Cruise to Firth of Clyde/Isle of Arran/Mull

homer911

We have signed up to join the Howth Cruising Club cruise to Scotland later this year. Just wondering if anyway here has experiences of cruising this area and where they would recommend for visiting, mooring etc. The flotilla is expected to break up for about a week while there for people to do their own thing..

First night in Scotland is planned for Troon, last night in Tarbert. Possible mid stop-over in Kip..

HeidiHeidi

Tarbert is absolutely gorgeous! Reminds me of Dingle a bit.

We did a couple of regattas up that neck of the woods, but on the outside of the Mull of Kintyre, so not much use to you if Troon and Tarbert are your start and end stops.

But I also see you mentioned Mull.... for W Highland Week we were based in Oban, and had an overnight in Tobermory and somewhere else that I now can't remember the name of. Tobermory was absolutely gorgeous, and I had the nicest bowl of chowder I've ever tasted there (although hunger after a long race is a very good sauce!).

We also went to Helensburgh for another regatta, further up the Firth, but I can't remember much about the place apart from the nuclear submarine base a bit up from us!

One non-recommendation I do have - don't stop in Cambpeltown - it was hands down the weirdest place I've ever been to! Now that was about 10 or 12 years ago, so maybe it's changed - but it was like the town that time forgot, or that everyone had just upped and left. Gives me the shivers just thinking about it, even after all this time!

Mick Tator

+1 on Heidi's suggestion of Tarbert and Tobermory. A trip through the Crinan canal also is very pleasant.

DOCARCH

I have sailed up around those parts a couple of times.

+1 on Cambpeltown however it is a useful stopover/starting point after sailing up the Irish Sea.

+1 on Tobermory. Make sure to sail up or down the Sound of Mull as part of a route to Tobermory.

One island I visited was Rum. Lovely/loved it. Not much there but there was a ceile on the night we were there which was great craic - probably the reason it sticks out in my mind. Also felt a bit Whicker Man! Anchorage only there (at that time) but doubt that has changed as the population of the island is small.

Also sailed up and round the island of Bute. That was lovely with some nice stop off towns/villages which I can't recall the names of, off the top of my head! Pretty sure one stop off was Rothesay (which is a bigger harbour but small marina).

I would suggest make sure you have a decent enough tender/small outboard as a lot of the nicest/best spots are remote and require anchoring. Don't limit yourself to harbours/marinas.

HeidiHeidi

We also stopped in Gigha on the way up one of the times - fine big marina, some of us stayed in a fabulous posh B&B up in the hills with an outdoor hot tub overlooking the mountains and sea - that was some treat after a couple of days at sea I can tell you!

And one of the times some of us trained and planed it home across the Highlands (fabulous), those who brought the boat back home stopped at Islay and did a bit (or possibly a lot) of whisky tasting, they loved the experience.

homer911

Thanks all, Whisky tasting was on the list all right. Tobermory and Crinan Canal there too now, but Tobermory might be a stretch on this occasion. How long would it typically take to traverse the canal?

cbreeze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120302220#Comment_120302220

We did it a few years ago and we allowed for a day. There are places to stop on the way, loos etc. The lock at the Crinan end closes at 6 p.m., its handy to stay overnight there. There are also clean facilities for showers and washrooms. You get the use of a key to open them up. You have to wind all the locks yourself except the first and last, so having some crew with muscles will be a bonus. Boats can usually go through in groups so people help each other out. Apart from the lock winding, its a lovely relaxed way to travelling.

Try and get to Iona, Staffa and Lunga. Amazingly tame puffins at the latter, you get up close and personal to them, an absolute must. Guided trips depart from Oban.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120298505#Comment_120298505

Hope ye didn’t get caught up in Corrievrekan whirlpool at the tip of Jura 😱

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354266#Comment_120354266

We went for a look (a carefully timed look!!!). Very impressive it was!

homer911

So we are heading off with Howth Cruising Club on Saturday morning, departing 05:00. Stops along the way are Ardglass, Bangor, Campbeltown, Tarbert and Largs, via the Kyles of Bute. Lots of time inbetween for doing our own thing. Winds look to be light for the trip with the leg from Bangor to Campeltown on Monday having the lightest forecasts.. 😫

HeidiHeidi

How many boats, and how long for? Sounds amazing, that's fabulous cruising waters.....

homer911

We had a two week trip and I agree, its fabulous for cruising. There was originally about 13 boats going but then it dropped to about 10 and a couple had to drop out with engine or gearbox issues. One motor-sailer only got as far as Ardglass. We were blessed with the weather - two weeks of unbroken sunshine until we got back to Lambay when the heavens opened. A number of boats needed to be back in Dublin by the weekend so we dropped our visit to Largs, while some boats detoured to Rathlin on the way back.

Howth - Ardglass - Bangor - Campbeltown - East Tarbert - Port Bannatyne - Campbeltown - Bangor - Ardglass - Home

Some boats overnighted in the Kyles, others in Lochranza

Saw lots of porpoises and seals, some dolphins. Got buzzed by the RAF in Loch Fyne and saw one submarine. A visit to Mount Stuart on Bute is a must if you are in the area.

Two weeks earlier or two weeks later and it would have been cold and wet. Only encountered the midges on one night but they made up for lost time..

https://hyc.ie/cruising

WildWater

Sounds fab. Glad it all worked out.