Badger
Member
If you were going to circumnavigate Britain with maybe a pop over to Ireland on the way, which way round would you go and why ?
Clockwise or Anti-clockwise around Britain ?
- Thread starter Badger
- Start date
Becky
New member
The down-wind way
Even if I to wait for the right winds.
Even if I to wait for the right winds.
AngusMcDoon
Well-known member
Depends on if you go round the top or not. If you are, then Pentland Firth is easier going eastwards than westwards, therefore clockwise.
The far North of Scotland pilot describes the passage through Pentland Firth, and it makes somewhat alarming reading for anyone sailing westwards in a small boat. It doesn't get a lot better quickly as you go further North to the Orkneys or Shetland either.
If you are going through the Cally Canal, then it doesn't really matter.
The far North of Scotland pilot describes the passage through Pentland Firth, and it makes somewhat alarming reading for anyone sailing westwards in a small boat. It doesn't get a lot better quickly as you go further North to the Orkneys or Shetland either.
If you are going through the Cally Canal, then it doesn't really matter.
firstascent2002
New member
Going along the channel coast east west is a a pain as all the tidal gates turn foul, but you get a fairer run up the west coast then. We did it in 2002 clockwise and ahd a cracking time. Have fun,
J
J
Just the question I was going to ask.
The points that seem to clinch the clockwise route for me are:
1) By the time you turn south for home the voyage has probably overrun and you'll want to get home quickly. For a deep fin keel yacht the East coast is best covered in a few large hops.
2) Assuming a prevailing SW wind, the closehauled passages southwards will benefit from a weather shore.
3) There are better abort options when heading up the west coast. (I have been reading some blogs, not everyone with the idea gets around). Getting from the Solent to say Ambleside and then deciding to abort would mean a depressing retrace of the route covered. Aborting at Carnarvon, returning down the Irish E Coast, stopping at the Scillies and then going home would still be a damn good cruise.
The points that seem to clinch the clockwise route for me are:
1) By the time you turn south for home the voyage has probably overrun and you'll want to get home quickly. For a deep fin keel yacht the East coast is best covered in a few large hops.
2) Assuming a prevailing SW wind, the closehauled passages southwards will benefit from a weather shore.
3) There are better abort options when heading up the west coast. (I have been reading some blogs, not everyone with the idea gets around). Getting from the Solent to say Ambleside and then deciding to abort would mean a depressing retrace of the route covered. Aborting at Carnarvon, returning down the Irish E Coast, stopping at the Scillies and then going home would still be a damn good cruise.
Could someone explain why the Crinan Canal is the preferred option when heading from Enland northwards up the Scottish west coast? Looking at a road map, the pure tidal water option does not appear to be so much of a detour.
Kurrawong_Kid
Well-known member
I favour anti clockwise because as fronts come through the SW wind is usually increasing, tempting you into port and then followed by gusty NW which makes beating up the Irish Sea a pain since winds are often F7 gusts. In the Summer the East Coast is usually a better bet as these winds are off the land and the sea is reduced and sailing is more possible-but if it blows from the East - try and find some shelter!
Krusty
New member
[ QUOTE ]
Depends on if you go round the top or not. If you are, then Pentland Firth is easier going eastwards than westwards, therefore clockwise......
.....If you are going through the Cally Canal, then it doesn't really matter.
[/ QUOTE ]
If you go through the canal you are not going 'Round Britain' at all: you cut off a whole lot of Scotland and some of our best coastlines and cruising areas as well!
If you don't have the time to visit Shetland, at least visit Orkney by way of Hoy Sound into Stromness and visit Kirkwall five miles or so overland. You then leave Scapa Flow by Hoxa Sound to transit the Pentland from the North to South-east. No more difficult than from the West.
The bonus is that Stromness is a far better stop-over than Scrabster after the hop round Cape Wrath and along the North coast.
If you are going to do it at all, do it well!
Unless of course you just aim to collect notches on a stick.
Depends on if you go round the top or not. If you are, then Pentland Firth is easier going eastwards than westwards, therefore clockwise......
.....If you are going through the Cally Canal, then it doesn't really matter.
[/ QUOTE ]
If you go through the canal you are not going 'Round Britain' at all: you cut off a whole lot of Scotland and some of our best coastlines and cruising areas as well!
If you don't have the time to visit Shetland, at least visit Orkney by way of Hoy Sound into Stromness and visit Kirkwall five miles or so overland. You then leave Scapa Flow by Hoxa Sound to transit the Pentland from the North to South-east. No more difficult than from the West.
The bonus is that Stromness is a far better stop-over than Scrabster after the hop round Cape Wrath and along the North coast.
If you are going to do it at all, do it well!
Unless of course you just aim to collect notches on a stick.
Badger
Member
Appreciate the comments about going the whole way round. Orkney is a "must have " on this trip despite all the concerns I have about the Pentland Firth. I think in "One Summers Grace" with Libby Purves they went clockwise. I also think the English channel bit as someone mentioned with SW prevailing will be a pain. The plan is aslo complicated or ( made easy by no Goodwin sands) by the fact that I am planning to go in May next year from Woodbridge to Schenivagen in NL which is about 120nm and then head down channel. I then thought I could coast hop down to Falmouth and then go to Cork or Kinsale before heading up to Belfast Lough and then Oban. The good news is my crew from Oban round the top is a 25 years at sea ex chief engineer with Swire pacific. Also from Orkney have a friend in Trevertsand in Norway which is a nice beam reach from there. Anyway lots to think about and thanks for the advice.
[ QUOTE ]
I think in "One Summers Grace" with Libby Purves they went clockwise.
[/ QUOTE ]Yup they went clockwise, right round the top of Scotland including a diversion to the Orkneys. Am currently reading the book, stayed with it as far as Lindisfarne.
She particularly liked the top most stretch of Scotland around Loch Inver and the Menai Straits where their visit coincided with a medieval festival at one of the castles.
I think in "One Summers Grace" with Libby Purves they went clockwise.
[/ QUOTE ]Yup they went clockwise, right round the top of Scotland including a diversion to the Orkneys. Am currently reading the book, stayed with it as far as Lindisfarne.
She particularly liked the top most stretch of Scotland around Loch Inver and the Menai Straits where their visit coincided with a medieval festival at one of the castles.
salamicollie
New member
It avoids going round the Mull of Kintyre and North Channel which if you don't time it right can be interesting as it is fully exposed to the atlantic - it also avoids a beat to windward in the prevailing winds.
pyrojames
Well-known member
For me, clockwise. I am east coast based and you get most east and NE winds at the beginning of the season, making the trip down channel more pleasant, and leaving the westerlies for the north of Scotland and the voyage back down the east coast.
AngusMcDoon
Well-known member
[ QUOTE ]
If you go through the canal you are not going 'Round Britain' at all: you cut off a whole lot of Scotland and some of our best coastlines and cruising areas as well!
[/ QUOTE ]
I'd agree totally, but that's what lots of people do. Seems like the Bad ger is not intending a canal holiday though.
When I went I intended to sail to the Orkneys, but the weather was so foul that we left the boat safe in Scrabster and visited them by ferry instead. Following that it was out of Scrabster and whoosed straight through Pentland. Great fun, in a scary kind of way!
If you go through the canal you are not going 'Round Britain' at all: you cut off a whole lot of Scotland and some of our best coastlines and cruising areas as well!
[/ QUOTE ]
I'd agree totally, but that's what lots of people do. Seems like the Bad ger is not intending a canal holiday though.
When I went I intended to sail to the Orkneys, but the weather was so foul that we left the boat safe in Scrabster and visited them by ferry instead. Following that it was out of Scrabster and whoosed straight through Pentland. Great fun, in a scary kind of way!
Sgeir
Well-known member
[ QUOTE ]
Could someone explain why the Crinan Canal is the preferred option when heading from Enland northwards up the Scottish west coast?
[/ QUOTE ]When sailing from the Clyde to our summer mooring, the Kintyre route is our preferred route, not least because there are the options of calling at Campbeltown, Sanda (Pop: 2, but it has a pub), Rathlin Island, Gigha etc.. But, as salamicollie has said, the Kintyre route can be prone to some severe weather and the associated delays.
On the other hand, the Clyde (either side of Arran) and Loch Fyne are spectacular cruising grounds in their own right - usually great sailing conditions, and beautiful scenery.
For most visiting yachts from England, I'd guess time, and ease of passage, will be the main determinants.
Could someone explain why the Crinan Canal is the preferred option when heading from Enland northwards up the Scottish west coast?
[/ QUOTE ]When sailing from the Clyde to our summer mooring, the Kintyre route is our preferred route, not least because there are the options of calling at Campbeltown, Sanda (Pop: 2, but it has a pub), Rathlin Island, Gigha etc.. But, as salamicollie has said, the Kintyre route can be prone to some severe weather and the associated delays.
On the other hand, the Clyde (either side of Arran) and Loch Fyne are spectacular cruising grounds in their own right - usually great sailing conditions, and beautiful scenery.
For most visiting yachts from England, I'd guess time, and ease of passage, will be the main determinants.
