Lizzie May - West Coast Adventure- North to Mull, Skye or South to Jura, Islay etc - FULL

Explore West Coast of Scotland under Sail

 A seven day adventure holiday as working guest crew aboard pilot cutter Lizzie May. If you are visiting Scotland from abroad, then this activity based holiday package gives you a wide range of experiences and scenery viewed from an interesting angle.Sailing an eye catching wooden pilot cutter will usually introduce you to some interesting characters in ports and anchorages. No sailing experience is necessary as you will be given full training so you can be an active part of the crew.

Starting and finnishing in Oban you only need to walk away from the station a few metres and you are amongst the fisherman’s stalls selling fresh prawns, langostines and scallops.

Western Scotland is a rich marine ecosystem which offers fantastic seafood and wildlife watching from the sea eagles of Mull to the dolphins and whales that cruise the deep waters between the Western Isles.

Starting at 3pm  you get there by train or bus from Glasgow during the day. (see our port details)

After safety briefings and training you have plenty of open water in the Firth of Lorne to get your sea legs and plenty of scenery from Duart Castle guarding the Sound of Mull to the mountains of Mull as you head south. There are some lovely anchorages on route like Puilladobhrain (home of the otter) which is a narrow perfectly sheltered inlet south of Oban, but you may aim further afield on the first night.

Islay, Jura & Colonsay

Depending on the wind direction and strength your 4 day voyage might make the best of the sailing grounds around Mull, Iona, Colonsay, Islay and Jura, sailing through the Sound of Islay and down around the Mull of Kintyre Peninsula. This is the long way around. Back in home waters you could enjoy a last anchorage off Arran or perhaps Ailsa Craig before heading for Largs.

Coll: The isle of Coll is a small hebridean island some four miles west of Mull.  Coll has lots of wild, raw nature that thrives due to the solitude.  It is beautiful, peaceful and has pure white sandy beaches. 

Mull: Making your way South as you enter the Northern end of the Sound of Mull you come to Tobermorray with its multi coloured houses and famous Mishnish Hostelry. It sits in a small sheltered bay is an ideal stopping place.

Alternatively you might seek a more sheltered route via Cuan Sound or Sound of Luing where there are a couple of narrow channels to negotiate, tides to get right, and the famous whirlpools of Corryvrecken to avoid, and then Lizzie May reaches The Sound of Jura. Well protected from the swell of the Atlantic Ocean by the large island of Jura this has been a major routeway to and from the Western Isles for Centuries.

The voyage ends in Oban. For Port information and other holiday and travel ideas see the end port details page.