Where They Drink Whiskey in the Morning: Guest Blogger Terence Smith

Where They Drink Whiskey in the Morning

A cruise around the Hebrides, the Scottish islands that inspired Samuel Johnson, James Boswell, and Robert Louis Stevenson

Image: Susy Smith

The Glen Massan, a wooden-hulled trawler, anchored off the coast of Erraid Island, where the shipwrecked hero of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped washed ashore (Susanne Stout Smith)

In 1773, Samuel Johnson—poet, essayist, and London’s literary light—and his biographer, James Boswell, passed through the rugged, starkly beautiful Hebridean Islands just off Scotland’s western coast. Their famous tour produced not one but two waspish journals that remain in print today.

Sharkwatch in Scotland: Guest Blogger Travel Writer Mike Gerrard

A Close Encounter with Dolphins
(All Photos by Donna Dailey)
'What's that in the water?' asks Kathleen, pointing ahead of the boat. We're standing on the deck of the Glen Tarsan, a former fishing vessel now converted to take wildlife and other cruises off the west coast of Scotland. We've left Skye behind and are sailing in wonderful sunshine towards the little island of Canna (population: 12).

Private charter with eagles galore and a fossilised tree!

Our private charter enjoyed a wonderful September week of excellent weather with no wind or rain.  Departing Oban, our destination for our first anchorage was Loch a Choire in Ardnamurchan. Our journey took us up Loch Linnhe, past the Isle of Lismore to this lovely sheltered sea loch.  On the way we spotted two separate flocks of red-breasted mergansers on the water.

Loch a Choire is a very dramatic anchorage with the surrounding high mountains providing the perfect backdrop to our first dinner on board.
Cruising over to Mull on the Sunday, our first stopover was a visit to Duart Castle, then on to Tobermory for walks in Aros Park and an exploration of the town.  We crossed the Sound of Mull to the massive sea loch, Loch Sunart and the village of Strontian for our anchorage for the night.

Skipper’s Log – Glen Tarsan, 7th September

Departing Oban on Saturday afternoon, we sailed for Loch Spelve on Mull to anchor for the night and enjoy the first dinner onboard from Chef Stephen who was to outdo himself with delicious dining over the next week. In the morning after breakfast, guests spied two Golden Eagles circling the loch before we set off along the coast of Mull to Iona.

After a stroll ashore to take in the ancient Abbey, the sun appeared for our sail to Loch Scridain and Kilfinichen Bay where we set anchor for the night, well placed for our trip to Staffa the next morning.

Around Mull Wildlife Cruise September 2013

Guest Blog from Margaret Matthew

The Majestic Line invited Matt Oliver, an ecologist and friend of the Majestic Line owners, on board as an extra pair of eyes to help spot the wildlife on this Around Mull cruise as part of VisitScotlands "Year of Natural Scotland". As Matt’s mum I took advantage of the spare bed in the twin cabin and offered to do a write-up of the cruise and wildlife seen.  The Skipper of the Glen Massan, Martin, has an excellent eye for identifying wildlife and the Engineer Alistair is an environmental biologist so has in-depth knowledge; however as they are often busy with their crewing duties, this was an opportunity for some additional dedicated spotting.