Imagine a tranquil island paradise in the middle of a river where you can relax and read a book or just simply watch the clouds go by. You don’t need to imagine it, just visit The Hairy Lemon, situated about thirty kilometres downstream from Owen Falls Dam. The drive to get there is relatively short, only an hour and a half from Kampala. Don’t take the road to Jinja, but the Gyaza Road out of town. The road is in good condition as it is paved and there is very little traffic. It takes you through rural villages with few lorries and only the odd matatu. There are a few speed humps, but hey, what’s the hurry, just relax and take in the sites without being gassed by diesel fumes and if you are lucky you may see some crested cranes or monkeys like I did.

Once you get to the river, you park your vehicle in a secured compound on the river bank.

There are many things that you can do while on the island. There is a quiet stretch of river that is perfect for swimming and they have a volleyball net set up for “water volleyball”. The water in this area is relatively calm and not too deep, so it’s perfect for the little ones. If you are a keen kayaker, you may want to try out “Nile Special” which is a few minute’s paddle upstream. It attracts kayakers from all over the world. This standing wave is world famous for freestyle kayaking.

The main attraction for me and my husband is the fishing. You can catch a variety of fish here and is good for both fly fishing and spinning. Depending on the water levels, you can traverse up and down stream to find that perfect spot to catch the “big” one.