4 Go to Raasay

By Mr and Mrs Coups

Day 3 of the Skye trip… we had hatched a plan with John and Amanda to visit the Isle of Raasay and more specifically Taigh Thormoid Dhuib Bothy located to the North of the Island. So with a nod of approval from Tom and mutterings of some good climbing on the North of the Island, bags were packed and already looking worryingly full even without the climbing kit! So, on Bank Holiday Monday we set off to the ferry port with Amanda and Coups particularly excited – well it is a ferry after all and what turned out to be an almost brand new one.  Aside from a Dutchman with an anorak and sensible shoes, we pretty much had the ferry to ourselves and it didn’t take a brimming Amanda long to bag us a ride up in the Captains Deck of the swanky new Caledonian McBride.

Once on Raasay we drove up to the North of the Island on roads that hadn’t seen a tarmac crew for a good few years!  Once parked we had a traditional GMC faff and finished the packing of……..huge bags – but before you laugh we had the means to make fire, that’s what a bothy is all about right?  Our walk to the Bothy of some 8km took us through some fantastic island scenery with the path weaving up through woodland between the rocky outcrops from one side of the island to the other.

The Bothy was a welcome sight, sat there looking towards the sea with its green roof.  It was pleasing to find it in a good state of repair furnished with sleeping platform, tables n benches, quiz books and assorted travel games a fire place and the all important pooh shovel.

With the Bothy explored we headed off to find a nearby crag.  The weather was threatening rain and the wind was keen but nonetheless John led a nice little route called Knee Breaker or Knee Jerker or something! The rock friction is amazing and such a treat to climb something that isn’t polished or frequented.

Token climb compete and with no damaged knees, we amused ourselves with the more serious task of coastal exploration.  Coups found himself a big stick which he was very pleased with.  John and Amanda bouldered everything they past by and Jenny found a Sea Urchin shell to take back to the bothy as our small bothy addition.

The evening saw the consumption of pasta accompanied by the wine heroically carried in by Amanda and equally heroically opened by John who without a bottle opener, placed the bottle in his boot and proceeded to smack the hell out of it against the bothy wall until the cork eventually popped.  Note: If going to the effort of carrying wine a long way, remember the bottle opener or take John! With wine and Whisky consumed, dominos and quiz book exhausted, we resorted to scrabble.  Amanda turning out to be a childhood scrabble expert and John an all round wizz, Jen and Coups didn’t really stand a chance at winning.

Next day dawned promising and with the Shovel March completed by all, we left the bothy to retrace our steps back toward the car looking for climbing along the way.  The weather deteriorated but Jen took on a V Diff while John and Amanda opted to study (so that’s what they call it now) back at the car.  Jen and Coups returned to the car to discover J & A eating cake inside the car while 2 large ginger pigs snuffled around outside the car wanting their share!

24 hours of isolation on the island had left us all with Scottish accents, an ability to proudly alert one and all of the need of a Shovel March, a love for pigs and champion beach combing abilities. We left reluctantly but returned triumphantly to the Old Inn to proudly report our fun and antics to Rich and Paul.