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

The inner loch is definattely on the cards

however, this evening when I sat down with the charts reality came crashing in on me when I realised how large Islay and Jura are

Ardfern to the inner loch t is around 45 miles

too far for the lab unless I motored all the way - and what would be the point of that!

I shall have to satisfy myself with a few short sails around here = say 20 miles

untilI can find an occasional Maggie Minder in the area

8 year old black lab, loves food, will love anyone who has food in their pocket

pees on command

loves her bed - wherever it is

will sleep happily anywhere

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6DWrbA4t34
 
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dylanwinter said:
The inner loch is definattely on the cards

however, thois evening reality came crashing in on me when I realised how large Islay and Jura are

Ardfern to Tarbet is around 45 miles

too far for the lab

I shall have to satisfy myself with a few short sails around here = say 20 miles

unless I can find a Maggie Minder in the area

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6DWrbA4t34
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If you haven't invested in the Clyde Cruising Club Kintyre to Ardnamurchan book go and get one from the chandlers now! read it at the Galley of Lorne restaurant before getting your ice in the laundry room. Have you seen the osprey yet?
 
dylanwinter said:
The inner loch is definattely on the cards

however, this evening when I sat down with the charts reality came crashing in on me when I realised how large Islay and Jura are

Ardfern to the inner loch t is around 45 miles

too far for the lab unless I motored all the way - and what would be the point of that!
Click to expand...
To be honest, Dylan, it took me about two hours to get to the top of Loch Tarbert from the entrance, and well over an hour to get back out the following day. I rock hop very gingerly!
I did it as a pilotage exercise, because it was there... If you haven't discovered it yet, consider Loch Sween and the Fairy Isles near the top. There be Ospreys - or there have been in the past!
 
If you want 20 mile days stop in the Clyde.
From Tayvallich our nearest pontoon is Ardfern or maybe Craobh, Port Ellen the other way. 30 or 40 miles.
For your normal tidal antics,
forget it South of Loch Aline, we ended up there to antifoul last year in our Centaur, not enough range otherwise.
 
Carsaig Bay, halfway up/down the Sound of Jura on the mainland, has nice sand visible at LW. About 5 miles from Crinan and 10 from Ardfern? Longer if sailing, but get your tides right - we know you will!
There is a nice easy walk to Tayvallich, where there is a shop & pub.
 
A1Sailor said:
Carsaig Bay, halfway up/down the Sound of Jura on the mainland, has nice sand visible at LW. About 5 miles from Crinan and 10 from Ardfern? Longer if sailing, but get your tides right - we know you will!
There is a nice easy walk to Tayvallich, where there is a shop & pub.
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I was chatting to a nice chap from Carsaig at the boatyard a couple of weeks ago - he was immediately behind me in the launch queue. Apparently there are a couple of visitor's moorings there now.
 
coming out of Ardfern you are faced with the choice of going north or south and this decision dictates the course of the next few days cruising. Given your need to be within striking distance of a pontoon should the weather change I would strongly suggest going north. If you work the tides considerable distances can easily be made - you can get a lift all the way to Tobermory on one tide for example. Anchorages wise there are loads of choices and there are several options for pontoons. Don't forget Oban where you will have a friendly welcome at the marina on Kerrera and you can get a free boat ride over to the town to fill up with gourmet wet and shellfish from the shop near the station. Going north up to Mull don't miss Loch Drombuie (sp?) . Although popular this has one of my top 5 views when you look north from the anchorages. Sunart has some tiny anchorages and also Loch Teacuis for an exciting entrance (apparently now easier - don't know why but Google must).

The downside to this northerly option is that you will miss out on Tarbert and I agree with the others that a trip to the top pool is a 'Must Do' for anyone who sails in this area. Probably best to treat it as a separate mini cruise. The top pool is near useless for anchoring and also has a bleak feel to it but the bends a couple down from the top are amazing. We once spent the night in one surrounded by literally hundreds of huge salmon ! As others have said pilotage is a challenge - a pilot is a must and it is a bit off putting as I think it is best to go in on the start of the ebb so to have steerage when doing a knot+ on bits where you think ledges are. This means a falling tide which is never encouraging ! You have to get a wiggle on though as when the top pool starts to empty in earnest the flow becomes untenable in places.
 
Storyline said:
The downside to this northerly option is that you will miss out on Tarbert and I agree with the others that a trip to the top pool is a 'Must Do' for anyone who sails in this area. Probably best to treat it as a separate mini cruise. The top pool is near useless for anchoring and also has a bleak feel to it but the bends a couple down from the top are amazing. We once spent the night in one surrounded by literally hundreds of huge salmon ! As others have said pilotage is a challenge - a pilot is a must and it is a bit off putting as I think it is best to go in on the start of the ebb so to have steerage when doing a knot+ on bits where you think ledges are. This means a falling tide which is never encouraging ! You have to get a wiggle on though as when the top pool starts to empty in earnest the flow becomes untenable in places.
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Indeed. When I went up to the top pool on the flood I motored gently astern in the narrow/shallow bits so that I was inching ahead very slowly over the ground... Leaving, again on the flood, was very much easier! The flow over the shallows immediately outside the top pool was impressive - we saw it from where we had anchored nearby.
A circumnavigation of Jura, in short hops, is a realistic target for a man who is circumnavigating the UK - but if he needs pontoons flying pigs are more frequent! Some more info here:
http://www.scottishanchorages.co.uk/jura/4532968102
 
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On a slightly more land based note - Kilmartin ( just south of Ardfern) is a centre of many bronze age and neolithic sites. Standing stones are all around, hill forts etc. A visit to the museum is worth it, and they have a walking map so you can exercise your right to roam and easily visit many of the sights that lie in a radius of a few miles of Kilmartin - good walking for dogs and spouses! You could also moor/anchor in loch crinan and explore some of these sites.
 
stevepick said:
On a slightly more land based note - Kilmartin ( just south of Ardfern) is a centre of many bronze age and neolithic sites. Standing stones are all around, hill forts etc. A visit to the museum is worth it, and they have a walking map so you can exercise your right to roam and easily visit many of the sights that lie in a radius of a few miles of Kilmartin - good walking for dogs and spouses! You could also moor/anchor in loch crinan and explore some of these sites.
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+1 for Kilmartin (and they they do a good lunch and excellent coffee)
Dunadd's also worth a visit if you're into history.
 
stevepick said:
On a slightly more land based note - Kilmartin ( just south of Ardfern) is a centre of many bronze age and neolithic sites. Standing stones are all around, hill forts etc. A visit to the museum is worth it, and they have a walking map so you can exercise your right to roam and easily visit many of the sights that lie in a radius of a few miles of Kilmartin - good walking for dogs and spouses! You could also moor/anchor in loch crinan and explore some of these sites.
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Carnassarie Castle, just north of Kilmartin, is one of my favourites. There is enough of a walk to it from the road that it feels properly out in the wilds.

carnasserie-450.jpg
 
dounie castle/dun - a nice length of walk from Crinan to get a thirst for the hotel on your return. great views down the sound of jura etc
 
dylanwinter said:
I am planning to base myself at Ardfern for a few weeks ...
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As you'll have seen from the responses, this is a very rich area for all sorts of things. I've been cruising here for about thirty years and still haven't been everywhere or seen everything, despite trying.
I'll lay odds odds that you'll be back :)
 
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