Loch Hourn and the Launch Point

I had already roughly worked out the best place for launching the inflatable to access the remote inner loch. It was to be either from the shore in front of Arnisdale or a mile further along at Corran at the end of the public road.

Corran is a lovely little village consisting of a half dozen or so houses clustered round the mouth of the river Arnisdale



There is a large public car park outside the Heritage centre so parking is no problem. The centre looked dwarfed by the mighty Beinn Sgritheall rising steeply to the sky. However I noticed when the tide was out that it would be a difficult task carrying everything back to the car.



Arnisdale on the other hand, was spread out along the roadside but it still had good parking although not in a car park



The shore front looked far easier to walk on and not as far to recover the boat at low tide. However if I returned at high tide, there was little to choose between Corran or Arnisdale.



I chose to launch at Arnisdale as I wasn’t sure when I would return. There was not a breath of wind and it was the quickest inflate of my inflatable ever. The midges were murder. I didn’t stop for a pre launch photo and was around five hundred yards off shore before the last of the midge attacks



I slowly puttered up the coast and past Corran. The village was still asleep as I started trawling my fishing line behind the boat.




Magnificent views of Skye and the Cuillin appeared as I passed the little isle of Sgeir Leathan. I felt as free and alone as the solitary cormorant watching my proceedings. That’s when I caught my first fish of the day. It survived to tell the tale too as it was a Pollack and I returned it the sea.



I now set course for Barrisdale bay. I had heard much about this beautiful but wild bay. I was now going to witness it first hand.