Firbush is a wee Scottish paradise by Loch Tay, in Perthshire; and one of my favourite places in the world.
Day 1 – The afternoon activities
There’s no easy way to get to Firbush by public transport, so off we went in our hired coach, Simon, myself, and twenty-seven of his Master’s students.
The weather forecast for the couple of days we were going to be there was for broken cloud, no rain and less wind than the two previous years. That’s just what we got.
14.33 – Students helping Simon with the catamaran
We arrived in the early afternoon and after lunch we met with the instructors to choose our activities. Over the two days we were going to have three lots of activities.
On Wednesday afternoon Simon and I went on a catamaran. To get the catamaran on the water first you need a handful of merciful souls to help you transport it.
Then you have to put up the sails, and be towed out of the harbour. After you’ve managed all that, the sailing part is easy-peasy. That is, if the wind doesn’t let you down.
14.45 – Simon setting up our catamaran
Some of the students took the kayaks, a few went canoeing, some had a go at windsurfing, others went on the Hawk 20, and a few decided to finish their course assignments on dry land.
15.02 – The kayakers getting ready
This was our third trip to Firbush.
A bit about Firbush
Firbush belongs to the University of Edinburgh, and this is a trip we now do every year with Simon’s Master’s students.
We’ve come to love it so much that Simon’s booked a recurring slot for years to come.
15.06 – The kayakers learning to stay afloat
Windsurfing is always one of the most popular choices with the students.
15.11 – Windsurfing on terra firma
There was an intermittent southwest wind, not the best for sailing on Loch Tay.
16.16 – The Hawk 20 viewed from our catamaran
But I can think of worse things than sitting on a catamaran in this part of the world, on a mild spring day, without a care in the world.
16.22 – The windsurfers – and us – praying for wind
Even if your raft isn’t going anywhere.
16.36 – Our catamaran trying to head north
Last year we also went on the catamaran and, when we got home, Simon had a genius idea. He bought two pairs of sailing boots, so I can now jump on and off boats without looking like a terrified duck.
16.43 – Simon at the helm
I love the way Firbush is organised. Basically, it’s a military operation, not too disimilar from the way we organise our own trips. Because everything’s thought out and planned in advance, all you have to worry about is hearing the dinner bell.
17.50 – Main entrance to the Firbush log cabin
They’re intriguing, those white boats. We’ve never seen anyone using them at Firbush. Perhaps we should try them next year.
17.52 – Firbush equipment by Loch Tay
Dinner time!
As usual, the dinner bell rang at 7pm sharp. We were served broccoli & courgette soup, lasagna with garlic bread, and chocolate fudge cake. Yum.
18.05 – Firbush log cabin by Loch Tay
After dinner we all moved back to the sitting room where we chatted and played games. I love the chatting; the games, less so.
That’s why I didn’t go to bed nearly as late as the previous years. Alas, I found the board games somewhat humdrum.
But next morning’s activity would be my most fun at Firbush so far.
Day 2 – The morning activities
We woke up to a windless morning and a flat Loch Tay. Perfect for my plan.
10.18 – Two solitary rowers leaving the harbour
This time some of the students went on the mountain bikes, a couple went canoeing, and six of us chose the kayaks.
10.18 – Morning cyclists heading off
Before jumping into a kayak in the water, you get a chance to try it on the grass by the harbour, just in case.
Not that I was going to change my mind.
10.18 – Kayak time!
You see, I’d promised myself that this year I’d go on a kayak.
Memories
The only other time I’d been on a kayak was in August 2014 when we spent a month in Helsinki.
On a glorious sunny day Simon’s colleague, Mikko, took us to his kayaking club, gave us a 2-person kayak and we paddled for a couple of hours in the beautiful Baltic sea.
It’s one of my most precious memories.
10.48 – Playing rough games with the kayaks
With Simon sitting behind me I can paddle to the end of the world. But at Firbush there are only single seater kayaks, and I didn’t love the thought of venturing out on my own.
So, for two years, I didn’t touch a kayak.
11.21 – Off we go up Loch Tay
But this time I’d made up my mind I was going to paddle, regardless.
11.28 – Kayaks by the Firbush marina
And it paid off big time.
12.04 – Playing more games & staying (mostly) dry
But staying dry isn’t as easy as it looks. If you think you’re safe in your kayak once you’ve managed to get into it without going in the water, you’re in for a big surprise.
How to get very wet
When you get all confident, thinking you’re now out of trouble, you start moving your hips and turning back to say hello to the other kayaks, and that’s when you start to tilt and see yourself tipping over, if you’re not quick.
12.29 – An enthusiastic Hawk 20 sailing by
I asked Owen, our kayak instructor, how many kayaks usually capsize, and he said about two in ten. There were six of us this time, so after A and W went in I felt safer.
12.31 – W posing for posterity
Then W went in once more. He said the second time had bothered him a lot less, and chose the kayak again as his afternoon activity.
We should have done the same thing, Simon and I.
14.00 – View of Loch Tay from our bedroom window
Now I can’t wait to come back next year and jump into a kayak.
Day 2 – The afternoon activities
In the afternoon, Simon and I went back on the catamaran. It’d have been wiser to keep away from sailing, but old habits die hard.
14.21 – Getting ready to sail again
I guess Loch Tay doesn’t get a lot flatter than this.
Every so often, the wind would pick up, we’d get to the middle of the loch, then the wind would suddenly die out, and we’d be left drifting, waiting for a merciful breeze.
15.05 – Back on the catamaran
But we didn’t really care all that much. The weather was glorious.
The students persevered with their windsurfing, even if a few of them had to be lifted back to the harbour by the speedboat because of the lack of wind.
15.22 – The two catamarans & little wind
For our second and last dinner we got soup, chicken curry with rice, and apple pie. Yum Yum.
It’s always sad having to leave Firbush and all the fun. But we’ll come back next year to this wee Scottish paradise.
I took all the photos with the Panasonic.