Cruising from Largs with 3 yr old on board

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Doug_Stormforce

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Any tips on where to go? Will be three of us (grandad, dad and young son) for about 5 days. Not planning on doing particularly many miles, preference for marinas but do not have to be in 1 every night.

Hanse 370, early July, quite happy 1 of us can handle the yacht.

Looking for advice on where to go, as opposed to how to sail with a 3 yr old.

Thanks in advance
 
There's plenty on here who live and/or sail regularly in The Clyde. I suspect they may not be so forthcoming for fear of contaminating their beautiful cruising grounds :)

You absolutely must transit the Kyles of Bute. Spend a night at anchor off Burnt Island and by daybreak you'll be convinced that you've died and gone to heaven.
 
The 3 year old is going to be the problem as most will recommend where are the best pubs and eateries (pubs with food) I would visit Arran ( Brodick) visit the castle, take the little one and the old one swimming at The Auchrannie Hotel and then have some lunch there. Millport has a nice beach if the weather is good. Neither of these places have marinas or pontoons but do have free moorings. If you make it up Loch Fyne Portavadie Marina is beautiful and as some kids play things just across the water is Tarbert but Its more suited for pub crawling.
Hopefully the temp should be in double figures by July.:rolleyes:
 
Day 1 - Out of Largs go to Millport on Great Cumbrae, its about 1 hour at slow pace from Largs, so good first day. It has moorings and a harbour/pier which can be used (moorings are better) and a big sandy beach. Day 2 - Next day sail over to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute about 4 hour if you plod along. There is a marina here: swimming pool (the outdoor one may still be open - help someone). This is a small Scottish sea side town, check out attractions on the web. Day 3 - Next day head up to Kyles of Bute, 4 hour sail at a plod, drop the hook at the Burnt Isles. This is a classic BBQ on the beach place; good for simple exploring and bonfires. Day 4 Sail round the corner (3 corners actually) to either Portavadie or East Loch Tarbert. Tarbert is a small town and big centre of sailing This is a longer sail. Alternative Day 4 - Sail round the North of Bute and south to Saint Ninians Bay on Bute. Good for bonfires and BBQs but quiet. Day 5 - Return to Largs.

http://www.visitbute.com
http://www.tarbertlochfyne.com
 
I sail with my son in the Clyde we stated when he was 3 years old. His favorite place in Port Banantyne on Bute. The play park has a tractor climbing frame. There is a marina there but we anchored. Next Cardwell bay Gourock the park near the moorings is good the one in battery park better. Largs has a nice park a bit of a pain to get to unless you anchor just off it. The bed is gravel not the best holding so big anchor required. Lamlash Arran also has a nice play park, there are mooring to pick up £15 per night or drop the hook. Girven a bit further has a booting pond very good play areas. The fasilaties in the harbor are poor or non existing.
 
Girvan is quite a way from Largs and not a lot in between except Ardrossan and Irvine but thats another story.
 
Rothesay is a must as there are ice cream shops, bouncy castles and a beach..... heaven for a 3 year old!
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
Day 1 - Out of Largs go to Millport on Great Cumbrae, its about 1 hour at slow pace from Largs, so good first day. It has moorings and a harbour/pier which can be used (moorings are better) and a big sandy beach. Day 2 - Next day sail over to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute about 4 hour if you plod along. There is a marina here: swimming pool (the outdoor one may still be open - help someone). This is a small Scottish sea side town, check out attractions on the web. Day 3 - Next day head up to Kyles of Bute, 4 hour sail at a plod, drop the hook at the Burnt Isles. This is a classic BBQ on the beach place; good for simple exploring and bonfires. Day 4 Sail round the corner (3 corners actually) to either Portavadie or East Loch Tarbert. Tarbert is a small town and big centre of sailing This is a longer sail. Alternative Day 4 - Sail round the North of Bute and south to Saint Ninians Bay on Bute. Good for bonfires and BBQs but quiet. Day 5 - Return to Largs.

http://www.visitbute.com
http://www.tarbertlochfyne.com
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+1. A circumnavigation of Bute, via Tarbert or Portavadie, would be my suggestion. If the 3 year old (and Dad & Grandad!) wants to paddle and lots of sand to play with, St Ninian's Bay on the west side of Bute is lovely - on a nice day!
StNiniansBayBute.jpg
Scrub.jpg

With any luck there won't be a boat parked on the beach!

EDIT:
Left hand picture is taken looking "north", the other looking "south" towards Arran & Holy Isle. The bay is exposed from SE to SW...
 
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Do not forget bad weather plans!

Beaches Beaches Great Ice creams for hot weather etc but when the weather goes bad..

Cinemas, Amusement Arcades, boating ponds model boats? Kites? Swimming Pool's, crabbing, fishing (if you can catch them :/)....
 
A must is to go up Loch Fyne, and Loch Long, maybe even up the Gairloch to see the black beasties, and get chased by the MOD.
 
We really enjoyed the sailing there but were pretty shocked that our 15 year old was thrown out of pubs at 8pm every night even though he was only there to eat. I don’t know how they will react to a 3 year old.
 
BlackwaterLad said:
We really enjoyed the sailing there but were pretty shocked that our 15 year old was thrown out of pubs at 8pm every night even though he was only there to eat. I don’t know how they will react to a 3 year old.
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Just tell the pubs he is 18, (looks young doesn't he?) that's what my parents used to do*, then feed me beer to prove it. Just remember not to talk about his up coming GCSE or his last one exam. They got me banned from several pubs I could drink in!

*at 15 not 3 at 3 they fed me beer to keep me quite, this plan failed in later life!
 
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Thanks to everyone who helped out with advice, much of it was followed and we had a fantastic week.

I ended up picking the yacht up in Adrossan (not Largs).

On day 1 we head up to Millport, dinghy ashore to the fair, followed by the pub for tea and then back to the boat for a short passage round to Largs for the night. Millport was fantastic for my 3 yr old son. The council moorings were free (although could have done with pick up buoys on them), the local people were great and and the short trip in the dinghy was easy. That evening we head over to Largs Marina, who were not shy about charging south coast premiums for the pleasure of an overnight berth. Nothing wrong with the place but £36/night seemed expensive!

Day 2 we head NW to an anchorage called Toward, went ashore with the dinghy, paddled about on the beach etc, took a walk and retuned to the yacht for a quick sail over to Port Bannatyne for the night.

Port Bannatayne was pretty relaxed although £26 for an overnight for a town that had no where that served food was steep. The pub we ended up in was good enough to let us order a delivery from Rothesey but with hinds sight we should have eaten on the boat.

Day 3 we head up the Eastern Kyle, before this the scenery was already pretty impressive but the Kyles were better. Stopped at St Nivian's Bay that afternoon, took the dinghy ashore to the beach, went swimming etc and generally had a good time. Late afternoon we head back to Adrossan to pick up an extra crew member. Ate in the Italian by the marina (Cecchinis I think) and had a first class steak.

The following morning we sailed over to Aaron and put ashore at Lamlash. Took junior to the park, the beach and the pub before making our way back out in the dinghy to the yacht and nipping across to an anchorage on the West of Holy Island for another swim. This was a nice spot, only 1 other yacht in sight and we were able to anchor close enough to the beach to swim ashore. We finished the day of with a passage back to Adrossan and a passage back up to the Italian for dinner again.

All in all a very enjoyable week and thanks to those formite who threw in suggestions of where to go.

I can see why many Clyde sailors like to keep their cruising ground to themselves.
 
Glad you enjoyed it. I think you picked a great route and if it was last week the weather was fantastic. Hope it's as good the next time.
yes largs certainly know how to charge. :mad:
 
Doug_Stormforce said:
Thanks to everyone who helped out with advice, much of it was followed and we had a fantastic week.

I ended up picking the yacht up in Adrossan (not Largs).

On day 1 we head up to Millport, dinghy ashore to the fair, followed by the pub for tea and then back to the boat for a short passage round to Largs for the night. Millport was fantastic for my 3 yr old son. The council moorings were free (although could have done with pick up buoys on them), the local people were great and and the short trip in the dinghy was easy. That evening we head over to Largs Marina, who were not shy about charging south coast premiums for the pleasure of an overnight berth. Nothing wrong with the place but £36/night seemed expensive!

Day 2 we head NW to an anchorage called Toward, went ashore with the dinghy, paddled about on the beach etc, took a walk and retuned to the yacht for a quick sail over to Port Bannatyne for the night.

Port Bannatayne was pretty relaxed although £26 for an overnight for a town that had no where that served food was steep. The pub we ended up in was good enough to let us order a delivery from Rothesey but with hinds sight we should have eaten on the boat.

Day 3 we head up the Eastern Kyle, before this the scenery was already pretty impressive but the Kyles were better. Stopped at St Nivian's Bay that afternoon, took the dinghy ashore to the beach, went swimming etc and generally had a good time. Late afternoon we head back to Adrossan to pick up an extra crew member. Ate in the Italian by the marina (Cecchinis I think) and had a first class steak.

The following morning we sailed over to Aaron and put ashore at Lamlash. Took junior to the park, the beach and the pub before making our way back out in the dinghy to the yacht and nipping across to an anchorage on the West of Holy Island for another swim. This was a nice spot, only 1 other yacht in sight and we were able to anchor close enough to the beach to swim ashore. We finished the day of with a passage back to Adrossan and a passage back up to the Italian for dinner again.

All in all a very enjoyable week and thanks to those formite who threw in suggestions of where to go.

I can see why many Clyde sailors like to keep their cruising ground to themselves.
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Damn ! Weve been rumbled. Keep it to yourself how good it is up here please or they will all want a bit !

Seriously , glad you had a good time , the weather obviously helped. West of Scotland is the best place in the world when the weather is right and worst place when the weather is ****e !
 
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