2^nd June – 14^th June:  Oban to Orkney via the Inner and Outer Hebrides, possibly including St Kilda

This adventure sail is the BIG one. It starts at 5pm 2^nd June in Oban from the new town centre pontoons, just a short walk from the bus and train station. Following crew introductions and a safety briefing, we will set off on a short evening sail so that everyone gets to know each other, and the boat. After dinner and with respect for the 5 day forecast, we will discuss our passage plans taking into account the wind direction and speed for the following week. We have 3 very different routes planned:

Route 1.This is the longest and most challenging option. It will take us out to the Island of Muck then on to Barra North Bay, with an overnight passage to St Kilda (weather permitting). Hopefully there will be little or no ground swell which will enable us to stay overnight in Village Bay. At this time of year bird life on the cliffs and stacks will be outstanding. After circumnavigating the islands, we will head north up the west coast of Harris and Lewis to explore some of the extremely remote anchorages.  We will truly be sailing in the Atlantic Ocean with nothing to the west of us but Canada some 3,000 miles away. If the weather gods are shining on us, we could visit the remote Flannan Isles – the site of the mystery of the missing light keepers. After visiting the Flannan Isles it will be back to the Isle of Lewis and Loch Carloway for an overnight stop.

The next day, heading north to the Butt of Lewis, we could either head south for a stopover in Stornaway or head over the Minch to Kinlochbervie. We will stay at Kinlochbervie until there is a suitable weather window that will allow us to round Cape Wrath on the start of a north going tide, for the 75 mile passage to Stromness in Orkney.  The rest of our trip we will spend in and around Scappa Flow and the islands finishing the trip either in Stromness or Kirkwall at 10 am on the 14th June. The winds need to be SE – SW and moderate for this route.

Route 2.This route will be used in event of a forecast for westerly or strong northerly winds. As for Route 1, we will head to the Isle of Muck and then Castle Bay, Barra before sailing up the more sheltered east coast of the Outer Hebrides, stopping at Lochboisdale and Lochmaddy; then on up to the remote uninhabited Shiant Isles, recently the subject of the BBC documentary ‘ The Last Bird Summer’. We would hope to spend some time here and if the weather is kind enough to overnight, explore a little and watch the seabirds in their impressive habitat. Heading north we will make a further stop at Stornaway.

Then it will be back across the Minch, passing the Point of Stoer and into the beautiful Loch a’ Chairn Bhain, before entering Loch Shark, (tide permitting as there is a shallow bar at the entrance) for the night. The next day continuing north we could explore the Badcall Islands and the bird sanctuary at Handa, stopping for the night either in Loch Laxford or Kinlochbervie. This is where Route 1 and 2 merge and we will follow Route 1 for the rest of the trip.

Route 3. This will be used in event of a forecast for prolonged easterlies or bad weather. After leaving the Sound of Mull we will pass the Small Isles to port en route for Loch Nevis, stopping for the night in Inverie (accessible only by boat or a long foot trek), where you might want to go ashore to the famous Forge Bar and restaurant for a pint! The next day we will continue north up the Sound of Sleat passing through the narrows of Kyle Rhea that separating the Isle of Skye from the mainland at Glenelg. This will be timed to use the north going flood tide. We’ll enter Lochalsh and if time permits, make for Loch Duich and anchor at Eilean Donan Castle. If it’s a clear day, from here you will get a spectacular view of the Five Sisters of Kintail; we can either spend the night here or go onto the pontoons at Kyleakin.

The following day we will head under the Skye Bridge to the Crowlin Islands and a short stop; if tide permits, we will go into the beautiful inner anchorage. After lunch and carrying on northwards, we would pass Applecross and the entrance to Loch Torridon to enter Loch Gairloch and head into the wonderful anchorage at Badachro for the night. Continuing northwards, the following morning we will pass Rubha Re’idh Lighthouse, crossing the entrance to Loch Ewe. Leaving Greenstone Point to starboard we will sail past the Summer Isles to port before heading to Ullapool for the night. We’ll explore the Summer Isles the next day before rounding Rubha Mor Point and we should get a wonderful view of Suilven as we enter Lochinver for the evening.

The trip continues rounding the Point of Stoer after which we could explore the Badcall Islands and the bird sanctuary at Handa, stopping for the night either in Loch Laxford or Kinlochbervie. This is where Route 1, 2 and 3 merge and we will follow Route 1 for the rest of the trip.

2 evening meals will be taken ashore on this adventure and are not included.