31-12-2015
From Etive to Glasgow to home
After the Coe, we still have some energy left for the last hours of 2015 and we decide to go back to the Etive for the Right Angel Falls.Once we arrive in the Etive valley we can finally admire the beauty of this valley, we understand now why Daniel Craig came all the way up here to shoot some scenes for the Skyfall film.
It is relatively easy to reach the falls, at least if you don't mind some wet feet as a small path through the soaking wet landscape leads to the falls. Once we arrive at the falls, we immediately notice that the river is significantly lower than last time but its definitely not dull and the water level is still big and juicy.
Last time all the rocks at the entry of the fall where flooded, creating other possible lines, but now only one line is possible: the "Right Angel Line", the line consists of a small bend to the left followed by a 90° angle to the right through a small stopper, once you pass this stopper you have to prepare yourself because the fall comes immediately afterwards.
I go first, I manage to get through the S-Bend, I want to prepare for the falls when I already hit the water, I am already down, ... this ride went ffffaast!! Birdy goes next, he doesn't want to risk to be flunked in the stopper in the s-bend with his small boat and he puts in just in front of the fall ... Birdy Flies and .... he nails it perfectly.
Ward on Right Angle Falls
Afterwards, we meet some other paddlers that are hiking over here, I am talking with them, when I see Birdy walk farther in the grass upstream, I don't really take notice of it, its Birdy we are talking about, but actually Birdy has put the crazy idea in his head to go for a second run from the start of the Etive. But it is almost dark???. I tie up the boats on the motorhome and when I come down it is completely dark and no Birdy to be seen so we start driving upstream when we find Birdy mocking at the put-in, sorry Birdy you have to come again another time.
We have to finish this great kayak year with a bang so we head out for Glasgow. After some parking struggles we park our big fat motorhome in the city centre and go looking for a party, apparently there won't be big fireworks nor big parties like in Edinburgh, but there are some parties in the pubs and clubs, we decide to go to La Boteca which promises Brazilian and Cuban music.
I won't give to many details, but it ends up to be a great night ....
At 5 in the morning we leave Glasgow to Sanquhar for the last river of the holiday and the first river of the year 2016, but unfortunately the weather turns. Ice is formed on the roads, and we decide not to risk to driver further on the slippery roads and go to bed, after a couple of hours it is still icy so we head back to the highway and we decide to go straight to Hull.+
Waking up in frosty Scotland
In Hull we have some time to kill so we go for a city walk, and Birdy threats us for some beers and snacks. Afterwards we go to the ferry, after an apero with champagne on the sunskydeck (although we didn't saw any sun on that deck) we go for the first fish and chips this week and I am glad we only had to eat this once!
Cheers!
In our cabin we can look back on again a great holiday, it was supposed to be a backup plan for Uganda, but this backup turned out to be one hell of a holiday, thanks mates for this amazing trip!!!
The End!!
