Slightly anxiously I set out my kit the night before, three lots of swimwear and towels. I’d start with the least kit and plan on doing the last swim in swimsuit, gloves, neoprene socks and boots. Problem…..I only have two swimsuits and one bikini (not worn for….hmmmm a number of years!!! Anyway it was going to have to be the bikini first, get that over with…..
Just back and what a morning out that was, amazing company, amazing scenery, fantastic lochs and some pretty fabulous homemade cakes afterwards. The theory started okay but I never actually needed to move onto my neoprene gloves, socks and shoes. It all felt a bit mad but amazing at the same time. We started with:-
Lochan Reoidhte (pronounced Roahr) a very small, picturesque but peaty Lochan. Nicknamed by some of our group that had swum here before, the beetroot loch. It was a bit muddy around the edges, but it was easy enough to walk in, apart from the fact you couldn’t see a thing due to the peatiness. It felt chilly, but warmer than Loch Earn, a guess around 16c, camera recorded 15.6c! There was a cool breeze drifting across the surface, making for a few choppy, face slapping waves, but it was wonderful. Getting out in the breeze, not quite so much fun! Quick change into a dry swim suit, huge fleecy pyjama top on over, jumped back in the car and heater on. I never even took off my wet shoes, just stuck the car heater on and off to the next.
Loch Drunkie, wow this one is so spectacular in its beauty, tucked away in these unspoiled forests glistening in the sun, it looked so inviting. Got parked ok, plenty space to pull off the road so as not to impede other through traffic. Short walk down to the Loch and it was even better close up. I waded in couldn’t wait, then had to wade out again for the pre swim group shot. It felt warmer than the first loch, temperature in the Camera was just hovering about 16c though, so not much of a difference really. Its shape means you have two very distinct areas to swim in. The breeze had dropped and it was smooth and silky. Such a fantastic swim, and one I would love to do at sunrise or sunset. Out of the water again, back up the hill to the car, change into another dry swimsuit, feet still not cold, so just left the same wet shoes on. Car heater and heated seats on, wearing huge smiles and feeling adventurous as we headed towards Loch 3.
Loch Achray; the clouds had begun to form, and it looked dark and a little oppressive, and as we parked I was a bit apprehensive about dip number 3, I’d done a two dip day before but this was my first three. But the group just led the way and we marched down the hill and ready to enter the water. We had to walk through the little camping area and lots of people were fishing, so we had a little chat about where best to go in to avoid their lines. They had been up fishing for a while and cooking bacon butties; by this time, and two lochs in I was getting pretty peckish, but he didn’t offer to share!! Lawrence in first…….jeez this felt cold, so much colder than the other two, I got to close to the inlet where the stream water rushes in and boy that was baltic, but it did make the rest of the water feel not too bad once we’d acclimatised.The breeze was back up, but I managed to stay in for just under ten minutes, it was fabulous.
Then back up the hill, into the car, it felt absolutely heavenly to be getting warm clothes on, plenty layers to stave off the chill. Next came the packed lunches and communal cakes, hot tea and blether. What a fantastic group of like minded people, all sharing their love of the water. Here I am a woman in her fifties only now beginning to find adventure, in some ways I wish it hadn’t taken me so long, but then maybe I wouldn’t have appreciated it when I was younger…..l do now!
Add comment
Comments