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Paddydog`1

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Making tentative plans for doing this.

Since I am retired and approaching my dotage, I'll only ever be doing it once so I want to do it slowly and at my leisure taking in all the sights (but not 6 years like Timothy Spall took).

Looking at maybe doing it in 2 seasons (or three?) so my question is "where to overwinter?" I'll be setting off from Plymouth.

If I were to go anticlockwise I would aim to get at least to Inverness where there seems to be a good marina and an airport. However since my main aim would be to spend as much time as possible the following season in Western Scotland , if time allowed I could continue round the top via Orkney and find somewhere to overwinter in NW Scotland. But where? (With good shelter and air connections).

Alternatively I could head clockwise and spend the summer in the West of Scotland where I've always wanted to cruise. But where would be the most Northerly safe place to leave the boat for the winter with good air connections and still give me enough time to go round the top via Orkney back to Plymouth?

Anyone with experience of this able to advise?
 
http://www.sailscotland.co.uk/content/page.php?page_id=62

Basic information on this webpage. Good places to overwinter (in no particular order, as we are required to say these days) are Oban, Dunstaffnage, Ardfern or Croabh (pronounced Croove) Further north look at Mallaig or Stornoway. The first four are accessible from Glasgow airport by short bus ride to Queen St station then three trains a day to Oban. Mallaig similar, but Stornoway involves a flight to Inverness then bus to Ullapool, then ferry.

"Retired and approaching my dotage..." I am in a similar position, but I would not say that this will be the only time. I did it solo last year and enjoyed it so much I did it again this year. And I will probably do another one next year.

Your first decision must be which direction you will go. It is the basis of all further planning. In my case, I took the view that there is no discernable advantage with respect to prevailing wind or tide between the two directions. I noticed that it is very much easier to get round Lands End northbound than southbound. I also noticed that it is recommended that passage through Pentland Firth is made with wind with tide, and as I would need an east going tide that would require a westerly component in the wind. This caused me to elect to journey clockwise.

If you want further comments or opinions from me I suggest you PM me with your e-mail address and we can continue without boring other forum contributors.
 
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Assuming you live some where in England probabaly near Plymouth.
The Clyde has several good places, Kip, Troon. Accessable by Moterway from the south . Particularly if you still want to enjoy some late seasn sailing.
If I were going clock wise I would want to spend time on the Irish coast. I never have. Though I have sailed from the clyde to Plymouth the Channel Islands and back I allways feel having not stopped anywhere on the way down the Irish sea. I really missed something.
 
Can't help with places to overwinter, I'm afraid, but thoroughly endorse your priority to spend as much time as possible on the West coast of Scotland. I did the trip round Britain this year, took nearly four months, seven weeks of which were on the West coast, and that was not nearly enough to do and see all I wanted. There is such an overwhelming choice of stunning places.
You might have a look at www.ossian.be . The blog is in Dutch, I'm afraid, but there are loads of pictures. Always happy to discuss the trip, just drop me a pm.
 
Paddydog`1 said:
Which of the NW Scotland marinas have the best air connections to Bristol/Cardiff
Click to expand...

Realistically, anywhere north of the Clyde will require a lot of travelling before you get to an airport that serves places like Bristol or Cardiff. I think Glasgow or Prestwick airports probably serve them, but basically further north you're in the hands of local carriers who bring people to Glasgow or Edinburgh - at a price. There is a service (by sea-plane) from Oban to Glasgow, and there are services to/from some of the islands. It used to be LoganAir that ran these services; I have no idea who runs them these days.

There is a rail service which connects through Inverness - I have no idea of the cost and frequency of travel.

It's worth remembering that on the west coast, once you're north of Helensburgh, even the "A" roads are narrow, winding single-carriageway roads, with a lot of slow traffic on them. It is, for example, quite usual to spend ages following a slow moving sight-seeing coach, and to be held up at an awkward bend while two HGV's decide which is going to back up!

If I were in your position, I'd think of over-wintering on the Eastern shore of the Clyde, then making an early start in the Spring to "do" the western isles.
 
For us, leaving in the boat in Scotland was all about
1. Safety of the boat
2. Value for money
3. Travel connections.
On this basis, Troon is good (very well run marina, does a good winter deal, very near Prestwick Airport or train to Glasgow, then fly south)
Inverness is good (another excellent marina, they will negotiate deals, excellent transport connections)
Stromness on Orkney (lovely spot with excellent marina, Ferry to Scrabster, cheap coachs to Inverness or Glasgow.

http://yacht-albatross.blogspot.co.uk/
 
Not sure if they are still available but there used to be quite regular flights between Wick and Bristol which I know from relatives that worked at Rolls Royce Vulcan near Thurso and commuted to Devonport for sub refits.
I think Wick has some pontoons but I don't know how much room is available?
 
flat1 said:
For us, leaving in the boat in Scotland was all about
1. Safety of the boat
2. Value for money
3. Travel connections.
On this basis, Troon is good (very well run marina, does a good winter deal, very near Prestwick Airport or train to Glasgow, then fly south)
Inverness is good (another excellent marina, they will negotiate deals, excellent transport connections)
Stromness on Orkney (lovely spot with excellent marina, Ferry to Scrabster, cheap coachs to Inverness or Glasgow.

http://yacht-albatross.blogspot.co.uk/
Click to expand...

I think if using Stromness you could fly from Kirkwall to Inverness, Edinburgh or Glasgow for onward flight south.
 
hi we just spent three years cruising round UK best advice don't rush we went clockwise, stopped off at pembokeshire for couple months lots to see, east coast ireland great cruising. we winterd in Troon (personal experience would not recommend the marina) wish we had gone to Ardrossen instead, better facilities, however area was great regularly got train to Glasgow then mega sleeper bus to london for £1 each way. Clyde great area for crusing many places to visit.
PM if you want any further info.
 
donaldson said:
Further north look at Mallaig or Stornoway.
Click to expand...

The signs and website for Mallaig are emphatic that no discount is given for longer stays; you're on the daily rate no matter how long you stay. That's £2.40 per metre per day, which for an eight metre boat for six months works out at a cool (and numerologically pleasing) £3,456.
 
The really big question is "Afloat or ashore"? By far the cheapest way of overwintering your boat up here is to have her hauled out. I pay £20/foot all-inclusive for six months in the yard at Port Bannatyne on the Clyde, and I believe cheaper deals are available elsewhere.
 
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