Journey through the Great Glen
UK and Scotland
Oban, Scotland - Aberdeen, UK
Join TS Maybe for this breathtaking cruise through the Caledonian Canal, a 60 mile waterway that meanders along the Great Glen from Fort William to Inverness. A voyage of majestic highland scenery, canal cruising and coastal sailing before and after the canal transit.
| Ship | Under 25 | Adult | 4-6 Berth Cabin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maybe | £700.00 | £850.00 | £850.00 |
| Embarkation | Disembarkation | Nights |
|---|---|---|
| June 22, 2019 | June 29, 2019 | 7 |
Journey through the Great Glen. - Oban - Aberdeen
22nd June 2019 - 29th June 2019
Voyage Highlights
- Transit through the Caledonian Canal
- Coastal sailing along the North and West Coast of Scotland
- Navigating the famous Neptune’s Staircase
- Majestic Highland Scenery
- Sailing across Loch Ness, keeping watch for Nessie!
- Visit the highland towns and cities of Fort William, Fort Augustus and Inverness
Life on a sailing voyage
On a sailing voyage we never use the word itinerary, as skippers will always be aiming for the best sailing and shore landings for the forecast and most idyllic or sheltered anchors and ports. They are as keen as you to include some of the highlights describe, but you have to go with Mother Nature, not fight her. The description below is based on what we think might be possible, based on past trips, or experience, but nothing is guaranteed on a sailing voyage. If the following voyage description is not fulfilled for any reason, Maybe Sailing and Maybe Sailing Youth Initiative cannot be held responsible.
Join TS Maybe on this highland adventure this summer. Joining the vessel in Oban, the sea capital of the Highlands, we set sail for Fort William, 30 miles along the beautiful Loch Linnhe.
Loch Linnhe
This beautiful sea loch has fantastic scenery, and an abundance of wildlife, taking advantage of the small islands throughout its length. On a clear day, there is a chance to catch a glimpse of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain. Loch Linnhe is the only sea loch along the Great Glen Fault line. Here we will send the night at Corpach, a small town outside of Fort William. With options in the evening to visit Fort William or explore the shores of Loch Linnhe from Corpcach.
The Caledonian Canal Transit
The Caledonian Canal stretches 60 miles along the Great Glen from Fort William to Inverness. This stunning Highlands waterway runs from Inverness to Fort William on the west coast. It passes through a range of pretty towns and villages, lochs and countryside, providing a beautiful scenic setting to visitors. The Caledonian Canal was opened in 1822 and engineered by Scottish civil engineer Thomas Telford. Formed as part of the Great Glen, Lochs Dochfour, Ness, Oich and Lochy all feed into this canal. A grand total of 29 locks dot the length of the canal. By the end of the transit you will be an expert in navigating these locks. The most spectacular of these locks are Neptune’s Staircase and Fort Augustus.
Neptune’s Staircase
Situated in the picturesque village of Banavie, just North of Fort William, this amazing feat of engineering raises the canal by 19m over a quarter of a mile of continuous masonry and takes around 90 minutes for a boat to travel up or down the 8 locks. Built by Thomas Telford between 1803 and 1822, it is the longest staircase lock flight in Scotland.
Fort Augustus Locks
Situated on the most southern tip of Loch Ness on the Great Glen Way, the historic and scenic village of Fort Augustus is home to a staircase of 5 locks, taking boats from the top of the canal down onto Loch Ness. Fort Augustus offers stunning views down Loch Ness and is also home to the Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre and the Clansmen Centre where appropriately attired guides demonstrate 17th Century clan weaponry.
We will spend the night here before sailing across Loch Ness, and definitely worth the early morning get up is the sun rise over Loch Ness.
Loch Lochy
Pitched some 10 miles south-west of Loch Ness, and particularly beautiful, the 10 mile-long Loch Lochy wins no prices for imaginative titles – but it does have much to offer when it comes to local superstition. According to folklore, it is the home of the River Horse a supernatural being which rises angrily from the water to overturn boats – and lure other, actual horses into the depths.
Loch Ness
That tawdry old tale about a prehistoric beast swimming inplausibly at the bottom gives Loch Ness a certain mysitique, but it is its sheer size which attracts the eye. At 21.8 square miles, it is not the biggest of the Scottish Lakes by surface area – but it s combination of scale and depth (it descends 230m) makes it the largest body of freshwater in the British Isles by volume. Perhaps Nessie does lurk somewhere in the gloomy depths! We will anchor near the romantic ruins of Urquhart Castle where, they may be the opportunity for a swim off the boat, if weather permits!
Inverness
Our final destination of the Canal transit is Inverness; a compact, cosmopolitan city with a lot of heart. You will have time to explore this HIghland Capital before a crew night out at Hootananny’s, the best live-music venue in the city.
The North East Coast
Leaving Inverness, we navigate our way through the Moray Firth and head along the North-East Coast of Scotland to Aberdeen. This is an opportunity to gain some experience of life at sea, enjoying the rugged cliffs and extensive sand dunes from a completely unique view point. The North East coastline is dotted with many picturesque fishing villages and seaside towns; so plenty of opportunity to stop along the way as we make this 120 nautical mile passage from Inverness to Aberdeen.
What is included in the voyage cost:
- Accommodation and all meals on board Tall Ship Maybe
- Sailing tuition and supervision from fully qualified crew members
- Third party liability Insurance
- Use of waterproofs and safety equipment
What is not included:
- Travel to and from the boat
- Personal travel insurance. Check out Top Sail for specialist Tall Ship sailing travel insurance
- Merchandise available to purchase on board
- Excursions and meals onshore, unless otherwise stated
Oban, Scotland
Aberdeen, UK
Embark Travel Information
Oban, Scotland
By Road
- Car – If you are travelling by car you can check out the AA or RAC websites and plan your route.
- Coach – If you are travelling by coach you can visit the Citylink website or phone them on 08705 505050
By Rail
If you come by train, the journey takes you along the world-famous West Highland Line. First ScotRail runs trains six times a day from Glasgow Queen Street Station to Oban (two on Sunday). For times and prices visit the First Scotrail site. You can also phone National Rail enquiries on 08457 484950 or visit their website, and they have a good app for smart phones.
By Air
Flying to Glasgow or Edinburgh is easy. Both airports are served by all the major, and many of the minor, UK airlines. This provides plenty of flights to choose from with bargain rates. In addition to being busy domestic airports both Glasgow and Edinburgh receive daily scheduled flights from Europe. Glasgow also boasts direct flights to and from the United States and from Dubai.You can also fly to Oban directly by private charter flight to Oban Airport at North Connel.
- Glasgow is the nearest large airport to Oban and is approximately 90 miles away. There are good links from the airport to the train and bus terminals in the city.
- Prestwick Airport
- Edinburgh Airport
- Oban Airport
By Sea
Oban is a busy ferry port with regular ferries to and from the islands of Mull, Colonsay, Coll, Tiree, Lismore, Barra and South Uist. Many of these ferries also link up with other islands. For more information about the ferries you can visit the Calmac website.
Disembark Travel Information
Aberdeen, UK
Aberdeen can be reached by road, rail, sea or sky and when you get here Aberdeenshire is easily accessible by public transport, taxi or car.
BY AIR
Aberdeen International Airport is located just six miles from Aberdeen city centre and is within easy reach of Aberdeenshire.
The region is well connected globally with daily flights to all major airports including all three London airports, Paris and Amsterdam. The international airport also has many direct routes to most UK cities as well as many key European destinations.
For further information about the destinations you can fly from to Aberdeen, or to book your flight, please visit www.aberdeenairport.com.
BY SEA
Aberdeen Ferry Terminal is located at Jamieson’s Quay directly across from the shopping centre, Union Square and the Aberdeen Railway Station.
The centrally located harbour is where ferries travel regularly to/from the Scottish Isles, Orkney and Shetland.
For more information about travelling from Orkney and Shetland and for ferry timetables please visit www.northlinkferries.co.uk.
BY RAIL
Aberdeen’s railway station, right in the heart of the city, has frequent fast and reliable services to and from major cities. Travel on one of the hourly trains from Glasgow and Edinburgh or use the east coast line to travel from cities such as York or Newcastle.
Scotrail provides an express rail service direct to Aberdeen from many major cities. For timetables and to book your train tickets to Aberdeen visit the Scotrail website.
Aberdeen can also be reached overnight from London on the Caledonian Sleeper. Visit the Caledonian Sleeper website for more information about this service.
East Coast Trains run services along the East Coast Main Line and frequently run trains from cities such as Edinburgh, York, Newcastle and London further details can be found on their website www.eastcoast.co.uk.
National Rail offers rail services to Aberdeen and the surrounding area, perhaps when you get here you may wish to travel to towns including Dyce, Inverurie and Huntly, visit www.nationalrail.co.uk for further details
