OUT AND ABOUT WITH RALPH: Nothing to stop you enjoying our wonderful countryside
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After 20 years of land reform, a kayak trip down Loch More to Loch Gaineimh is not the sneaky outing it might once have been
It is 20 years since the right of access to almost all land in Scotland was enshrined in law. Everyone is entitled to be on most land and inland water for recreation, education and going from place to place, providing they act responsibly.
This includes lightweight camping by small numbers of people staying no more than two or three nights in any one place. You can canoe or kayak any river or loch at any time of the year, provided you behave responsibly and respect the rights of anglers.
Many people do not realise that you have the right to walk through any wood, or across farmland even where animals are grazing (dogs must be under strict control) or to camp responsibly in any hidden corner. You need to keep to field margins if crops including hay or silage are sown or growing.
You can walk, cycle or ride any private track and do not need permission. Some landowners still try to forbid access or prevent wild camping but they are legally in the wrong. You have an entitlement to wild camp on any hill or island.
"Private, keep out" signs have been outlawed for 20 years – and can be reported if seen! There are two which should not be there by the road at Hastigrow. Contrast the situation with England where access to most rivers and riverbanks by foot or canoe is still strictly controlled, and you can be turned off private land.
For most of my life I took care not to be seen when crossing private land and the habit dies hard. That ‘put-put-put’ of a distant quad bike still evokes the urge to hide in the heather, while barking farm dogs will surely rouse a stroppy farmer who will accost me: "Can you read that map you’re carrying?"
But now, if you are doing no harm, you have a right to be there and can just enjoy your walk or ride, without fear of being turned back.
During Covid, a few landowners put up unfriendly notices such a:s "Why are you here, go home!" or "no access to the beach". But these were illegal as the pandemic had no effect on access rights.
Loch More is now a favourite place for gentle dog-walking or even swimming. But it is not long ago that people were challenged for venturing along the loch shore or down the various tracks.
Many years ago a gun was fired into the air to turn me back – needless to say it had the desired effect! It’s now a favourite spot for the canoe club to enjoy gentle paddling when the sea is too rough, and nobody can stop them.
The appalling potholes on the Loch More road risk grounding a low-slung car, so the best way out is by bike when you can easily steer round them. But you can’t put a boat on the back of a bike, so my next visit was by car, driven very slowly and carefully.
I hadn’t yet been out in the kayak this year, and a fine day of light winds tempted me to take my favourite route round the loch then up the Sleachd Water, to find the wee burn that twists and wriggles all the way up to the sandy-shored Loch Gaineimh. You can only paddle this way when Loch More is high, ideally to the top of the dam.
I discovered this route a few years ago, now it is on the annual agenda of the canoe club as a very unusual paddle. You hairpin in all directions along a confined narrow channel between steep banks of heather, then suddenly emerge into a wide open loch under the big Caithness sky.
This must have been an even more evocative route before the Flow-Country plantings of the 1980s, maybe the peatlands will be restored now the trees are being felled after this huge, costly mistake.
Although the sun shone the wind was cold and the water even colder, having been frozen only a few days earlier. Keeping hands and feet warm in such conditions is always something of a challenge!
A couple of other vehicles were parked as I paddled back towards the car, even now I can’t get away from the concern that some estate person might berate me for venturing out during the salmon/grouse/stalking/fox denning season – there was always some excuse to keep you out.
Our access rights are very precious, and are some of the strongest in the world. Make the most of them to get out and about in our glorious Scottish countryside!
