Best way to get from West coast Scotland to East coast

[pat_detente]

I hesitate to post this as it is probably a really daft question..

But can anyone tell me if the Union Canal between Glasgow and Edinburgh is navigable by a yacht with its mast up?

Thanks

 

[1114C]

the forth and clyde canal is the one you would use from bowling on the clyde to the east but the mast needs to come down - have not done the trip myself

 

[pat_detente]

I suspected as much - thanks for your quick reply. Maybe we will stop at Bowling and go by bus to visit our chums in Edinburgh...

 

[cindersailor]

Definitely a mast down job, but there is a crane for this at the Bowling basin at the Clyde end (cost inc. in the canal license which is a bargain at about £50 for a 27 footer) and at Port Edgar marina at the Forth end (about £60 I think). Note also that it is the Forth-Clyde canal which you need to use, not the Union canal which is the one between Falkirk and Edinburgh (no access to the sea). Quoted depth of the FC canal is 6ft, but I had problems with 5'8" in March this year. Only alternatives are the long trip up to Ft William and through the Caledonian Canal to Inverness, or by lorry.

 

[pat_detente]

Excellent info - I think that we will stay on the West coast, bieing too mean to pay for the mast operations. Hubby has always wanted to devise means of raising/lowering the mast himself, so this is his chance!

 

[rhumlady]

If you want to go from Bowling to Edinburgh (but why would anyone want to do that?) there is a station a couple of hundred yards from the basin which takes you into Glasgow ( a far better place). The train jurney from there to Embro takes about an hour.

 

[kengill]

Is the Pentland Firth closed then?

 

[pat_detente]

[ QUOTE ]
If you want to go from Bowling to Edinburgh (but why would anyone want to do that?)

I agre - much prefer Glasgow, )went to uni there so have a natural bias) but our pals live in Edinburgh...

Thanks for the info though. Are now thinking we will get the boat up the west coast of Scotland to Bowling and entice our pals over to us for a sail.....

 

[rhumlady]

Rather than go up to Bowling it would be better to go into Rhu Marina and get your pals to meet you there as Helesburgh is the terminal station for one branch of the line from Glasgow. There is no sailing to be had from Bowling in fact I believe Clydeport frown on sailing up stream of Port Glasgow.

 

[pat_detente]

Thanks for the advice - we can now start ot make plans for next season's annual cruise!!

 

[rhumlady]

If it's for the annual cruise the I would go for Oban and get pals to come up on the West Highland Line from Glasgow. Much better sailing.