Penzance - Oban Fast Track

[Guest]

Anyone care to suggest an itinerary for a four week cruise from Penzance to Oban taking in the best stop-overs en-route. We need to swap crews at weekly intervals so I'm particularly interested in suggestions for the weekly crew changeover points. Thanks in anticipation. Ant.

 

[claymore]

OK - the first leg is the biggest in that is the most exposed. 2 options really going left or right - ie North Devon coastal up to say Milford Haven then leg it up the coast to somewhere like Phwelli (spelt wrong I know!). from there a passage to Port St Mary, Isle of Man. This would give you the option to change crew who could either ferry or fly to or from IOM. Once on the Isle of Man it would be best to go over to Ireland - 6 hours to Ardglass and then on to Strangford, Ballycastle (Ferries to Larne and flights to Belfast) and then either Islay or Gigha.This would give you the flush northwards and would take you clear of both Mulls, Galloway and Kintyre. Islay is wonderful and from there through the sound taking in Colonsay, Iona, Coll. If this is a return trip you'll have to be thinking of getting back now so down the Sound of Mull to Oban (Railhead here) and then quietly back. I have a cruise account published in www.sailingindepth.com which covers the route from Fleetwood. (Freebooter goes North)
If it was me I'd probably leg it straight across to S. Ireland and then coastal cruise northwards.
Avoid Ramsey, IOM - its the Pits and Douglas isn't much better. If it is a return trip then come down the Sound of Jura to Gigha, round the Mull to Sanda then off to Portpatrick which is a good stopover on the Galloway Coast with the option to change crews using Stranraer for bus or train. From there its a straightforward run down either coast of the IOM - it dries round there so Peel if you can take the ground, Port St Mary of not - then you are back to Wales. I reckon on needing 24 - 36 hours of settled weather forecast for the first and last legs and the strongest team on board. Its just a time for getting on with it and may not be for the faint- hearted.
Hope this helps
regards
JS

 

[Guest]

Assuming that you are day sailing north to Oban, then whatever happens will depend on reachig winds. Your easiest route might be as follows: Fishguard (Old port); Holyhead; Port St Mary or Peel; Carnlough ... and the the critical bit to Croabh; Oban .... If you've got pots of dosh then take the inner passage via Lamlash/Ardishaig/Crinan and void the North Channel tides.

No weekly stopovers required as the above is a placid 6/7 days north and ditto back with 2 weeks to do some proper sailing .... Once you get to Oban, just tell your changeover crews that Oban has a platform 7 or if your crew don't like BR's extrotionate fares then Glasgow Airport is but a hire car away, otherwise they can drive.

 

[dafteddy]

Can't comment on anything south of Holyhead, but if conditions are favourable, then the Irish Coast option would allow crew changes at Dun Laoghaire/Dublin/Howth (all with excellent ferry/air connections. Then Ardglass, Bangor(NI) or even better the best kept secret of the season, the newly opened marina at Glenarm, just north of the ferry connections at Belfast and Larne. This stopover is perfect for the famous North Channel "double tide" which allows you to take the ebb to Kintyre and the subsequent flood up to Gigha or beyond. After that, happy days - Ardfern, Croabh, Kerrera......

Good sailing and enjoy