Essential books for the Western Isles?

[Tryweryn]

Is the any essential books you can recommend for sailing around the Western Isles please?

 

[Tryweryn]

The idea is to sail up the west coast of Scotland.

 

[TimBennet]

Well apart from the obvious CCC Guide, I think some other books might include:

'The Scotttish Islands' by Hamish Haswell-Smith

'Harpoon at a Venture' by Gavin Maxwell plus 'A Reed Shaken By The Wind - a Journey Through the Unexplored Marshlands of Iraq' and 'Ring of Bright Water' plus a biography to give some balance.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Is the any essential books you can recommend for sailing around the Western Isles please?

I used to say "an old copy of the CCC Handbook" but I am reliably informed that the latest editions are getting back to the level of detail they had 40 years ago. Other than that a tidal stream atlas, a set of Laver's tide tables, a copy of "Great Northern?" and you're good to go.

 

[macd]

Well apart from the obvious CCC Guide, I think some other books might include:

'The Scotttish Islands' by Hamish Haswell-Smith.

+1
Not much to do with sailing but a wonderful resource detailing the history, fauna etc of all but the tiniest islands.

 

[pagoda]

+1
Not much to do with sailing but a wonderful resource detailing the history, fauna etc of all but the tiniest islands.

Haswell-Smith's book is pleasant background reading -giving a fair outline of quite a lot of the West coast. Some things are done in detail, others almost ignored. The point of that comment is that not everybody is looking for the same things in life. Buy a few pilot books, charts, even "Welcome Anchorages" which though not exactly Almanac is reasonably useful. Then come and do some sailing. Be prepared for iffy weather, occasional midge attacks, walking miles to find diesel on occasion, foraging for fresh water or even 3 day old loaves (almost kidding here, but the excuse"we're waiting for the ferry to deliver the new bread" is not unknown) It can be glorious or hideous, with little logic to distinguish the two. If you get the wind, weather and tide are in your chosen direction, fine. Otherwise have some books and a dram or two on board. Don't try to do it on a strict timetable. It rarely works!


Spotted your location!
If you speak Welsh, all to the good, you might be OK North and West of Barra...

 

[GrahamP]

A good friend of mine, Richard Clubley, has written a book about Scotland's islands that may prove useful and interesting to you.

http://www.luath.co.uk/scotlands-islands.html

A review - http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usreviews/books/luathislands.html



Graham

 

[awol]

Tales of Para Handy - Hector Munro.
A decent bird book
A book on cetaceans

 

[bikedaft]

Omnibus by finlay j macdonald - gaelic culture, also v funny. Pre war crofting on harris/boyhood/growing up

Os maps for the west coast, tho nowadays you can get them on an ipad

 

[alant]

Is the any essential books you can recommend for sailing around the Western Isles please?

http://www.lexilogos.com/english/gaelic_scottish_dictionary.htm

 

[Humblebee]

I seem to remember that the two main series' of pilot books, ie Clyde Cruising Club and the Yachtsman's Pilot series by Martin Lawrence, were being merged and if so, it would be worth checking to see if the latest, merged editions were available. Both were good but combined they would be undoubtedly better and worth waiting for. Older almanacs would serve for background reading and passage planning, I have some if they would interest you as background reading. Haswell-Smith's book is invaluable and often available at significant discounts from booksellers north of the border - WH Smith in Oban usually has a few at a very fair price.

 

[KenMcCulloch]

For a bit of history, James Boswell's The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides (1786) is good value as is the brilliantly named Martin Martin's A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland (1703). The latter is particularly noted for the first detailed description of St Kilda.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Tales of Para Handy - Hector Munro

<cough>
gratuitous hidden text inserted to circumvent minimum post length, even though <cough> is not a tag

 

[jdc]

Or if intending to visit Eriskay you should have read "Whisky Galore" by Compton Mackenzie.

 

[NorthUp]

<cough>

Yes, Neil Munro....... a pal of Lakesailor, still posts on here occasionally .....

 

[Fascadale]

"Isles of the West" by Ian Mitchell

"Island Years, Island Farm" by Frank Fraser Darling

"Sea Room' by Adam Nicholson

"Night Falls on Ardnamurchan" by Alistain Maclean (not the thriller writer)

"Calum's Road" by Roger Hutchinson

Read these and a few more and you will begin to get a flavour of what you are sailing into. The West Coast is considerably more than a collection of beautiful views, good pubs, isolated anchorages and quirky natives

 

[skip50]

I know they are not books but the Antares charts would be a must for me. As well as everything mentioned above.

 

[westhinder]

Or if intending to visit Eriskay you should have read "Whisky Galore" by Compton Mackenzie.

Also if not intending to visit Eriskay

 

[afterpegassus]

As previously mentioned "Isles of the West" by Ian Mitchell but for some lighter reading how about Peter May's Lewis trilogy?

 

[awol]

<cough>
gratuitous hidden text inserted to circumvent minimum post length, even though <cough> is not a tag

My apologies - too much acetone sniffing had my Saki mixed up with scottish spirit but at least both wrote short stories. It was, of course Neil Munro.