Whimbrel - Furthest North

Mallaig proved to be a super place to wait out Nicks 3rd trip South as the harbour offered all the necessary facilities. A good washing machine, great showers and the ever useful Co-op for supplies. There were also some delightful walks up into the hills behind and to the East of Mallaig and as the sun was out for a few hours we meandered up to Loch an Nostarie following the signposts and returned via a well-marked trail to Mallaig. On Sunday we walked over to see Loch Nevis and had a picnic on the beach by Creag Iasgach – the ubiquitous white painted cottage hidden on the shore that every yachtsman needs to ensure a good fix before entering a transit. The following day with Nick away I ventured a little further up towards Loch Eireagoraidh. It was a beautiful walk up into the hills following a stream that tumbled and wandered over the rounded boulders until the loch suddenly appears over a rise.

I also made a trip to Fort William, via the bus on the way there and Scotrail on the way back via the Glenfinnan viaduct – didn’t see a single flying car or broomstick though! I think the bus system in this part of the world is really excellent. The drivers are friendly and helpful, will wait for people running towards the bus and will stop if flagged down on the road.

With Nicks safe and eventual return via trains planes and automobiles (it was during the English heatwave) we decided to set sail for Loch Carron. The weather as always was threatening another storm and we decided that we would leave the delights of Loch Nevis and Loch Hourn for a return trip. A placid motor sail up the Sound of Sleat heading for the Kyle of Lochalsh meant we had to time our arrival for the Kyle Rhea to enjoy the fast passage through this tiny (300mtre wide) sound that fills the seas north of Skye. We timed it to perfection and with the seals racing us through we hit 9.5 kts spinning in the weirdy pools of deep water. Under the Skye bridge and a lovely sail up towards Loch Carron and Loch Kishorn. Interestingly the largest deepwater repair and maintenance facility for rigs is based in Loch Kishorn and there was a huge rig in the docks for some work. There was also a derelict rig on the lochside awaiting scrapping – it was costing the company £30,000 per day to leave it moored there. Still I suppose the oil companies can afford that.

Kyle Rhea at neaps

Skye bridge - will we fit under???

Skye Bridge - its still standing and so is our rigging

Derelict platform-£30,000 per day rental

Huge rig under maintenance in Loch Kishorn

Loch Eireagoraidh

Loch An Nostaire

An interesting navigational challenge led us into Loch Carron, past Plockton and up to the head of the Loch via the fast flowing Strome Narrows, where we saw some divers there fishing for the scallops but couldn’t stop to ask for some. It was a pretty motor up to the head of the loch where we anchored for a couple of nights and fixed the new wheels onto the dinghy. Don’t need to visit there again so left early on the Sunday morning 24 the July and motored to Plockton. This delightful village allowed us to sit out the latest storm on good strong buoys but it was too rough to launch the dinghy until late on the second day to get ashore. We then had a wonderful walk though the hills to Balmacarra overlooking Loch Alsh returning through some old woodlands and derelict older crofts left as monuments to the families who had lived there in the past. A total of 41.5nm sailed and motored.

Leaving Plockton on 26 July we motorsailed 28.5 miles up through Caolas Mor past the Crowlin Islands, leaving Raasay and Rona to port to visit later and into Loch Shieldaig in Loch Torridon. Anchoring in the bay under Sheildaig itself we were escorted by some really frisky dolphins who leapt and swam around us for 20 minutes. It was a delightful place, with a campsite for tents caravans and some definite glamping ensuring that the village shop was well stocked – though you had to be quick if you saw the lorry arriving! After a squidgy scramble around the hills and a picnic overlooking Upper Loch Torridon we returned to find the Loch Torridon smokery ( a hut in the owners back garden) open and selling the most delicious hot smoked salmon and pates. We feasted well that night knowing that the fish were caught locally (or farmed more likely) and smoked and packed in the chaps garden and we were eating them there. Delish.

sheildaig

looking West from Sheildaig into Loch torridon

Whimbrel sitting calmly at anchor in sheildaig

our Frisky escort into Sheildaig

splash

plockton - monday evening racing

Kyle rhea from the north

ancient forests, old homes, not so old visitors

Beautiful walk around from Plockton to balnacara bay on loch alsh

sleepy mummies and babies clinging to the rocks

We left Sheildaig on 28 July for a short sail of 15.4 miles to Loch Gairloch. It was a super sail and we picked up one of the visitors buoys in Badachro Bay. Another truly delightful Bay with an excellent pub and wood fired pizza van on the quay. Opposite our buoy is the famous Dry Island www.dryisland.co.uk which has featured in many TV programmes particularly the Channel 5 series on folk who live in remote places. The main house is owned by Iain McWhinney a descendant of the MacKenzies who had been fishing in the loch since the 1500s. He currently fishes using the sustainable creel system and all his catch (apart from what he needs to feed his family) is sent to London to Gordon Ramseys restaurants, and of course some travels abroad – mores the pity!

We caught up with our great friends, Helen and David, previous owners of Silver Dream a Southerly 110 and now travellers to distant lands in their Amel Santorin called Francis Louise V. We hold them entirely responsible for sending us off to realise our dreams and will be forever grateful to them for giving us the confidence to plan and start our sailing retirement early. We spent a super few days in Badachro with them and enjoyed our one really warm sunny day on the sandy beach at Opinan. Helen and I even went paddling! A long walk back and a pint at the pub then saw us enjoying our wood smoked pizzas overlooking the bay and our moored boats.

having fun

low tide at badachro

from the pub balcony - dry island to the left

Friends helen and David checking the buoy

Sunny Scotland - badachro bay on sunday

and the sun shone

the seas were calm

so we had a picnic

So where to next? We had thought about travelling further north to Kinlochbervie and enjoying more mainland cruising but a weather window opened for a sail across to the Outer Hebrides which was irresistible and on Monday 1 August we had a brilliant sail across The Little Minch to East Loch Tarbert on Harris. Between reefing and undoing the reefs, sailing in sunshine and rain, cloud and mist we flew across a relatively flat sea (for the Minch) arriving after 38.5 miles in Tarbert. A delightful harbour with friendly and helpful staff, laundry facilities and showers that are practically new and the most amazing views over to Scalpay and into the hills of North Harris and further west into the island itself. Francis Louise V came too and we had another couple of super days with them before they left for their travels South to Loch Skipport on South Uist.

We spent the next few days, walking and cleaning the boat and planning our options.

On Wednesday we took a bus from Tarbert to Leverburgh on the South of the Island passing the beautiful white beaches of Traigh an Taoibh Thuath, meaning prosaically The Beach on the North Side and Traigh Scarasta the wonderful white sandy dunes covered by machair. We also passed a golf course, said by Nick Faldo to be the most beautiful in the world. Fully intending to return to these beaches we got off the bus at Leverburgh and walked to the tiny village of Rodel, with its attractive harbour and protected but very insecure anchorage in Poll an Taighnall. It was a beautiful walk and we visited St Clements church, built in about 1500 by Alasdair the hunchback. It was constructed of sandstone imported from Carsaig on Mull and has a solid rectangular tower which is unique in the Western Isles. Although the church was restored in 1787 and again in 1873 it retains many of its original features and some beautifully carved tombs. Also I believe the floor tiles may be original and it was amazing to walk upon floors that had been trodden by folk over 520 years ago.

This walk took us a little longer than our anticipated couple of hours (it was 11 miles there and back again!) so after our picnic lunch on the harbour walls we retraced our steps and on our way back we passed a cairn with a sign on it called The Paisley Sisters. These two sisters, Marion and Christine Macleod of Pabbay are credited with weaving the original hard wearing Hebridean cloth from the wool of the blackface sheep that started the Harris Tweed industry. Their skill in weaving was recognised by the Dowager, Catherine Herbert, widow of the Earl of Dunmore and she actively encouraged them to develop their skills further. The Dowager financed the improvement of the local cloth to the meet the standards required by the city fashion houses, and arranged appropriate training for both the sisters and several other weavers in the mainland textile mills of Paisley and Alloa. The first ever commercially produced web of the world renowned Harris Tweed was sold from the tiny croft in which they lived in 1864 by these sisters. From tiny beginnings the skills of these early weavers have produced some remarkable warm, water resistant and almost indestructible materials. The industry provides work all throughout the isles of Harris and Lewis and with its ability to adapt to the current fashions can continue to meet the needs of its world wide customer base.

We caught the last bus back from An t-Ob meaning the Haven, the Gaelic name for Leverburgh, and saw the beaches in their full glory with the tide out. What a remarkable and beautifully wild place. We will return here hopefully next year.

Friends we had met in Kilmore Quay in Ireland on Yacht Calva and again bumped into (not literally) in Mallaig arrived in East Loch Tarbert on Wednesday so we had a great catch up with them. On Thursday they had hired a car and they kindly offered us a lift to the car park by the Eagle Observatory on North Harris. After a walk along the Glen we spied 3 Golden eagles and then further along the ridge a herd of Red Deer. So wonderful to see these creatures in their natural habitats. On our return trip round West Loch Tarbert we saw the remains of a whaling station built by the Norwegians before the First World War and abandoned in 1930.

Calva left the next day for their return trip across The Minch to Portree on Isle of Skye and we stayed a little longer hoping for some better weather for us to continue South on the Eastern side of the Hebrides. No such luck so we headed out on the bus towards Stornoway to walk part of the Hebridean way along the Harris Path. The driver kindly dropped us at the sign to Loch Maruig and through rain showers and sunshine, wind and clouds we walked the path back to Tarbert. An 8 mile walk completed in almost total isolation except for the white tailed eagle and merlin falcon and one mountain bike rider we saw!

The wind setting in from the South West was providing storm warnings that precluded us going further south so after browsing the Harris Tweed Shop we took the opportunity to return eastwards across The Minch to visit Rona. It was an amazing crossing with winds from the SSW between 9 and 21 knts. A bit of swell and plenty of sail adjustments kept us on our toes and despite the odd rain shower we navigated into Acarseid Mhor on the West Coast of Rona after 36.3 miles of pure sailing joy.