Scotish locks

[JSP]

I'm planning this years family holiday and fancy taking the RIB. Can anyone tell me what Locks allow motorboats, great landscapes for some landscape photography and somewhere with local cottages to higher. Friend has a cottage on the isle of Mull but wife wont let me take the kids out to sea

[mdt]

are you looking to go on the canal or are you looking at going on the Lochs?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by JSP

I'm planning this years family holiday and fancy taking the RIB. Can anyone tell me what Locks allow motorboats, great landscapes for some landscape photography and somewhere with local cottages to higher. Friend has a cottage on the isle of Mull but wife wont let me take the kids out to sea

You'll upset the natives calling them loCKs they are loCHs

The obvious options would be Loch Lomond, or Loch Ness (and the other lochs that link to form the Caledonian Canal). Most other freshwater/inland lochs are going to be fairly small for any sort of cruising. Many of the sea lochs are also very sheltered (and can be more so than 30 miles of fetch down loch lomond) - but it depends if you can convince the wife. Depending how attentive she is she may not even realise it is the see e.g. Loch Sween where the tidal range is fairly low!

The only other inland loch that springs to mind where pleasure motor boats are common is Loch Tay. Other than that most motor boats will be for sailing club coaching/safety or fishing.

Anywhere picturesque will have cottages to rent. All the big lochs (lomond, ness, tay) will provide ample photo opportunities - but could be a bit cliched depending what you want.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by Polwart

You'll upset the natives calling them loCKs they are loCHs

The obvious options would be Loch Lomond, or Loch Ness (and the other lochs that link to form the Caledonian Canal). Most other freshwater/inland lochs are going to be fairly small for any sort of cruising. Many of the sea lochs are also very sheltered (and can be more so than 30 miles of fetch down loch lomond) - but it depends if you can convince the wife. Depending how attentive she is she may not even realise it is the see e.g. Loch Sween where the tidal range is fairly low!

The only other inland loch that springs to mind where pleasure motor boats are common is Loch Tay. Other than that most motor boats will be for sailing club coaching/safety or fishing.

Anywhere picturesque will have cottages to rent. All the big lochs (lomond, ness, tay) will provide ample photo opportunities - but could be a bit cliched depending what you want.

Sorry, My spelling isn't the best

Lomond and ness are beautiful places but have been done to death.
Mate of mine goes up there when he can, there's few shots of his on this link
Need to find somewhere he hasn't been to get one up

[LURCHER]

We stayed at Knoydart during autumn half term fantastic scenery and a great pub , sea loch extends miles inland and can be smooth water .Wife and children can cross to Inverie by daily ferry fro Mallaig whilst u rib it over 7 miles .OK slip at Mallaig if 4wd but we had to be craned in due to size . Alternative is Arisaig a few miles down the coast .We had a mooring for the week kindly free from the pub www.theoldforge.co.uk/The Olde Forge .Many cottages to rent . check Knoydart Foundation for more info.
PM me if you need more info .Pics attached not to your standard though.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by LURCHER

We stayed at Knoydart during autumn half term fantastic scenery and a great pub , sea loch extends miles inland and can be smooth water .Wife and children can cross to Inverie by daily ferry fro Mallaig whilst u rib it over 7 miles .OK slip at Mallaig if 4wd but we had to be craned in due to size . Alternative is Arisaig a few miles down the coast .We had a mooring for the week kindly free from the pub www.theoldforge.co.uk/The Olde Forge .Many cottages to rent . check Knoydart Foundation for more info.
PM me if you need more info .Pics attached not to your standard though.

Great photos' and great info! Thanks LURCHER!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by JSP

Lomond and ness are beatiful places but have been done to death.
Mate of mine goes up there when he can, there's few shots of his on this link
Need to find somewhere he hasn't been to get one up

yeah that's what I meant by cliched. I think you will need to look towards the sea then to get good scenery and good boating.

[BruceB]

I can recommend Loch Nevis and Knoydart as well. Nice long loch with the opportunity of hopping to Skye plus two very good eating places on the loch for dropping into. Lots of places to stop for a picnic on the way up the loch plus stunning scenery
Beats the pants off Loch Lomond any day and much quieter with no speedboat and jetski hooligans about

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by BruceB

Beats the pants off Loch Lomond any day

Particularly since Cameron House Hotel was pumping raw sewerage into it

*edit*

Get yourself up to Wester Ross John .. thats where the real scenery is

[G.Mac]

Theres also the Sea Lochs and different Sounds to explore.

Ive passed through the Sound of Mull a fair few times at work and every time I think how great it would be to take the rib and explore all the little nooks and crannies.

Just remember to bring the Avon Skin so Soft along on your holiday!!!!!!!!

Graeme

[JSP]

All good stuff lads. Keep it coming, I may include a road trip around different places.
One thing, never forget taking our eldest 3 to Scotland on holiday and they where bitten so many times by midge's that they where ill

[jwalker]

There is plenty of other scenic inland lochs which aren't so much on the rubbernecking trail. Lochs Morar, Shiel and Etive come to mind. The sea lochs, Sunart, Leven (Glencoe) and Ailort are in the same area and also possibilities.

Below is a wee snap from Flash Earth and a pic of the co-ordinates. Best go to Flash Earth, input the co-ordinates and have a rake around.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by jwalker

There are plenty of other scenic inland lochs which aren't so much on the rubbernecking trail. Lochs Morar, Shiel and Etive come to mind. The sea lochs, Sunart, Leven (Glencoe) and Ailort are in the same area and also possibilities.

Below is a wee snap from Flash Earth and a pic of the co-ordinates. Best go to Flash Earth, input the co-ordinates and have a rake around.

That is GREAT! Thanks!!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by jwalker

There is plenty of other scenic inland lochs which aren't so much on the rubbernecking trail. Lochs Morar, Shiel and Etive come to mind.

JW - is Loch Etive not tidal? Are powerboats permitted in the others? Are there slipways?

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by Polwart

JW - is Loch Etive not tidal?

I believe it is .. maybe JW is pissed or otherwise engaged hehe .. bet I get my bottom spanked for that

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by Polwart

JW - is Loch Etive not tidal? Are powerboats permitted in the others? Are there slipways?

It is a bit but the water only gets in when the Falls of Lora fill up. You could drive in at that end or tow down from the Glencoe end. There is no proper slip there but there is access to the water's edge and a gritty gravel kinda place where boats can be launched. We're not talking marina type slips though. You're hardly going to get that at any remote-ish Scottish lochs.

There are certainly powerboats on Loch Morar and a track into the water alongside the river at the beginning of the loch (west end). Loch Shiel used to have a trip boat and a jetty - it maybe still does.

There's access to Loch Leven at a few places; the old ferry slips below Ballachulish, at the car park near the hotel - keys for the barrier at the hotel reception. There's also a nice campsite on a spit into the loch half way down to Kinlochleven and again a track/stony slip.

There are slips into Loch Ailort.

There's a good campsite at Resipol on Loch Sunart and it has its own free slip and moorings.

Pissed am I?


That's a good idea...

[BruceB]

Loch Etive is tidal fed via the Falls of Lora. Once you are past here it isn't that interesting. It is deep, dark and not particularly full of life as the bottom conditions are pretty anoxic.
I suppose it isn't that bad but compared to the area outside in the Firth of Lorne it is a bit bland
You would also be suprised at some of the slips in remote areas, some of them are actually quite good if you know where to look.......

[eilean mor]

ive taken canoe trailers down the glen etive road, and it gives you something to think about at those 2 or 3 90 degree bends just over little bridges,

anyway, have you been down the glen this winter, - we turned up there a couple of weeks ago in the dark to go paddling, and the very end of the road is closed - seems they are 'rebuilding' the pier, and chopping all the trees down on the hillside, and must be taking them out by water - thank goodness -
what they have created at the turning point now is a big area of hard stand on the sea side of the road, and they have cut a wee slipway piece down to the water edge, and put lots of hard core over the whole lot - snag looks to be there is still a couple of big boulders in the way - probably - but the tide was in - and it was dark both when we got on and off the following day,
and it wouldn't be any use for anything but a 4/4,

I'd probably launch at dunstaffnage anyway, and have the fun of driving up from the mouth - taking into account what the tide/ wind were doing for the falls of lora

[jambo]

Originally Posted by JSP

All good stuff lads. Keep it coming, I may include a road trip around different places.
One thing, never forget taking our eldest 3 to Scotland on holiday and they where bitten so many times by midge's that they where ill

Hi as someone who has a caravan at tayvallich on Loch Sween I can recommend the ribbing from both the loch side and the sound of Jura side which allows you to go day trips from Gigha to Easdale, Loch Craignish, Jura, Corryveckan and all points in between. There are many cottages for rent, log on to the tayvallich villlage site (www.tayvallich.com) for info. Hope this helps if you go and you get the weather you will not be disappointed!! The midges have not been bad for years, honest.
Cheers
J

[Poly]

Originally Posted by jambo

Hi as someone who has a caravan at tayvallich on Loch Sween I can recommend the ribbing from both the loch side and the sound of Jura side which allows you to go day trips from Gigha to Easdale, Loch Craignish, Jura, Corryveckan and all points in between. There are many cottages for rent, log on to the tayvallich villlage site (www.tayvallich.com) for info. Hope this helps if you go and you get the weather you will not be disappointed!! The midges have not been bad for years, honest.
Cheers
J

I would support all of that (even the midges) having been there a few times in the last few years. And Loch Sween is probably as safe/sheltered as any inland water would be. Should be good landscape and wildlife photo ops (heron, osprey, seals, dolphins, porpoises all within "range") too.