Two month mooring on the West Coast

[JumbleDuck]

My sailing plans for the year are settling down, and look like this ...

Easter: Launch, and through the canal.

May and June: Mooring out west, occasional weekends

July: Main summer cruise, ending Bangor

August: Trip to the Isle of Man and back to the Clyde​

If I do this I need to find a mooring or berth somewhere "outside" for the months of June and July. Not too far away, so I can get to the boat at a reasonable time if leaving Galloway after school (3.30pm) on a Friday. Public transport would be nice, as I won't have a car when I arrive or depart. Things to do on while on the mooring a bonus.

So far I am thinking of ...

Kerrera. Great for transport, lots to do, but £390 per month for a swinging mooring. Ouch.

Kilmelford: £258 per month is more like it, but the bus service ain't great and £40 taxis to and from Oban eat into the savings. Also not much to do at Kilmelford.

Ardoran Marine. Never been there by boat, hear the entrance to Loch Feochan is a bit fiddly. £224 per month

Crinan. My old stomping ground. Transport fine - not many buses but only £15 by taxi to Lochgilphead. Plenty to do. Price tbc but probably about £350/month​

At the moment the front runner is Kilmelford if I don't go often and probably Kerrea if it looks as if regular trips are possible. But should I consider other places ... ? Don't fancy Dunstaffnage, Linnhe Marine pushing it for distance. I'd be perfectly happy with somewhere cheap and out of the way, or to swap with anyone with a private mooring who would like one on the Clyde from May to August. All suggestions gratefully received.

 

[Motor_Sailor]

The entrance to Ardorran is nothing really. Bigger problem is that their moorings are on a lee shore and sometimes getting to and fro can be a problem.

 

[JumbleDuck]

The entrance to Ardorran is nothing really. Bigger problem is that their moorings are on a lee shore and sometimes getting to and fro can be a problem.

Many thanks. I should also have mentioned that Ardfern costs more than Crinan and is in more-or-less the same place and that as I have neither a BSS nor an RCD certificate I can't get a 60 day licence for the Crinan Canal.

 

[Minchsailor]

Ardfern is more difficult for public transport than Kilmelford, as the only buses going to the village are the school service, so none in the holidays and Saturday - all the (not so many) will stop outside KYH.

Ardoran is nearer to Oban, but always a taxi. And there is even less to do there than at KYH.

Personally, I spend quite a bit of time at KYH and find the buses are manageable.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Ardfern is more difficult for public transport than Kilmelford, as the only buses going to the village are the school service, so none in the holidays and Saturday - all the (not so many) will stop outside KYH.

It doesn't seem to be quite as bad as that now. Not as many buses in the holidays, but they all seem to stop at Ardfern.

Personally, I spend quite a bit of time at KYH and find the buses are manageable.

Thanks. I heard last year that the buses were refusing to stop at the KYH entrance and insisted on using the village shop only, which is quite a walk. Have you any experience of this? It could just have been one driver in a bad mood one day.

 

[Minchsailor]

It doesn't seem to be quite as bad as that now. Not as many buses in the holidays, but they all seem to stop at Ardfern.

Thanks. I heard last year that the buses were refusing to stop at the KYH entrance and insisted on using the village shop only, which is quite a walk. Have you any experience of this? It could just have been one driver in a bad mood one day.

Looks as if the buses are now better (or perhaps I was getting confused with Craobh Haven?).

Stopping at KYH - I know the school buses do, as they drop off the yard's kids. I have never had a problem both boarding and alighting. The buses are supposed to stop anywhere where it 'is safe'.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Looks as if the buses are now better (or perhaps I was getting confused with Craobh Haven?).

Things have got better in that area over the last few years - Crinan now has a useful though still infrequent service and that used to be schools days only as well. Maybe the two are related?

Stopping at KYH - I know the school buses do, as they drop off the yard's kids. I have never had a problem both boarding and alighting. The buses are supposed to stop anywhere where it 'is safe'.

Thanks. Kilmelford climbs up the rankings!