Islay and Jura - suggestions for places to visit within a few hours of Ardfern?

[dylanwinter]

I can promise you won't find any crumpet there.

as it happens crumpets are one of the standbyes on the boat - they last for ages and heat up beauitifully

lovely with butter and marmite

 

[dylanwinter]

Places with pontoons and leccie have been covered above.

Spoilt for choice for interesting places to visit around there though. Shuna Island has a dilapidated castle worth a look. Easdale and the Slate Islands, including Belnahua and Fladda, are interesting. The Sound of Luing with its 8 knot currents is a must. The Garvellachs are well worth a visit, and as someone has already mentioned, so is the Sound of Jura and West Loch Tarbert. Try getting to the very top of the latter and anchor in the Top Pool! The Ardmore Islands are beautiful, and the east coast of Jura and Craighouse also very nice. Barnhill, where George Orwell wrote 1984, is also fascinating if you read the book.

We did around there in 2013, based at Craobh Haven - details and pics at https://shetlandf4.wordpress.com/craobh-haven-2013/ if you are interested.

what a lovely blog - well done that man

 

[dimdav]

that sub story is a good one.... any urls anyone?

Well that was easy

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?273573-Remote-Scottish-U-Boat-Harbour

 

[bikedaft]

that sub story is a good one.... any urls anyone?

http://blog.islayinfo.com/article.php/islay-and-u-boats-1914-1918-war

how true it is i don't know. but its a goo story

 

[bikedaft]

I am hoping to spend a night in pig bay

getting the dog ashore is not impossible and if I get the tides right we can spend a fair amount of time aground

CCC guide book used to talk about surges there occasionally? talking about taking the dinghy high up the beach etc. never seen a surge tho...

 

[bikedaft]

Lowlandmans bay on Jura.

If you're over on the Argyle coast theres Bikedafts home territory of Tayvallich, Caolscotnish and the Fairy isles all of which are simply stunning IMHO, also good walking around that neck of the woods.

With your draft and penchant for the crawling over the shallow stuff you could head into Lhinnie Mhurich off loch Sween and of course a must see is Eilean Mhor on the Maccormaig isles.

A last 1 which I read about on here many years ago but cant remember its name and so only know through photos is the rocky inlet used by a german uboat as a hideout in WW1 IIRC, I think its somewhere in the Colonsay, Jura, Islay triangle. Hopefully someone on here will know it.

sssh please don't tell everyone...

there is a pontoon with water only in Tayvallich

Eilinn Mhor;

Sunset Eilinn Mhor by eddiecrawford, on Flickr

 

[Deleted member 36384]

.... Sound of Jura and West Loch Tarbert. Try getting to the very top of the latter and anchor in the Top Pool! ....

This is well worth it. Get right up to the end, canyon sailing in Scotland, first the big loch where I have twice seen yachts aground, then the inner loch through some narrows, past a few patches that will rip the bottom out your boat, then the upper loch, if you can find the entrance, it's quite hidden and blends in with the rocks, and is narrow, think Symplegades and be just as concerned as Jason. Through the dog leg and you must keep right over to the starboard side, almost wall touching, (on the way out this is very important as any outward current will want to sweep you over shallows, get right over to the left going out before the dog leg) and then the inner pool opens up. The Clyde Cruising Club pilots make it easy. The sail up the sound of Jura and the raised beaches is magnificent, beaches with no seashore, just a cliff face, the land rose up fast after the ice melted.

 

[dylanwinter]

This is well worth it. Get right up to the end, canyon sailing in Scotland, first the big loch where I have twice seen yachts aground, then the inner loch through some narrows, past a few patches that will rip the bottom out your boat, then the upper loch, if you can find the entrance, it's quite hidden and blends in with the rocks, and is narrow, think Symplegades and be just as concerned as Jason. Through the dog leg and you must keep right over to the starboard side, almost wall touching, (on the way out this is very important as any outward current will want to sweep you over shallows, get right over to the left going out before the dog leg) and then the inner pool opens up. The Clyde Cruising Club pilots make it easy. The sail up the sound of Jura and the raised beaches is magnificent, beaches with no seashore, just a cliff face, the land rose up fast after the ice melted.

given my shallow sailing proclivities.... this sounds like a must

D

 

[Deleted member 36384]

given my shallow sailing proclivities.... this sounds like a must

D

I think it is up there with desirable spots in Scotland, very desolate, hard to get too, you will find a mooring outside the pool, the game keeper keeps a rib or something like that on it. Last time I was up, the rib came through the dog leg at high speed as we were entering it. It is deep water but narrow with ledges. You cannot trust your GPS, the upper loch is very much visual pilotage using the transits and I think there are magnetic anomalies as well. Beware though, the transits have been known to be hidden behind growth and, or the white paint faded back to near natural stone colour, but still navigable with echo sounder and strictly following the CCC pilotage notes. It is a great wee exercise in pilotage. The land around the upper pool is a bit barn, sort of a moorish landscape (think bogs, not Alhambra).

 

[dylanwinter]

I think it is up there with desirable spots in Scotland, very desolate, hard to get too, you will find a mooring outside the pool, the game keeper keeps a rib or something like that on it. Last time I was up, the rib came through the dog leg at high speed as we were entering it. It is deep water but narrow with ledges. You cannot trust your GPS, the upper loch is very much visual pilotage using the transits and I think there are magnetic anomalies as well. Beware though, the transits have been known to be hidden behind growth and, or the white paint faded back to near natural stone colour, but still navigable with echo sounder and strictly following the CCC pilotage notes. It is a great wee exercise in pilotage. The land around the upper pool is a bit barn, sort of a moorish landscape (think bogs, not Alhambra).

looking at GE it looks as though it drain to leave a fair amount of exposed land

is it mud or sand - can I just run the boat aground and get out to walk around?

D

 

[Deleted member 36384]

I could not say for sure as I have always tried to avoid touching and have never been up to the head of the upper loch and always near a neap tide (the ebb is fast enough at neaps). I think it is more firm mud rather than ooze but the rock strata is quite vertical in places, folded, so just under the mud could be all sorts of ledges, I really don't know about the quality of the bottom. However, I don't think you would get into much trouble if you poked about on a rising tide.

 

[bikedaft]

I could not say for sure as I have always tried to avoid touching and have never been up to the head of the upper loch and always near a neap tide (the ebb is fast enough at neaps). I think it is more firm mud rather than ooze but the rock strata is quite vertical in places, folded, so just under the mud could be all sorts of ledges, I really don't know about the quality of the bottom. However, I don't think you would get into much trouble if you poked about on a rising tide.

from memory its fairly soft mud/yuck stuff that we anchored in at head of W loch tarbert

 

[agurney]

I am planning to base myself at Ardfern for a few weeks and have been looking about for places to visit. Islay and Jura look like good places to start - any suggestions about places to go

There's plenty listed on my web site with photos of most - http://sailing.agurney.com/

If the wind's from north or east one of my favourite spots is here: http://sailing.agurney.com/index.php/list-of-anchorages/achanarnich .. if there's already a scruffy Vega there just give us a shout.

You'll find these useful: http://www.agurney.com/oban-tides

 

[dylanwinter]

There's plenty listed on my web site with photos of most - http://sailing.agurney.com/

If the wind's from north or east one of my favourite spots is here: http://sailing.agurney.com/index.php/list-of-anchorages/achanarnich .. if there's already a scruffy Vega there just give us a shout.

You'll find these useful: http://www.agurney.com/oban-tides

good work that man

that is a lovely website full of info

 

[rbmatthews]

I could not say for sure as I have always tried to avoid touching and have never been up to the head of the upper loch and always near a neap tide (the ebb is fast enough at neaps). I think it is more firm mud rather than ooze but the rock strata is quite vertical in places, folded, so just under the mud could be all sorts of ledges, I really don't know about the quality of the bottom. However, I don't think you would get into much trouble if you poked about on a rising tide.

from memory its fairly soft mud/yuck stuff that we anchored in at head of W loch tarbert

Agree - I seem to remember it was sand overlain with peaty mud sort of material. Probably not easy to walk on, although we didn't try it.

 

[cindersailor]

One of my favourite anchorages in the area is Oronsay, the island attached to the south end of Colonsay at low water. Beautiful beaches (the one facing NE is a Dusie) and interesting semi ruined prioy, built by (probably more accurately for) some Irish bloke a while back, only a pleasant stroll away. Anchorage is on the E side behind some islets, exposed to anything from SW to NE depending on exactly where you throw the hook out. Save it for a sunny day.

 

[dylanwinter]

One of my favourite anchorages in the area is Oronsay, the island attached to the south end of Colonsay at low water. Beautiful beaches (the one facing NE is a Dusie) and interesting semi ruined prioy, built by (probably more accurately for) some Irish bloke a while back, only a pleasant stroll away. Anchorage is on the E side behind some islets, exposed to anything from SW to NE depending on exactly where you throw the hook out. Save it for a sunny day.

thanks for drawing my attention to it

that looks like a real treat _ I will have the sailing tender so I can do some proper shallow sailing

lovely idea

thanks C

 

[dimdav]

good work that man

that is a lovely website full of info

It is a fantastic resource and we west coast sailors are very grateful for agurney's hard work. I'm actually a bit surprised you've not come across it before now!

 

[JumbleDuck]

...and Port Ellen & Lochaline for visitor pontoons. Not that we've ever been to either as there are cracking anchorages nearby ;-)

Beware Port Ellen on a Saturday evening. if you hang around the Sound of Jura just after lunch - Dorus Mòr, say, or the MacCormaig Islands - you'll see a great crowd of charter boats from Ardfern and Kilmelford heading south as fast as their engines will take them (regardless of weather) to bag a place.

Actually, thinking about it, the MacCormaig Islands have a landable-at jetty these days.

 

[A1Sailor]

Places with pontoons and leccie have been covered above.

Spoilt for choice for interesting places to visit around there though. Shuna Island has a dilapidated castle worth a look. Easdale and the Slate Islands, including Belnahua and Fladda, are interesting. The Sound of Luing with its 8 knot currents is a must. The Garvellachs are well worth a visit, and as someone has already mentioned, so is the Sound of Jura and West Loch Tarbert. Try getting to the very top of the latter and anchor in the Top Pool! The Ardmore Islands are beautiful, and the east coast of Jura and Craighouse also very nice. Barnhill, where George Orwell wrote 1984, is also fascinating if you read the book.

We did around there in 2013, based at Craobh Haven - details and pics at https://shetlandf4.wordpress.com/craobh-haven-2013/ if you are interested.

+1 for Loch Tarbert on the west side of Jura. I did it in my Moody336, right up to the top pool, so if I can do it Dylan can! I spent the night anchored in the reach just outside the top pool, then exited the (really) narrow bit the following day. It would make a marvellous film, Dylan. I am pretty sure many of the transits, and there are lots, were established by Blondie Hasler assisted by some Marines...
Some pics:

"The narrows"...

Just after passing through "the narrows" before the reach outside the top pool. The grin is one of relief! The bit astern is the narrow bit...
EDIT:
As BoB says, there is apparently a shallow spit to port, on the north side of where the picture was taken from - so we are "looping round to starboard" to avoid it. It was possibly an hour before HW springs.

Heading "north" up the reach. There is another swallow area at the top of the reach, just outside the top pool.

At anchor, looking south down the reach.

One of the transits, the white cairns, on the shore of Loch Tarbert.

Ardmore Islands is another lovely, slightly less isolated, spot.