Scottish Fishing Trip to East Sutherland and Durness Lochs May 2023
This is my first trip across the border since corvid and our health scares 4 years ago, so many changes. So a new base the 47000 acre Badanloch Estate, in East Sutherland. At first glance nothing seems to live or inhabit this vast emptiness of land, except 2600 acres of Trout and Salmon river and Lochs, Red deer roaming wild, Flora and Fauna growing wild and as you stand and listen to gentle water movement from the Helmsdale River or the ere silence around you, a Golden Eagle watching from above. Also a new hotel, the Garvault Hotel,
Garvault Hotel
about 39 miles up a single track road with passing places. When you turn off the A9 at the village of Helmsdale, it’s situated North West of Kinbrace on the edge of the Badanloch forest. The Hotel transport is a Land Rover with a snow plough attachment and a Snow-Cat. That said it all, all surrounded by open moor land as far as you can see. To you Salmon fisherman, this estate is the source of the famous Helmsdale River which flows south through the estate and I expect you all will be aware of it. It also runs alongside the single track road from its source Loch Badanloch, to the North Sea, In fact the day I fished the first loch one of the estate guests had a 32lb fresh Salmon out of the river all silver very clean.
Lower Helmsdale River
Upper Helmsdale River
Badanloch Estate has been run as a family trust for decades, it consists of 6 main Lochs, 3 of them are inter-linked which were formed when the Badanloch Dam was built, by the estate owners. It was the first of its kind in Scotland in the early 1900, and its purpose was to keep the water level up for the Salmon in the Helmsdale River. The 3 Lochs are a total of 2300 acres and are 500ft above sea level, the remaining other 3 are hill Lochs spaced around the estate in the hills and moor land.
My plan is to fish the hill Lochs, of Loch Druim a Chlabhain, and Loch Coire nam Mang, an o/s maps 9&10 and a compass are required. First this involves a 2.9mile argo-cat journey north east across the moor to reach them. Loch Druim, being 50ft deep and Loch Coire not so deep at 15ft deep. I leave the order of the lochs fished to the Gillie as he has to arrange transport and boats for each Loch, at this point I have covered so far 765 miles at 65.6 mpg (petrol).
Day 1, I am collected by the gillie in a Nisan 4×4 truck and we are off on a 7 mile forestry track to the Alltan-Fhearna Loch to the boat pier. Constant heavy rain and wild winds, fished for 6 hours, caught 7 around 1lb, lost a few all on size 10 and 12, colourful flies, good heavy boat with a motor and a bilge pump fitted. The gillie known as Paul was very professional in his ways, he could read the weather, rain clouds and when rain was arriving by just looking at the sky. I would say difficult fishing and I had forgot my sea sickness pills! I fished my standard 10ft rod, 3 fly set up but found it difficult getting the leader back cast against the wind. I could get the line back but the leader was already on its return. Paul suggested he changed the leader for one they use in the wind and its colour matches the peat stained water. What a change, perfect 3 fly back in harmony the only problem the actual force in both arms with the cast and fast retrieve was going to kill me and this only the first hour of 3 days of this.
Boat on Loch An Fhearna
At one point Paul said we won’t get back before the winds hit us I will drop you on the shore and walk the boat round to the next bay for shelter, keeping the boat away from the loch edge and the rocks he was chest deep wading the boat round. You walk round the shore line and we will meet up when the winds gone over. On my walk I came across an old boat shed and when I asked Brian about it he said he hadn’t been in it since 1965. On my walk round, I had Sandpipers, Divers, Terns and Oyster Catchers for company. Caught 6 Trout a 1.5LB beauty with coloured spots, lost a few. I changed to size 8 later in the day and still caught a few. By 3.00 pm my arms were dropping off.
Day 2, it’s the 1st of the hill lochs, Loch Coire-nam-Mang, we meet at the hotel with the argo-cat, load all the fishing kit including the outboard motor and off we go up the mountain along sheep tracks for 3 miles. Paul in the back whilst I am up front with the head keeper of the estate, Brian, a mind of information he has been there since 1956. He dumps us out at the boat house and he will be back at 3.00 pm to collect us. Weather is the same but now we have sleet storms as well. Although the boat is slightly smaller it’s still heavy duty. The wind and sleet were not forgiving, caught 6, one being 1.5lb with nice spots. I put it down to another hard days fishing. Lying on the heather waiting for a lift, all our kit was left in the boat shed as tomorrow we go even further on for another ¾ of a mile to the next Loch. On the way back Brian was telling me every year they come out with their spade to clear the burn by the side of the boat shed as the salmon come up it to spawn, see photo. The scenery is breathtakingly although a little intimidating when you’re stuck in a rocking boat alongside Ben-Grian, a slab of mountain rock 580m high.
Loch Coire
Argo Cat
Track
Day 3, same trip along the various gully’s and tracks to the boat shed, we are loaded up and off again this time in the edge of the Loch to get do Loch Druim-a-Chiliabhain.
Loch Druim Salmon Burn
Loch Druim
Weather is slightly better, rain has stopped but not the wind, caught 4 plus another 1.5lb, and as lunch time had arrived, The boat shed do give you a dry space to shelter and have lunch, I called it a day and for the last few hours we chattered on fishing in this area. By now my arms have nearly dropped off, my fingers are numb with the cold, and my back is about to part-company with my body, and then the next 3miles in the Cat with no suspension across the open moor to get to base. I have to ask my self is this all really worth it, YES! No question about it.
For anybody planning to fish highland hill Lochs, they can be in some very unforgiving areas, and the weather can be very harsh and spasmodic, be sure to make sure you have company and the correct clothing, and you have checked the area out.
Endless Views
In the case of these last 2 lochs approx. 4-5 miles away by track I sat in a boat on a windswept loch, whilst Elaine was in sunshine 3 miles away in a straight line.
Through the winter they feed all the wild deer with cake, spaced out on the single track road on the grass verge, from a tractor and trailer so as to keep them in first class condition for the shooting season as the deer can’t get any food with all the snow on the ground. As soon as the weather improves they move off to high ground.
The Hotel we have been staying in on the moor is classed as the most remote one in the UK, it’s run by two eccentric but very pleasant couple, just to give you a few facts, no keys to lock the bedroom door, although when asked for one, they were given, no tea & coffee facilities, no hair dryer, no telephone, no mains power – 3 portable gen sets Listers (WW2) type and a modern Kabuto, and some solar panels, no menu and all guests eat at a long table together. In his Garage he got a 1968 Triumph Vitesse convertible and a 1967 Bristol Grand Touring, both in need of some TLC and a Merc road car. They don’t take credit cards, he just said no problem pay us when you get home. On the last night about 8.00pm all the power went out, when I got the bill he had made a £20 reduction for any inconvenience. I think we were lucky with the other guest as we got on well, a critical care Nurse from Durham and a Lotus engineer from Colin Chapman era, who turned out was rallying in my days, same year and same events. Small world and while sitting talking to Paul on my last day with him, he said, last night I was telling my friend Duncan I had an old club rally driver with me in a boat, and he said, ask if he knows my Yorkshire fishing mate Bob Bean, who used to do rallies, and yes I did compete against him, in 1970s and when I asked where he was from, he replied a small hamlet in Wales you will never of heard of it, I said try me, he said Abergwesyn and I replied yes I know exactly where it is, we in the 60s/70s rallied all round there and further more my caravan is at Llangammarch Wells about 5 miles away in a straight line, now that what I call a small world.
On our route from Kinbrace to Tongue on the North coast, we met up for lunch with my old Gillie, Walter, from my previous years fishing Altnaharra Estate. He has now retired and invites me on another visit to fish Loch Shin with him. He now gets free fishing as he lives in the village of Lairg. In my past Scottish fishing reports I always raved about the Crask Inn on the Lairg road for its’ beautiful glens, streams, wild windswept moors. Now as you pass the Crask Inn you are faced with the Creag- Riabhach Wind Farm, 17+ windmill turbines, the once narrow track has been widened, concrete culverts built to change the direction of the river which is now dry, bridges built and buildings everywhere and a further 4miles on there is another in construction, all the pylons made from wood anchored down by thick wire rope, on huge concrete bases, just going out as far as you can see, total destruction of a beautiful landscape and they call this progress.
We are now in Tongue, a rest day as no fishing allowed on a Sunday.
Day 4, I am fishing the Durness Lochs, I am booked on Lanlish Loch bank fishing, 40 miles each way most of it single track road with passing places, full of motor bikes and motor homes, the fishing was bleak, never had a take, never saw any sign of a fish, and the return trip took over 2 hours, so I shan’t be going there again.
Durness Loch
Lanlish Loch
Day 5, Fishing Loch Loyal another disappointing day, bank fishing both the North West bay and at its original source as it flows under the bridge. The river is so weedy you are almost unable to fish it, and the northern stream is dry, barely a trickle.
Loch Loyal West Bank
Loch Loyal Bridge
Loch Loyal Feeder Burn
It’s difficult to imagine the Lochs are about between 1.5 to 2m down from their average water level for this time of the year, and rivers like the Garry are serious low. Another disappointing point of this trip is the old fishing hunting lodges/hotels with their gentle, relaxed atmosphere are being sold to European owners and then changed to B&B or fast food outlets and the new owner doesn’t even take on or renew the fishing lease, some 60 + years old all the history is destroyed and replaced with modern decor.
I think the weather was against me and I was 4 weeks too early in the season. So a mixed trip, the fishing could have been better but not all bad, good company, next time I need to study the hotels in the east better, so as to replace my old haunts.
One of the best bits of this trip is catching a trout on a size 8, never used size 8 before, just dribbling it on the top dropper over the waves and he came up from the depths and took it between the waves crest.
And the Argo Cat trips fantastic piece of kit, fitted with a winch and all weather cab, roll cage and they swim.
Elaine reckons I should get out more, and get a life!!
Total mileage 1460
1st section 65.6 MPG
2nd section twisty mountain section up and down road 56 mpg
3rd section 75/85 mph 65.1 MPG
Best accommodations Moffat B&B excellent 5*
And Premier Inn Inverness never changes always first class in food, accommodation and service.
Andrew Ayres
WFD, LFD, C&GFDC and Grayling Society Member.
Worcester Fly Dressers 