Tucked in the lee of the Isle of Skye, the small village of Plockton is an idyllic stopover when cruising Scotland’s beautiful west coast
As part of our brand new WEEKENDER series, this month we bring you Plockton.
Lymington weekender
River Waveney
Padstow weekender
Beaulieu weekender
Brighton weekender
The west coast of Scotland offers a cruising ground second to none. Yes, you and your boat need to be prepared for changeable weather, but it is difficult to imagine anywhere else with such stunning scenery, tucked-away harbours and inviting places to eat and make merry. To give a taster of this unique area we are taking a weekend jaunt around the Inner Sound – the sheltered stretch of water between the Isle of Skye and the mainland – and availing ourselves of a visitor’s mooring at
the pleasant lochside village of Plockton.
Nav notes
When approaching Plockton from the south (having run up the Sound of Sleat, through the narrows at Lochalsh and under the Skye bridge), you need careful pilotage to assess the whereabouts of several rock formations that may be awash or just hidden, especially Sgeir Golach lying to the north of the promontory that protects the village’s small harbour. Tides run fast through much of the area, especially between the various isles, and it can reach eight knots with powerful eddies in
the Kyle of Rhea at the top end of the Sound of Sleat. Best tackle this at or near slack water.
Mooring
At high water the sea runs right up to the wall that protects the road, houses and hotel running along the village foreshore, but the harbour dries for some distance out, including the small boat pontoon and inner moorings. The pontoons at the northern end of the harbour can be used for short periods but are used by working boats, and overnight berthing is prohibited. Instead, pick-up one of the all-tide swinging moorings for visitors a short distance off; there is no harbourmaster as such and fees should be paid at one of the hotels or shops.
Fuel
For fuel visit Kyle.
Charts
Admiralty 2208, 2209 and 2210 or folio SC5616, Imray C66
Contacts
Plockton Harbour Association
Tel: 01599 544324/544283
Kyle Harbourmaster
01599 534167
(VHF Ch11)
For the full feature see the February 2014 issue of MBM.
