Argyll Cruising In Scotland
by Robin McKelvie
“The Firth of Clyde is Scotland’s seriously underrated secret cruising playground,” smiles Ted Creek, the new owner and skipper of Argyll Cruising’s Splendour, as we ease by the brooding hulk of Holy Isle accompanied by playful porpoises and a flurry of gannets.
“Our cruises give you the best of both worlds — you can either sail the Hebrides or the Firth of Clyde, or even a mixture of both. Both are truly-world class cruising waters with remarkable scenery, seafood and wildlife.”
Splendour rounding the Mull of Kinytre. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
It’s hard to argue with Ted as our six-night ‘Southern Hebrides and Mull of Kintyre Cruise’ sweeps from the main Scottish small cruise ship hub of Oban away from the other boats south to discover less visited isles like Islay, Gigha and Jura in the southern Hebrides, then around the famed Mull of Kintyre into the Firth of Clyde, where Holy Isle and the Isle of Bute offer their own bountiful charms.
Cruise itinerary map: https://www.argyllcruising.com/scottish-cruises/southern-hebrides-mull-kintyre-cruise/
“What I really like about the Firth of Clyde cruising is that there are so many secret spots, spots where we are not just the only vessel, but often the only people,” adds Creek. “Woven into this are the small distances between the isles and the mainland here, so there are always sheltered anchorages on hand and wee towns and villages to explore easily too. It really has it all and for me is up there with the Hebrides. We — and our passengers — love both the Hebrides and Firth of Clyde.”
Splendour in the Firth of Clyde. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
RELATED: An Overview of Cruising the Western Waters of Scotland. By Ted Scull.
Argyll Cruising in Scotland Aboard the Splendour
Ted has taken over the 20m-long Splendour from one of the Firth of Clyde’s great skippers, Iain Duncan, who lovingly converted this 1950s fishing trawler into a graceful and comfortable small cruise ship in 2014.
Splendour sleeps up to eight guests in five private ensuite cabins, but she can now take 10 passengers as a charter after Ted had her recodified in 2023.
At the Splendour’s heart is a Gardner 803 diesel engine. “The Gardner is the epitome of absolute reliability in an engine and is perfect out here in these variable Atlantic waters and in the Firth of Clyde,” says Ted.
Splendour’s new owner & Skipper Ted Creek. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
The Splendour is a proper wooden boat, the type that attracts lot of admiring glances and questions everywhere you sail.
Outdoor space is abundant, with a large upper deck with plenty of wooden seating and an always-open bridge, where Ted will happily talk you through the charts, routing, and the surrounding islands.
Downstairs the big bow has been vastly improved since the first time I was on in 2015, with a chunky wooden table seating eight — ideal for al fresco meals.
Splendour’s Saloon. * Photo: Robin Mckelvie
The interior is cozy rather than spacious. A single saloon is split between two booths with bench seating and wooden tables. Scottish whiskies and gins line the walls alongside both fictional and factual books on the places encountered en route.
All cabins are down below. One is down a steep ladder, while the others are down a more forgiving set of stairs. Cabins are homely, decorated with old fashioned posters depicting nostalgic Scottish travel scenes, with beds topped with a tartan blanket.
A nice touch are the excellent Arran toiletries in the bathrooms.
A cabin aboard Splendour. * Photo: Argyll Cruising
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Life Aboard Splendour
With just two crew — skipper Ted and chef/bosun Thomas — aboard you are left to your own devices for wildlife spotting when you’re on the move, though Ted diverts when marine mammals are spotted and is adept at spotting the likes of sea eagles when anchored.
All the guests on my cruise enjoyed this gentle pace of cruising, with plenty of time for reading, chatting and snoozing.
Top deck of the Splendour. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
There is plenty of eating too. Thomas focuses heavily on local produce. Even the Argyll Roasters Coffee comes from the region their base is in. Fish is sourced from the fishmonger on the pier where most cruises start in Oban.
We tucked into the likes of Loch Spelve mussels and white fish such as halibut. Highlights included plump langoustines served out on deck and ultra-fresh mackerel caught by one of the passengers with the boat’s fishing rods.
Lunch of langoustines on the Splendour. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
Thomas also managed to snare a bountiful haul of squat lobsters for our last dinner from a local fisherman who he knows on Arran, a rare treat I’ve never seen served outside Scotland.
Breakfast varies every day. It always starts with a choice of porridge or cereal, then moves on to a cooked course. We savored the likes of Argyll smoked salmon from the smokehouse in Dunoon one morning with scrambled egg on sourdough toast; another morning plump, fluffy Scottish pancakes with fresh fruit; another a cooked Scottish breakfast to set us up for the disembarkation day, complete with square sausage and haggis from a local butcher.
Breakfast of smoked salmon on the Splendour. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
Morning tea is served daily too with Thomas’s delicious freshly made shortbread. Afternoon tea comes with traybakes or scones.
Wine is included at dinner, with the option to buy a dram on deck afterwards as you admire the big skies.
Venison loin on the Splendour. * Photo: Robin Mckevlie
Day 1 Of Argyll Cruising In Scotland
Cruising out of Oban Bay with a glass of welcome prosecco in hand we immediately met a brace of porpoises skipping through the surf. I managed to see porpoises every day bar the last short morning.
We cut inside the wee isle of Kerrera, admiring craggy Gylen Castle high above, ancestral seat of the MacDougalls. The overnight anchorage of Mull’s Loch Spelve allowed time ashore to view a herd of red deer, the UK’s largest land mammal. We spotted an otter too scrambling along the shore, before back on deck Ted pointed out a pair of nesting sea eagles high in the pine trees.
Deer at Loch Spelve. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
Day 2 Of Our Scotland Cruise
Today brought a rare treat — landing on the little-visited Garvellachs. The mother of one of Scotland’s most important saints, Columba, lies buried on the island of Eileach An Naoimh. Ted pointed out her grave as we left the tender and worked out way up the wild and wildly beautiful island.
Splendour tender on the Garvellachs. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
After rambling around the religious complex established by St Brendan, I broke away from the group and hiked up to the island’s highest point, with epic views of the Hebrides opening up all around.
Bursting south we chanced upon a minke whale as we entered the Gulf of Corryvreckan, one of the world’s largest whirlpools and a serious challenge at high tide. Ted steered us through for a stop on the brutally wild island of Jura.
View of Jura from aboard the Splendour. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
This was where George Orwell wrote his novel 1984 and we had time to wander up to peer at the house where he penned his seminal magnum opus. As the wind strengthened Ted sought shelter in Tayvallich, an excellent mainland natural harbor.
Day 3 Aboard Splendour
Morning brought a quick visit a wee art gallery in Tayvallich, before a sunny bottlenose dolphin leaping punctuated sail to Gigha. This fascinating beach-sprinkled Hebridean island was bought by its community in 2002 and the population has soared to a more sustainable figure approaching 200 from a very low base.
A visit the community shop brought an insight into a way of life different to that of any of our guests. As did our an overnight at Craighouse back on Jura. A pre-dinner dram in the local pub brought more interaction with the locals and heart-warming tender back to the Splendour, lit up cozily in the bay, with dinner awaiting.
Ashore by Splendour tender. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
Day 4 Of Our Scotland Cruise
A short steam brought us to another dramatic tender ashore at Lagavulin, one of the nine distilleries on Scotland’s whisky isle of Islay. It was quite something bouncing in unannounced in a tender to a whisky distillery one guest had dreamt of visiting all his life!
New owner & Skipper Ted driving Splendour’s tender into Lagavulin * Photo: Robin McKelvie
Ted ran me around to nearby Ardbeg (my favorite distillery) where I sampled a dram, before walking back to meet the others at Lagavulin’s new bar. As they retuned to the ship I stayed ashore for dinner and drams at the Islay Hotel, an option if you fancy a change on one night of your cruise.
Day 5 Argyll Cruising In Scotland
This was easily our biggest cruising day. We had to barrel south and get around the notorious Mull of Kintyre to get into the Firth of Clyde. Ted had judged the weather well and we enjoyed blue skies and a moderate swell. As Ireland loomed to the south and the Mull reared high above us I put on Paul McCartney’s ballad Mull of Kintyre. It proved a moving moment as was the favorite song of the late father of one of our guests.
Splendour cruising around the Mull of Kintyre. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
Day’s end came with Campbeltown, a once grand town on the Kintyre Peninsula, now enjoying a quieter middle age. ‘Trevor’ the seal welcomed us into the harbor, as did the manager of one of the local distilleries, Glen Scotia, who produce fanatic whiskies. Also in town is an art deco cinema and memorial garden to Linda McCartney.
Campbeltown Loch. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
Day 6 Of Our Cruise
Ted made sure he eased the penultimate day cruise blues, filling the day with two stops. We ran with the diving gannets up to little-trammeled Holy Isle. This unique island is owned by a community of Buddhists, who run it as both as a retreat and as international center for peace. It felt deeply peaceful on a sunny day with a gentle breeze, as we strolled through their exotic garden and admired the hillside alive with wild goats, sheep and ponies.
Splendour en route to Holy Isle. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
Our last stop ashore didn’t lull. Rothesay on the Isle of Bute was a very popular resort in the days before air travel, when citizens of the nearby city of Glasgow flocked ‘doon the watter’ on holiday. After a few rough years the brand-new Bute Yard complex has brought a local gin distillery and brewery under one roof, with local eating options too. The grand old Pavilion arts complex is being revamped and the sleepy old Glenburn Hotel has re-opened too.
It was privilege to come in to see this new life via the Splendour.
Day 7 Aboard Splendour
Thomas’ heaving cooked breakfast set up us up for our last short sail back to the Splendour’s base and winter home of Holy Loch, once the site of a US naval base. Ted’s mum and young baby were there to greet us — Argyll Cruising are a charmingly small family-run company and it shows in a very good way.
This warmth rubs off on guests and we all departed swapping email addresses and toasting that we hoped to cruise again together in the world-class cruising waters not only of the Hebrides, but also the lesser-sailed Firth of Clyde.
Author Robin aboard the Splendour. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
Interested In Argyll Cruising in Scotland?
Splendour sails a variety of cruises out of both Oban and Holy Loch, from Spring through to Fall, with three-night, six-night, 10-night and 13-night itineraries.
Short three-night taster cruises start at £1,100.
This six-night “Southern Hebrides and Mull of Kintyre Cruise” was priced at £2,450 in 2023. All prices include meals, wine with dinner and trips ashore.
They are taking bookings for 2024 into 2025. The vessel is also available for private charter.
For more information on Argyll Cruising check out www.argyllcruising.com.
Some Helpful Tips
Getting There
These days there are a number of direct flights from North America to Scotland. Depending on your airline, many flights connect through London. You can choose to arrive in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh or Glasgow. Trains run from Glasgow direct to Oban. For Holy Loch it’s a train ride from Glasgow, then a short ferry hop.
Solo Cabins
Unlike some cruise lines Argyll Cruising doesn’t penalize sole travelers wanting their own cabin. On a first-come, first-served basis they offer two cabins on each cruise for solo travelers with no additional single supplements payable.
Weather
Scotland is this green with a reason as it can rain whenever you visit. The cruising season runs from spring in April through to Fall in October. May, September and October are good choices as they tend to be drier, prices are a little cheaper and there is less chance of having to contend with the baleful midge, a harmless but annoying small insect. August is the warmest month, but can also be wet.
Reading List
The folks at Argyll Cruising recommend these interesting books to read or browse before your cruise to the waters of western Scotland.
RELATED: 8 Small Ship Scottish Cruises You Should Know About.
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HEIDI SARNA
