Ardnamurchan - Way out west

My unusual method of getting to the castle island on Loch Leven in my last blog entry got me to thinking how the method of travelling to a place changes how you feel about it when you get there.  For example, if you took a plane to Barbados, your feeling on arrival would very different from someone who had spent 40 days in a small yacht to get there.  This reminded me of the times I have been to the most Westerly point of the British mainland, Ardnamurchan ( see map ).  I have been to this peninsula three times by small boat and once by car.  Each was different and varied, from the deeply scary to the utterly wonderful.  The boat trips covered the extremes. The car trip was, unsurprisingly, the safe middle ground.    

The first was on a week long sailing training course on a 33 foot yacht ( a Westerly Storm ). It was my turn to be skipper for the day and we left Tobermory on Mull and headed off out to Ardnamurchan point, rounded it then headed in towards Loch Moidart on the north side of Ardnamurchan. It was a lovely sunny day but I enjoyed it less than I should have as I had to prepare a pilotage plan for getting into Loch Moidart and dodge all the many rocks waiting below the surface to strike the novice skipper.  I got my plan written out on a piece of note paper so that I could stay on deck and not have to consult anything down below. We where just approaching the first tricky bit when a seagull displayed precision bombing that the RAF would be proud of. A direct hit on the middle of my notepad. It must have been high level bombing as well because the splatter factor was considerable.  That was also the end of what little crew discipline I had, as they were all helpless with laughter. Even the instructor was in hysterics.

That is not the reason why that day was memorable though. Once we got into the Loch, we anchored between a little island called Riska and Castle Tioram which is a ruin. After an excellent diner, we were sitting on deck watching the sun getting lower, drinking a nice red wine. There was a bird of prey ( we told ourselves it was an eagle ) flying high in the steep hill behind us. Just then a deer appeared from the trees on Riska and moved onto the shore and stared at us. It could only be 30 yards away. If the Scottish Tourist board had recreated that scene for an advert for Scotland, it would not have been believable. I mean, beautiful anchorage, ruined castle, sun setting, eagle and deer. I was sitting in a cliché but it was profoundly beautiful and moving.  I was not interested in photography at the time and so have no pictures of the occasion.

Castle Tioram ( taken years later ). Our anchorage was round the other side of the castle.

The next time I came to Ardnamurchan was a complete contrast. This was in my own boat with my friend Tam. We had only two seasons experience but had a week off from work and the aim was to sail to Barra in the Outer Hebrides.  The weather forecast was not good. Force 8 to 10 gales offshore and 7-8 inshore.  We decide to leave Oban and head up the sound of Mull to Tobermory.  The wind was dead against us so we had to tack constantly. This was the first time we had been in this sort of wind on my boat and it was laid over at scary angles a few times in the bigger gusts. The contents of the cooker and several lockers ended up on the cabin floor, including a bottle of olive oil. This made going down below an interesting experience.  I don't want to be too graphic about this but imagine your boots are covered in oil, the floor is very slippery and wet, you are in the heads trying to relieve the pressure on the bladder and the whole thing is leaning over at an angle of 50 degrees. Accuracy was at a premium. I was really glad I hadn't been eating prunes. We made it eventually to Tobermory where we anchored in the bay and had a well deserved pint or 6.

Tobermory Bay

The next morning, the forecast made it obvious that Barra was not going to be for us that week. The best we thought we could manage was to go round Ardnamurchan Point and go to Loch Moidart to the same anchorage described above at Castle Tioram.  It was just as windy as the previous day and no other boats were moving from Tobermory. Eventually a couple of yachts headed off so we decided to give it a go. Now because of our inexperience, we didn't have the courage of our convictions on how to deal with these conditions so we ran under engine rather than put well reefed sails up, because the two boats we were following were doing this. They didn't have a feeble 10HP diesel engine which in any sort of wind, is slower than the sails. we headed west, with the waves and wind coming right at us. Every wave slowed the boat and the further we went, the bigger they got. We had our harnesses on so that waves coming over the boat wouldn't sweep us over board.  Eventually we got close to being level with Ardnamurchan point and could see the lighthouse but our speed over the ground was down to 1 knot.  Worse still, we would have to turn and head north and be beam on to that sea which with no sail up for stabilty would have meant incredible rolling. No chance! A quick handbrake turn between big waves had us heading back east to safety. We switched off the engine and pulled out a small scrap of Genoa. The boat flew along on the swell as if a giant's hand was lifting and pushing us.  

Rather than return to Tobermory, we anchored in Loch Drumbuie ( map ) which is a well sheltered inlet between Oronsay and Morven with no human habitation. The next day we tried to go round Ardnamurchan Point again. The sea was nearly as big but the wind was less and in a better direction so we had a dramatic but hugely enjoyable sail round the point and then to Loch Moidart. It was hard work though, so in contrast to the first time we were here, we had a coffee, a meal and then bed. No deer, eagles or advertisers fantasies. 

The rest of that week's holiday saw us in Arisaig, Skye and Coll. It was two years later that we finally got to Barra.

If you read this far, I will not test your resolve by recounting the other two occasions I went to Ardnamurchan. That will just have to be something to look forward to another time.

Posted at 11:49AM Jan 27, 2010 by Norman Bews in General  |  Comments[4]