BLUEMOMENT

A few weeks ago we sailed up from our home port of Glasson Dock via Whitehaven, Isle of Whithorn, Portpatrick, Troon, Rothesay, Kyles of Bute, East Loch Tarbert and the Crinan canal. We've left the boat at Oban and will soon be returning to her to complete our cruise by returning home outside the Mull of Kintyre. We'd be glad to hear any suggestions for nice places to stop en-route. We are sailing a twin-keeler so can dry out. It would be nice to be within reach of a good pint of bitter - something that seems hard to find up here.

If tides are against you for the Sound of Luing, then Puilladobhrain is worth a visit - the Tigh an Truish pub is just over the hill, as are some of its habituees; good guest ales and food available. May be worth calling in at Craighouse on Jura for a free distillery tour (voluntary gratuity for the guide); also reasonable pub with decent food. Bitter isn't really taken very much up here. Light (which is dark), heavy and export, 60, 70, or 80/- are popular, but many pubs do carry guest real ales.

Rathlin can be worth a visit if tides permit.

Kirkcudbright or Kippford?

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Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity - Hanlon's Razor
But don't rule out malice - First Corollary to Hanlon's Razor

I've been into Puilladobhrain, very snug and pretty but a bit crowded when I was there and not much swinging room. I was hoping there might be some nice anchorages among Luing, Scarba, Colonsay, Jura, Islay etc. I visited Gigha on a previous cruise.

There are lots of really good anchorages in the area, and wind direction and sea state will be the deciding factors for choice. Offhand, can't think of too many close to pubs, which is what I believe you are looking for; there's Scalasaig, not terrific, but there is a pub there, mildly notorious for windae jumping. Port Ellen perhaps.
Carsaig Bay (not the Mull Carsaig) is within striking distance of Tayvallich.

Both the Lord of the Isles at Craobh and the Galley of Lorn at Ardfern offer good real ales. Neither is great for anchoring particularly nearby however, but if you can put up with a walk or paying to park... As you note, decent hand pulled pints are a rarity in the west.

I wouldent recommend the Scalasaig hotel, not customer friendly and not a great pint.
They take your glasses from your hand at 2300 sharp, wether your are a resident or just in for a drink.
We wouldent go back.
Sanda might be open by then.
Enjoy the rest of your cruise.
C_W

Eilean Mor - McCormic Is.
or
Gigha
Red Bay/Glenarm
Portaferry
Port St Mary
Piel
Glasson.

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Regards

http://www.yotblog.com/claymore/

So, no change there then?

The Lord of the Isles currently gets a barrel of the excellent Piper's Gold, or occasionally Avalanche (both Argyll Brewery) most weekends, but if there's a crowd in it may be finished by Sunday night.

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Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I'll visit as many of them as I can.

The reputation of yachties was irrevocably tarnished during an early Chentlemans' Cruise. See Jimi for more details.

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- Nick

. . . . . . . . .

We're now back home in sunny Glasson (it seems so after Scotland!). En route we visited Puilladobhrain, Craobh, Ardfern, Craighouse, Port Ellen, Campbeltown, Portpatrick, Whithorn, Little Ross, Whitehaven & Piel Island. We've saved Claymore's N. Irish suggestions for another time. We passed through the Easdale and Cuan sounds and were particularly taken with the area around Luing, Shuna & Scarba. The beer situation seems to be improving - we found real ale at most places visited. The best to my taste were the Jarl at the Tigh an Truish and the Avalanche at the Ardsheil Hotel in Campbeltown.

West Scotland is beautiful and I know we've only scratched its surface. The bugbear for us the distance to get there: across Morecambe Bay then the endless drag up the Cumberland coast then the Solway to cross and one or two Mulls to negotiate. Most of the holiday is spent in transit and a spell of bad weather stops you dead in your tracks. Another year we might consider looking for somewhere to base the boat up there for the whole summer.

Missing what you mean Nick, Jimi who, for what details?
C_W

Ok
Wee Jamesie was badly affected when beer and medication met
There were behavioural issues concerning a barman from Wigan and public servant from north east Scotland
Claymore was relieved of his darts in the interest of health and safety. This was particularly galling as I had begun to hit the board with the odd one - Matt is much bigger than me as is that worthless tuareg LJS and Para proved no friend either

The altercation was no contest and the barman was subsequently disowned by his native town as it is considered to be dishonourable to get into altercations with women.
The fact that she decked him probably had some bearing on it.
Jamesie started it all though

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Regards

http://www.yotblog.com/claymore/