IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Achnacarry, SPEAN BRIDGE, PH34 4EJ

A steep river draining the large Loch Arkaig into Loch Lochy. It is striking how the dominant east west grain of glens in the Highlands is disrupted by the Great Glen.

Looking up the River Arkaig from the B8005 Road to Clunes

Looking upstream.

The River Arkaig drifting into Loch Lochy at Bunarkaig - Ben Nevis can be seen in the distance

The Arkaig provides a very short paddling trip for canoeists, with only two rapids of note, but has the great advantage of being lake-fed. This means that it holds its level well for a period after rain when other rivers have fallen too low to provide any sport, or, as in this case, is slower to rise after a biblical downpour. We had looked at other rivers nearby and run away as they were dangerously in spate, but the Arkaig had just come up to a pleasantly challenging level with no chance of sudden changes to catch out the unwary. The main rapid is further upstream, but this rapid (grade 3), only a short way above the take-out as the river flows into Loch Lochy, also gives some sport at certain levels, though it does tend to wash out when very wet. It used to be oppressively hemmed in by Rhododendron ponticum, but the estate has clearly been making a significant effort to remove this invasive non-native, so the path on the river right bank now provides an excellent view of the rapid, which was scarcely visible only a short while ago.

A stone building, on the shore of Loch Lochy. This was part of the Commando Boat Station, used in the Second World War. Commandos were trained in basic seamanship and landing, using a wide variety of different boats. Some more details from the Commando Veterans Archive: http://www.commandoveterans.org/CommandoBoatTraining