18 THE ISLE OF JURA: LOCH TARBET

Jura is a particularly beautiful island and well worth exploring.  It's one of the largest of the inner Hebrides but is very sparsely inhabited.  The waters aroundura are relatively sheltered and there is a deep sea loch that almost cuts the island in two.  We'll explore the anchorages all around the island and go on shore to wander in the stunning and completely deserted hills.  We'll call in at the village of Craighouse and maybe have a visit to the distillery there.  

Heading south from Craobh Haven, we'll pass to the west of the Craignish peninsula to encounter the Corryvreckan, a stretch of water at the north of Jura.  This is a famously treacherous spot where the local tides try to squeeze millions of gallons of water through a tiny gap. We'll have a good look at the charts and tidal stream atlas before choosing the right moment to pop through.  Heading down the north west coast of Jura we'll pass ancient raised beaches, a testament to the changes in sea level over millions of years.  We'll sail into Loch Tarbert, using leading marks to wind  past rocks and shallows to anchor at the head of the loch.  From here we can jump into out dinghy and explore even deeper into the ravine like upper reaches of the loch or go ashore to climb the deserted hills.  Heading further south we'll slip down the Sound of Isla, passing the Caol Isla and Bunnahabhain distilleries.  From here we may sweep west to call in at Port Ellen on Isla.  This village is pretty much the capital of the whisky world.  Or perhaps we'll head south east, we could head for the charming wee island of Gigha with some lovely beaches to wander on.  Heading back north we'll call into Craighouse, the only sizable settlement on Jura and home to it's excellent distillery.  On the way back we'll drop in on a couple more anchorages including a bay on the north east Jura coast above which sits a house  where the author George Orwell stayed while he was writing 1984. Like all our trips we'll use the winds and currents to our best advantage. You'll have lots of opportunities to get involved with life on board,  hoisting sails, steering and navigating,  always with lots of help and instruction from the crew.