Saturday 31 May 2014

Back on land - Badachro to Poolewe

It was a tired Lorraine who cycled away from Badachro last Friday morning to head into Beinn an Eun and Baosbhein. I had been thwarted during this journey by rain and mist and today was not to be any different. Enthusiasm was waining as I trudged my way across Beinn an Eon and Baosbhein on compass bearings. I had wanted to come here for years but the Gods were not being kind. These are two long complex mountains and I am looking forward to going back again when I can choose the weather. 12 hours after leaving Badachro I was back on my bike heading for Pam and Doug's at Kinlochewe, a shelter in any storm.
I had planned to stay for the one night but as it was so late i decided to stay for two and the next day had company on the hill from Daisy and Jack, a cocker spaniel and a collie. The weather was better but energy levels were low and I decided Meall Guthais was enough for the day, leaving Ruadh Stac Beag until I was back this way in a few weeks time. It was a beautiful afternoon on returning to Kinlochewe, and there was time to feed the ducks, learn all about organic beekeeping and generally chill before cycling north the next day to Poolewe and heading into  the Wild West for 5 days.......


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Lorraine McCall 221 Corbetts in 2014: Harris and the final sailing days

Lorraine McCall 221 Corbetts in 2014: Harris and the final sailing days: It was lovely to arrive on Harris on a beautiful, calm afternoon after the kicking we had all had on Skye. Leaving Graham and Paul t...

Harris and the final sailing days



It was lovely to arrive on Harris on a beautiful, calm afternoon after the kicking we had all had on Skye. Leaving Graham and Paul to do the anchor watch (otherwise known as testing out the local fish and chips!) the rest of us guys headed for An Cliseam in the company of Isi Oakley who had brought her brand, spanking, new roadbike down for me to cycle to the hill and what a joy it was!
It was a good chance to catch up with Isi who moved to the island earlier this year. Isi knows all about the Scottish weather as she has been working in the outdoors as a winter mountain leader but even she stated she had to reconsider her idea of what a windy day was since moving to the islands. 
It was gutting to get to the summit just as the mist moved in, meaning we did not get the views far out west. Not that anyone was too daunted and we headed back doon the hill in high spirits. I was particularly happy to be cycling back down the hill to Tarbett. We said out goodbyes (and big thankyous) to Isi and headed back for the boat in the knowledge the winds were picking up and we ony had a small weather window to get back across the Minch.
That weather window was at 5 the next morning when we made our first attempt to leave the island only to be turned back by gusting 30 knots of wind to reassess the situation. 
This is where experience comes in useful and for the next while Graham looked at various, weather forecasts and watched the clouds realising the gusts we had experienced were funnelling down a glen from the island and half an hour later saw is setting sail again and sure enough coming through the gusts and out into the Minch.
This was not to be a crossing with many views and one of Wendy's many jobs was to act as the foghorn, letting any other vehicles know we were around.
We sailed through the mist into a beautiful, sunlit Badachro Bay. A perfect end to an amazing sailing jourey. 
As well as being beautiful, Badachro turned out to be a warm and welcoming place to spend the last while sorting out kit, cleaning the boat and of course having a few beers. 
A good fun night was spent in the bar with Tom, Sue, Mary and Peter who look after The Isle of June Yacht Charters. My crew were also not finished their work in supporting the challenge.  A big thankyou to the guests and owners of the Badachro inn for their kind donations. 
And a very big thankyou to Tom and Sue (pictured above) for looking after me so well, before my  journey back on land began again. I still have not got over the chicken and sweet potato curry!


John's blog

Lorraine’s Corbett Round: Week Two of the Sailing and walking the Island Peaks by John

Wow what a week! We all came together in mallaig and our goal if we chose to accept it was to support Lorraine’s Corbett round and to do whatever necessary. If only we knew what challenges lay ahead ;-).
 It was brilliant to meet up with everyone who we were to share the experience with. Lorraine being the initial glue helping the group to bond it was clear everyone would get on like a house on fire. This was optimised by the fact I asked Lorraine ‘’how long she had known Graham’’ (our brilliant skipper) to which she replied ‘’just one week’’. This ability to engage with people is rare and amazing mirrored throughout our journey with all we met and at times people who helped us..... This aspect proves that the highland and island hospitality is still alive and well and long may it continue! 
 The trip its self had many thrills and spills, from technical problems with the boat to extreme weather on the boat as well as the mountain.  All seemed to get solved with a cup of tea or on occasion with a wee dram and in the most part with smiles on our faces! The memorable moments for me are of the a windswept day code for ‘’shite’’ on garve bhein (skye) I sneakily feel that everyone was thinking that it was no place for man nor beast and maybe we would fall at our first hurdle but no one would maintain this thought for long but instead the attitude was to battle on even with folks getting blown off their feet. In my mind this determination was the ultimate metaphor of the Lorraine’s immense undertaking and something I am in awe of!
Secondly the crack on the boat this kept moral high with everyone playing their part and bantering through the various problems that needed to be solved.
 Finally the joy of sharing the final Corbett of the islands An Cliseam (Harris) where the mood was high and sun was shining. The perfect finish to the walking on the islands and it felt like a party on the mountain side with Lorraine emitting a glow of a satisfaction Caz, Wendy, Katie and now joined by Izzy our local guide ;-), and on return to the boat was the ever present smiles and humour of Paul and Graham greeting us back with good food and tales to share. Now looking back we have had awesome times and feel privileged to support something so immense if only for one week.... On and on the Corbett round goes and in aide of a great cause that touches all of us.

Caz's blog

Caz’s blog
‘Determination in the face of adverse conditions (by Lorraine at any rate)’
I’m now sitting at home enjoying a cup of coffee after a hot shower. I am writing my contribution two days late, knowing that Lorraine will be back out in the hills already, battling with the unpromising weather forecast to get to the next set of hills. When I think about Lorraine’s undertaking this summer, that determination to continue regardless is what I am struck by and that is why it was a privilege to be able to join her for a part of her journey.  As we sailed around to Skye from Mallaig it seemed that we might get lucky with the two Skye Corbett’s as our goal. But, by the time that Paul had rowed Lorraine, John and I to shore the weather had already started to crap out. It wasn’t long before we were soaked through to the skin. However, we figured that a bit of rain was to be expected and that the two hills were achievable. We were in fact quite wrong. The further up the ridge we got, the stronger the wind became, until Lorraine and I were struggling to make progress in the gusts. With the three of us linked together though, we made progress onwards (not to mention the classic crouched crawl along the narrowest bits). It was sheer determination on the part of Lorraine that we did not back off of the hill and it was a happy feeling knowing that we had reached the top of the first Skye hill without being blown off of it (although that did happen on the way down). By that point we’d realised that the wind had slowed us down enough that the second hill was unlikely, but we were still hopeful that we’d get down in time to catch up with the boat before it set sail for Portree. Unfortunately that wasn’t to be, so after negotiating some kayak-worthy burns we were back on the road where we started, walking into winds that were still slowing us down and soaking us to the skin. At this point I knew that I would have a choice the next day about whether to head out into the hills or to seek refuge in a warm dry boat (or pub). Lorraine on the other hand would not only be back out on the hill regardless, but she would also have to bike from the Slig back to Portree at the end of the day. Whereas those of us who did walk with her the next day on Skye and the following day on Harris had the luxury of car travel to and from the hills, making it much, much easier for us. However, it’s not just Lorraine’s relentless determination, even when she was feeling the pace, which sticks in my mind when I think about the three days on the hill with her (not to mention her being THE competent crew for the seven days at sea). No, what really sticks with me is the look of pleasure and contentment that she had on her face as the six of us walked up the hill on Harris, a woman still totally in her element. I hope that while I’m drinking coffee in the city, Lorraine taking pleasure in the solitude and simplicity now that the logistics of the islands phase is finished, with the knowledge that her achievement will also benefit others through the money raised and the inspiration that she is giving to people around her.
 

Wendy's Blog

Wendy's blog
My week on the Iona was a huge experience, not all of it good! As a complete sailing novice used to being a knowledgeable and helpful kind of person in normal life, it pained me to feel so inexpert and unable to be of much use when all hands were needed. However, by our third sail, across the Minch from Harris, I was becoming more relaxed and confident about it all. I may never sail again – like Lorraine, the hills remain my passion – but I have come away with a real appreciation of the skill and knowledge involved. And the memories that linger are of classic West coast views and the sense of being on the seas, including our eerie approach to Badachro in fog.

My other enduring memories are all about people. Skipper Graham is a remarkable man: not only an excellent teacher whose competence and calmness inspired confidence, but also from the start he had a fantastic easy going manner with us, his diverse and motley crew. Sharing the experience in such intimate quarters, we found common bonds – over food, politics, cards. And united by our love of Lorraine, we worked well as a team and found new friends. I really appreciated the quiet presence and encouraging words offered when I took the helm!

Our first afternoon on Skye became a catalogue of small calamities. While Lorraine, Caz and John were being buffeted on the tops and Caz’s cheekbone collided with Cuilin rock, the rest of us watched Paul and dingie drift across Portree harbour in the same storm force winds. Then, as we attempted to moor the Iona to the pontoon, her engine failed and Paul used his foot as a fender – ! – as we veered towards a moored fishing boat. The heroes of the day were the good folk of Portree, whose kindness at every turn brought solutions and good cheer – Donald from the Pier Hotel and his brother who got Paul and the dingie back to our mooring; the two barmaids and regulars in the bar that night who rallied to find us a bike to get Lorraine back from Sligachan; Gus’s taxi service who did the round trip that night and back the next morning for far less than the normal fare; the harbour master who let us move further up the pier; the fisherman who came back unasked at low tide to remove detritus from the jammed propeller; and the Chippy owner who let us use his water tap. Heartfelt thanks to all.


In Portree, I was struck by just how much people are moved by Lorraine’s story and willing to donate to cancer charities. There and elsewhere folk we’d met just came back and quietly handed over a note.  We heard from the Sgitheanach of a local lad (Ali Kaye?) who had run nearly 5 marathons in length around Skye over 35 hours in April, raising £31,000 for cancer research. I guess everyone has been touched by cancer and can respect the effort required of Lorraine to meet her challenge. So this is something all her friends can do to support her: while she is slogging up the hills, each of us can be using our own networks to tell Lorraine’s story and raise money for Macmillan Cancer support on her behalf.  Go to it!
Paul’s blog


The seas were unforgiving for the seven crew aboard Iona, throwing every kind of weather at us during our week with Lorraine. Our mission was a determined one though, to ensure Lorraine could complete her island leg of her epic journey for Macmillan Cancer Support.
I don’t have much experience on sailing boats and the little I do was certainly put to the test this time. I had a few alarming episodes where I felt out of my depth metaphorically and literally (gale force winds and a rubber dinghy don't mix well ). I found that in a very short space of time and without warning, events can suddenly become frightening and out of control leaving you very vulnerable and unsure of the outcome. I was thankful to have an able and competent crew watching my back all the time, in particular Graham the skipper. Thanks Graham you’re a rock. 
  It’s an amazing comfort when you enter in to the unknown, be it a sailing trip or a phase of ill health, to know that you are not alone and that there is an able and competent crew watching your back and supporting you through thick and thin. 
 Cancer is an unforgiving shit, throwing all kinds of weather at you. In a short space of time and without warning events can suddenly become frightening and out of control leaving you very vulnerable and unsure of the outcome. 
  The able and competent crew that is Macmillan Cancer Support (link) are determined in their mission to provide practical, medical and financial support and push for better cancer care. 
 One in three of us will get cancer and it’s the toughest thing most of us will ever face. If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, or a loved one has, you’ll want a team of people in your corner supporting you every step of the way. 
So please support Lorraine every step of the way by clicking below as she conquers the Corbetts in support of those who supported her.
                             http://www.justgiving.com/lorraine-mccall 

PP

Thursday 22 May 2014

The Skye Hills

When I did my munro round in 2005, Skye was one of the toughest sections  due to the weather conditions. 9 years later, again Skye has proven to be testing. May is not necessarily the best month to be here.
After a crew change in Mallaig, we had to spend a day there sheltering from the wind before heading for Loch Ainort in deteriorating conditions. It was early afternoon when the boat dropped myself, John and Caz to climb the 2 Skye corbetts. By this time the sunshine had given way to a downpour and we headed up into the mist. As the ridge narrowed, the wind blew up and by the time we were close to the summit we were often been blown offf our feet by the strong gusts which sounded more like a train hurtling passed.
En route down when we had relaxed a little from the gusts a blast came from nowhere and Caz was whipped off her feet and in order to avoid hitting me, jumped to the side and tumbled over the rocks smashing her face in the process. Not a good moment but Caz, whose cheek was very quickly doubling in size and the colour around her eye going from blue to purple, did not stop smiling and we just got up and got moving again. It was not long before we realised that the torrential rain was going to make some of the rivers unpassable and it took a while going back uphill to find a good crossing point. There was not a chance of doing another hill that day.
Meanwhile, the boat had not been able to wait around for us in the gale force westerly winds and had sought shelter in Portree and that is another tale best told by one of the crew. We did not know this, having no phone signal and John hitched on to let the boat know what had happened while Caz and I did a long, slow trudge in pissing rain to the Sligachan where i planned to stay the night. No room at the inn, however, and when we heard the boat had engine problems we decided to head for Portree to find out what had happened and resume in the morning. Three little drowned rats arrived on the boat later that evening to be told the tales of engine failure, and Paul having to be rescued from a dinghy which was too difficult to control in the wind.
The next morning John, Caz and I peeled on wet clothes to go back to the Sligachan to climb Glamaig. As I still had to get back to Portree, I gave Mike Lates, from Skye Mountain Guides,  a call. He had been helpful 9 years before on the Skye ridge when I was pretty trashed by  showing me a good shortcut to get from the base of the King's Chimney on the Cuillin Ridge. Yet again he came out tops and a couple of hours later we were in the Sligachan Hotel having a pint with Mike who had arrived with a bike for me to cycle back to Portree.


The Gods had been a little kinder this day and it was a beautiful evening. Iona was drying out alongside the wall and we had a couple of hours to enjoy a beer before moving off to spend the night on a mooring with a beautiful sunset. We had a small weather window to get to Harris and planned to leave very early the next day.......
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Our Skipper Graham



This is a big, big thankyou to Graham, our skipper over the past two weeks. Graham has excellent sailing skills which he has been willing to share with our novice  and not so novice crews. He has looked after everyone, shared his experience, showed the patience of a saint, got us out of some tight situations, and always believed in our overall goal. He has done so with a childlike sense of humour, laughter, terrible songs and without smacking the gorilla once. 
It has been wonderful sailing with you Graham. Thankyou for all the support and looking forward to seeing you again. I hope this is the start of a life long friendship.

Lorraine's Blog on our second sailing week from Mallaig to Badachro via Skye and Harris

The Crew from left to right - Wendy, Katy, Graham, Paul, Caz and John
A few words about our mad crew..................



Wendy was our novice sailor with more competence than confidence. She loves fixing things and secretly wants to be a bosun.  Great support to everyone when we were challenged meteorically both on the boat and the hill.  Our chief fundraiser too!




Katy, our enthusiastic, young pup, with all round sailing skills, mistress of the RIB and secret smartie eater. Not only did she bring her homework on board, she did it too!


Caz showed great skills on the helm and out on the hill. She went over and above the call of duty when a gust of wind blew her forward and she jumped to stop herself hitting me,

tumbling down the rocks and smacking her face ending up with a serious black eye. Great sense of humour and support during the long, trudge to the Sligachan pushing forwards in horizontal rain.
 Paul is our chef extraordinaire, ship's mate and bosun. Going all out to help in all situations both emotionally and physically!!  Completely at home in the environment and having some epic tales to tell!



John - a great sense of humour in the face of adversity, good all round sailing skills, master of the RIB and excellent ballast on the hill when Caz and I were about to take off!

Wednesday 21 May 2014

WHY I WAS HERE

The phone rang unexpectedly. "Could you skipper a yacht in the western islands of Scotland?", was the question. "Errr, yes........tell me more......", was the immediate answer.

What followed was an introduction to an amazing woman, Lorraine McCall, who has fought back from serious, serious illness and at the age of almost fifty determined to take on another challenge that the fittest and strongest would struggle to complete.

Amiable and exuberant, too modest by far, she has a steely resolve to be the first woman to complete the 284 Munros in Scotland in one continuous walk and the 221 Corbetts in a continuous journey of walking, sailing and cycling.

The opportunity to skipper a crew made up of Lorraine's friends was too good to miss. A wonderful bunch of people they have turned out to be and every one committed to helping Lorraine, their beloved friend.

For me personally, it has gone beyond merely sailing a boat for her. This is a woman pursuing a goal that just twelve months ago seemed an impossible prospect, and at the same time she is raising money for MacMillan Cancer Support. These were the very people who helped Lorraine through her moment of need. I feel proud to have had the opportunity and privilege of helping her.

Lorraine has committed herself to a huge effort to raise money for her chosen charity. You can help too. Please dip into your pockets for even the smallest amount. Every penny will help someone in their moment of need.

Graham Walters

Yacht Iona was kindly supplied by Peter Henderson of Spirit of June Yacht Charters.

Friday 16 May 2014

Lorraine's blog on the Rum Cuillin and the end of the first week's sailing

It is now the end of our first week on board Iona and our first crew have just left the boat. Thankyou to Graham, Clare,Rob, Julie and Alex for a wonderful, wild, exhilirating first week. My final day of this first week was spent on the Rum Cuillin on my own ( I would not have left the boat either if I did not have to) in some manky, misty weather involving greasy rock scrambles, walking for hours on compass bearings, sliding down moving boulder fields and trudging through mud. It was not until I came down to Dibidil for the walk back along the coast that the mist finally cleared. I spent a few minutes thinking about our good friend Tam from The Craig Dhont Club who sadly died here a few years ago. There was not a chance today to have a rum on Rum for him but \i made a mental note to do so later. Back on board the boat I was met by a slick, sharp sailing machine as the guys collected me on the dinghy got the sails up and the anchor up and we were on our way to Mallaig before I knew it. It's been only a week but the guys have picked up so much already and I think they have had great fun doing it. It's not just all for fun though as the poignancy of Julie;s blog shows.As I sit here writing this, Chris the really helpful pontoon master has been down to handover a donation from the Chairman of the Coastguards who has been inspired with the whole journey. If i think back to this time a year ago, the world was a very different place. I tired so, so easily, suffered from chemo brain - the term the MacMillan nurses use to describe the forgetfulness which can happen, (so what's changed I hear friends say - degrees, I answer) and had to come to terms with short, curly hair.  Others go through so much more but there is an amazing support network.. Please think about donating and sharing.... 



Alex's blog of our first week sailing



Gratitude for Graham on Gigha! Having no sailing experience, this trip was always going to be an adventure. I awoke on day 2 of the trip at 6am being flung across the bed with the sound of screams from Clare at the helm - that was just a glimpse of things to come. Sailing around the Mull of Kintyre involved rough seas, a vomiting Rob, a sea-goggled Clare, a reliable Julie, a sleeping Lorraine and a jolly skipper. I spent the time down below with flying cutlery, in my sleeping bag hoping it would all end soon. The facial expressions from Rob and Clare in the cockpit suggested I was safest where I was. Graham the Great was in full control throughout, however, and we sailed calmly into Gigha with all crew back upstairs rewarded by an amazing dolphin display. It was a come back from sailing as 6 hours before I was thinking NEVER AGAIN. As the sunset, I sat on deck alone and appreciated the beauty of this wonderful land. A day of mixed emotions ended with gratitude for the oppportunity to have such an experience, gratitude for the opportunity to meet and share the experience with a group of special people and most of all gratitude for Graham for getting us all there alive.

Julie's Blog from our first week of sailing........



Julie's blog
A pertinent place to start this voyage for me as I last sailed from Ardrossan with my friend Marion Harris, her family and friends, for her 49th birthday. We had a wonderful, sunny trip with lots of laughs, but Marion was by then very ill with cancer, and sadly died 8 months later, having coped courageously with her illness.
So it is uplifting that Lorraine is doing this amazing journey in her 49th year, having been through her illness and is raising money for MacMillan.
After a days sailing yesterday ('good' or 'queasy' depending on your perspective), goose winging our way up, we arrived at Rum for a bumpy night at anchor, before an equally bumpy and wet dinghy ride ashore to drop Lorraine on a mist clagged island.
Off she trooped, determinedly up into the wind and cloud, as Rob rowed and I cursed at the obstinate, stalling outboard. Now we are munching on such gourmet delights as crisp sandwiches and biscuits with macaroni cheese on the hob, awaiting Lorraine's return from the high peaks - so that we can make the shelter of Mallaig before the forecast gales come in...... Crew change tomorrow and a new lef of the adventure...............
And as Marion would have said,  'Keep on Trucking', Lala

Rob's Blog from our first week sailing.....




day 6 on board Lala's maritime adventure. ......I've worn the same underwear for 5 days now, I had a 3 minute shower, puked up in one of the most wonderful areas of Scotland and generally felt off coulour for 5 of the 6 days especially if I was down below.  On the plus side, I've got an idea how to sail now, have climbed Dun Da Gaoth on Mull, the only Corbett there and had great fun. Best of all , I've made some new friends and had a great laugh - even when I was honking over the side. Oh yes..... we also got Lala over 8 corbetts and stood on top of her 50th with her. A big, big thankyou to Graham for being so patient and skippering the boat so well. I have felt in safe hands throughout the whole trip - even on the journey round the Mull of Kintyre when we were all crapping ourselves in the strongest winds and highest seas of the journey.

Clare's blog



From Clare: Meet the Crew Week One
Skipper Graham - An excellent sailor, patient teacher and a welcome voice of calm at the helm during the hairier moments round the Mull of Kintyre - even if he did insist on whistling the 'tune' of the same name for most of the week.. ... we think he has a secret gingernut addiction.

First mate Julie - A woman of many talents! great to have another sailor on board - especially when she sat beside me while I squealed at the helm as the boat keeled further and further over. Our very own wildlife expert and queen of the inflatable - even if she did keep falling out with the outboard (and the oars).

Second mate Rob - managed to dredge up dim and distant memories from his dinghy sailing days and by the end of the week looked like he knew what he was doing. Our anchorman, and most importantly, shopper with an excellent supply of biscuits and crisps.

Adventurer Alex - providing Lala with welcome support on the hill, bagging 6 of the 8 corbetts done this week with her and still overflowng with energy and enthusiasm - wish I could bottle some of it!!  After a shakey day 2, she can now add sailing to her many experiences, though do not think it will overtake the mountains in her heart.

Bosun Clare (that's me) Afraid I did not remember much of my limited early sailing experience but do not think the scenery was so beautiful or the winds so strong when I dabbled with sailing in Australia. We are lucky to live in such a beautiful place. 

And last but not least, Lala. What can I say? What a woman! Sailor, Mountaineer and haribo demolisher. About a quarter of her way through her latest incredible challenge and still going strong with a smile on her face and encouragement for others. Total respect to you Lala. Thanks for letting me join you for part of your journey. Clare