A sailing vacation along the Scottish and Northern Irish coast with crossing of the North channel and many scenic stops at atmospheric ports. This is a region rich in history, culture and walking opportunities
From Oban we sail south on the “Corryvreckan”, famous for strong currents and swirls (the writer George Orwell almost drowned here), but fortunately also with beautiful nature and many islands. We will probably spend the night in Crinan, provided we can get through the sea lock, and otherwise we will anchor there. At the quiet little port of Crinan we can take a nice walk along the canal and through the forest.
Depending on the wind, we also anchor near the Isle of Jura and the small port of Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay. Then we will cross the “North Channel” between Scotland and Northern Ireland (Ulster). The exact port depends on wind and tide, but we will probably sail to the atmospheric harbor of Portrush with nice pubs and of course Irish live music.
We sail further along the beautiful Northern Irish coast (not for nothing set in the series “Game of Thrones”) to the small Rathlin island, where we can also take a nice walk to the lighthouse. The Scottish king Robert the Bruce hid on Rathlin island in 1307 when he had to flee Scotland from the English King Edward I “Longshanks.”
Also on the program are Glenarm with a nice forest walk along a stream and Carrickfergus. Carrickfergus has a beautiful castle, where Dutch stadholder William III (known in Ireland as King Billy) landed in 1690 to successfully overthrow the English Catholic king with the Glorious Revolution.
The last leg to Belfast harbor is short, we moor near the city center, where the Titanic was built. We will also be moored next to the Titanic museum, fun for enthusiasts. In the afternoon we can then take a ‘black cab’ tour along the many ‘Murals’ (political paintings) about the still dormant ‘Troubles’ between the Catholics and Protestant unionists, a very impressive tour to get to know the city. Afterwards we go out for dinner at one of the tastiest pizzerias in the world and then, of course, we walk into Belfast’s vibrant nightlife, where there are always lively pubs with live music.
Day distances are between 9 and 31 nautical miles. The above schedule depends on weather, wind and tide, we will deviate from it if necessary.
Category C: Relaxed sailing holiday with shorter day distances and plenty of time for sightseeing.
