SV Sancerre: Stopping Places: Crinan to Ardnamuchan Point.

Be sure to check out Reeds and / or the appropriate pilots (Clyde Cruising Club sailing directions) for more detailed information and some alternates, this is just an overview of ones I have been to.

For anchorages in this area the Antares Charts covering almost 600 anchorages are invaluable and for some indispensable. At £15 they don't break the bank and as well as the chart you get a very good summary of each, most if not all of the anchorages below are covered.

Sequenced approximately south to north. Links open in a new window and most point to the trip towards the anchorage, the following post may have more information.

To see my recent visits to each anchorage check out the "Labels" towards the bottom of the right hand panel or follow the individual links.

Updated September 2023 to include Harbours and Marinas also info on fuel & gas availability, the latter is not comprehensive as I don't need either that often.

Further updated during a boring winter 2023/4 to include some information on access to and from marinas. See my page Marina notes (opens in a new window) for some general tips and the context (handling of my boat) in which I comment.

Anchorages = red, Marinas = Blue, Green = Possible

Contents: Updated to 9th June 2025.

Crinan West Anchorage.
Crinan Canal.
Kinuachdrachd Harbour, Jura.
Puilladobhrain.
Loch Tarbert, N Jura - South Side - Glenbatric Bay
Loch Tarbert, N Jura - North Side - Bag Glean Righ Mor.
Eileach an Naoimh, Ornsay.
Ardalanish Bay, W Mull.
Tinker's Hole, West Mull / Iona Sound.
Scallastle Bay, Sound of Mull, Mull.
Loch Aline, Sound of Mull (Mainland).
Tobermory. Mull.
Loch Drumbuie.

Crinan West Anchorage

Exposed from some directions and subject to wash from small power boats etc. But I had a good night in 2025 A LOT OF WEED both on the anchor and chain, probably picked up from the bottom whilst swinging in light winds, I had to get it off the chain before breaking the anchor free due to its weight and volume but good holding if you are careful, it took a lot of power in reverse with no problem. Good O2 and Vodafone.

Crinan harbour anchorage

Crinan Canal

A "licence" to pass through includes 4 days berthing, but note you can't do this single handed but help is available, see posts on my passage here. Note: since my transit it has been made mandatory (2023) for boats with less than three crew to employ a "Pilot" who may work more than one boat through, that takes a bit longer but you get a discount. If you ask, someone will come to take your lines at the sea locks and at the other manned locks - the "Pilot" will join at the first unmanned lock and leave at the last. This keeps changing so best check on their website.

There are good showers, a café and hotel with restaurant at the Crinan end, I went shopping close to the other end but did not explore further. See also my piece "The Crinan Canal and the Clyde Puffer"

Vodafone and O2 signals OK.

Sancerre moored for the night above lock 14 at the Crinan end
of the canal, June 2021.

Kinuachdrachd Harbour, Jura.

An excellent anchorage in westerly winds but exposed to the east, close to the Gulf of Corryvreckan so give that a wide berth, but otherwise very easy to enter. Very useful for awaiting the tide before going through the sound of Luing, or for an overnight stop after coming through south bound late in the day. O2 and Vodafone OK.

Visited in 2025.

Puilladobhrain.

An excellent and very popular anchorage so there may not be room but there are good alternatives not far away, see the Antares chart selector. A convenient place to wait for the tide down the Sound of Luing as I did in 2025. O2 and Vodafone OK.

Entering the anchorage.

Loch Tarbert, N Jura -South Side - Glenbatric Bay

Pictured from Bag Glean Righ Mor (below) the anchorage is
either side of the reef just visible, right half of the pic.

To the east of Sgeir Agleann there is good shelter from the south and southwest, I anchored further west than the area covered by the Antares chart "Glenbatric Bay East". The area west of the reef looks rather exposed, somewhere on the north side would likely be better. Vodafone and O2 signals OK.

Visited in 2020

Loch Tarbert, N Jura -North Side - Bag Glean Righ Mor

Spectacular views of raised beaches here and further up the loch. The anchorage west of here is a little exposed but OK in settled weather or to wait for the tide down the sound of Islay or for lunch, those further up look good, again the Antaries charts are strongly recommended. I chose Bag Glean Righ Mor in 2022 and 2023.

Eileach an Naoimh (Ornsay)

An excellent anchorage in favourable conditions but very exposed to the south and east.

Looking south from the anchorage towards Islay

Visited 2023

Ardalanish, W Mull.

Ardalanish

I good anchorage but small and could be exposed to swell from the SW in extreme conditions. It got a bit crowded with two boats when I visited in 2021

Tinker's Hole (West Mull / Iona)

Entering Tinker's Hole

A very popular anchorage that can get very crowded requiring shore lines in some positions as well as an anchor but, apart from the impressive walls of rock all around it, I am not sure why, worth a visit to take a look but there are better anchorages. Visited 2022

Scallastle Bay, Sound of Mull (Mull)

A useful anchorage at the southern end of the Sound of Mull on the western side, good shelter from the west and with care OK to enter at night but Loch Aline would be better in bad weather although a slightly longer detour. Vodafone and O2 signals OK.

Looking SE from the anchorage Scallastle Point right, Rubha
an Ridire left.

Visited 2023

Loch Aline, Sound of Mull (Mainland)

An excellent anchorage good holding and with spots sheltered from all directions and trees helping. It can get busy but there is plenty of room. Care is needed entering or leaving, the channel is narrow, tides at and across the entrance are strong and then there is the ferry - it turns round very quickly so take care. Antares have charted the entrance marking the deepest route. There is a video of me entering on the 2023 northbound link below. Vodafone and O2 signals OK.

Looking towards the NE of the Loch from one of the favoured
spots, most of the loch from here dries.

Entering in 2023 against the tide which gives more time to think.

Visited in 2023 northbound and southbound, 2024 and 2025, twice.

Tobermory. Mull.

A very popular stop off, the moorings and marina can get very busy in high season and may be full but it is not possible for vessels under 14.9m to reserve a berth or mooring. The town is even more busy as it is a popular tourist destination with wildlife tours on land and sea plus trips to Staffa for Fingle's cave. See the picture at the top of the page.

The fuel berth was intended for commercial vessels but plans were in place (2022) to adapt it for pleasure craft, diesel and Gas are however available from a garage close by the marina. Updates: Diesel is now available 24/7 from an automated pump at the garage but gas’s is only available weekdays. I have since seen yachts fuelling at the berth but have not followed up on that as is is easier for me to do it by porterage.

Decent showers (one guide calls them state of the art which I find puzzling) and laundry but with only 2 washing machines & driers (upgraded to light commercial and much better than those in place previously) there is likely to be a queue.

The pontoons shown on the left of the picture below have a fairly tight approach at low water but is not significant issue for modest sized vessels or those with a bow thruster.

The moorings have pick up buoys to very heavy gauge chain (Update 2024: the chains have been replaced by heavy platted warps, easier than the chains but still very bulky ) that may well be too large for fairleads and cleats, I can just about use them but a rope - chain - rope bridle might come in useful. Each visitor buoy is marked with the maximum weight of boat that can use it, starting at 15 tonnes.

The Tobermory pontoons, Marina office and facilities left,
space for tenders to the left, close in. This was taken in July
2020, half of the berths were not in use for social distancing.

There is a medium sized CO-OP (hardly the super market in one guide),to save humping the stores round the harbour if conditions are benign and you are feeling fit you can row across the harbour and use the beach / stairs just outside the shop, an outboard would obviously be easier but unless its very windy I don't mount it to get to shore here.

There is a small chandlery (Update 2024: it has moved from the small shop on the N side to the harbour to the marina building and is now quite a bit larger), banks, various shops and a small delicatessen very much orientated to holiday makers, a new store next to the marina office was under construction early in 2021, in 2022, in 2023 and still in 2025!! There is a good selection of places to eat, the sea food restaurant near the ferry terminal has an excellent reputation. Vodafone and O2 signals OK, I have not tried the marina wi-fi.

Tobermory 2025, waiting for a F8-9 to arrive.

Visited at least once in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 (click on the appropriate post label right). On my first visit I was unable to anchor and picked up a buoy due to conditions and limited space due to Covid-19 delaying the laying of moorings. Although anchoring is permitted inside of moorings in sensible depths there is now very limited or no space there and elsewhere the water is deep (>= 22m) and is also used by quite large cruise ships. I have usually stuck with a buoy - cheaper (£19 per night flat rate for up to 15 tonnes / 38ft in 2024 & 2025, discount for 5 or 10 days that does not need to be contiguous), quieter and more private than the pontoons.

Note that in 2025 the moorings were not available until late April or early May, down to the contractor running late.

Loch Drumbuie

A popular anchorage with well sheltered spots but much of the Loch is deep, 12 - 38 m at chart datum, so there is not actually a lot of room, but when its reasonably quite it can save a day or mores fees at Tobermory.