15 MALLAIG TO CRAOBH HAVEN

by Staffa and Iona &

the Heart of the Hebrides

This five-night southbound passage is one of the finest ways to experience the Scottish west coast for the first time — and a beautiful journey in its own right for seasoned sailors too.

Beginning in the atmospheric harbour town of Mallaig and ending at our home port of Craobh Haven, just south of Oban, this one-way voyage takes in an exceptional sweep of Scotland's most iconic sailing waters. Along the way we'll stop to explore unforgettable islands — including the sacred isle of Iona and the extraordinary basalt columns of Fingal's Cave on Staffa — and seek out the remarkable wildlife that makes these waters so special.

No experience is needed. You'll pick up the basics of rope and canvas as we go, get hands-on with the sailing whenever you like, and gradually settle into the unhurried, restorative rhythm of west coast life aboard a beautiful 101-year-old wooden boat.

DATE: 20 - 25 AUGUST 2027
BOARD TYPE: FULL
DURATION: 5 NIGHTS
EMBARK: MALLAIG
DISEMBARK: CRAOBH HAVEN
PRICE: £1,360

This is one of our shorter trips so it could be a great way to try traditional sailing for the first time. It could also form a leg to a longer Scottish tour. This is a passage voyage. In other words it's a voyage that starts and ends in different places. This means that we'll always be breaking new ground and finding new places to explore. The possibilities between Mallaig and Craobh are huge. So many islands and lochs to explore. It'll be hard to decide which ones to go for.  

As always, this trip will be a great opportunity to get involved with the workings of a beautiful old sailing boat. With the constant help and guidance from the crew you'll get the chance to take the helm and get involved with hoisting sails and generally getting the boat to point in more or less the direction we choose. You'll find that everything happens nice and slowly and that traveling through the Hebrides by boat is a wonderful way to relax. Our route and the places we stop will be determined as much by the wind and tides as by our inclinations. There will be loads of options. We could stop at the Small Islands or maybe we could wind our way into Loch Moidart. This amazing spot to the north of Ardnamurchan has a particularly labyrinthine entrance but once we're in we can drop anchor by a tiny wooded island overlooked by a ruined castle. It's such an enchanting spot and no surprise to learn that this was the inspiration for JM Barrie's Peter Pan. We'll head on south, Past the majestic Ardnamurchan Lighthouse and on past Mull. Our route could very well take in Staffa, to the west for a quick visit to Fingal's cave or a stop at Iona for a walk to the Abbey. The waters west of Mull are brilliant for spotting marine mammals. It's just about certain that at some point we'll be accompanied by pods of dolphins playing at our bow. Pretty likely too that we'll see minke whales. The island of Colonsay could be another good call. There's a sweeping sandy beach on the west. We often use our dinghy to drop people here and while they walk across the island we take Provident round to the sheltered harbour on the east side where we pick the walkers up and welcome them back on board with tea and freshly baked cakes. Being a passage, this trip has some logistical considerations, all of which are very easy to overcome let us know if you need any information about this.

+ SAIL TUITION: ALL LEVELS
+ FULLY CREWED
+ PRIVATE CHEF
+ DOLPHIN/WHALE SPOTTING
+ EXPLORING ON SHORE
+ GREAT FOR ADVENTURERS
+ PRIVATE CABINS
+ SAILING INSURANCE
+ WEATHER LED/NOT ITINERARY LED
+ HANDS ON TRADITIONAL SAILING
+ WORKING WOODEN SAILING BOAT
+ GREAT FOR SOLO TRAVELLERS

DESTINATIONS WE MAY VISIT:-

+ Staffa
+ Mull

Provident sailing amongst the islands
Provident in distance on a remote beach