Thoughts on this? Summary - parents took their kids kayaking in a remote-ish area, canoe was swept away overnight and the parents phoned the polis / mountain rescue to save them an "...arduous three mile walk in boggy terrain".
I'm honestly struggling to understand their thinking - the kids look to be about 10 years old in the photos... More than capable of a short stroll, even if it is a bit boggy.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-41621266?SThisFB
They phoned for advice not for rescue and didn't have a callout just the very simple solution of getting the train to stop
their children - aged six, eight, 10 and 12
"In the end I decided the only option was to phone the police and mountain rescue, ask if they have any local knowledge that could help us out," said Mr Cluett.
True, but why? Why not just walk three miles? Why involve anyone else at that stage? My four year old walks up and down mountains, albeit quite slowly...
Idiots, why would you put a canoe on a mooring in the first place?
Bloody disgrace ..or a staged publicity stunt ..?
The family name is Cluets ..should be Clueless..
Kids 6, 8 and 10 plus all their kit. Would be hard work over boggy terrain. Seemed like a convenient solution.
Is there anything wrong with phoning for "advice"? I agree, a 3 mile walk shouldn't be an issue, but I don't really see it as an abuse of the emergency services. A bit unnecessary? Possibly. The fact that they even considered the walk suggests their kit was portable and they all could have handled the terrain and the distance.
I don't get the "the rocks I tied the boat to were pull apart" bit: So, either the water shattered the rock, or they failed to properly secure the boat.
Given that water levels had risen and other watercourses were possibly in spate I can see that it made some sense to look for some local knowledge.
If it had been my family I'd have likely walked the route solo to check it was OK then come back to get them.
I have no issue with their actions once they had lost the canoe. They didn't phone for rescue, they phoned for advice.
The canoe was not "on a mooring" it was tied up to rocks and pulled out of the water but a stream in spate washed it away. These streams can go from small to large very quickly and a stream in spate has huge power in it
I think they were in a canadian rather than kayaks. Six of them plus kit in one canoe seems a bit dodgy but I'm happy to live in a world where we can do stuff that's a bit dodgy.
They had nippers with them they did the right thing.
Would you rather see mountain rescue spend 2 days looking for them.
Although this time of year a plan B could of been useful. The only thing that gets me is 1 canoe tbh that's a lot of clobber and kids in one boat
Makes sense to call for local knowledge as opposed to getting in a situation that requires subsequent call out.
I doubt if it woulda have made the news if It wasn’t the Hogwarts Express.
Although this time of year a plan B could of been useful. The only thing that gets me is 1 canoe tbh that's a lot of clobber and kids in one boat
Now I think about it I suppose that they could have taken the boat across more than once, hope so cos if you went over in the middle with a boat loaded like that things could have gone bad very quickly.
I wouldv'e called for advice as well. It wasn't a distress call after all.
Good experience for the kids as well in that they'll have learned a bit from it.
You can see that bothy from the road but It's a right plodge to get there on foot.
I though that at first. However, the police seemed to find the situation difficult/dangerous enough to go to the bother of arranging for the train to stop. A simple solution for a situation that could've led to more bother.
It's probably worth adding that the terrain round there is particularly rough and covered in heather and bracken. It would be a tough walk, particularly for small children. A call to ask "are there going to be any trains along in the next couple of hours" - time enough to walk along the track - would have been the sensible approach and could have elicited the subsequent response.
Yup, can't see the issue tbh. Sure, they could have had a better plan B, or perhaps moored the canoe better. But taking them at their word, they seemed pretty prepared and took a sensible option when an unforeseen circumstance caught them out. I think it's fair to give benefit of the doubt here, as it's not likely that many people who were clueless in the outdoors would be planning to take their kids to stay in a bothy only accessible by canoe. Not sure why they've accrued the wrath of some people.
Now I think about it I suppose that they could have taken the boat across more than once
Article says it's only 10 minutes in the canoe, so two trips quite feasible
The terrain is so rough in fact that they were able to run for the train with bags & boxes bouncing all around for close to 1/2 mile ..
Err..right 8)
Rain in Lochaber in October is not really unforeseen.
They should be charged with littering.
hodgynd
do you know the area / terrain?
They rang for advice the Police arranged for a train to stop, what’s the issue?
An is was a nice train, nobody was caused any hassle and everyone got a nice story to tell. Sounds like a good news one really.
The bothy is only 150m or so from the rail line (and pretty flat)?
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They rang for advice the Police arranged for a train to stop, what’s the issue?
A few people who've never made a mistake in their lives seem to have come over all holier than thou. So just the usual nonsense.
Not according to the article ..400m it claims ..but I won't argue against your local knowledge..or indeed the map !
Journalists! 😆
Possible they had to make a couple of trips back and forth with their kit though.
The right call I'd say, its not like they sent a chopper in to get them or anything.
I've been to that exact location three times whilst working on the railway bridge immediately downstream, which is probably where they left the canoe. The first time I walked in, if you don't use the railway (which you shouldn't as its illegal and bloody dangerous) its a long way through steep terrain with a river crossing. Getting out without walking along the railway track would be a flipping nightmare with little kids. The two subsequent trips I paddled across the loch in a kayak on one occasion and then got dropped off (and picked up) by a train on the third. I have thought about taking the family across in the past by canoe, its an awesome spot. Will just remember to tie the boat up properly!
Seems fair enough, sometimes shit happens that you either didn't plan for or scupers your plans entirely.
And Plan B was probably walking out via the bog/hill/river and mountain rescue would probably rather you let them know that you were attempting a slightly iffy plan B so they know where you are and what time you'll call in to say its all OK than get a call several hours later when your lost and hypothermic.
Last week I did a cheeky camp in the back of my car on a lakeshore in Snowdonia. Someone just sent me a pic of the location today and it's under water due to the taps being opened on the resevoir upstream! Now that could have gotten interesting!
Nothing wrong with what they did, at all. It might seem a simple walk, but if the rivers are in spate, it would be mushy and they could have dangerous burns/rivers to cross. Looking at a map looks like there's a couple in either direction. They had a 6 yo with them and other children, and accidents do happen. There's really only one consideration there, finding the safest route out, not manning up.
Easiest option would have been to walk up the tracks in lieu of a phone mind you. as sr said.
The guy concerned is a qaulified mountain guide and teaches outdoor ed at the local uni and schools.
Sounds like he had various escape options in mind - and plan b worked out nicely.
(and if faced with walking along the rail tracks, a phone call to the polis is a very sensible call).
can't see an issue. Phoned for advice, got advice and a solution.
It's fine saying 'it's only 3 miles' but that's over undefined terrain, that has been very wet overnight (enough to wash their kayak away) and with small kids....... yes they could have attempted it and then what, if they find they can't or get bogged down, then it is only resolved by MR.
I think the kids are really lucky to have adventurous parents and have had an important lesson on what can happen when things go wrong,
I hope it doesn’t put them off + gives them some exciting memories.
looking at the satelite map aswell, looks pretty over grown too, and those are some pretty steep contours up the side too if you need to divert due to overgrown or boggy impassable bits..over undefined terrain,
They done the right thing, made contact and recieved local advice before it became serious and got a safe way out using very little emergency services resources. In fact it sounds text book to me. Good on the train people for making an unscheduled stop. Those kids will go back to school with a great story and lifelong memories, what's not to like?
I've climbed the Corbetts to the south of Loch Eilt. The walk in isn't especially nice. It's boggy and has some sharp gullies. I think this was the best option.
I'm shocked. Shocked that there are people who even think there is an issue with their actions - they didn't apparently involve anybody else having to come out and rescue them, just a couple of phone calls made, which saved a lot more potential bother. I'd certainly not want to try taking a 6yo on that walk out with streams in spate.
I just wish I lived a bit nearer there - looks like a great adventure to take kids on (the canoe trip, not the 3 mile hike through shitty terrain).
A call to ask "are there going to be any trains along in the next couple of hours" - time enough to walk along the track - would have been the sensible approach and could have elicited the subsequent response.
It's almost like you were listening in 😀
To be honest, at least getting in touch with someone to inform them of the situation seems like a sensible course of action before doing anything rash. And they were offered a better way out and took it. Seems like a good news story to me.
Hello all. I'm here to offer balance to the hand wringers.
I'm good friends with the family.
Father is an MIC holder and mountain guide, and like me has spent 20 years in outdoor education, leading young people and adults all across uk and Alps. He has had far more hill days, mountain bike days, climbing days, remote wild camps and bothy nights than most of you lot put together. He is 'proper' mountain man, who has served on MRT teams and lectures in outdor education to teachers.
This family bothy trip is annual, always to another bothy.
Youngest child is 5. Eldest 10. They've climbed a few Munro's already.
The call for help was for a few reasons.
The railway walk (obvious way out) is dangerous and illegal. He thought the police would say 'do it, with our blessing'.
He thought the MRT/police would know someone with a boat, again the simple answer.
He knew the three mile walk involved streams, one of which had gone from 10' wide ankle deep to ove 6' and totally flooded a field. He was concerned that the three mile walk would involve trying to cross flooded streams with small children.
He didn't expect police to call back and say 'next train is stopping' for you, or that train was due in 20 mins, or that it was the Potter train.
Pitchforks down folks.
We were in Fort William Mon-Fri and it was peeing it down. Waterfalls looked nice but I wouldn't have fancied yomping the family back to the car from that bothy. Would the story be more acceptable if the 'normal' train had picked them up rather than the steam train? £130 return for a family of 5 on the Jacobite. £28 on the scheduled Scotrail train
Idiots, why would you put a canoe on a mooring in the first place
The canoe was on dry land, upside down, tied to a boulder that weighed a good few hundred kg's, about 30m from loch.
£130 return for a family of 5 on the Jacobite. £28 on the scheduled Scotrail train
They only got dropped off at the next station, he had to hitchhike back to the car from there
Six of them plus kit in one canoe seems a bit dodgy but I'm happy to live in a world where we can do stuff that's a bit dodgy
You do know you can make multiple trips across? Three in a boat, does that work for you Hun?
Great to hear good news news for a change.
Those criticising need to think about a few things:
I've seen and heard of many similar circumstances where canoes/kayaks have been swept away from places that seem to be clear of any water hazard. Water levels in this part of the west of Scotland can defy belief at times.
The terrain around Essan is such that the only real viable way to return to the road is to walk along the railway track.
This is, strictly speaking, illegal so it makes sense to phone the local police for advice.
Rivers/burns in this part of the world are really dangerous when in spate - often impassible.
It turns out that there was an easy and happy conclusion to all this - as menntioned before this was pretty much a textbook example of what to do in a situation where things have gone wrong and there is a viable and simple solution.
It is great to hear stories of adventure like this and to hear that the railways had a positive role to play.
For those who think that 3 miles in that kind of terrain is some kind of stroll, you are showing a considerable amount of ignorance of the terrain and hazards that are presented in your homeland! Maintaining even 1 km/h in such terrain is often an impossible feat for a fit and strong hillgoer.
