Thinking of last year’s rather frustrating DCA week in Creran, my mind turned to another Scottish sea loch which offers rather more opportunities for the weatherbound sailor. A place my wife and I have visited regularly over the past 10 years and of which we rarely tire:-

Loch Sunart lies at the north end of the Sound of Mull, just south of the Ardnamurchan peninsula: a sea loch 19 miles long with branches to Loch Teacuis — 3 miles, and Loch na Droma Buidhe — 1¼ miles. It is sheltered for sailing, yet provides a large extent of water broken into distinct natural regions of diverse character and interest. Different parts of the loch can, for example, have quite different weather on the same day! There are a large number of uninhabited islands to explore, and the land surrounding the loch is, for the most part, uncultivated and unfenced rough pasture and woodland backed by mountains with many sheltered anchorages and secluded landing places. Jean and I have spent more nights at anchor in Sailean Mor on Oronsay than anywhere else in the UK! Even in rough winds, sheltered sailing can often be found somewhere among the islands or along a weather shore. It’s a good place to see wildlife too: eagles, seals, deer, and occasionally otters and porpoise, and of course many sea birds. For really ‘impossible’ days there is much rough walking to be had on mountains and coasts.

CHARTS, MAPS AND GUIDES.

OS maps 1:50,000 nos. 40, 47 & (for Loch Teacuis) 49. Chart — Admiralty 2394. Guides: Kintyre to Ardnamurchan — Clyde Cruising Club Publication; c/o RA Clement & Co, 29 St Vincent Place, Glasgow G1 2DT.

ACCESS — all distances are to Salen.

The shortest approach of 26 miles is via the Corran Ferry from the A82 Ballachulish-Fort William road. There may be ½ hour or so to wait, but the alternative is a 63 mile detour via Lochailort. Car and trailer count as two cars for payment so if you intend to visit Fort William mid-week for example, it may be worth buying a book of 20 tickets, as the cost per vehicle is much cheaper that way. Double track road ceases at the east end of Loch Sunart, the area described being all ‘single track with passing places’: no problem lorries get through, providing you mentally ‘change down’ to a slower tempo, relax, and accept that you are not going to get anywhere fast. Haste only raises the blood pressure!

FACILITIES

Nearest towns: Fort William — 38 miles + Corran Ferry Tobermory — 18 miles + foot ferry from Kilchoan or 45 miles via Loch Aline car ferry. Not recommended for day trips: being marooned on Mull overnight through missing the last ferry is not unknown!

FOOD

Resipole Camp Site shop is expensive and range very limited. Strontian and Acharacle both have grocers. Acharacle’s is the first building in the village 1¼ miles from Salen along the road: the latter has no food shops apart from occasional fresh fish from the Jetty Shop.

PETROL

Strontian — PO garage visible from loch on east side of Strontian Bay. Acharacle — centre of village, also has diesel. Glenborrodale — the hotel at grid ref 619 607.

GAS

Resipole Camp Site shop or possibly grocer’s at Strontian.

CAMP AND/OR CARAVAN SITES

Strontian — we have never used this one as its position gives rather restricted sailing possibilities. Resipole — on loch side 3 miles east of Salen. Clean, well managed, quiet site. Rarely crowded. Water, toilets, hot showers, laundry room with tumbler-dryer, telephone, shop, concrete launching ramp into loch, chemical toilet emptying facilities, some storage space at farm for boats left over winter, static caravans and chalets for hire. The farm also has a small licensed restaurant if you are too tired to cook! The farmer, Peter Sinclair, is an auxiliary coastguard, so do tell him if you plan long day sails or overnights in the boat, otherwise your inexplicable disappearance will cause concern to say the least! For prices, booking — not usually needed for camping — contact P Sinclair, Resipole Farm caravan & camp site, Loch Sunart, Acharacle, Argyll, PH36 4HX.

LAUNCHING SITES, CHANDLERS ETC.

Salen Jetty Shop has launching facilities and moorings in Salen inlet for hire. The shop stocks a limited chandlery, mainly the sort of things you might break or loose on a trip, such as ground tackle, rope, oars, rowlocks, wellies, buckets, waterproofs etc. Tobermory has more supplies. At Resipole Farm Camp Site there are two launching sites — a concrete ramp for site users, or the beach west of the burn can be used.

The ramp has rocks — submerged at some states of the tide — immediately to the east and southeast, and a particularly nasty isolated ‘tooth’ to the south. Skippers are strongly advised to inspect the area at low water before sailing. The beach west of the burn is firm enough for cars with care; the council drive lorries onto it to collect gravel… except the storm shingle bank at the top — just charge! Unfortunately the gravel operation leaves ‘holes’ dotted about and you are again advised to inspect at low water to find the best car route, and ‘garden’ as required. You will then need to find some ‘leading lights’ to ensure that you land on the chosen spot when you return!

The area between the mouth of the burn and the ramp just below low water springs has a sandy bottom, so anchoring off the camp site is possible, and the boat’s mast can be seen from most parts of the site. Drawbacks are (i) that this is an exposed lee shore in prevailing SW winds so you need a good heavy anchor with at least some chain (ii) there are a number of old mooring chains and sinkers in the area so buoying the anchor might be a good idea.

There is also a concrete ramp between Strontian and the head of the loch belonging(?) to an abandoned(?) fish farm.

Sailors who can launch without wheeled access to the shore will find other launching sites, e.g. at the head of the loch at the nature trail car park near Rubha an Daimh, and several between Salen and Camasinas. WEATHER, TIDES, WIND AND SAILING

Being surrounded by fewer mountains, Sunart tends to be drier than areas further east. It’s fairly sheltered though not always where you might expect: Loch na Droma Buidhe can be quite draughty from SE winds blowing up the Loch Teacuis trough for example.

Tidal narrows are best approached at or near slack water unless you are lucky enough to be sailing downwind with the tide. Against both wind and tide you may not be able to beat through, whilst wind against tide can kick up some sizable rollers whichever way you are going! Narrows with rocks, e.g. both entrances to Loch Teacuis, are best negotiated at slack water only. An outboard is useful for those days when wind can be found west of Carna only, and the inner loch is millpond calm.

DISCLAIMER

While the writer has endeavoured to be reasonably correct, he accepts no responsibility for errors or their consequences: conditions and the availability of stores can change and ‘sheltered’ is a relative term.

IN CONCLUSION

When you have had enough of Loch Sunart

(i) Loch Shiel — 17 miles of fresh water 2 miles from Salen. (ii) Kentra Bay and Ardtoe — the Atlantic coast north of Ardnamurchan, 5 miles from Salen. (iii) Loch Moidart — secluded, beautiful sea loch 5 miles from Salen.