Bessie Ellen - Explore the Western Isles

Explore Western Isles & the Hebrides on a small tall ship

Bessie Ellen is 116ft long overall which makes for comfortable passage making and a sailing ground that can extend from Skye to the Outer Hebrides in a week. After safety briefings and training you have plenty of open water in the Firth of Lorne to get your sea legs. Enjoy dramatic scenery whether you go North though the Sound of Mull past the brooding Duart Castle, or southwards toward the open sea. All Classic Sailing vessels share the same ethos: You are hands on crew and have hopefully come to sail  this beautiful sailing ship as much as possible, there our itinerary from Oban will vary hugely from week to week to make the most of the wind direction.
 

Western Mull & Iona

There any many idyllic anchorages in the West of Mull if the weather is settled. Iona is a pilgrimage for many and famous for its Monastery in a stunning remote location. Once beyond Iona you can either head out towards Tiree and Coll or explore the Atlantic facing side of Mull with its long headlands and the little islands in between like Inch Kenneth, Little Colonsay, Lunga and Ulva where there are many magical bays and anchorages. Here are a few possibilities to whet you appetite.

Sound of Mull & Loch Sunart

The Sound of Mull offers flat water and winds from all directions. Tobermory sits in a small sheltered bay and is an ideal stopping place, apart from the sea plane which spectacularly lands in the same anchorage ! Ashore are multi coloured houses and famous Mish Nish Inn - stocking almost every whisky ever made. A more tranquil option is Loch Sunart which has several bays like the temptingly named Loch Drambuie.

Outer Hebrides—Mingulay to Benbecula

Across the shimmering sea lies the Southern tip of the Outer Hebrides luring you across what can sometimes be a challenging stretch of water. In past years Bessie Ellen has reached remote but friendly island communities from Minulay to Benebecula within a week voyage from Oban. The long midsummer days extend the sailing day and give more options navigating the gaps between the islands.

The Small Isles -Rum, Eigg & Muck

 Rum and Canna are famous for White Tailed Sea Eagles and on Rum there are three of four breeding pairs of Golden Eagles. A stone roofed chapel, orchids amongst the grass, a lovely sandy beach and sheer sea cliffs teeming with breeding birds at nesting season are some of Canna's many charms.

Loch Nevis & Knoydart Peninsula

The isolated Loch Nevis has the remotest pub on the mainland of Great Britain. The Old Forge sits at the centre of the tiny hamlet of Inverie which is not connected by road to anywhere else. The Knoydart Peninsula and vast tracts of uninhabited moorland and mountain lie behind the hamlet so transport to and from Inverie is solely by water craft.

Over the Sea to Skye

Dominating the skyline for miles is the island of Skye with the mighty Cullin Ridge and the Red Cullins forming the mountainous backbone of the island. Skye also has over 400 miles of coastline and deep sea lochs

8 page Mini brochure on Bessie Ellen in Scotland as a downloadable PDF

Wild Playground....

 Western Scotland is a rich marine ecosystem which offers fantastic seafood and wildlife watching from the Sea Eagles on Mull to the dolphins and Minke Whales that cruise the deep sounds between the islands. Due to the prolific life under the surface and hundreds of miles of remote coastlines, the Western Isles, Inner and Outer Hebrides and mainland lochs are great places to spot seals, otters, minke and larger whales, basking sharks and dolphins.

The mountains provide inacessible eyries for sea eagles, golden eagles, choughs, perigrine falcons and the cliffs are homes to many large breeding colonies of seabirds like gannets and puffins.

Special light conditions & fast changing weather

The weather in Scotland can vary from shimmering heat haze on white sand beaches to dramatic rain storms, sleet and snow in spring or white capped waves and vivd blue skies. It changes ...and it changes fast. Great for photography, and usually plenty of wind for sailing with relatively flat seas due to protecting high ground, it can still be challenging, but then the many moods of Scotland are its main attraction.