Scottish W. Coast Cruise

[maliere]

I have 6 weeks off from mid April till end of May. My boat a Sadler 26 is in N.Wales and I am planning a scottish Cruise. The itinerary is completely open could anyone provide valuable insights in where to go and more important where to avoid especially at this time of year

 

[snowleopard]

at that time of year you should have the place to yourself. by the end of may it will be really beautiful. in summer tobermory and the sound of mull are like the solent but you shouldn't find it crowded,

obviously the weather is going to be less predictable than later on but if you stick to the clyde and inner hebrides and keep a close eye on the weather you should be ok.

a few suggestions:

the kyles of bute have some great anchorages.

the sound of jura is good for dolphins & minke whales and gigha is said to be good though i've only rushed past on passage.

crinan and the canal are an experience

craobh haven makes a good base for the inner islands

enjoy

 

[claymore]

Isle of Man Port St Mary
Ardglass
Strangford
Rathlin
Portnahaven
Colonsay
Iona
Gometra
Rhum, Muck Eigg
Lochalsh Area
Loch Nevis
Tobermory
Sunart - Salen, Druim Buidh
Loch Aline
Lismore - Port Ramsay
Creran
Oban - Kerrera
Puilldobrhan
Cuan Sound
Melfort
Croabh
Craignish
Crinan - Clyde
or
Gigha/Craighouse
Kintyre - Campbeltown
Portpatrick
Peel
Home



regards
Claymore

 

[hlb]

Well. We went fro N Wales to Scotland a few yers ago. All be it alitle faster. But we only did it in short hops, so maybe of use to you. Duglas IOM makes a handy staging post. But then be very carefull about the Mull of Galloway. My Admiralty chart says it's dangerous for distroyers!! So if you've survived that. Go to Port Patrick, a lovely little place, but be carefull of the tide across the enterance. We went to Cambletown next, which is nice. After that theres loads of choices. We eventualy went up lough Fyne, Crinan canal and finnished up in Tobermory.

<font color=blue> Haydn

 

[claymore]

And the west coast is still recovering nm.

xx

regards
Claymore

 

[jwatson]

Certainly Oban and Tobermory should be on your list.

 

[Gordonmc]

Be aware that the Upper Clyde and Loch Fyne will be busy toward the end of your trip. The Scottish Series is based at Tarbert 22 - 27 May. The apre is great, but its busy with far too much testosterone around.

 

[sailbadthesinner]

gigha
is beatiful
or was when i last went which admittedly was 20 years ago

Ok brain let's just do this and I can get back to killing you with beer.

 

[vyv_cox]

Port St Mary, IOM. Going to Douglas is a bit of a detour and requires you to go eastabouts afterwards, losing a valuable tidal push. If the weather is favourable and you don't mind overnights, go to Portpatrick as your first stop. This gives you the flood all the way to IOM and the ebb all the way to Portpatrick.

Lots of benefit in going via NI if the weather is not too good, Bangor or Ardglass are good. From there you can make Islay or Gigha in one tide. Sound of Islay to Colonsay is spectacular, Colonsay superb in the right weather. Or north up the Sound of Jura.

The anchorage at Puilldobrhain (almost certainly spelt wrong, sounds like Puldoran) is fabulous, north end of the channel between Seil Island and the mainland.

There is good stuff up Loch Linnhe but my preference would be to head up the Sound of Mull to Tobermory but don't miss the anchorage in Drumbuie (apologies for spelling to Scots amongst us)

Around Mull is great in good weather.

Return, or bad weather option, Crinan Canal, many good places in the Clyde.

Weather is often very good in May in the islands. Hope it goes well.

 

[extravert]

If you have the time and the weather to get round 'ard 'n' murky point (Ardnamurchan Point) then Loch Nevis and Loch Hourn give the best sea loch scenery in the country. Plenty of protected water as well. Inverie in Loch Nevis is my favourite place.

There may be some details you will find useful and some pictures here...

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.xrayted.fsnet.co.uk>http://www.xrayted.fsnet.co.uk</A>

X-Ray Ted in Loch Nevis

and in Kyleakin

 

[claymore]

Are we talking

The old forge?

regards
Claymore

 

[extravert]

Re: Are we talking

Yes

 

[snowleopard]

mooring at oban

if you go there, take a mooring at the south end of the bay, past the lifeboat station. i spent a night on a buoy at oban yachts off kerrera and they charged me £16.50!!!

 

[claymore]

Re: mooring at oban

Well they do run a water taxi, have a fuel tank and showers, laundry etc. The last time I visited after 8 very wet days beyond Ardnamurchan, I didn't begrudge them a penny of the berthing fee

regards
Claymore

 

[whisper]

Plus, if you go N.of Ardnamurchan spend a night at Loch na Cuilce ( L. Scavaig) on the S.Coast of Skye. The most majestic (awesome) anchorage I've ever been in.
If you go to Crinan eat at the Crinan Hotel. The Crinan Canal is interesting but quite expensive though at least you would only be going one-way.
Arinagour and the E.Coast of Col are worth a visit - place is in a time warp. There are usually dolphins and minkes in Gunna Snd. and the Passage of Tiree, from where a short detour to Staffa is very convenient.
Personally wouldn't go to Craighouse (Jura) as there's very little there apart from the distillery and a down at heal pub (IMHO).
Strongly recommend the Imray Pilots, Clyde to Colonsay, Sound of Mull,Skye & North West Scotland.

 

[extravert]

Re: Are we talking

Turned on the box last night, and there was the Old Forge. Did anyone else see it on Holiday 2003? Save on the £12-50 boat trip from Mallaig, go there in your own boat. The moorings at Inverie are free too.

One of the shots they showed last night (Loch Nevis) was almost the same as the top one I posted. It was from near that shallow water mark that looks like a submerged church spire, which they also showed.

Adventures of the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.xrayted.fsnet.co.uk>Teddy Bear Boat</A>

 

[Solstice]

If it is your first visit to the West Coast I envy you, although I would not get too set on drawing up a fixed itinery around 'must see' places, its all good cruising wherever you are. Read Hamish Haswell-Smith's 'Scottish Islands' before you go then follow the wind and your inclination. Having read some of the previous suggestions though, I personally would not go out of my way to visit Oban or Campbeltown, nor would I choose to make my first approach via the West Coast of Islay. Better to follow in the footsteps of generations of yachtsmen and go via Arran, the Clyde and the Crinan canal leaving the Mull of Kintyre until your departure.

If you have some settled weather, as you should have at that time of the year, do try and make some of the lesser used anchorages. Some can sound a bit off-putting in the Sailing Directions but in good weather, taken a step at a time, it all becomes clear eventually and most rewarding once you are in and anchored. Mind you, in the spring you should have it virtually all to yourself anyway and even Puldoran might seem quiet and remote.

Have fun!

 

[claymore]

The Crinan is great fun - damage is easy to achieve, both to boat and pocket.
If you are coming from N.Ireland - perhaps Ballycastle - then it makes perfect sense to blast straight up the Sound of Jura rather than crossing over into the Clyde - the poster did say he wanted to get to the West Coast - Gigha is 6 hrs from Ballycastle. Islay is less and if the winds are S or SW that is good for heading out through Islay Sound and getting away to Colonsay and beyond. It's too easy to get into the Clyde and potter around Kilbrannan and the Kyles etc - this sounds a big trip and one which has been on the cards for a year or two so its worth starting with an ambitious plan and getting the hard miles in early

regards
Claymore

 

[Ohdrat]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO don't do it all the suggested places are just figments of their dillusional imagination.. when there's no wind there are midges.. never mind the Coast Guard rescues that you will invariable have to suffer .. go to <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ybw.com/cgi-bin/forums/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=ym&Number=306496&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=31&part=>Norway</A> instead..

 

[vyv_cox]

Quite so. Islay or Gigha from an overnight anchorage in Red Bay or somewhere similar in Northern Ireland is no problem at all. I have done Port Ellen to Bangor in just over one tide, spinnaker all the way, dropped it as we entered Bangor Marina. Speed over the ground in the North Channel has to be seen to be believed.

Get into the Clyde and it either costs an arm and a leg through the canal or the weather turns and you can't get round the Mull. Keep going west for as long as possible - it's easy to go east if you have to.

Going into Campbelltown is often seen as a good option but my experience is that it's a trap. Each time I've been there I was stuck for days and regretted not keeping going when I had the chance.