Campbeltown Loch

[Ian_Edwards]

Just inside Davaar Island, there's an area called the Dorirlinn on the chart. It's quite steep shelving to 15-20m. It looks quite sheltered in reasonable weather.
Has anyone got experience of anchoring there?
I'm thinking of a short stop there for a rest and to wait for the tide before rounding the Mull.

 

[Spyro]

I've been into Campbeltown and there's plenty places further up the loch. Don't know about the spot you suggest. Sandra island has a decent anchorage if it's calm or the wind has any south in it.

 

[Quandary]

I think Dorlinn refers to the drying spit that links Davaar to Scotland, the bay beyond was quite often used by Nato ships waiting to go to the fuel jetty. I would suggest anywhere of suitable depth clear of the faiway in the Loch would be fine but since the wind tends to accelerate and whistle through the gap in Kintyre from the West and straight down the loch it might be better to go another mile and anchor in lee of the town, of course by then you are nearly at the pontoons and the heaving night life. No reason why you should not anchor where the weather suggests but the buoyed channel to the harbour is busy with fishing boats and timber ships. I have anchored behind (S) of Davaar a long time ago but did not stay overnight, even less of a diversion, but these days I prefer Sanda.

 

[Skylark]

I think that Quandary has it to a tee. I’ve just looked at a chart and The Doirlinn (covers) is indeed the spit extending south west from Davarr Island to the mainland. Sea bed to its north (mud, fine sand and shells) shelves to 20+m in the channel entrance. It looks exposed to local winds which can whistle through anywhere from west to south east.

The CCC guide (mine is an old 2002 edition) does not show it as an anchorage.

There are designated anchorages in the bay, to the south west, due west and north, plus some moorings. Campbelltown marina staff are incredibly accommodating and the Town is well worth a visit.

Sanda would seem to be a better place to wait for the tide, assuming that there’s a south element to the wind. Otherwise, Campbelltown is too nice to miss.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Thanks for the replies, I've been to Campbeltown many times and if staying the night I'd go to the pontoons. I was just looking at option to anchor up for a while get a hot meal before heading North.
I'll have a look at Sanda, I've never anchored there, it always looked, quite shallow on the chart.

 

[scruff]

Sanda would seem to be a better place to wait for the tide, assuming that there’s a south element to the wind. Otherwise, Campbelltown is too nice to miss.

It's funny how peoples perceptions of the same place can be so different. I've always found Campbelltown a dreary wee place with a slog to the nearest co-op

 

[scottie]

Hy

I think Dorlinn refers to the drying spit that links Davaar to Scotland, the bay beyond was quite often used by Nato ships waiting to go to the fuel jetty. I would suggest anywhere of suitable depth clear of the faiway in the Loch would be fine but since the wind tends to accelerate and whistle through the gap in Kintyre from the West and straight down the loch it might be better to go another mile and anchor in lee of the town, of course by then you are nearly at the pontoons and the heaving night life. No reason why you should not anchor where the weather suggests but the buoyed channel to the harbour is busy with fishing boats and timber ships. I have anchored behind (S) of Davaar a long time ago but did not stay overnight, even less of a diversion, but these days I prefer Sanda.

Heaving night life ? The can’t even claim Mal de Mer

 

[JumbleDuck]

The CCC guide (mine is an old 2002 edition) does not show it as an anchorage.

Neither does the 1937 edition, and the old ones are much better for small anchorages.

By the way, "dòirlinn" is the Gaelic for "tidal causeway" ,which explains Tobermory

and Loch Drumbuidhe

but leaves me wondering about Barra

It's funny how peoples perceptions of the same place can be so different. I've always found Campbelltown a dreary wee place with a slog to the nearest co-op

I agree. I like a curry from the Taj Mahal, but otherwise it's a depressed Ayrshire mining town in Kintyre (the population was brought en masse from Ayrshire to work the mines which is why Campbeltown in accent and architecture is unlike the rest of Kintyre).

 

[FlyingGoose]

Neither does the 1937 edition, and the old ones are much better for small anchorages.

By the way, "dòirlinn" is the Gaelic for "tidal causeway" ,which explains Tobermory

and Loch Drumbuidhe

but leaves me wondering about Barra

I agree. I like a curry from the Taj Mahal, but otherwise it's a depressed Ayrshire mining town in Kintyre (the population was brought en masse from Ayrshire to work the mines which is why Campbeltown in accent and architecture is unlike the rest of Kintyre).

It is strange I see a little fishing port with Victorian Houses and a nice bay , great people and a good place to stop.
Never been in the mind set of slagging of other places , each place has its own history and uniqueness, you just got to see beyond the material things in life

 

[Skylark]

It's funny how peoples perceptions of the same place can be so different. I've always found Campbelltown a dreary wee place with a slog to the nearest co-op

I’ll stand my ground

I was there 3 times last season. Always a warm welcome. Low cost berthing with perfectly acceptable facilities. It leaves me with a “honest, hard working” Town impression. On one visit there was an outside concert in the square. Good pub food with friendly locals and a good atmosphere (I’m from Manchester). When I’m on a boat, I welcome the walk to the co-op and/or the fuel station, as it’s a bit of exercise.

 

[pagoda]

It is strange I see a little fishing port with Victorian Houses and a nice bay , great people and a good place to stop.
Never been in the mind set of slagging of other places , each place has its own history and uniqueness, you just got to see beyond the material things in life

I think Campbeltown gets a lot of bad press. Largely unjustified I reckon. Formerly a major distillery town, now with just 3, Springbank, Glengyle and Scotia. Prior to that some limited coal mining near Machrihanish and fishing from the harbour. I quite like the place, though you need to factor in the extra 10 miles or so if you are rounding the Mull.
The pontoons are decent and handy, but expect some disturbance from fishing boat and RNLI maneuvers .

 

[adwuk]

South of Davaar in Kildalloig bay is a perfectly good place to grab a nap. We stopped there for a few hours last year before heading round the Mull. Good holding, and fine unless the wind swings 90 degrees while you are snoring!

 

[JumbleDuck]

Never been in the mind set of slagging of other places , each place has its own history and uniqueness, you just got to see beyond the material things in life

It's not slagging off Campbeltown to point out that it's a deprived area. Here's the SIMD data:

As you'll see, the big houses round the edge of the loch are quite well-to-do (no surprise there) but the town itself sits firmly in the 2nd and 3rd deciles of deprivation. It's problem is basically that it shouldn't be there: it was created for the coal mines (the final one closed in 1967) and without them the area simply cannot maintain a town of that size. Much as Bute cannot justify Rothesay without 1930s levels of tourism.

I was there 3 times last season. Always a warm welcome. Low cost berthing with perfectly acceptable facilities. It leaves me with a “honest, hard working” Town impression.

I have had two perfectly nice visits recently. It's better than Carrickfergus.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I’ll stand my ground

I was there 3 times last season. Always a warm welcome. Low cost berthing with perfectly acceptable facilities. It leaves me with a “honest, hard working” Town impression. On one visit there was an outside concert in the square. Good pub food with friendly locals and a good atmosphere (I’m from Manchester). When I’m on a boat, I welcome the walk to the co-op and/or the fuel station, as it’s a bit of exercise.

I agree that perceptions can be very different. Campbelltown is amongst the most deprived areas of Scotland, and I was once advised that there were pubs in Campbelltown where it would be ill-advised for an Englishman to go. It's basically a town whose reason for existing has disappeared; it was founded to mine the Macrihanish coalfield, and now that has gone, it really doesn't have a role to play - it isn't on any transport links,and there are no natural resources that are unique to it.

I'd agree with those who say that if you need a lunch stop (or even an overnight stay if the weather is kind), the anchorage at Sanda is a better choice. And if you need an all-weather stop, Campbelltown is better than anywhere else in the area.

 

[FlyingGoose]

I agree that perceptions can be very different. Campbelltown is amongst the most deprived areas of Scotland, and I was once advised that there were pubs in Campbelltown where it would be ill-advised for an Englishman to go. It's basically a town whose reason for existing has disappeared; it was founded to mine the Macrihanish coalfield, and now that has gone, it really doesn't have a role to play - it isn't on any transport links,and there are no natural resources that are unique to it.

I'd agree with those who say that if you need a lunch stop (or even an overnight stay if the weather is kind), the anchorage at Sanda is a better choice. And if you need an all-weather stop, Campbelltown is better than anywhere else in the area.

Then it is more important for us boats to stop and spend a little money and boost the feeling that Campbeltown is not Forgotten , we should start a petition and get 6 million people to sign it to say they will visit in the next 2 years
I appreciate the data and the economy is on its knees But the Kintyre is beautiful and a forgotten haven to those that like the outdoors
the transport links are terrible , but once there an unforgettable place
Use Campbeltown as your base ans explore the rest of the place.
You never know you might see Sir Paul on the cliffs having a wee dram and a sing a long
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attra...ntyre_Peninsula_Argyll_and_Bute_Scotland.html

 

[mick]

Just inside Davaar Island, there's an area called the Dorirlinn on the chart. It's quite steep shelving to 15-20m. It looks quite sheltered in reasonable weather.
Has anyone got experience of anchoring there?
I'm thinking of a short stop there for a rest and to wait for the tide before rounding the Mull.

Before going round the Mull I’ve anchored in Carskey Bay, 4 miles west of Sanda. Good anchorage in settled weather and handy for the Mull but totally exposed to the south.

 

[Spyro]

Then it is more important for us boats to stop and spend a little money and boost the feeling that Campbeltown is not Forgotten , we should start a petition and get 6 million people to sign it to say they will visit in the next 2 years
I appreciate the data and the economy is on its knees But the Kintyre is beautiful and a forgotten haven to those that like the outdoors
the transport links are terrible , but once there an unforgettable place
Use Campbeltown as your base ans explore the rest of the place.
You never know you might see Sir Paul on the cliffs having a wee dram and a sing a long
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attra...ntyre_Peninsula_Argyll_and_Bute_Scotland.html

I believe it's been sometime since Sir Paul has visited Kintyre.

 

[FlyingGoose]

I believe it's been sometime since Sir Paul has visited Kintyre.

His spirit shall never be forgotten or lost

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Then it is more important for us boats to stop and spend a little money and boost the feeling that Campbeltown is not Forgotten , we should start a petition and get 6 million people to sign it to say they will visit in the next 2 years
I appreciate the data and the economy is on its knees But the Kintyre is beautiful and a forgotten haven to those that like the outdoors
the transport links are terrible , but once there an unforgettable place
Use Campbeltown as your base ans explore the rest of the place.
You never know you might see Sir Paul on the cliffs having a wee dram and a sing a long
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attra...ntyre_Peninsula_Argyll_and_Bute_Scotland.html

We aren't going to replace the coal mines, and I understand that Golf is actually the major tourist attraction there.

 

[Quandary]

I support the Goose, it is easy for us 'wealthy' yachties to despise the deprived folk in these communities when we should be striving to support them, I have never been aware of any no go areas or pubs in Campbelltown and I have been stopping there since the option was too tie up outside a fishing boat, always made welcome, totally unlike Ullapool. And despite its problems which as well as isolation include the loss of its boatbuilding and much of its fishing, the ferry to Ireland, the housing of much of the population in tenements completely unsuited to a rural location, Campbeltown has managed to maintain three distilleries making really excellent whisky, has an outstanding educational whisky shop, a cinema and some really excellent pubs, my favourite is the Ardshiel.