summarize day 7
Scree  ( bloody scree)
Mist bloody mist

deer at the Bealach , the most life I saw all day

Summit (in mist) of Beinn an Oir 785m

Historic remnants  of the experiments of the boiling point of water ( at different altitudes) on summit (1812) possibly (old wooden  box with metal container that some anti-social people had filled with rubbish. This on Beinn Shiantaidh
Losing path on way down back to bike on Sunday
Cow pats
Cyclist hating packs (well 3) of spaniels
Hills and potholes and cowpats all the way to Ardlussa
Spills on the bike( because of above)
Bruises
Most comfy campsite yet ( but more cow pats)
Cows and more cows
Sunday miles on clock 223.8
Miles done 14.3
Eggs smashed 2
Cow pats 207 (ok , I haven't a clue)

To the Paps

Day  5 (Friday19th)because I missed it and  later Day 6 ( Saturday)

I fought the wind and won!
Last night I had some noisy neighbours who regularly had a domestic every half hour or so. A knowledgeable person would have been able to identify whether this raucous lot were barnacle , greylag or whatever geese variety visits Islay in August ( or perhaps they never left).
The good weather stayed overnight but as I packed my tent , the wind got up and the clouds obscured the sun.
I headed out on the road to Port Ellen where I discovered the wind was from the S.E. and therefore almost directly in my face. The road is long and straight but the road side verges were full of colour with scabious, knapweed, vetch and much more.
I went into Port Ellen where the tiny village store is packed with everything you could and more. I had no room for olives and left the beer but bought bits and pieces for lunch which I took out to Port Ellen lighthouse which I had wanted to visit.

I fully intended to go for a swim but managed to run out of time. I looked to the sea and was not impressed. The waves looked serious and the wind was only about Force 4.
Said wind was behind me on my way back and I made excellent time stopping at the brewery just beyond Bridgend. I have not done much of the traditional Islay stuff but I don't like whisky!
Whilst waiting for the ferry to Jura I was again approached by a man wanting to know more about my trailer. He even offered to pump up my tyres with his track pump ( my hand pump lets more air out than in).
The tide was ripping through , no Corryvreckan but scary enough. The ferry is only £1.50 one way with the friendliest of crew.
The force 4 had strengthened considerably to nearer 6 and I struggled into it uphill for the first 4 miles. The man from the Jura hotel ( who had been at the brewery buying beer) stopped and offered to take my trailer ,  I declined ( I have had a number of such offers but declined them all , this was the most tempting as the wind was foul). Just after the 4 mile milepost I was rewarded by the sight of a pair of hen harriers quartering the moor.
Jura is very different from Islay. The pressure of grazing from the high numbers of deer have left the vegetation impoverished with mainly moor grass, rush and bracken. The verge-side flowers are virtually nonexistent with just tormentil surviving the grazing.
Once the road turned North up the coast I was able to make much better arriving in Craighouse at 7.40 (90 mins to do 8 miles!)
Camping in the front garden of the hotel is hardly wild but there is access to showers , hot food and drink! For pudding I chose "the Paps of Jura" but they were out of tablet ice-cream so I had my second choice, the Corryvreckan whirlpool.
Miles on the clock 206.2
Miles today 40.2

Tomorrow the forecast is poor, better on Sunday so I may just chill

Saturday 20th
Woke to sunshine. The Paps had a head each of cloud but it looked as if it would lift. I checked the forecast at the shop and found that it was to be good until Tuesday!
Back at the campsite  I chatted to my neighbours , 3 men from Arran (2 of them) and 1 from Yorkshire . We swooped notes. I told them about the John Muir Trust, they told me about an open fishing bothy that was good for an overnight stop. I decided that I would stop out overnight, so no hurry then!
What with chatting, packing and generally being on island time I didn't leave the campsite until well after 11, had a gentle 2 mile level cycle then spent more time repacking my rucksack with everything I needed , well almost.
Barely had I started walking when I came across a particularly sluggish adder (it had been a cold night), so slow in moving I was able to get my camera out and take a photo.

  
. I saw another ( quicker) adder, a very quick lizard ,lots of frogs, a golden ringed tailed dragon fly, a male black darter dragonfly Sympetrum danae.(thanks Daryl for i.d.)

Sympetrum danae.(male black darter dragonfly)

3 species of butterfly ( large Heath, peacock and meadow brown) a dipper and a kestrel. All of which had to be looked at  , photographed if possible and generally admired. I got to the bothy at 2!

Beinn Chaolais(733m)

 Where had the day gone.? Then discovered that I had left my lighter behind so no brew( or hot food at the end of the day) .
I left my tea and sleeping stuff with a note and headed off for Beinn Chaolais eventually reaching the summit in a slow 2 hrs 30 mins.  The views would have been spectacular but for the haze which rendered Mull and the mainland misty outlines. Colonsay and Islay however showed up well. I spent 30 mins checking my e-mails updating my blog and FB as I had a signal. By this time I had decided to leave the other 2 Paps until tomorrow and have an early  night. Back at the bothy I was visited by a diver ( black throat I think but the light was poor) in bed early but couldn't sleep.
Miles on clock 209.5
Miles today 3.5
Paps 1

Up the glen, by the loch and over the sea to Islay

Whoops, when reading my blog for something else I discovered that Day 3 and half of Day 4 hadn't  been entered ( I had cut and pasted from my i-phone notes) So belated here is day 3......
Day 3 dedicated to big George Scott.
The day started well although I was an hour late in setting off (from Comrie)but the sun was shinning. There is no real alternative on a road bike but to go via the A85 (there is the South Loch Earn road for a few miles). Still it has it's compensations not least the chance to stop at The Real Food Cafe at Tyndrum. Long before I arrived there ( a mere 3.3 miles from Comrie) I was rewarded with a close up view of a red kite, no doubt on the look out for road kill. It wasn't convenient to stop and take a photo though otherwise I may have become the road kill!
I had been told that the cycle route up  Glen Ogle was a gentle climb up the old railway ...... It was but only after the first mile of steep hair pin bends. With the trailer on the back I ended up walking, not something I normally do with a bike.

Loch Earn

Somewhere back on the road, a large motorhome towing a small car passed me. Later, in between Crianlarich and Tyndrum I saw it parked in a layby. The small car had the logo " Angel Cakes Ellon" written on it. I immediately stopped and spoke to the couple saying "I know you, or at least I know someone who knows you" one of my colleagues was telling me how she had met this couple in Hawaii and they have remained good friends. The couple were delighted , offered me a drink which I declined as I was desperate to get to Tyndrum ( I did have one of Jimmy and Vicky's hen's eggs with me but was saving that for tea)
At the Real Food Cafe I sat outside in the sun , ending up talking to Sarah the owner about what I was doing. She does iron man events but gave me lots of encouragement. I left her with a copy of the John Muir  Trust vision.
After a superb lunch ( veggie rosti , salad , chips and beetroot and choc cake for later, I was back on the road feeling full of energy, next stop Loch Awe. However the south Loch Awe road was meant to be flat. Again the reporter failed to mention  the couple of very steep hills to start with.  not good when you are looking to put dome more miles in before bed. Towards the end of the road I started looking for likely camping places by the lochside . Unfortunately they were all taken , popular place and I ended up camping near a campervan .

Loch Awe

Total on the clock 121.1  Milesge today 67.3.

Sunset, Loch Awe

According to Les at Edin bike co-op towing a trailer is like halving your normal distance (double the effort). I don't know if it is quite like that. I would say I could have covered a hundred miles without a trailer. I also had to contend with a westerly wind which I certainly felt.

Day 4
After a restless night, with no alarm set, I again set off later than intended. My aim was to catch the 2 pm ferry to Islay , an impossibility as it happens as the ferry is at 1 pm!

Early morning dew on thistle

I actually made good time, using cycle route 78 which made a pleasant change from the main road. Part of the way is along the Crinan Canal and there were lots of peacock and ringlet butterflies all of whom were camera shy.

Crinan Canal

It was a lovely day , I can't believe my luck so far, let's hope it holds until next week. However when I arrived at Kennacraig I discovered that I had remembered the time of the ferry wrongly and had over 4 hours to wait. The tide was wrong for a swim so I went in search of butterflies to photograph. No success but I had some more views of  Arran which I had seen earlier in the day. Couldn't quite see the Paps of Jura. Saw a roe deer who barked at me in a disgruntled fashion. Back at the ferry terminal a man came and asked me about my trailer. He turnedout to be an  Islay man and keen cyclist. He suggested a beach beyond Bowmore for camping and also warned me about the very slow pull up out of Port Askaig.

Jura

As it happens I didn't get to the sandy beach. It was getting dark by the time I rolled into Bowmore and I headed for the nearest beach. I am now perched on a very soft bank above the stony beach. If the wind gets up  I may be on trouble but at the moment it is a beautiful calm evening with oyster catchers and curlews calling.
On the clock 166.0
Mileage today 44.9

Problems, what problems?

After a sleepless night I started off almost an hour behind my planned time but the sun was shining and I had some time to play with. After 5 miles my bike came to a stop and horrors of horrors I found that I hadn't put the back wheel on properly. Thankfully it didn't come off and once sorted my speed improved.
All this meant I had less time to chat with my sister,Mary and husband Nigel in Aberdeen (18 miles on)but they waved me off on my next leg to the Edinburgh bike co op where Scott did some last minute adjustments before I headed for the train. Mary joined me again there to help if needed. Staff at the station were great though and no complaints about my trailer.

At Mary's and Nigel's  ( photo by Nigel Dower)

At Edinburgh haymarket I got off no bother but my biggest problem was finding the Union Canal as I dodged rush hour traffic. All the other cyclists confidently whizzed past, weaving through the cars and overtaking buses. Google maps on my phone proved impossible to read inthe bright sunlight so I had to ask directions. Once on the canal I hit rush hour bike traffic but had a pleasant, sunny cycle to my daughter , Rachel , in Ratho.

Union Canal

31.37 miles on the clock. Day 1 over and everything went more or less smoothly.

Day 2 and in the morning in typical miserable weather we gave Big George a good send off. I left the proceedings after the crematorium and headed on the bus back to Ratho. It was still raining but as I set off the sun came out and I had a pleasant cycle to Edinburgh Park Station and from there the train to Dunblane. I arrived in sunshine and after a bit of a struggle over the foot bridge was on my road to Comrie. A sudden shower meant that I got thoroughly soaked before spending a very pleasant evening was spent with Jimmy and Vicky day 2 over and 53.8 on the clock(total)

Bit of a change

I mentioned George in my last blog entry. In order to get to his funeral in Cumbernauld on Tuesday I have altered my schedule. I am now travelling with bike and trailer (after a 28 hour battle with Scot rail) Aberdeen to Edinburgh on Monday, staying with with my daughter and family overnight. We travel through to Cumbernauld for the funeral then back to Edinburgh to catch the train to Perth. I then pick up my planned cycle route to Comrie for Tuesday night. I miss out on seeing old friends in Forfar and Rog and Rose in Netherley, I also miss out on 100 plus miles of cycling, thanks George but I would rather have you around.
Of to bed night for a good nights sleep. Next blog will be on the road.

Head winds and other trials

I can't say this weeks weather is what I would want for next week but I've had 2 good cycles out in the pouring rain and strong headwinds. I keep telling myself that it is good for me but I really won't enjoy cycling 200 plus miles into strong winds. This week they have been from the N.W. It would be great if they move round to the N.E. I won't hold my breath.
I've also revised my itinerary so that I will be going further on Sunday night and stopping with cousin Roger and wife, Rose at Netherley. Roger and his late wife (my amazing cousin) Ally, cycled all over the world including across Canada, New Zealand, Vietnam, Cambodia and more so I am hoping to get some free advice along with a bed for the night. Thanks Rog and Rose
I have mastered the clippless pedals......when I remember that I'm wearing them. I only fell off once, having forgotten as I approached a junction. I am also practicing using my i-phone for my blog.
Finally I had the sad news yesterday that my brother-in-law, George, died after many years of poor health including a kidney transplant. George has sponsored me on this trip so I will be thinking of him and his own special form of bravery, he has endured a lot over the years. I am hoping to be able to get to the funeral next week by getting the train from wherever I am on my trip. My thoughts are with Ray, Caroline, George and Michelle.

One or two Hiccups

Before I talk about the hiccups the great news is that I have reached my target and beyond for sponsorship. But don't let that stop you sponsoring me if you haven't yet got around to it. It would be great to get half as much again!

 I speculated last week about getting seasick swimming. I wasn’t really serious but had occasionally felt a little woozy, something I put down to tiredness.  At the start of this week the conditions in Hackley Bay couldn’t have been better. The tides were right and there was a decent swell but no large breakers. My condition was less than perfect. I started fine but after a couple of crossings felt lethargic, headachy and slightly giddy, I rolled over onto my back to see if that helped, it only made things worse. I closed my eyes and a larger wave took me up, then down and I almost lost my breakfast. Conclusion I get seasick swimming.

Back home I sought advice on Facebook and instantly my friends came up with a number of options I could try. On Gayle and Pat’s advice I chose the wristband route first; having a pair left over from cetacean watch days onboard the Hascosay. Tuesday saw me back down at HB, slightly sceptical about whether the bands would work but they did and I had three more good swims this week feeling much better. It may be psychological . I don't know but it doesn't matter!

The trip is not just about swimming. I have been concentrating on that because it is the big unknown. However I have a fair bit to cycle to get there and some big (for me) days. On Wednesday I had things to do in Aberdeen, not least picking up my tent which has been away since 28^th May supposedly having a leaky groundsheet fixed. It is not fixed and it has taken far longer to get to nowhere than I was told it would take to have it mended but that is another story. End result is that I am now travelling with an extra groundsheet which I rather do without. The cycle to Aberdeen (37 miles round trip) included my trailer half full and therefore could give me an idea of how I fast (slow) I would be travelling. I had hoped to average 10m.p.h (this allows time for stoppages, photography etc). Forget 10 mph, forget stoppages, I will be lucky if I make an average 7mph. It is now just week before I leave so I need to get some serious cycling in. This is difficult as I am on a run of 9 shifts in 9 days until I leave plus having to go to some day time meetings.  

To make life a bit easier I have decided to invest in some clip-less pedals and spd cycle shoes. For non cycling readers this is the way to fix your foot to the pedal so you make use of the upward motion of the pedal as well as the down. They take a bit of practise and apparently you have to get used to falling off your bike to begin with. I had wanted a pair that would be comfortable for walking in and suitable for the Paps but the gortex ones only come in men’s sizes.  This is something I often find with cycling (and to a less extent walking) it is all geared towards men. I have to make do with waterproof trousers that are about a foot too long, my road bike is a man’s etc etc. Anyway the pair of spd shoes I was recommended as an alternative would not be suitable for the Paps of Jura so I am faced with carrying 2 pairs of shoes. My trailer is beginning to look small. Cycling and hill walking gear can be compatible but I like to be high viz on the road and no viz on the hill so I have yet to sort this out with separate jackets for each activity.

Whilst I was making my purchases in the Edinburgh Cycle Co-op I was talking to Les, who was advising me on the pedals and shoes, about why I was buying them. He rather cheerily told me that towing a trailer was like doubling your distance each day. Next Monday I may have to leave Aberdeen at 05.00 in order to get to Forfar before dark! It was also quite concerning that many of the staff in the bike shop have had accidents on their bikes when mixing with cars. One had been hit by an audi travelling at 70 mph on the very road I am travelling. Leastways with the trailer I should be more visible. Back home it took me the best part of the evening to sort one shoe and pedal so no time for the practise. The other shoe took less than 5 minutes but both need to be properly adjusted and I can’t find my 3mm allan key. The tension is too tight at the momentt and I can’t get the shoe into the pedal, let alone off.

What I have got sorted is my itinerary whether I will stick to it remains to be seen!.

Sunday 14th work until 5p.m. (hopefully) 

17.30 Leave home ( with Claire and Caspar looking after the house while I am away)

20.00 Arrive at Mary's and Nigel's at Bridge of Don (18.5 miles)

Monday 15th 

Early, Leave Bridge of Don , cycle to Forfar via Montrose and the North Sea Cycle Route 70 plus miles .
Collapse at Tom's and Irene's overnight . A few years to catch up on.
Tuesday 16th
Forfar to Comrie 55 miles, will I still be able to stand by the time I roll up at Vicky's and Jimmy's?
Wednesday 17th
Comrie to Blarghour (Loch Awe) including up and over Glen Ogle. 62 miles.
Thursday 18th
Blarghour to Kennacraig and the ferry across to Port Askaig, Islay 42 miles.
Friday 19th
Gentle day exploring Islay but possibly not going as far as I had hoped. would like to see the Port Ellen lighthouse but that is 20 plus miles from Port Askaig so I may just give it a miss!
Saturday 20th
Over to Jura and the Paps, weather permitting. If not.....
Sunday 21st
Paps of Jura and then head up to Tarbert or as far as I can get before setting up camp
Monday 22nd
to Kinauchdrachd if I haven't already got there. A gentle day of  strolling and swimming etc.
Tuesday 23 rd
Bike, trailer and myself collected by the guys from Coastal Connection .swim the Corryvreckan. Get dropped back on the mainland and start cycling for home probably camping enroute rather than staying with cousin Ian near Oban.
Wednesday 23rd
Get to Crieff and stop over with fellow trustee Deirdre and her parents.
After this it gets a bit vague as I need to get as far up the road as possible, hopefully camping somewhere on the coast on Thursday and getting to Aberdeen by Friday. I am due back to work 08.45 Sunday 28th

 

An offer, a really good one!

Who wants to come and have a jolly time whilst I fight against jellyfish, killer whales and currents? I have a limited number of places on the support boat which I will offer to interested folk on the following basis;

1)if  you can guarantee £75 sponsorship money ( doesn’t have to be all your own but it does have to be raised legally!). I don't need to have this in advance but if you subsequently fail to raise it .......

2)if as far as possible you can make your way to Loch Feochan and the base for Coastal Connection (google post code PA344SF.) in a green as possible way. Car sharing will be acceptable as you need to be there by 08.00 on August 23^rd. 

3) you are on time for departure... the boat WILL NOT WAIT.

Please contact me via this blog if you are interested. 

Time has started to rush towards the 23 rd and I have to remind myself of how far I have come since my first post in March. I can now swim front crawl reasonably well (if slowly) in the sea: I am no longer worried about getting swamped: the sponsor ship money is getting nearer my target. The jelly fish remain a concern though particularly the lion's mane variety. I have heard that this is a "good" year for jellyfish i.e. a bad year for anything that runs into its stinging tentacles. It is thought that overfishing  is one possible cause.    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14235582  Although lion’s mane jellyfish can grow to 2 metres across the ones found  in UK waters are considerably smaller.  Their sting  is not fatal but not something I will relish receiving on my uncovered face, hands an feet.

This week’s training

Tues 26/07 11.30 Exactly 4 weeks to go to my swim. Meanwhile at Hackley Bay I saw my first positive sighting of a grayling butterfly at Forvie this year.  It is difficult to show its lovely wing patterns as it usually closes its wings when resting (as below)This species is on the UK Boidiversity Action Plan. There are concerns that numbers are declining and a certain golf development just south of Forvie may well have a detrimental effect on the numbers locally.

Grayling butterfly ( Hackley Bay)

Swim-wise the wind was onshore and the surf just the wrong side of moderate. Still I managed to swim 8 widths with a fair bit of stopping to avoid the bigger waves. As I bobbed around like a cork I wondered if you can get sea sick swimming....

27/07 Lovely day, warm sunshine, blue skies: is summer finally coming? Saw 6 flavours of butterfly plus 3 of damsel fly on the walk to and from Hackley. The grayling are definitely here with many seen flitting about the cliff. Also found out that one of my favourite flowers,  grass-of-parnassus (Parnassia palustris), flowering right down on the edge of the beach.

Grass-of-Parnassus

This is a surprise as I have only ever seen it in ditches before and would not have associated it with the harsh conditions found on a N.E. seashore boundary but looking it up not only does it grow in bogs but it also grows in the arctic and in dune systems. There was still moderate swell but I did more swimming and less waiting for the bigger breakers to pass.

28/07 Dull, overcast day with rain at times. This doesn't matter for a swimmer except making sure that towel and clothes are covered up whilst  swimming. The wind had shifted to the west and this meant an offshore wind so the surf had all but gone. Still it was slightly choppy and I looked forward to a continuous swim for the first time in a few weeks.  I have developed my own way of overcoming the gasping of the first few strokes by swimming without totally submerging my face for the first 50 metres or so , then gradually getting down to it. I still breath every alternate stroke rather than every 3 , the latter is more efficient . Unfortunately after a good first length I seemed to run out of steam and ended up doing a lot of slow breast stroke. The consequence of this was a really tardy time of 39 minutes. This is a bit depressing to say the least. Still next week the tides are all in my favour so fingers-crossed that the wind stays moderate and I will have some better swims to build my confidence. This will be my final push before I set off.

Inhaling diesel

Its been difficult getting in the water:last week the tides were right but the weather wrong, this week the tides and weather are right but I have my 2 grandchildren to stay, aged 5 and 8. I can't exactly abandon them on Hackley Bay beach and swim for half an hour. I was then told about the Bay swim, part of Peterhead Scottish week and something to give me a taste of swimming under pressure if I could find someone to look after Joe and Ellie. So Claire, their adored auntie stepped into the breach, for once she was not working and agreed to to do the necessary.
The swim was at 6.30 p.m. and details were sparse. Registration was from 6pm at Peterhead Sailing club. A boat was to take us to the start somewhere in the Bay at Peterhead. We were then to swim back into the Marina;no information about distance,  rules, entry fee or age limit . I decided that I would go , with wetsuit and decide when I got there but first I had a whole day to  spend with Ellie and Joe so it was off to Hackley Bay for a picnic , scramble (on the rocks) surf jumping ( the children), and generally butterfly (6 flavours) , damselfly (2 flavours), plant (loads), birds (loads) spotting. Not to mention the crabs and the dead seal pup ("aawwh granny how did it die?"). We picked up Claire ( auntie) on the way back and headed for Pizzahead (Joe's understanding of where we were headed) Sailing club ( 15 miles north of me).
At the sailing club there were loads of  youngish people of all shapes and sizes milling around with towels. Generally these turned out to be the parents of the swimmers. I was by far the oldest and the only one as far as I could see contemplating using a wetsuit.....but wait there was a man in a wetsuit (and shades...was he here for the surfing???!!!) who was a tad older and slightly nearer my age. So I collared him and found out that a) there was no entry fee, b) we were swimming from the green buoy just outside the marina wall (not far at all) c) Anything goes for costume but he would really, really like it if some other woose wore a wet suit. That was it, when George arrived to take our registration details I was in.
On the walk down to the Marina and the lifeboat (yes, nothing like coming prepared) that was taking us to the start (an orange buoy is now mentioned beyond the green one) the shady guy (46 years) with the wet suit reveals he is an ex Royal Marine but gives me the best advice of the day, i.e. board last ( swim first). Even with this as the rest of the swimmers are obviously current competitive swimmers average age 16, I doubted if I would finish anything else but last. As we boarded I noted a couple of other wetsuits, one that looked like it was a few sizes too big for its wearer.
 20 minutes later after a 10 minute wait out in the bay as they cleared the course of jet skiers, speed boats etc  we were told to come to the stern. I turned out to be 2nd  up and found that I had to dive in (what other way was there?). No time to dither and I was in the diesel coated waters of Peterhead bay. I struck out in front crawl and was amazed at how quickly  ...... ..................everyone  else went passed, the ex RM included swimming breaststroke. I seemed to be inhaling pure diesel every time I took a breath so I gave up and went over onto my back, horrified to discover that the lifeboat wasn't any further away. Still there were some swimmers behind me. I continued on my back, admiring the clear blue sky until shouts from a support vessel warned me that I was heading for the breakwater rocks. I dropped back a few places to get back on course, tried a few more mouthfuls of diesel, then again onto back stroke heading for the crowds that had gathered on the beach. The lifeboat was still just behind be and I finally realised that this was because it was following us in.
I finished 17th ( I think) out of ....20 with at least 2 wetsuits behind me including the extra large one. (RM way in front). I have no idea of the distance (200-300 m maybe) or the time I took. The grandchildren had been to the funfair, had a great time and somewhere ( although I didn't wait around the extra hour for it) there is a medal for me.
Main lessons, the adrenalin wasn't too debilitating, I haven't lost the ability to dive off a boat ( last time circa 1970), the Corryvreckan won't be full of diesel fumes.

A bit of smooth, a bit of rough, a bit of the other

I am either getting used to the cold or the sea temperature is definitely warmer. So much so I am planning (but not yet executing) to complete each practice swim with a length across the bay without my wet suit. A sunny day would be ideal for this but I may have a long wait and only 6 weeks to go.
At the end of June I was over at Corrour for a week on a JMT work party. Most days I went for a short swim in Loch Ossian.I found I really prefer to swim in the sea. The conditions were benign on the Loch but I never felt that I got into my stroke. Avoiding fallen trees and sinking into the sediment on the bottom were enough to put me off. Other than that the beautiful setting and not having to watch for tides or currents were somewhat liberating. Given another week I may have become happier with it.

Loch Ossian, looking North

Back at Hackley Bay the Kittiwake, fulmar and shag chicks are growing and conditions in the bay are never the same from one visit to the next. I am easily distracted by taking photos of damselflies and butterflies on the way to and from the bay.

Emerald Damselfly

Delayed by photography one day I arrived too late for a swim but was able to walk across the route I normally swim, measuring the length by GPS. I made it 152 +/- 5m so am upping my crossings to 8 to make sure I am used to swimming the distance required.
Yesterday my sister, Mary, came too. The weather was dull and there was a fair swell into the bay.

Swimming in the swell

I didn't manage much of a swim but more practice at this sort of swimming should stand me in great stead for the conditions at the Corryvreckan. Mary took a few photos.

Swell

Heading for the Rocks

Mary has also put me in touch with Joan and Mike Richardson who are old friends of my parents. They live at Kinuachdrachd which is where I will be camping on my last night before my Corryvreckan swim
.
You will note some improvements to my Blog over the past week. This is thanks to Dave, fellow JMT volunteer on the Corrour work party at the end of June. Now you will be able to see the weather on Jur (live), a countdown to my swim and brief headlines of previous posting. I hope to be able to upload a slide show of all the locations I have swum at.  Thank-you Dave.
 Finally I have confirmed my itinerary for the cycle route across to Jura. The home  run needs some confirmations.


          

A personal best

This week work has been particularly demanding with the weekend eating up 28 hours plus. During the week I was either recovering before my evening shifts or attending day time meetings but such is life and I enjoy the variety my work throws at me, never quite knowing what will be in front of me as I start my shift. So yesterday was my first swim for 10 days and time was short. I almost didn’t go as there is much to do around house and garden but hey ho that is not going to go away and will be there for another day.

I started badly and was going to give up after a couple of turns of the bay but then something kicked in and I got into the rhythm completing the distance whilst fulmars skimmed over me and the sun shone . It felt wonderful and I would have liked to stay for more, maybe a seal would arrive or I would see dolphins further out but work beckoned. A quick time check revealed that I had managed the distance in approximately 30 minutes. I don’t have a stop watch so this is approximate but it is certainly the way I want to head and although conditions were benign and very unlike what is ahead of me it does give me a bit of a margin.

it was near perfect weather. The walk to Hackley Bay was exceptionally beautiful with the wild flowers appearing in their best. Lady’s bedstraw, speedwell, thyme and orchid by the bucket-load. The violas are still going strong and whilst the thrift is beginning to show signs of age it still waves its purple head as I pass. Here and there lousewort flowers are less showy but add a splash of pink to the picture. I come across a huge patch of butterwort in a damp runnel, their purple flower spike rising above the pale lemon coloured “starfish” leaves. The zygomorphic flowers of eyebright (the flower that figures on my JMT calendar for June) are relative easy to spot with their pouting lower lip. Patches of bell heather flower in drier spots with its relative the cross-leaved heath in the damper areas. Bright green crowberry with their shiny black berries against pale grey lichens show that nothing can beat nature’s colour scheme. Then there are the lemon flowers of the mouse-eared hawkweed that bring to mind my good friend and former walking companion, Heather who is always on the lookout for this particular hawkweed.

I didn’t have time to stop for photographs although if I had spotted a small copper (butterfly) I may have been tempted. On this front there were a few small heath butterflies, a dark green fritillary and various micro moths. This is disappointing. April and early May seemed exceptionally good for butterflies with the overwintering species making a strong start but perhaps the run of stormy weather set other species back. Still like me they have a couple of months to improve!

 Dark green fritillary taken a couple of years ago

Work has taken over somewhat from my schedule of training so as some people have been asking me why the John Muir Trust not some other “more deserving” charity such as sick children, cancer research etc I will explain.

The Trust drew on the inspiration of John Muir born in Scotland but who emigrated, at the age of 10, to America where he went on to become America’s most influential naturalist and conservationist. He wrote extensively and beautifully about wildnerness areas.

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.“
- The Yosemite (1912), page 256.

We all know someone who has suffered or died from cancer (last year 3 people I knew died one a particularly close friend). This raises lots of emotion and our natural instinct is that we want to do something to stop this happening in the future. We do not like to see our friends and loved ones suffer. The same can be said of many other illnesses such as Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurones Disease, and Alzheimer’s. We give readily and rapidly to the associated charities. So I have no doubt that if I had chosen one of these deserving causes I would have reached my target no bother. I am more than happy to donate to these through other people’s challenges but I feel that we cannot sit back whilst our environment is trashed in the name of progress, economics, sustainability or whatever the latest buzz word is . The adjective has changed over the years but the result is depressingly the same... .a reduction in what is termed the core wild land of Scotland (None of our land is truly wild, the land and vegetation we see now is the result of human modification over centuries) However in recent years there has been a rapid growth of “built” structures in the form of bulldozed tracks, wind farms (and their associated tracks and infrastructure) pylons, large hydro schemes such as the one at Glendoe. SNH (Scottish Natural Heritage) has published figures showing a decline in total wild land from 41% to 31% in the period 2002-2008 i.e. 25% in 6 years. By 2009 the wild land area had further decreased to 28% meaning in 1 year an area 14 times the size of Glasgow had been lost. The John Muir Trust is campaigning to reverse this damaging trend through its Wild Land Campaign. http://www.jmt.org/wild-land-campaign.asp

I joined the John Muir Trust as I was concerned about my own impact on the hills. I was part of the exponential rise in the numbers of people heading for the hills to bag their Munros, escape the pressures of daily life, commune with nature, bird watch, or all of above. I saw the effect of this in eroded and scarred hill paths. So when I came across the John Muir Trust at a RSPB event at Vane Farm I joined and immediately felt that I had come home. I get the chance to repair some of this damage through John Muir Trust work parties. I am also part of the bio diversity work of the Trust, monitoring the habitat on one of our properties on Skye. Work parties are a great mix of people with an amazing amount of knowledge, interests, skills and backgrounds. There is always lots of laughter and new things to learn. Work parties also go to some of the Trusts partnership organisations and through them I have built up friendships on Knoydart and Harris.

I learnt gradually about the work of the John Muir award in bringing 100,000 people in contact with wildness and learning about wild places and how to look after them. The John Muir Award is an amazing educational tool bringing awareness to people of all ages, abilities and background coupled with a real sense of achievement on the way. http://www.jmt.org/jmaward-home.asp

I love the wild places of Scotland and these places are fundamental for the well-being of the health of both our country in the wider sense and ourselves. To quote from the 2020VISION http://www.2020v.org/index.asp “healthy ecosystems mean healthy people”.