Round Britain ... clockwise or anti-clockwise ?

Bav34

Bav34

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Hi. We intend to sail around GB in 2008.
The basic plan is :

Leave The Solent May time ... weather pattern dependant of course, with The Caledonian Canal being our northern most destination and see a bit of the east coast of Ireland too.

We have started to read up on harbours, distances and so on but can't seem to think which way is the most logical. Clockwise FEELS right but can't explain why!

There are no time restraints .

Any thoughts?

Thanks
 
numerous forumites done this, most regret not spending more time over the scottish islands. So i'd go there, leave boat a bit and then go again. Big swathes of Eastern coast not so good on passage cos you need to be close in to see low-lying land.

I think clockwise the better way, with longest wave fetches on the stern.
 
Ellen McArtur did it anti-clockwise, not that that is a definite recommendation. It's something I want to do myself, starting and finishing in the Solent, so for that reason I would prefer to do it anticlockwise, as I feel that I am more likely to get favourable winds at the end of the route. But I may be wrong /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
The Irish pilot books slightly recommend doing Ireland clockwise, since then you tend to be beating into prevailing winds protected on a weather shore. To a lesser extent the same might apply for your trip.
On the other hand, if I were starting from where you are, I'd definitely go anti- since that would get the most boring stuff out of the way first. That way you'd have a better idea how long you could linger on the most attractive bits, which are mainly on the west.
 
I know somebody who did it, went anti-clockwise and said they would never do the east coast again. If they were doing it again they'd go up the Irish Sea (or possibly the west coast of Ireland) through the Caledonian Canal, round the top via Orkney and all the way back down the West Coast. That way you do the best bit twice and don't have to the less interesting bit at all.

Ed
 
We went round anti clockwise in 2005. I think its better because often South West winds tend to increase before front goes through and then gusty NW winds follow. Was once stuck in Milford for 10 days with a NW wind pattern into which I could not beat. Up the East Coast NW winds have little fetch and SW winds are off the land-only Easterlies give real trouble. On balance, therefore, I think it is better to reach down the Irish Sea on the NW winds and not try to go against them---but its all a bit marginal!
 
If you had seen great reviews about a three-act play and went a fair distance to the theatre to see it for yourself, would you duck out in the interval before the last act?
That is what you are planning to do at the Caledonian canal!
I do urge you to take the time and make the effort to sail the west and north of Scotland. It the finest section of the whole British coastline (I have cruised all of it) : and go CLOCKWISE.
If you find yourself running short of time, scoot down the east coast, where the waters are more sheltered and you can make longer passages. You will see less of the English east coast but in my opinion that section is the least rewarding to yachtsmen.
If you decide to follow up the idea and could do with some help, send me a PM.
 
There is a very nasty race at the top of Scotland called the Pentland Firth with currents up to 16 knots which is why most people do it clockwise. Have a look at Angus McDoons website about doing it in an x99 for some piccies of the trip. I was onboard for part of it but the miserable *******s wouldn't give me enough time off work.
 
It took a page and a half for someone to mention the Pentland and that would be the reason I would go clockwise. To miss the NW of Scotland would be to miss the best, quietest and most exhilerating cruising in Britain (I can't understand why you would want to go anywhere else). If you do insist on doing the Caledonian Canal (and IMHO Loch Ness is really not that interesting) then I would imagine that Fort Augustus to Inversneckie (ie clockwise) would give the best chance of downwind sailing. Beating down the Great Glen would be too painful.
 
But you don't need to go through the Pentland Firth unless you insist on taking (another) short cut. From Cape Wrath, Loch Eriboll or Loch Tongue to Stromness avoids all the nastiness, and keeping well East of it when heading South towards Wick adds little distance.
 
Its a mistake to write off the east coast just like that. Agreed there is a fairly desolate section wash -north ,but east anglian coast and Thames estuary have some lovely spots which merit attention. I'm always sorry that accounts of trips round Britain, and indeed programmmes likeCoast ,just seem to miss it out. Or perhaps thats good .....or indeed is it that you south coast people are scared of shallow water!
Tongue firmly in cheek on the last bit! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
No, I was only talking about avoiding the Pentland Firth both going North and South. I did make a mistake, though: if you really want to go round all of the UK then you should go outside Sule Sgeir rather than cut straight across from C. Wrath to Stromness. (I was assuming coastal cruising: a purist would presumably be making the direct passage from Rockall to Muckle Flugga...)
 
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