intae the Kyle ae Sutherland and oan tae Bonar Bridge. It hit the Kyle jist efter Shin Bridge, before Invershin. That’s where they wur heiding. Innes planned tae leave the boat covered up at Shin Bridge and walk up Achany Glen. Hauf a mile or so up the glen, a mate ae his, Bob, wid be waiting tae haun o’er the fishing tackle. Fae Bob’s, they’d heid further up the glen tae a place called the Falls ae Shin where there wis a waterfall.
“That’s where they’ll be waiting fur us,” Innes hid said, folding the map shut.
“Who?”
“The salmon…remember them? Big North Atlantic beauties that have travelled thousands of miles, just to spawn at the top of the Shin. And to reach the spawning pools, they have to get up over the waterfall at the Falls. It’s amazing to watch them. The torrent is raging down and the salmon are heading into that, struggling to reach the top. The Falls are the hard bit. There’s very few of them can get up and over in the one go. Sometimes it’ll take a salmon a day, maybe even two, to manage it. That’s where you and I come in. We’ll nab a few while they’re catching their second wind for another go in the pools at the bottom.”
Innes telt him that every year in the summer the salmon came fae aw o’er the world tae lay their eggs where they themselves hid been born. The salmon swam up the Dornoch Firth and then intae the Kyle ae Sutherland and then intae the River Shin and hame.
“What we have to do is be careful we’re not seen after we launch into the Kyle. We’re heading down river towards Culrain Castle. There’s a big veranda on the Kyle side of the castle and that’s where the keepers will be keeping a watch out for any movement in or out of the Shin. That’s why we’re doing this at night. We can’t hang about, laddie. We need to be back here before the sun comes up.”
“Whit happens if we get caught?”
“Well, there’s no harm in going out for a wee sail down the Kyle of Sutherland, is there? It’s coming back that’s the problem. If they see us going in, they’ll either jump us at the Falls or they’ll lie in wait for us on the way back. I don’t want to lose the fish. If they catch us with the salmon, we’ll get a severe arse-kicking and we’ll end up in McTavish’s cells down in Bonar Bridge.”
The boat wis launched oot intae the Kyle. Innes did the rowing and heided straight across towards Linsidemore oan the far side, keeping in close tae the bank. Before they set sail, he’d left Paul sitting in the boat and returned wae a big branch full ae leaves that he’d chopped aff the side ae a tree.
“Right, Paul, you keep hold of that. It’ll take the edges off the outline of the boat,” he said, as they rowed east.
Oan the far side ae the bank, straight in front ae them, Paul could see the castle perched high up oan the side ae a crag, surrounded by trees. As they drew closer, they could see a few lights twinkling fae the many windaes, bit nothing moved that he could see.
“We’re nearly there, laddie,” Innes puffed.
Paul looked aheid. Although it wis dark, he could still make oot the shapes and ootlines ae the hills and the crofts oan either side ae the Kyle. He saw the opening oan their left coming closer tae them. In the distance, the lights ae Invershin twinkled and played tricks wae his eyes. Whit he took fur torches and estate keepers wis the lights ae the hooses, shining through the trees that wur shifting in the wind. He could jist make oot the ruins ae Invershin Castle.
“Right, Paul, put that branch behind ye, laddie,” Innes said, as they turned intae the River Shin.
Jist before the bridge, Innes swung the boat under a canopy ae overhinging trees that wur practically touching the water. Paul felt the bottom ae the boat slide intae shingle as Innes jumped oot. The baith ae them dragged the boat up oot ae the
“That’s where they’ll be waiting fur us,” Innes hid said, folding the map shut.
“Who?”
“The salmon…remember them? Big North Atlantic beauties that have travelled thousands of miles, just to spawn at the top of the Shin. And to reach the spawning pools, they have to get up over the waterfall at the Falls. It’s amazing to watch them. The torrent is raging down and the salmon are heading into that, struggling to reach the top. The Falls are the hard bit. There’s very few of them can get up and over in the one go. Sometimes it’ll take a salmon a day, maybe even two, to manage it. That’s where you and I come in. We’ll nab a few while they’re catching their second wind for another go in the pools at the bottom.”
Innes telt him that every year in the summer the salmon came fae aw o’er the world tae lay their eggs where they themselves hid been born. The salmon swam up the Dornoch Firth and then intae the Kyle ae Sutherland and then intae the River Shin and hame.
“What we have to do is be careful we’re not seen after we launch into the Kyle. We’re heading down river towards Culrain Castle. There’s a big veranda on the Kyle side of the castle and that’s where the keepers will be keeping a watch out for any movement in or out of the Shin. That’s why we’re doing this at night. We can’t hang about, laddie. We need to be back here before the sun comes up.”
“Whit happens if we get caught?”
“Well, there’s no harm in going out for a wee sail down the Kyle of Sutherland, is there? It’s coming back that’s the problem. If they see us going in, they’ll either jump us at the Falls or they’ll lie in wait for us on the way back. I don’t want to lose the fish. If they catch us with the salmon, we’ll get a severe arse-kicking and we’ll end up in McTavish’s cells down in Bonar Bridge.”
The boat wis launched oot intae the Kyle. Innes did the rowing and heided straight across towards Linsidemore oan the far side, keeping in close tae the bank. Before they set sail, he’d left Paul sitting in the boat and returned wae a big branch full ae leaves that he’d chopped aff the side ae a tree.
“Right, Paul, you keep hold of that. It’ll take the edges off the outline of the boat,” he said, as they rowed east.
Oan the far side ae the bank, straight in front ae them, Paul could see the castle perched high up oan the side ae a crag, surrounded by trees. As they drew closer, they could see a few lights twinkling fae the many windaes, bit nothing moved that he could see.
“We’re nearly there, laddie,” Innes puffed.
Paul looked aheid. Although it wis dark, he could still make oot the shapes and ootlines ae the hills and the crofts oan either side ae the Kyle. He saw the opening oan their left coming closer tae them. In the distance, the lights ae Invershin twinkled and played tricks wae his eyes. Whit he took fur torches and estate keepers wis the lights ae the hooses, shining through the trees that wur shifting in the wind. He could jist make oot the ruins ae Invershin Castle.
“Right, Paul, put that branch behind ye, laddie,” Innes said, as they turned intae the River Shin.
Jist before the bridge, Innes swung the boat under a canopy ae overhinging trees that wur practically touching the water. Paul felt the bottom ae the boat slide intae shingle as Innes jumped oot. The baith ae them dragged the boat up oot ae the
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