Fueled By Enthusiasm

Thats a bit fresh!

2012-03-04T10:56:00.002-08:00

First Canyon session of 2012 today clear blue sky's just above freezing and snow on the hills! Even typing this my hands are still tingling.

Ready and warm!

Keeping the hands out of the water

Looks cold

First full submersion

Jacuzzi Pool

Full commitment well done guys!

2012-02-24T08:12:00.000-08:00

The last week and a half has seen some good stuff happening in the Dunolly Camp, Some BCU 2 Star training and assessment, a bit of BCU 3 Star training and a Trail Cycle Leader Training course for the trainees.

Expensive trailer!

Route planning

Sam's debrief

Lost?

Oli Swims

Poser

Oli's improvised knee pads!

Sam Hitting the line on the SCA rapid

Philbert

Peter breaking in

Lunch time on the 3 Star course

Scotty's lunch

Peter on the River Lyon

Don't mind if we do

2012-02-20T11:57:00.000-08:00

Helen and I headed to Glen Shee for a bit of winter sports. After an exciting drive we arrived to closed snow gates, after 45 min we head up and greeted by 2 inches of fresh snow on a hard pack, and not to many icy patches oh and blue skies. Could be the last day this winter as temperatures rise.

Sketchy Drive over!

Waiting for the snow gates to open

Helen being patient!

Just in case you forgot what I look like

Helen after big button lift

Scotland?!

Hold on folks!

2012-02-18T07:32:00.002-08:00

Maybe we will have a chance to defend ourselves this time!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-17073723

Trainee Training

2012-02-06T12:06:00.000-08:00

So the new Trainees have started and been having some tough instructor training. Some very cold Rafting over the weekend and then some icy gorge walking. We will make hard core instructors out of them yet!

Oliver setting up for a back flip

Still laughing!

Ice in the gorge

Somewhat more exciting than usual

Above the mini gorge in the fog

There was ice everywhere!

Trees in the fog

Oliver's man training

It was stunning in the gorge today

Crampons would have been useful

This is what greeted us when we exited the gorge above the fog

Everyone get on board

2012-01-31T04:58:00.001-08:00

To all who enjoy access to our rivers PLEASE READ UP AND REPOST!!!!

From Steve Thomas of Freespirits, Aberfeldy

To all you river people out there a ruling has recently been made stating that rafts are no longer permitted to descend the Aberfeldy to Grandtully stretch of the river Tay and it is our every intention to contest this ruling. We simply were not afforded the opportunity to defend this ......case and are doing everything within our power to correct this. We need everyone who is affected by this ruling, raft guides, kayakers, hotel owners, bus companies, drivers and anyone else who feels strongly enough to e mail 'steve@freespirits.freeserve.co.uk' and I will send you e mail and postal addresses of all parties for letters of objection to be sent to. I have also drafted up a couple of copies of letters if you don't have the time to write one yourself, all you need do is print and post. I also need you guys to share this with everyone on your FB. We need Perth & Kinross to realise what they have allowed to happen.

A busy old week

2012-01-28T12:35:00.000-08:00

Helped a couple of people get ready for their BCU 3 star, hung around on the high ropes course to checks, had a Burns night bike ride and dinner, and some chili rafting Brrrr.

More reports

2012-01-24T09:28:00.000-08:00

Some more reports on the rafting ban.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2012/01/20/fears-for-adventure-company-jobs-as-anglers-win-court-battle-to-limit-rafting-trips-on-river-tay-86908-23708891/#.Tx7nHLblEC4.facebook

2012-01-21T09:01:00.001-08:00

Its not over yet.
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/tayside/294387-whitewater-rafters-vow-to-fight-ban-on-using-top-salmon-river/

Excuse my bad language!

2012-01-20T15:08:00.000-08:00

Sorry, but what a F%£king joke. I know lets get rid of all the small business in these hard financial times so we can kill innocent fish in peace! Wan%&rs. Sorry again.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-16657527

A Quick Edit

2012-01-09T12:45:00.000-08:00

A little edit from some biking in Weem Forest

Tough Biking

2012-01-08T10:11:00.000-08:00

So what was meant to be a nice Sunday ride with a pub lunch and a pint in front of the fire, happened but with snow, ice, and deep muddy puddles on inclines! But such good fun.

Snow Biking

2012-01-07T10:40:00.000-08:00

So Phil and I headed out for a morning blast to work off some festive cobwebs. We headed to Griffin Forest above Aberfeldy thinking there may be a little bit of snow on the ground but manageable, but that wasn't the case! What should have been a gentle ride turned into a learn to ride in deep snow mission. Incidentally it is really hard going riding in the snow, were you even have to pedal going down steep hills!

Maybe the snow in the car park should have given us an idea what was to come!

Rest bite by Loch Kennard

The snow kept getting deeper

On the ascents it was easier to carry the bikes

Phil carrying his bike. We could have been anywhere it was beautiful

Me beginning the snowy decent (Photo courtesy of Phil Robinson)

Carrying my bike. (Photo courtesy of Phil Robinson)

Negotiating the decent, imagine Bambi riding a bike! (Photo courtesy of Phil Robinson)

What a treat

2011-12-16T09:45:00.000-08:00

A solo open boat from Kenmore to Aberfeldy on a cold frosty day, it was stunning.

December is happening

2011-12-14T02:58:00.000-08:00

So December has been pretty busy lots of prep for next season, finding new trainees for our staff team, a Coaching Processors and of course there has been some time for playing.

Loch Tay sunset

Sunset different angle

Surf session at Stanley River Tay, Big D shredding Thistlebrigg

Teaching a newly learnt skill on the Coaching Processors Course......Snowboating!!

A cold day on the Lyon with blizzards, more time in a boat for Scott working towards 3 Star

Big D on Wee Eric at Stanley

Me on Wee Eric felling snug in my boat with all my thermals!

Happy Winter Everybody

2011-12-04T13:01:00.000-08:00

The snow has arrived and there is more to come, woop woop!

Items for sale

2011-11-20T03:43:00.000-08:00

Bid on ebay or make me an offer size 7 used a handful of times super comfy ski boots

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150701970559?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_500wt_1202

Bottom Bracket

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150702115924?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_534wt_123

5 Star Canoe

2011-11-13T09:43:00.001-08:00

So finally got round to doing my 5 Star canoe assessment and passed. A super couple of days and some great boating.

Enchanted Forest

2011-11-13T09:20:00.000-08:00

Perthshire Big Tree Country's award winning The Enchanted Forest sound and light show is a feast for your senses, offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience the outdoors, at night and with spectacular imagery.

Using the woodland garden as a natural backdrop, you will experience a lighting show that is, quite simply, out of this world.

The Enchanted Forest is renowned to be Scotland's premier sound and light experience and attracts over 25,000 last year.

Here we go again

2011-11-07T09:01:00.001-08:00

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-15624623

New Canyon, Open Boating and a Rally

2011-10-03T14:17:00.000-07:00

Its been really busy since I have returned from Slovenia, a new canyon on the south side of Loch Tay, some open boating on the upper Tay and The Colin Mcrae Forest Stages Rally.

A little bit of Sloveia

2011-10-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

Just a few photos from our recent trip to Slovenia.

A country with spectacular mountains, thick forests and a short Adriatic coastline, Slovenia initially also enjoyed substantial economic and political stability after gaining independence from Yugoslavia.

It was the only one of the former Yugoslav republics to be in the first wave of candidates for membership of the European Union. It joined in May 2004.

Just a couple of months before EU entry, Slovenia became a member of Nato.

Unlike Croatia or Bosnia-Hercegovina, Slovenia's independence from Yugoslavia was relatively bloodless.

The move was undoubtedly aided by Western European recognition of the Slovenes' aspirations and the low proportion of other ethnic groups in the country.

On 1 January 2007, it became the first of the new EU member states to join the eurozone. A year later, it became the first former communist state to take on the EU presidency.Slovenia had always been the most prosperous region of the former Yugoslavia and found the transition from a socialist economy to the capitalist free market easier than most.

Politically, Slovenia was the most liberal republic within Yugoslavia. Throughout the 1980s there was pressure from Slovenia for greater political freedom and pluralism in the federation.

This reputation was tarnished after independence when thousands of nationals of other former Yugoslav republics were removed from population records and lost residency rights.

Parliament later passed a bill restoring their citizenship but a referendum held shortly before EU entry in 2004 overturned it by an overwhelming margin. Human rights groups expressed dismay at the move which embarrassed the leadership as it prepared to celebrate EU membership.

Slovenia's relations with Croatia have long been strained on account of a rumbling dispute over sea and land borders dating back to the break-up of Yugoslavia.

Ljubljana dropped its opposition to Zagreb's entry into NATO in March 2009, but continued to block Croatia's EU membership bid for a further eight months, only agreeing to lift the embargo after a deal had been signed on the Piran border dispute in November 2009.

The centre-right opposition demanded a referendum on the border deal, which the public narrowly approved in a June 2010 plebiscite.

Soldiers Leap River Garry

2011-09-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

Andy, Nailing the line on 'Soldiers Leap' On the Garry

This doesn't happen every day!

2011-09-14T13:05:00.000-07:00

Today was some what special, I was very privileged to make a lovely young lady's birthday very exciting.................. and for her 91st birthday what better way to celebrate than with a whitewater trip down a river in a Ducky. There is no type o above Gean Hodsdon is NINETY ONE!

Hopefully there is more photos coming from the press.

Ready for preperation

The seat secured looks really comfy.... It was

Down the river in the sun, nothing better

At the end posing for the press

The following photos where taken by Gordon Jack @ www.jackphoto.co.uk

Rafting and more canyoning

2011-09-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

Just some pictures from the weekends charity rafting on the Tummel, and exploring lower Keltney Burn canyon with the view of running it with groups if the upper section was to high due to lots of rain. The outcome was that we would not take commercial groups in for 2 main reasons, In the event of an accident or the river rising very quickly, there was no egress only back at the start back down the gorge, and secondly the amount of rock fall that there has been and the amount that is going to happen in the very near future.

Linn of the Tummel

Slightly different line on the Linn

Zig Zag on the Tummel

The Start of the lower part of Keltney

Joe mid crossing

One of many little drops

Andy Lister behind the falls

Joe sliding

There was lots of this

There is something missing from up there......

Found it!

The aftermath of one of many rock falls

The big fall, this whole fall is going to collapse in the very near future!

10 second timer... Go Go Go

More massive boulders in the river from massive rock fall

Kit For Sale

2011-08-31T08:26:00.000-07:00

I have a couple of bits of kit for sale on ebay, take a look make me an offer if you don't want to bid.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150657103334?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_514wt_1139

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150657094610?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_500wt_1156

More staff training

2011-08-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

Another morning of training, this time in Calvine Canyon.

Exploring Upper Keltney

2011-08-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

Today a little bit of staff training along with an exploratory mission of the upper section of a canyon where we go with clients, 6 km of unknown and very little escape once we were in. It was very dark deep in the canyon so photos were quite hard to get. Lots of trees and debris scattered the canyon but w it was still a superb place where very few people have ventured.

What a busy 4 weeks

2011-08-16T12:14:00.000-07:00

Pretty much non stop to tired for words, pictures below. The Fringe, high water canyoning, canoeing expeditions, Dublin, the zoo and more.......

Camping at the Edinburgh Fringe....... Before the torrential rain

Happy Helen

Happier Me

Fringe street performer

Again before the rain

Canyon, after the rain

Back Home

Told you!!

He was sleeping like that

Wow

View West from the bivi

The bivi

My crib

Lunch time day one

Looking West towards Ben Lawers

Evening view from the bivi

Fish and sweet potatoes on the fire

Preparing the fish

Classic

2011-07-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

Saw this in the outdoor shop window on the way home. Brilliant!

2011-07-09T02:41:00.000-07:00

An early Start to safety boat for a Quadrathalon, first swimmers set off at 6am, and it couldn't have been a more perfect morning.

Here we go again

2011-07-07T13:10:00.000-07:00

Text taken from the BBC website.

Rafting row over River Tay salmon fishing

Salmon fisherman in Perthshire have said that "relentless" commercial rafting is destroying once lucrative fishing beats.

Rafting companies using the Upper Tay are making the river a "highway", many fisherman claim.

But one operator said they restricted rafting days and were sensitive to the presence of fisherman.

A by-law proposal to restrict rafting in the area has recently been rejected by Perth and Kinross councillors.

The sport has become increasingly popular since the 2003 Land Reform Act opened up access.

Les Dargie, who said he had fished the six-mile stretch between Aberfeldy and Grandtully for a number of years, said many fisherman were now going elsewhere.

'Staying away'

He told BBC Scotland: "There's no question at all that the fishing is affected adversely by this relentless commercial pressure on the resource.

"If you come to fish you'll find that quite often if a lot of rafts have been through you won't catch fish.

"The result is that people tend to say away - people like me who could be paying into the local economy."

There are five rafting companies currently operating on the Upper Tay, catering for families and school trips as well as hen and stag parties.

Freespirits owner and river guide Steve Thomas, who has worked on the Tay for 20 years, said he sympathised with the fisherman, but did not accept that the boats were a nuisance.

"We do play about on the river, people do like to jump in the river," he said.

"[But] we don't do it in sensitive areas and we don't do it in fishing pools. If we see a fisherman all the messing about stops... That's what should be happening."

Mr Thomas said his company restricted rafting on Tuesdays, Thursdays and often on Saturdays.

'Equally important'

But he added: "Effectively what's happened in the last two years, the fisherman are asking us to stay off the river for three consecutive days - Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - and it's just something that we can't work with."

Last month, Fish Legal - a body operating on behalf of the Salmon Fisheries Board - asked Perth and Kinross Council to introduce a by-law that would set aside three consecutive days for fishing.

The request was turned down on the grounds it was unenforceable, but the council's community safety convener Willie Robertson rejected suggestions that the council had failed to take into account fisherman's interests.

"Both are equally important to the area," he said.

"If we can do anything to help both parties I hope we can do that."

2 days on the Spey

2011-07-07T12:12:00.000-07:00

Just back from a 2 day trip on the river Spey. We accessed at Broomhill Bridge and paddled the 30ish miles down to the egress at Aberlour. The first day was fairly low, and as we settled down for the night in our hammocks the evening sun was shining, and a couple of beers were had, ready for the long second day. However after heavy rain over in the West the river had risen a foot and a half, which made the rest of the trip pretty quick.

New Canyon

2011-07-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

An evening in Calvine Canyon, a little more exploring is needed.

Another Busy Week

2011-06-30T13:06:00.001-07:00

Starting with a trip to The Edinburgh Highland Show, then a full on week of activities at work.

Some one tried to drive the minibus under a barrier.......turns out the barrier was to low and fiberglass roofs don't hold up that well!!!!!

Evening Rescues

2011-06-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

Last night saw the penultimate 2 star canoe session that Biscuit, Steve Mc and myself have been running for Breadlebane Canoe Club. After weeks of mastering the skills in the canoe, it was only the wet stuff out of the canoe left, and a calm night up at Loch Tay in Kenmore was the perfect venue.

A bit of this a bit of that

2011-06-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

A little bit of boating, some photography and a new bike, oh and some hand golf!

Glen Tilt bike ride

2011-06-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

Today Helen and I had a fantastic ride up Glen Tilt on the Atholl Estate, it was a little cloudy but the views were still stunning. 250 metres of climb straight from the car park was a fairly brutal start, but the views and the down hill made up for that.

15 km, 250m of accent in the Atholl Estate

Kit Up

Helen half way up the climb, smiling!

Looking East

Climbing up through the woods

Looking North

Smiling nervously with a shooting range behind!

Helen mid munch

Can I take a serious photo!

Helen descending

A brilliant story

2011-05-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

I was reading this story and nearly spat my coffee at my laptop. Pretty unlucky and lucky to be alive to.

A New Zealand truck driver who inflated "like a balloon" when he fell buttocks-first onto a compressed air nozzle was described as lucky to be alive Wednesday.

Steven McCormack was working on his truck at Opotiki on the North Island on Saturday when he slipped between the cab and the trailer, dislodging the compressed air hose that feeds the brakes, the Whakatane Beacon reported.

It said the brass fitting that the hose had been attached to pierced McCormack's left buttock in the fall, sending compressed air rushing into his body.

The 48-year-old said he felt as if he was going to explode and began to scream as his neck, feet and hands swelled up.

"I was blowing up like a football... it felt like I had the bends, like in diving. I had no choice but just to lay there, blowing up like a balloon," he told the newspaper.

Workmates rushed to McCormack's aid, turning off the compressed air and packing ice around his swollen neck.

Ambulance officers removed the brass nozzle from his buttock and rushed him to Whakatane Hospital, where a surgeon treated the injury and drained one of his lungs, which had filled with fluid during the ordeal.

McCormack said doctors later told him that the air separated fat from muscle and they were surprised his skin did not burst.

Now recuperating in Whakatane Hospital, he told the Beacon his skin felt "like a pork roast", hard and crackly on the outside but soft underneath.

A hospital spokeswoman confirmed details of the freak accident, which she said could have killed McCormack.

"It's fair to say he's lucky to be alive, it was a potentially life-threatening situation," she told AFP on Wednesday.

Search for rain....... Found it!

2011-05-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

So after a superb drive up to the Loch Lyon Dam only to find there wasn't any water, we woke the following day to find it had been bucketing it down all night and was still raining............it rained all day and the Tay came up by about 3ft during work, so it would have been rude not to jump on.

Maybe....

The Drive up to the Dam

The foot path outside Dunolly had disappeared

Getting on the Tay using the footpath

Andy Sat on a bench, normally a good 10ft from the water!

A little Biking

2011-05-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

Just a nice round trip to Grandtully before the rain.

The beading on my new Montane Feather Light Smock!

Evening Strolls

2011-05-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

Just a couple evening Strolls in the Birks of Aberfeldy and The Hermitage.

The office

2011-05-04T10:55:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Office

Good Afternoon Office

Acharn Canyon

2011-04-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

Today was an exploring day. A little wee Canyon on the South side of Loch Tay, in the little hamlet of Acharn.

The bridge at the strat

Committing fall. Once you have landed in the pool there is no way back up

The horizon line after the fall in the last picture

Me half way down the big abseil

The big abseil from the bottom

Craig negotiating the really slippy slab

Slalom at Grandtully

2011-04-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

Helen and I spent Sunday afternoon in the sunshine watching the Double Premier Slalom.

Brilliant

2011-04-13T00:24:00.000-07:00

For those who have seen me use it and know, and for those who have been on the receiving end and have never known! Thank you Sam for the Photo.

A little bit of Canyoning

2011-04-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

An afternoon training in Keltney Burn.

Mountain Biking and a Spring Weekend

2011-04-10T12:09:00.000-07:00

With a wet bike ride half way through the week it seemed funny sat in the garden having a beer in my shorts at the weekend, and what an amazing weekend it was.................

Andy looking a little damp

The Logging Lorry's made some big ruts

Woop Woop

Ready to go

Scenic Open Boating

Another Helen self portrait

Lunch Stop

Beautiful picturesque scenery

Helen with Wine Really!

Some outdoor fire action

Passing on some knowledge

2011-03-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic day. A group of budding Scout Leaders wanting to learn how to deliver Team Building sessions to their Scout units, and team building been one of my favorite sessions I was incredibly excited to pass on my knowledge. Oh and the sun was shining and warm...... Spring is here!

Spiders Web

Little Islands

Magic Cane

Try and get 14 people through an tube as fast as possible!!

Human Knot

Magic Carpet

A Little communication exercise

I have never seen this task completed like this before absolute genius, check out all the people in the back of the video taking in the tension! Just brilliant

A couple of days, a couple of craft

2011-03-08T12:08:00.000-08:00

The past two days have been spent coaching, the first day in a canoe followed by a kayak on day two. Work is so hard sometimes.

Bits and bobs week

2011-03-06T04:07:00.000-08:00

A little bit of kayaking, duckying and some building.

A busy week

2011-02-27T11:13:00.000-08:00

Its been a busy week of staff training, biking before work and walking with my folks.

First Aid Scenarios

Birks walk

Mr Aberfeldy, Birks

Tree identification!

Early Morning bike ride, single track in the dark...ummmmm

Looking South from Glassie Farm

Shelter building venue

White Water rescue scenario

Keltney Burn

Trust falls

Raft Training

2011-02-21T11:40:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not we are trying to get the raft of a rock during a scenario..... maybe not as productive as we could have been!

Some more kayaking

2011-02-18T13:13:00.000-08:00

Another day of kayaking with Mr Crombie, this time on the Perthshire Garry and the Upper Tummel. Both rivers are very different, the Garry flows through a very impressive gorge below the Pass of Killiecrankie, the pass is renowned for its outstanding beauty and natural history. It has been gouged into the landscape by successive ice ages and meltwaters. The River Garry flows at the bottom of the Pass, while ancient mixed woodlands dominate the sides. Located 3 miles north of Pitlochry the site is owned and managed by The National Trust for Scotland. The Tummel The scenery throughout this reach is most picturesque, culminating at the point above the eastern extremity of the loch, known as the 'Queen's View'. The river flows through some remote woodland and is probably the quietest river I have ever paddled.

The get-out on the Garry

Paddling the final gorge, so picturesque

Not my best photo!

Dave after portaging Soldiers leap

http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/scotland/perthshire/hauntings/killiecrankie.html

Dave inspecting

Big Dave

Really nice little play wave

Another little gorge

The get-in

The only photo from the Tummel, it was getting dark!