Negotiating potholed road is perhaps most adventurous element before gentle paddle

OUT AND ABOUT WITH RALPH: A kayak on Loch Gaineimh to ease into the year before a longer e-bike ride through the Flow Country

It is good to be adventurous in the winter months, but I rarely manage it. Big ideas end up as little trips. But whatever, it’s important to get out and enjoy our environment in all weathers and at all times of the year.

I do, though, find it hard to get enthusiastic about going out in the sea in freezing temperatures. I know the water is much warmer than the air but can but admire the surfers flinging themselves down huge waves at Thurso East before dawn.

So my first kayak trip of the year was on the gentle calm of inland lochs.

It’s a paddle I’ve now done many times, maybe the most adventurous bit of the day was negotiating by car the potholed road to Loch More. Sun shone, thin ice skimmed the loch and channel edges, as I paddled across the loch, under the Glutt road bridge and up the Sleachd, watched by an estate worker parked near the locked gates and a whooper swan which called repeatedly as it swam off.

Lunch was a sandwich and a flask of tea on the sandy beach of Loch Gaineimh. I paddled round the calm loch in the low winter sun, the boat crunching through thin ice to regain the secret twisty channel leading back to Loch More.

Those who don’t know of this access would not expect to see a kayak, one day I’ll surprise some anglers then disappear to create another episode of ‘Uncanny’…

Twice I saw an otter, several times a huge white-tailed eagle. There were stags and no doubt plenty of other wildlife I missed. About as easy and gentle a day out as you could get.

You might have thought that this heart of Unesco protected Flow Country would be safe from further development. But no, the massive Altnabreac wind farm, with 20 or so turbines nearly the height of the Eiffel Tower, is being planned for the whole area. Poor old Scotland.

There’s not much adventurous about going out on an e-bike – take a spare battery and you’re equipped for all the hills and winds of a long day.

It’s many years since I last cycled the road from Altnaharra to Tongue, so I planned a little circuit from Invernaver which would take that in.

The day was unusually mild, cloudy with a gusty south wind of standing waves giving unexpected calms. Lower Strathnaver was quiet but by Syre the wind had picked up. The Syre church is always open and well worth a visit.

Ahead, Ben Armine and Klibreck bore just streaks of snow. The eastern end of loch Naver was almost calm, further along the waters were choppy and the wind blowing at least force six. Only the occasional estate vehicle was on the road, the Drummore caravan site deserted.

Beyond Altnaharra now rise the towering white turbines of the Creag Riabhach wind farm, and as usual the blades were not turning, there being no way of taking the power out on most windy days. The tiny settlement of Altnaharra was deserted, the hotel closed, the school now shut and just one man washing a van in his drive.

It’s a fine ride north, across empty moors past lochans with the mountains ahead. The expected tailwind dropped away and on the exposed summit at 800 feet it was almost calm. There’s a long fast descent to the end of Loch Loyal then miles along the loch below the slopes of Cnoc nan Cuilean and Ben Loyal.

The northern end of the loch, where there is parking and an old sheepfold, has been a starting point for many treks up Ben Loyal and other minor expeditions but for some reason is not a spot I care to linger.

The wavy wind picked up again, at least force seven across the high moors then trying to blow me off the road as spectacular views appeared of the Kyle of Tongue with Ben Hope and the Moin beyond.

I coasted down through the village and past the church, now very sadly closed, to the seashore at the old pier. There’s a lovely hidden little garden here, open to all.

It’s a hilly road back to Invernaver, many times in the past I’ve pedalled this way slowly on a laden bike in all weathers! Now with electric assist I could enjoy the uphill stretches as well as the downhills and even made the detour down to Skullomie, knowing that I’d have help pedalling back up into a strong headwind.

Just the climb up Borgie Bank then a long fast descent to get me back to my starting point at the foot of Strathnaver.

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