AFTER breakfast I get busy with he rest of the West Highland Way Gifts’ order for the village shop.

In the studio I start a video upload so I can edit some more video from last weekend’s show at the village hall then grab some lunch.

Fiona arrives at 1.30pm, We load all our paddleboard gear into the car and Margaret drives us too Drymen bridge where we launch for our first fundraising paddle for Scottish Mountain Rescue. We’ve each to cover 56 miles in May. Today we expect to cover seven or eight miles.

I’ve never paddle a river before so it’s an exciting adventure. The water’s pretty low in places and here’s big currents in others so it’s an interesting start…not least because within the first mile we discover a leak in Fiona’s board. Luckily she’d brought some gaffa tape and manages a temporary repair.

It’s not a difficult paddle, but it’s my longest outing to date. We cover just over eight miles in about four-and-a-half hours (including coffee and repair stops!) and Fiona’s board withstands the whole trip.

Back at the house we sit un the garden and drink beer and wine with Margaret before Steven joins us. It’s nearly 10pm when Fiona and Steven toddle off and we have dinner. An exciting day!