GUIDE TO THE RIVER ARKAIG

NAME OF RIVER: Arkaig.

WHERE IS IT?: OS sheet 41; Loch Arkaig (GR171888) to Loch Lochy (GR187877). The location is about 20 miles north of Fort William.

PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: Access is from the B8005 which runs alongside the west of Loch Lochy. Park in the layby on the north east corner of Loch Arkaig from where there is easy access to the Loch where entry is easiest. Egress is at the road bridge just before the river flows into Loch Lochy.

APPROX LENGTH: 3 km.

TIME NEEDED: 1 hour.

ACCESS SITUATION: Unknown.

WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: Unknown. Stays up well when others are low.

GRADING: Grade 1 - 4.

MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: One fall significantly harder than anything else here. Rhododendrons.

Bridget Thomas (October 2005)...'There is now a large tree below the main rapid, which makes inspecting this drop a good idea.'

Jeff Asplin, Nov 2005...'When we ran it on 15/11/2005 in very high water (Road AND parking place at access point under water), there was a tree in the river just below the main falls on river left. So until it's gone paddlers beware!

(Note from Mark Rainsley - tree has now gone - Jan 2007)

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a short but pleasant stretch of water and useful when levels are low.

From the loch, paddle into the river under the wooden bridge. The first rapid is a small weir/ ledge which may offer a little play potential.

The only fall of major significance comes after no more than a few hundred yards after this. Inspection is from a large island accessible from the right hand bank. In low water this fall is about grade 3 however can rise to grade 5 in spate. The rapid has a large pool at the bottom making for easy rescues. The best route is through the middle. The right hand channel is only canoeable in high water and the left hand channel can be obstructed due to overhanging rhodedendrons.

For the next mile there a few rapids of grade 2-3 which present no difficulties. Egress is at the road bridge just before the river flows into Loch Lochy.

OTHER NOTES: There is a rather extreme tributary which you pass on the near the put-in...!

Philip Skinner...'It is not much cop when low, but in high water is worth it purely for amusement factor - the one shot wonder fall is great for stitching up the unexpecting. We generally sit in the last decent eddy before the corner and one by one disappear out of sight. Its other virtues are that it is really short, and ideal for tagging on the end of a River Spean gorge trip in winter when daylight is so limited.'

Kris Waring comments... 'Recommend you try it when the road at Loch Arkaig is flooded! The rapid is big (in fact there are alternative lines over the island) but the stopper seems to kick to the left and wash out quite close to the overhanging rhododendrons. Maybe the chute kicks left - I don't advise going into the stopper to test that last statement, the right hand end might be holding. The main reason for trying it is that all those scrapey grade 2 bits have turned into lines of huge standing waves - well worth the effort to try and surf (unless you're in a spud)!'

CONTRIBUTED BY: St. Andrew's Uni, also Philip Skinner, Kris Waring, Bridget Thomas, Jeff Asplin and Mark Rainsley.