Challenging Summer Voyage from Anglesey in Wales, cruising through the Western Isles as far North as Mallaig - ideal for qualifying coastal passages towards yachtmaster

Brixham Trawler Provident - Heading for her 2012 summer base in Mallaig

Plenty of deck space when it is sunny and a spacious cosy saloon when the West Coast is in a more moody frame of mind, Provident is an vessel to explore the islands.  Like Bessie Ellen she creates interest wherever she goes and is self sufficent enough to cope with extended cruising well away from her home port of Brixham.  The two sister ships Leader and Provident have been visiting Western Scotland for many years, so they know some of the best places to sail. 

Gaining a variety of sailing skills en route

There are some decent length passages up the Irish Sea, through St Georges Channel and then a variety of pilotage options up through the Western Isles.  If you are a Competent Crew looking for the next level of adventure or an experienced or potential career sailor looking to do more passagemaking, night sailing and watch keeping then bring your RYA logbook and notch up some valable experience.

Or maybe you just have a sense of romance to do something different in your summer holidays.

A  Railway & Mountain Enthusiasts Voyage

Holyhead lies at the end of the railway through the Snowdonia National Park. Mallaig is a tiny fishing port on the mainland - just over the sea from Skye.  It is at the end of one of the most beautiful railway journeys in the world so travelling to your start port and back from Scotland should definately be seen as part of the adventure. Why not plan to do some hill walking at either end.

3 Classic Sailing Vessels in Scotland

Provident is running four week long voyages from Mallaig during August 2012. This creates an alternative sailing ground to our 116ft tall ship Bessie Ellen based further South in Oban (June, July, Aug, September) but they may cross bowsprits occasionally.  Smaller 42' pilot cutter Lizzie May is permanently based in Scotland and also has some great voyages from Oban and Arisaig.

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. Arriving from the North you have a different perspective on this famous island and it is hard to believe it is now connected by a bridge to the mainland. Loch Snizort and Loch Bracadale could easily double as the Falklands without the penguins

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.

Outer Hebrides

On a vessel like Provident, a journey out accross the Minches to the Outer Hebrides is possible within a week for some amazing anchorages and remote communities.

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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.