SCOTTISH ANCHORAGES
The West Coast of Scotland is rightly considered one of the finest cruising destinations in the world. The possibilities for anchorages are almost endless and really your main concerns are just how remote you want to be and how exposed you might be. There is a lot of weather on the West Coast. When it is fine it offers some stunning scenery and spectacular skies. Of course when the weather is foul you can be up against whatever the Atlantic throws at you.
The anchorage in 21 EILEAN MOR, in the Maccormaig Isles, is a tiny inlet with room for only a couple of boats. Strong tidal streams can make the approach a bit tricky at times but it is well worth a visit. There is a gut in the main islands where you can put a couple of ropes ashore to hold position, it’s a tight spot but it is a very seldom-used lovely little place.
22 PUILLADOBHRAIN lies just south of Oban, on Seil Island, with spectacular views over Mull, framed by the rocks of the pool. The sunsets here are glorious. In the summer and at weekends it gets busy, but in early season you can enjoy it practically undisturbed. Half a mile over the hill you come to the ‘Bridge over the Atlantic’ and the 18th century inn Tigh an Truish.
Around Mull there is a great deal of cruising to be done. To see a full guide to this fabulous Scottish island, see page 60-63.
The challenging entrance to 23 ARISAIG does require some knowledge or a careful reading of a pilot book. There are poles marking deep water placed by the Clyde
Cruising Club, though they do often go missing after storms. Once at anchor or on a mooring buoy, not only do you have a sense of achievement but also superlative views to Rum and Eigg and sheep grazing on the beach.
24 LOCH SCAVAIG, Skye is considered by many to be one of the most spectacular and dramatic anchorages on the West Coast, this is tucked in beneath the towering Cuillin Mountains. There is a rewarding walk over to Loch Coruisk for stunning views of the ridge. You’re likely to see deer and possibly sea eagles. However, the impressive scenery can be matched with equally impressive squalls and katabatic downdrafts at night, so it makes a better lunch stop than overnight anchorage.
Rum is the largest of the small islands; some find it an unpleasant place to stop but it’s well worth a visit. The main anchorage and moorings are in 25 LOCH SCRESORT and it provides good shelter except with an easterly wind. Killmory Bay on the north-west coast of Rum is worth considering for a stop particularly if the wind is easterly.
In the narrow slot of Kyle Rhea, between Skye and the Scottish mainland, lies
26 ISLEORNAY. Passage planning is controlled
by the fast tides here, which can shoot you along. It is a beautiful sheltered spot – unless there are strong easterly winds blowing in. You can anchor to the sea side of the visitor moorings here. Access ashore is relatively easy – unless it is low tide when you might need to walk across the muddy bottom and tie off your dinghy with a long line.
27 WIZARD POOL is on the island of South Uist, where mountains give way to some of the most beautiful beaches to be found anywhere in Scotland. It is one of the finest spots to spend some time on the West Coast. Drop anchor in the aptly-named Wizard Pool in Loch Skiport and explore the island’s many bays, lochans, and – particularly on its western coast – unspoiled white sand beaches. The pool is a tight loch enclosed on all sides with a narrow entrance, you do need to navigate a number of other pools on the approach.
Many Scottish anchorages suffer from poor holding, on rock or weed but the holding in 28 LOCH EWE is generally good. Selected your spot well and you’ll anchor in the light green of submerged sand.
On Scotland’s northern rim, the prevailing winds in summer are from SSW and the bay at 29 TALMINE has natural barriers on both sides. The houses are widely scattered, on their own croft plots, but there’s a wellstocked shop and even a rough campsite with hot showers.
For yachts sailing around Cape Wrath, 30 LOCH LAXFORD is a practical alternative to the nearby harbour at Kinlochbervie and has branching inlets to suit any wind direction. There are no shops or pubs and the scenery is equally primitive. People who sail here expecting to see raw, desolate geography won’t be unhappy.