Kilchoan, Scotland

Share your favourite launch sites. Maybe also place a picture of it in the gallery and link it to your post.
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noodle
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Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 10:43 am
Location: Eastleigh, Hants

Kilchoan, Scotland

Post by noodle » Sat Oct 13, 2007 6:06 pm

I spent 20 years on and off holidaying several weeks of the year near to Ardnamurchan Point, in Scotland. I sailed the waters of the Sound of Mull and the Minch in a Drascombe, then a Cornish Crabber Mk l and then a Hunter Formula One.

My base used to be Port na Caraidh, next to Ardnamurchan lighthouse, a drying harbour near to where we owned a static caravan. This is privately owned land but visitors can access a beautiful bay to anchor and reach the beach.

Launch and recovery is best done at Kilchoan, 5 miles East of the point in a bay open to the SW. There is an excellent jetty and launching ramp, public moorings and a well-stocked shop and Pub.There are public toilets, a shower and plenty of parking space.

The road to the point is, for the last 40 miles, single track with numerous passing places. I have never found it a problem to trail a boat along the road. To reach the road to the Point one has to cross Loch Linnhie at the Corran Ferry. The staff are ( or were) very helpful. Failing that, you can go via Fort William, then turn left along the Mallaig road and turn South to go via Acharacle.

Once at Kilchoan one has many choices. Tobermory is just across the Sound, to the South, the Small Isles are within easy reach, I particularly recommend the Isle of Muck. Coll is just a few miles to the West and one can go to the wonderful Treshnish Isles which have 17th century fortifications on the Cairnburgs and a vast bird colony on Lunga.

If one wanted to just potter about rather than passage making, you can sail down Loch Sunart.

The area really has just about everything for the small boat sailor. I hope to take SNIPE up to the local Regatta at the end of July 2008. Of all the boats I owned, the Swift is the handiest for this sort of adventure.

Posted on behalf of Robin

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