To the West of Mull: Wildlife, History & Geological Wonders

Setting Sail from Craobh Haven

Nestled in the heart of Scotland’s west coast, Craobh Haven is the perfect jumping off point for some Hebridean exploration. The beautiful town of Oban is just 20 miles to the North, and has excellent transport links, including train and bus services connecting to Glasgow and Edinburgh. For those arriving by public transport, Provident puts on a shuttle service from Oban train station down to Craobh Haven Marina, free of charge. If you can arrive a day or two early to explore the local area, we’d recommend staying in Oban as your options are much more plentiful! Then you can join the shuttle service at 13.00 on the day of departure.

While you’re in Oban, visit the iconic McCaig’s Tower and make sure you try some of the seafood (the town is known as the ‘Seafood Capital of Scotland’ for a reason!). Also worth a visit are the War & Peace Museum, Dunollie Castle and, of course, the distillery. If you fancy a leg stretch, there are many great circular walks from Oban. Try heading for the hills above Dunollie Castle at the north end of the town, Cnoc Càrnach and Barra Mòr, for fantastic views of the coastline and nearby islands.

When you reach Craobh Haven and step aboard 100-year-old gaff-rigged Brixham Sailing Trawler, Provident, you’ll be warmly welcomed by the crew and given a safety briefing.

Along the Way

Towards the south west tip of Mull there are some stunning sandy coves to explore before heading up the Sound of Iona. Drop anchor here and go ashore to explore the Abbey and see some astonishing Celtic artworks.

Around 5 miles north of Iona is Staffa, home to Fingal’s Cave. This is one of the geological wonders of the world, a deep sea cave formed from columnar basalt. The waters around Staffa are pretty exposed but if you’re lucky and the sea is calm enough, you can enter the cave in Provident’s dinghy. Being right inside this astonishing, cathedral-like chasm is unforgettable.

Another hop north and you’re at Lunga, the largest of the Treshnish Islands. Go ashore here and have an amazing close encounter with thousands of seabirds. It’s easy to see the puffins as the highlight of this visit. Their crazy colours, waddling gait and the way they seem oblivious to human visitors is amazing. But just along from the puffin cliffs is a stack where thousands of guillemots cram together, the noise of the crashing waves and their craggy calls is overwhelming. See shags nesting under rocks, razorbills with their sleek face markings and for the sharp eyed we’ve caught sight of dozens more species here.

WINDS, WAVES & WEATHER

Expect daytime temperatures of around 12 to 14°C, dropping to around 6 to 9°C at night. May is one of the drier months on Scotland’s west coast, and with sunrise around half past five and sunset after nine in the evening, you will have plenty of daylight. Expect winds of around Force 3 to 4, most commonly from the southwest, with a moderate sea state.

The early part of the passage, through the Firth of Lorn and past the Slate Islands, is well sheltered and relatively straightforward. Once you round the southern tip of Mull, the character of the sailing changes. The south coast of Mull faces directly into the Atlantic southwest, and from Carsaig westward there is little in the way of protection. From the Ross of Mull the route opens up towards Iona, Staffa, and the Treshnish Isles, all of which sit in exposed water and are more or less accessible depending on the conditions on any given day — exploring Fingal’s Cave at Staffa in particular requires a calm enough sea state.

A NOTE ON VOYAGE DESCRIPTIONS

On a sailing voyage we never use the word itinerary, as skippers will always be aiming for the best and safest sailing routes for the forecast. They are as keen as you to include some of the highlights described above, but when it comes to sailing, you have to go with Mother Nature, not fight her. The description provided is based on what we think might be possible, based on past trips, or prior experience, but nothing is guaranteed on a sailing voyage. As such, the scheduled joining ports, routes, activities and/or destinations may be altered. Due to the complexities of weather systems, this may be at very short notice. 

HANDS ON HOLIDAYS

Whether you are an experienced sailor or a complete beginner, the professional crew will train you to be guest crew from the moment you arrive, with the intention that everybody works together to sail the ship. The common thread to all Classic Sailing holidays is ‘Hands on’ participation on ships that use ropes, blocks and tackles and ‘people power’ to set sail. For more on this, see our article What is a Hands-On Sailing Holiday?

SAILING STYLE & LIFE ON BOARD

We cater for a wide range of ages and physical abilities and how much you are expected to do varies a bit between vessels. See the vessel tab above which explains all about the ‘sailing style’ and what to expect in terms of hands on participation. There is a lot of information about day to day life, the ships facilities and accommodation on Provident’s vessel page.

What to pack for a sailing holiday on Provident

What is Included:

• Bedding
• All meals and soft drinks aboard.
• All safety equipment, including lifejackets
• Fantastic sailing

What is Not Included:

• Travel to and from your voyage
• Personal travel insurance.
• Alcohol (although reasonably priced wine, beer and whisky will be available to purchase on board). Consumption of alcohol is always at the discretion of the skipper
• Waterproofs - If this is your first voyage good walking waterproofs will be fine. We only recommend buying sailing waterproofs if you are frequent sailors.
  • You will find exploring ashore in walking gear much better than struggling around in sailing kit!

What to Bring

• Enthusiasm!
• Waterproofs - see above.
• Your own towel.
• Hats for sun and cold weather.
• At least two sets of warm clothes - layers e.g. tracksuit bottoms, shirts, fleece jacket, wool jumpers, thick socks, and neck scarf. It can get cold at sea even in mid summer.
• Swim suit, towel, and suntan lotion.
• Flat shoes with a good grip e.g. trainers or sailing deck shoes. Sailing boots or wellies are also helpful.
• (An alterative to boots in summer is to bring another pair of flat shoes with a good grip in case the first pair get wet).
• All terrain type Sandals are great for dinghy trips ashore – but you do need shoes which protect your toes for sailing.
• Camera, binoculars, sketchbook, a relaxing read.
• Any medication, spare spectacles. Seasickness tablets or pressure-point wrist bands (talk to your pharmacist)
• Your own logbook if you'd like to keep track of your sea miles
• Tech chargers (USB sockets are available in all the cabins) and waterproof cases for anything valuable

N.B. BOATS HAVE LIMITED STORAGE SPACE SO PLEASE LIMIT YOURSELF TO ONE SOFT BAG OR RUCKSACK  (NOT SUITCASES)

The Way To A Crew's Heart... I had to take the opportunity to shout out to Morag Slesser of Provident, easily the best cook on the west of Scotland fleet. As occasional crew I can say eating one meal has us excitedly looking forward to the next, and there's the baking too !! If Morag isn't available for a trip she makes sure a more than capable cook steps in for her, Provident crews and guests are always well provided for !

Best, Gavin (Morag on the helm of Provident, a multi talented person.)

I have been back 2 days and haven’t stopped thinking about the holiday. Provi is lovely and the crew were amazing. Steve and Morag obviously love their boat, Jamie the mate was very helpful and Guilio’s cooking was fantastic. Outstanding moments include the pod of dolphins playing alongside, and the sail from Arklow to Dublin. Force 5-6 and a smooth sea made for an exciting experience. I can’t wait to go again but I need to save up….

Can’t think what I’d improve to be honest, except maybe to point out to potential customers that Provi is run in an eco friendly manner and the food was more veggie based than a committed carnivore would like. Didn’t worry us at all as it was so tasty, but it might worry some people. 

Sharon May 24

Fantastic trip. Crew were so keen to help and teach. They clearly loved sailing. Food was outstanding. Restaurant standard. Learnt so much. Had so much fun. Fellow passengers were so friendly. The Highlands and islands were stunning. Would highly recommend.

Tracy Summer 2023

Although we didn't manage to get to the hoped for destination (St. Kilda) we fully understood before we got on board that the weather would dictate the direction of travel. The crew were amazing and Morag's cooking is outstanding. A lovely old sailing boat and would highly recommend it to others.

Virginia Summer 2023