Very well put. Of course it counts. If you want to race it, do so. Otherwise do it the way you feel comfortable with, and enjoy the bits you like. It's not a competition but it is an achievement however you plan and do it.For most of us, even doing it through the canal is a great effort. Time, money, health is a problem many face . Does it still count if you do half one year and half the next ? It would for me.
Surely the only people who matter are the people on board? No doubt some pub bore will tell you if you didn’t sail it non strop anti-clockwise in winter it wasn’t really hard enough, whilst someone else will tell you that it would have been better in an El Nïno year anyway!
I don’t think anyone who has sailed the canal would criticise it: pretty, interesting, fun, with some different technical challenges. Some people get upset about what you call a trip. I don’t care about that I just think it’s a shame if anyone going to all the effort of planning such an epic doesn’t consider taking in as much west as possible. If time, crew, health, personal interests don’t fit with that then I don’t mind anyone going around England via the Caledonian Canal. But I’ve probably spoke to about a dozen people who have done the route and then come back to the W of Scot to do all the stuff the missed because they had to press on to complete their original plan.
Well it’s heaving there! The vehicle equivalent of the solent - because Instagram means everyone wants to drive that route!
A sensible approach.For most of us, even doing it through the canal is a great effort. Time, money, health is a problem many face . Does it still count if you do half one year and half the next ? It would for me.
The road around the top used to be very pleasant for most of the year. That was until a marketing twit came up with the North Coast 500 campaign and turned it in to one long traffic jam for much of the summer. Parts are single track with passing places, a strange concept for many motorists.
I can't be bothered to get miffed about nations and all that, but Jersey equally claims to be part of the 'British Isles'.
IIRC it was Tony Blair who sent a party of Royal Marines to camp on the rock for a few days and claim it for Britain. The Irish were a bit miffed at that. As it is uninhabitable its just a political pawn for offshore rights.
You are of course remembering that Scottish Law is in many ways different from the English variety. Our political system is also substantially different. I won't go into detail in case it's classed as Current Affairs.
Indeed I am:You are of course remembering that Scottish Law is in many ways different from the English variety. Our political system is also substantially different. I won't go into detail in case it's classed as Current Affairs.
Having done the full round Britain singlehanded, I can honestly say that anyone who uses the Caledonian Canal still has completed an epic voyage compared to most sailors. If they want to call it round Britain, it does not bother me as I just say you took the short cut.
Would you say you had gone round the mull of kintyre if you had cut through the crinan canal? Same logic.Having done the full round Britain singlehanded, I can honestly say that anyone who uses the Caledonian Canal still has completed an epic voyage compared to most sailors. If they want to call it round Britain, it does not bother me as I just say you took the short cut.
Everyone makes choices and every journey can be described as challenge. Not having used either canal I cannot personally comment. but both canals should be on a list to experience in their own right. There were places I planned to visit last year, but due to weather conditions and time constraits, I had to leave some of them out, which hopefully I will visit in the next few years.
Really ?? Please provide your official references that exclude Scotland's Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland from Great Britain.
Bearing in mind that the Caledonian Canal is entirely (and substantially) within Scotland, I reckon that's stretching it a bit!
