Cruising around is just heavenly in the Hebrides

Robin is totally besotted with the amazing landscapes, wildlife and sunsets he sees off the west coast of his native land

Within minutes of landing on the remote coastline I have company. Two wild and hairy locals are brazenly munching on fish for breakfast. The otters are hungrily crunching the bones before flipping down into the crystal clear waters for more and returning to feast right in front of me.

Welcome to cruising aboard the Hjalmar Bjorge, a sturdy ship ideal for exploring Scotland’s islands and wildlife rich waters.

I’ve been lucky enough as a travel writer to cruise on ships all over the world, from Patagonia to the Irrawaddy, but for me no coastline even touches that of my native Scotland.

Here, the Northern Isles have their unique appeal, but it is the Hebrides, the myriad isles that lie off the western littoral, that shine brightest. I’d like to share their delights with you now.

Over the years I’ve cruised the Hebrides on more than a dozen vessels.

My latest steed comes courtesy of the Northern Light Cruising Company. It has been around well before the recent Scottish cruising boom took hold and has stuck true to its original aim of taking adventurous souls to adventurous places that you just cannot reach with CalMac.

The focus here is not on fine dining, fine wines and luxurious suites, but on adventure.

The cruise I join is focused on “Jura, Corryvreckan and Colonsay”. We aim to visit these, but where we go very much depends on time, tides and most importantly, the weather.

We’re in good hands. Skipper Mark Henrys owns the company and his wife, Anna, is crewing along with another Mark, our Australian chef. He cooks up fresh dishes in his tiny kitchen for the 11 passengers aboard.

If your image of cruising is of massive faceless ships, the Hjalmar Bjorge is a pleasant surprise. Her bijou size may a pleasant surprise, but she is also ideal for the job in hand.

Her twin engines give her enough grunt to get us anywhere and she cuts through the waves easily, which was essential in her former role as a Norwegian rescue vessel.

Her cabins are functional rather than luxurious, but there is a large lounge for relaxing in as well as plenty of outdoor places to sit and stand.

Then there is the bridge that Mark makes clear is very much open to guests all day.

Our first night is spent cruising out of Oban to enjoy a welcome dinner with wine in Loch Spelve, just off Mull. This sheltered spot is perfect for a quiet night getting to know each other, with guests comparing cruising stories and our hopes of what wildlife and scenery we will savour.

No one is disappointed as the Hebrides starts to show off on our first full day. We funnel south to the wee isle of Oronsay. It’s a stunner, made even more dramatic by the seals and the otter we catch sight of as we approach.

I break away from the others to enjoy a wee hill walk to the bijou highest point of Beinn Orasaigh at a mere 93m. The views are much more impressive than the altitude would suggest. Then I slip down to an old priory, thought now after recent research to be a contemporary of its sibling on Iona.

I finish off the day sunbathing on the sort of brilliant white beach that is so blissfully common in the Hebrides.

Closing my eyes, all I can hear are the waves gently breaking on the sands and the call of an oystercatcher.