Mooring Options between Ardnamurchan and Ullapool

[siwhi]

We are hoping to leave the boat somewhere on the west coast of Scotland between Ardnamurchan Point and Ullapool from May until September.

I am considering moving between 2 different spots over the season as we usually sail for long weekends or a week at a time and this would give us more coverage. I am interested to know the options, apart from Arisaig and Mallaig, including any on Skye. We would leave the boat on a mooring, as I'm not comfortable leaving her at anchor unattended for long.

The boat is a Moody 31, the draft is 1.4m and ideally we'd like full tide access. On that point, would anyone know if you can leave Arisaig on a flood tide (I mean due to the tidal flows, not the depth restriction).

Suggestions and advice gratefully received.

Simon

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Plockton.
Portree.
The HM allows some of the visitor moorings in Loch Gairloch to be rented for a whole summer.
Bit further north is Lochinver on the pontoons. Buying a bumper fun ticket it works out at about £4 a day.

 

[Kelpie]

Plenty options. Kyleakin, Gairloch, or Lochinver are all Highland Council so you can get a cheap cruising ticket for three or six months,
Mallaig might work out pricey, but you can get there by train.
Portree is visitor buoys at £10/night so that could add up over a summer. No particular advantages over Kyleakin IMHO

 

[JumbleDuck]

Mallaig might work out pricey, but you can get there by train.

Indeed. Very emphatic signs saying that the standard daily rates apply no matter how long you stay.

How about Arisaig? Also railway trainable. Never been there myself.

 

[Trop Cher]

There's also now visitor moorings at Broadford, which are available for a monthly rate or the whole season.

 

[Kelpie]

There's also now visitor moorings at Broadford, which are available for a monthly rate or the whole season.

I don't think there's anywhere to keep a tender there, no prob if travelling up by car I suppose.

 

[chrisclin]

Indeed. Very emphatic signs saying that the standard daily rates apply no matter how long you stay.

How about Arisaig? Also railway trainable. Never been there myself.

Arisaig Marine is a popular place to leave boats mid-season - I did myself this year. The entrance is well buoyed and I certainly encountered no problems in getting in or out no matter which way the tide was going. Try www.arisaig.co.uk and give them a bell. The owner and his wife are very helpful. Only suggestion I would make is that you do not dry out on the level bit inshore of the pier. I did, too check out the keel after hitting a rock in the Borrodale Islands and lost a welly. It's very sticky!
By the way, the train journey up there is to die for. It is spectacular!

 

[starboard]

Arising would be my choice. Bomb proof and great moorings with access all states of the tide.......maybe very low water spring may give your heart a flutter halfway in but I have never found myself short of water during any of my visits. The advantage is good rail connection to Glasgow via Fort William.

 

[jdc]

I second the suggestion for Plockton - PM me if you want help contacting the Plockton Harbour Association / moorings officer (I have a deep water mooring there). Railway from Inverness.

There may very well be a mooring to be had at Lochcarron as well (the proprietor and skipper of our local and super-helpful diving and mooring boat is based there), but land access is worse unless coming from by car from Inverness.

There are also a few moorings, although I don't know who owns them, in Badicaul bay (there is a fair-sized ketch there at the moment, riding out the winter storms quite comfortably). Contacting the Kyle HM would be a good start. I've found him/them to be as usual for smaller places more used to fishing and commercial than leisure craft; that is to say while outwardly gruff and 'get on with it we've not got all day you know' actually really courteous, helpful and welcoming. But it's best to call by in person: there's only one degree of separation between folk up there, so you'll quickly be put in contact with whoever knows or can decide.

 

[ctva]

All or most of the possible details are here, http://www.welcome-anchorages.co.uk

 

[westhinder]

Just south of Ardnamurchan, I know, but also worth a mention: Salen in Loch Sunart is worth a try. Both moorings and pontoons in perfect shelter.

 

[Blue_mischief]

Armadale, moorings owned by local moorings association. Frequent ferry from Mallaig in summer.

 

[siwhi]

Thanks all for the very helpful information. We might do a combination of Arisaig for a couple of months then get a 3 month Highland Council harbours pass.

Would I be right in thinking that if you have a council harbours pass it's first come first serve at the buoy, or is it possible to reserve one ahead of time? It would be a hassle with logistics to arrive back at harbour Sunday or Monday pm and find all the buoys occupied and have to move on somewhere else. Or are there generally enough available?

Thanks again,

Simon

 

[Kelpie]

I've only used the Highland Harbours cruising ticket for pontoon berths, I wasn't aware that they had any buoys.
No guarantee of a berth, unfortunately, and in places like Kyleakin you will generally end up in a raft. You get what you pay for

 

[AngusMcDoon]

I've only used the Highland Harbours cruising ticket for pontoon berths, I wasn't aware that they had any buoys.

They have some at Gairloch that the cruising ticket covers.

 

[Minchsailor]

Would I be right in thinking that if you have a council harbours pass it's first come first serve at the buoy, or is it possible to reserve one ahead of time? It would be a hassle with logistics to arrive back at harbour Sunday or Monday pm and find all the buoys occupied and have to move on somewhere else. Or are there generally enough available?

It is first come, first served on the Highland Council moorings/buoys.

I have left my boat at Broadford. It is a bit exposed and a fair row to the shore, but OK for the Citylink bus and fairish Co-op. I left my (somewhat tatty) Avon in the hedge for a week - never touched. Pay at the Spar shop.

 

[claymore]

A number of people have referred to access and I really think its worth considering how you are planning to get to and fro. Its going to mean some compromise but better that than creating a journey that hacks you off to the point where it becomes onerous.
Arisaig and plockton both have reasonable access with rail option and the 830 is much improved

 

[Minchsailor]

Moorings at Arisaig are now very popular; quite difficult in the school holidays.

I the last couple of years Plockton have reorganised and increased the number of visitors' moorings. There are now 4 with swivels especially for people who want to leave their boats there. Nowhere really to leave a dinghy for longer than a few days though.

See the Traveline journey planner, which I have found excellent for connections: www.travelinescotland.com/welcome.do