1 week sailing and walking in the Inner Hebrides

HIGHLIGHTS

Sailing and Walking in the Inner Hebrides - Trip Highlights:

Enjoy a combined sailing and walking holiday visiting islands such as Mull, Jura or Staffa in the Inner Hebrides

Explore the Inner Hebrides with guided walks on the islands

Relax in comfort as you sail and live aboard a stylish 65 foot ketch-rigged yacht

INTRODUCTION:

Sailing and Walking in the Inner Hebrides offers an unbeatable experience of the Highlands of Scotland. The yacht offers comfortable accommodation, great food and wonderful sailing. You will visit a number of islands over the week and our knowledgeable guide will lead you on walks and hikes on each island - exploring the coastline on some islands and the hills and glens on others.

The yacht is crewed by a skipper and a first mate / chef, each of whom has an excellent knowledge of the islands. There is also a dedicated walking guide on board, who will lead you on a variety of walks on the islands that you visit.

No previous experience of sailing is required - you simply need a reasonable degree of fitness to cope with life on board. When we go ashore, you need to be able to climb down a 6 foot ladder into the dinghy. While on board, you can choose to help with the sailing as much as you like, or enjoy a more relaxing trip and simply sit back and enjoy the views and look out for wildlife - which regularly includes sightings of whales, dolphins and basking sharks, as well as a huge variety of sea-birds.

The walks that we undertake on the islands will be generally of an easy grade. This means that we will normally only walk for up to 5 hours in a day, and sometimes we may only go ashore for a couple of hours. We will not be climbing any high mountains - most of the hills we take on will be less than 400m high (although you will obviously be starting at sea-level!).

Underfoot conditions will be varied with good tracks and trails on some islands - but no trails at all on others. However, our walking guide will ensure that everyone on board finds the walking satisfying and not too difficult for the 'easy' grade.

Start: Oban, Noth Pier, 2pm

End: Oban, North Pier, 12.30pm

Maximum group size: 9 people

POSSIBLE ITINERARY

The itineraries for our combined Sailing and Walking holidays in the Inner Hebrides are very much dependant on the prevailing winds, so this holiday has no fixed itinerary. There are many super islands to visit, which offer wonderful walks and memorable sailing in between so we're sure you will have an amazing holiday whichever islands you visit.

Skipper Chris Lindesay knows the Inner Hebrides well and has ideas to match every group, whatever the weather conditions. He creates an itinerary in consultation with our walking guide and will take you to a variety of islands - some you may have heard of, others you probably have not. On some islands, when you go for a walk, you will probably be the only people there!

With so many islands to choose from and an infinite number of possible itineraries, it would be impossible for us to detail an accurate itinerary. However, it will go something like this:

Day 1: The Sailing and Walking Holiday Begins

Arriving in Oban early afternoon, you gather at the North Pier and our guide will take you across to the marina on the Isle of Kerrera - a 10 minute crossing on a launch (no charge). Stepping off the launch and onto the yacht, you will be allocated cabins and meet the crew. Over a hot drink, the skipper gives a safety briefing and discusses the afternoon ahead. Then we cast off and head into open water, often heading to Loch Spelve on Mull or Loch Aline on Ardnamurchan.

Day 2 to Day 6: Sailing and Walking in the Inner Hebrides

Many options are possible. However, some highlights of sailing and walking in the Inner Hebrides include:

Jura – one of the wildest islands in Scotland, with great walking on its raised beaches and with the fearsome Corryvreckan Whirlpool at its northern tip.

The Isle of Mull – the largest of the Inner Hebrides, famed for its eagles, whales, wonderful coastal scenery and the colourful port of Tobermory.

Iona – this small island is located off the western tip of Mull and is a very special place to visit with its famous abbey and historical significance.

Ulva – the Island of Wolves! No wolves remain now but it is a charming little island with lovely walks along the coastline.

Staffa – most famous for the stunning Fingal’s Cave, Staffa is also home to thousands of puffins which make the island their home in early summer.

The Treshnish Isles – a superb destination for wildlife lovers, these islands boast abundant bird and marine life, with some of the largest seabird colonies in Scotland.

The Garvellachs - this tiny, uninhabited island group is home to ancient religous buildings and has amazing vistas from its highest point - a pleasant 173m above the yacht!

The Small Isles – these wonderful islands are located north of Mull and provide great sailing and walking.

Day 7: The Sailing and Walking Holiday ends

After anchoring nearby the night before, we sail back to Kerrera, arriving there in time to catch the noon transfer back to Oban. A train leaves Oban for Glasgow and Edinburgh at around 1.30pm.

Please note: the exact itinerary for this trip needs to be flexible in light of the wind and weather conditions. The skipper has the final say on all route choices. Wherever you sail and walk, we are sure you will enjoy an unforgettable holiday.

ACCOMMODATION:

Yacht Corryvreckan is a beautiful 65ft steel-hulled ketch. She provides comfortable accommodation for up to 10 clients in twin cabins (single cabins are not available). There is also a large saloon, a wheelhouse and lots of room to stretch your legs on deck.

Yacht Corryvreckan provides a more comfortable sailing experience than you might experience on the classic yacht Eda Frandsen (which we use for our Island Odyssey trips). All cabins have doors, offering a degree of privacy unusual for a yacht, and there is ample stowage for luggage and clothing. The two beds in each cabin are bunk style and each has its own reading lamp. There are 3 heads (or toilets / shower rooms) and no restrictions on water use.

The yacht has full central heating in every cabin and a high standard of insulation, ensuring that the accommodation is warm and dry at all times. The yacht also has a generator so you will be able to recharge cameras, phones etc on board.

The food is prepared on board by the chef and there is a mouth-watering selection of dishes each day!

ABOUT THE AREA - The Isle of Skye

Skye is a large complex island, which has much to offer. It is famous for its Cuillin Mountains which dominate the scenery in the south of the island. The Black Cuillin, which forms an extensive jagged horseshoe ridge of black gabbro rock, is the remains of an ancient volcano. Some of its tops are accessible to the walker and give unparalleled views. There are also numerous fine tracks leading into the brooding loch at its centre, Loch Coruisk. Separated from the Black Cuillin by the mighty Glen Sligachan, the Red Cuillin has contrastingly rounded hills and are distinctively coloured by the granite of which they are composed.

Past volcanic activity has left its mark on the Skye landscape and nowhere is this seen better than on the northern Trotternish peninsula in the north of the island. Here erosion and landslips have sculpted the layers of lava into a series of cliffs and pinnacles and, where the land and sea meet, has produced a dramatic coastline. Off this eastern coastline can be found the fascinating islands of Raasay and Rona, rarely visited but real gems of islands.

There is also much human interest and the history of the people can be traced back to Stone Age times. More recent clan history is echoed in the remains of castles such as the seat of the MacLeod’s at Dunvegan. Skye crofters were at the front in the bitter battles of the 19th century in which they fought successfully to claim back ancestral land.

The Isle of Skye is superb for many types of outdoor activity. There is wonderful walking on its coastlines, through its deep glens and on some of the hills. Its coastlines are a paradise for sea-kayakers, with a trip to Loch Scavaig in the south being a highlight for many while a circumnavigation of some of Skye’s satellite islands, such as Rona and Raasay, is also very rewarding. Recently, our mountain bike guides have pioneered some fantastic rides through some of Skye’s glens – rides which MBR magazine called ‘The Best in Britain’.

Whatever your reason for visiting Skye, it is an island which leaves its mark on your memory, and calls you back again and again.

MODERATE GRADE

Many people ask what the sailing conditions will be like and how they will be affected by sea sickness. The conditions will be varied from relaxing sailing in sheltered waters to some more challenging longer passages. In our experience, the worry of sickness is far greater than the reality.

After a short while, most people begin to feel at home on the boat and are comfortable at sea. If you are particularly susceptible to motion-sickness, there are a range of medicines and natural remedies available, most of which are highly effective.

Some of our sailing holidays are purely about sailing, while others also involve guided walks and hikes on some of the islands that you visit.

YOUR GUIDES

Steve Willis, Guide

A former wildlife ranger, Steve now spends his time guiding clients on walking trips, or on trips which combine sailing and walking, where he can share his incredible knowledge of wildlife with our clients. Cheerful and friendly, Steve is great fun to have on a trip and seems to like the rain as much as he does good weather! Steve often guides on private group trips with a wildlife focus to them, such as bird-watching in the Outer Hebrides or mammal spotting in the Cairngorms.

His favourite trip, however, is our combined sailing and walking trip, Island Odyssey, which explores the Inner and Outer Hebrides and, if the conditions are right, ventures out to St Kilda.

Chris Lindesay - Skipper, Corryvreckan

Chris has found the good life - and is loving it! A former risk assessor turned pub landlord, Chris and his wife Von made the move to the Scottish Highlands a few years ago when they made the decision to make their passion their life. They have been introducing clients to the joys of sailing in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland ever since.