SUNSHINE, FLOWERS…and CLUMPS of SPRING FLOWERS
ROVERS RECONNOITRING ROVING ROUND THE ROYAL ROUTE RELIVING REMINDERS OF REMARKABLE RECKONING
On Friday 30th April 2010 the sun was shining brightly in Greenock at around 0930. Fifteen minutes later it was raining, and people gathering outside of the Clyde Marine Services Ltd compound on Victoria Harbour were getting a little wet! They were there to join a four day cruise that would take them through the Crinan Canal to visit Lochs and Islands in the open waters beyond. The Crinan Canal, Lochs and Islands cruise was about to get underway, and the showery weather was what those passengers expected to encounter on their first day’s cruise.
Everyone accounted for and baggage safely stowed away below decks, ropes were slipped at 1004 and the 1964 Clyde Marine Services Ltd vessel Rover, built by Hugh McLaren and Sons Ltd, genteelly engineered her passage away from the pier. Left behind sister ships from the same fleet were other passenger vessels Cruiser, Fencer and the latest addition to the fleet, the modern 250 certificated Clyde Clipper introduced in 2008. Other distinctively coloured work boats were congregated around the harbour, which made exit for Rover a little tenuous.
Rover has a certificate for 249 passengers, but there were only a handful on board at this stage, which was probably as well for like occasions when a sudden squall whilst heading ‘Doon th’ Water’, had everyone scurrying from the open decks to the shelter of the Wheel House!
Skipper Hamish Munro, Operations Director for Clyde Marine Ltd, kept his charge on a steady course, off Gourock at 1026 and with Cloch Lighthouse to starboard shining brilliantly in the sunlight receding away to port.
Western Ferries Sound of Scarba was observed crossing from Hunter’s Quay to McInroy’s Point, as was Caledonian MacBrayne’s Jupiter on a similar service linking Dunoon Pier with Gourock pier. Also observed, in the distance off McInroy’s Point, was the former Western Ferries Sound of Sleat, which has now found a new lease of life as a diving vessel.
The lighthouse at Toward Point was rounded at 1119 as Rover unexpectedly headed for an unadvertised brief call at Rothesay to pick up one passenger. CalMac’s Argyle was alongside at Rothesay loading, and sister vessel Bute had earlier been seen scuttling back to Wemyss Bay.
Proceeding through the picturesque Kyles of Bute, a further CalMac vessel, in the guise of the Dunvegan was tied up alongside Colintraive slipway, waiting to make her next crossing to Rhubodach.
The narrows at the Bull of the Tail were being negotiated at 1224 and the buoy marking the approach to Loch Riddon passed to the port side. The quaint dwelling that is Tighnabruiach, with its equally delightful pier, so frequented by ps Waverley, slipped past to starboard at 1242 and at 1313 Rover was rounding Ardlamont Point to head into Loch Fyne for a lunch call at Tarbert. mv Isle of Cumbrae was at the adjacent slipway idling away before her next Portavadie crossing.
Back on board after sustenance, now in glowing sunshine, passage continued at 1505 further up Loch Fyne, then into Loch Gilp and approaching Ardrishaig Locks, just a little over an hour later. It took 42 minutes to pass through the sea lock and beneath the A816 road swing bridge, the passage watched by many interested by-standers. Clyde Puffer VIC 32, Auld Reekie was tied up in the pound beyond the lock.
Passage up through locks 2, 3 and 4 followed, bringing Rover to the pontoon just beyond the lock that was to be her berth for the night, where she was made secure at 1733, at the end of the first day’s cruise.
Building the Crinan Canal was first mooted in 1793 when a share offer was spearheaded by the then Duke of Argyll, who led the local company that subsequently built the canal. Opening took place in 1801 and work finally finished eight years later. Before the breakwater and pier were built in 1793; it was purely a canal village. The current sea lock was reconstructed and lengthened in 1932 to cater for larger vessels. The canal is nine miles long, providing a link between Ardrishaig Crinan across the narrow isthmus at the top of the Mull of Kintyre. There are eight locks between Ardrishaig and Cairnbaan with a water height raise of 64 feet above sea level. The canal is managed by British Waterways, Scotland.
From the lofty plateau above the village, there was a fine vista from the canal towpath across the sweep of Loch Gilp to the township of Lochgilphead, which in the late afternoon sun was witnessed with the tide, which normally raises some 9ft 6ins, to be very much out, leaving a wide expanse of mud.
THE ROYAL ROUTE REMEMBERED
By sailing time of 1000 on the Saturday morning a large crowd had gathered on the canal bank waiting to go onboard mv Rover. It turned out to be the full compliment, but they were not going to have such sunny weather as the passengers had enjoyed the previous day – it rained mid-morning and remained overcast for the remainder of the day. Still, there were still plentiful splashes of spring colours all the way along the canal to brighten the gloom.
The Crinan Canal had received the unofficial insignia of ‘The Royal Route’ because of the patronage by Queen Victoria and her entourage on board the cruise ship Linnet that used to ply along the canal. At road level, at the very point where Rover was tied-up at the Adrishaig pontoon, the hotel immediately below boasted a very attractive scale model of the vessel that Her Majesty has used, now exhibited in the hotel dining room
Oakfield or Millers Swing Bridge, being passed at 1017, had been opened ahead for us by a waterways length-man who was busily employed in keeping his territorial length spick and span. At this point a road led away from the canal to give access to Lochgilplhead, just a little over a quarter mile away.
The flight of four locks at Cairnbaan (no’s 5 – 
took the canal up to the short summit 64 foot level. The exercise took almost an hour, from 1046 until 1133. Cruising the summit stretch was just only eight minutes before Dunadry Summit Lock 9 was entered. Passage down through the next five locks (no’s 9 – 13) took just on the hour,
Rover emerging from the bottom lock at 1240. The middle of the flight of locks (n 11) was unique because it had not a swing bridge over the lock chamber, but a rolling bridge, dating from 1900, that now slides in from the starboard side. Dunadry is also famous for the remains of the Linnet boathouse in the basin between locks 9 and 10. It was here during the winter months that the vessel rested. The remains are the only visible reminders of the holiday crowds that once flocked from Glasgow.
Bellanoch Swing Bridge carries the B8025 road across the cut, followed shortly by the marina of the same name. Crinan Swing Bridge once led to the erstwhile Crinan Ferry, the slipway of which is still clearly visible. Access now is just to the bridge keeper’s cottage. Originally the cottage was the home of a puddler – his job was to seal leaks in the canal with puddled clay.
Some impressive rock cuttings heralded the approach to Crinan, where the canal is at its narrowest point, perched above Loch Crinan and the river Add, providing spectacular views. Descending down through lock 14 brought Rover into Crinan Basin, where there was a leg-stretching break of 1¼ hrs, tying up alongside of Duke of Normandy II in the horseshoe shaped basin. Crinan boasts a hotel, and indeed has done so since the days when the canal first opened, when the area was known as Portree – the King’s Port.
Refreshed, and the obligatory postcard popped in the post-box outside of the hotel, time 1500 for the booked passage out through the sea lock into open waters. There were visible signs of reinforcing work to the sea gates whilst passing through the lock and looking back from the open sea. The tide fall at Crinan is almost half of that at Ardrishaig, being just 5 feet, but in times of very strong winds this can prevent water leaving the canal.
A brief call was made at the adjacent steamer pier to pick up the remainder of the passengers, before course was set for the island of Scarba. During the break in Crinan the ship’s Mate Luke, was busy plotting the course for island hopping. The passage over the turbulent waters was noticeable with swirling pools of varying shapes and sizes. Evidence indeed, that the Gulf of Corryvreckan was not too far distance away to port.
Craignish Point was passed at 1552 and Rover was nosing in alongside the remains of a concrete structure, that might well have been the former pier, on the east side of Scarba. Once the vessel was secured passengers could disembark for an hour’s exploration of what almost certainly was an uninhabited island. Some hardy souls climbed up to the only extant building within vision. That had signs of habitation, but no signs of life on this Saturday.
Back on board and everyone safely accounted for – no other vessel was likely to make a call, so it would have been a bit like Man Friday existence if they had missed the boat! – and it was off again at 1732.
Next it was round the point at the south of Luing and sailing up the Sound of Shuna to land at Toberonochy, a hamlet of just 180 inhabitants, who were enjoying a Festival of Local Life, with displays in their village hall. A surprise, once on land, was to be whisked off in the resident Post Bus BX58 BAO, the short distance by road to the remains of Blackmill Bay Pier, little more now than a few stumps left standing in the front, with the island of Scarba as a backdrop across the open stretch of water.
Underway for the last time today at 1910, it was not long before Rover was wending its way through the yacht haven at Craobh Haven, tying up at berth E. A coach from West Coast Motors came to pick up the boat passengers for 30 minute ride back to Lochgilplhead and Ardrishaig.
PIER HUNTING …and MORE FLOWERS
Another good compliment of passengers for Sunday, but not quite as many as Saturday’s capacity crowd. It was a mixed day of weather with rain at first, followed by some bright periods before becoming cloudy again with showers, and a rather biting force 4 NNE wind.
Everybody was on board and sailing was prompt at 1000 from Craobh Haven after they had been conveyed thence by the West Coast Motors coach. Hamish gingerly manoeuvred Rover through the literal sea of boats before heading off on Sunday’s explorations, retracing some of yesterday’s waters, passing the island of Shuna to starboard and being off Asknish Point at 1025 on the approach to Loch Melfort.
Cruising was via Kames bay to the head of Loch Melfort, turning at 1041 to cruise down the eastern side of Shuna, passing the fish farm at Segr Chreagag.
Aird Pier was located for a very brief three minute stop before rounding Craignish Point into the Loch of the same name at 1147. A flotilla of boats prevented Rover from getting right in alongside Ardfern Pier, but cruising continued to the head of the loch, with the return being down the narrower stretch of water on the main Argyll side.
The sea lock at Crinan was reached at 1315 and Rover was back in the confines of the canal again and heading back to Ardrishaig by exiting from lock 14 at 1415. Steady passage continued with 50 minutes spent climbing the Dunadry flight, and 40 minutes descending the Cairbaan flight. Time to sit back and relax and drink in the last look of canal side spring as various coloured clumps of wild flowers slowly passed by.
The Ardrishaig pontoon was reached at 1723, with disembarkation swift, as most passengers still had some considerable mileage to cover to get to their homes.
HOME
Monday, the last day, had to be an earlier start because a lot of nautical miles had to be covered to get back to Greenock. Even so departure was 13 minutes behind schedule. The day turned out to be sunny, and the best of the four, but there were only a few passengers on board for this last leg of the marathon cruise.
The public house adjacent to lock 3 carries the name ‘The Stances’, a reminder of the glory days of fishing when the great wooden frames that were so known on which the fishing nets were hung out to dry.
A spectacle unfolded before our very eyes at lock 2. There was VIC 32 in steam and about to depart ahead of Rover, carrying her compliment of fare passengers on the commencement of their weeks cruise. A truly wonderful sight in the bright morning sunlight as she steamed majestically off out into the waters of Loch Gilp.
Getting out of Ardrishaig had taken 1¼ hrs but by 1002 Rover was back in open waters and heading down the east side of Loch Fyne, to rest for a short while in the new marina at Portavadie. Caledonian MacBrayne’s Isle of Cumbrae was seen visiting the nearby slipway on her crossing from Tarbert.
Leaving the haven of the marina at 1338 the penultimate leg of the cruise got underway, passing Skate Island lighthouse and turning off Ardlamont Point at 1215 into the West Kyle. Kames was passed at 1243 and Tighnabruiach once again, just seven minutes later, and then deviating into Loch Riddon for a ten minute stay alongside Ormidale Lodge Jetty.
The Kyles of Bute narrows were again negotiated and by 1513 Rover was passing Ardyne Point, having once more seen the Colintraive ferry vessel of Caledonian MacBrayne – Dunvegan, this time resting at the Rhubodach ferry slipway.
Toward Point heralded the wide open waters of the Firth of Clyde once more as Rover made her way along the North Ayrshire coast line, passing Inverkip Power Station and off Gourock Pier at 1628.
There then followed an interesting detour as skipper Hamish took his charge for a close-in look at the upturned wreck of the sugar vessel Captayannis now very much the home for aquatic bird life.
After a five minute cruise around the wreck, it was a case of following the buoys that marked the channel back into Victoria Harbour at Greenock, where Rover came alongside and was made fast at 1658. Not bad timekeeping at all for a four day itinerary that advertised a 1700 disembarkation time on the final day!
Grateful thanks to Hamish Munro for his detailed planning in making this cruising excursion available and also to his crew of Luke and Maciej. Thanks also to Iain Quinn and Ian Somerville who opened up the ship’s galley from time to time, and also to Ian acting as booking agent.
If you have been interested in this type of activity, then why not consider joining the 2011 excursion. It is not far away in time, starting from Greenock on Friday 29th April, (an excuse from getting away from watching the Royal Wedding on the TV!), with opportunities for one, two or four day cruises, permitting accommodation arrangements in Oban, where necessary.
You too could go Roving with Rover as she Reconnoitres and the Royal Route along the Crinan Canal, with its colourful clumps of spring flowers all the way along the 9 mile length, then to indulge in Reliving some former ferry routes to piers in the lochs of the Lochaber Region. Full details of the cruise itinerary and booking arrangements can be found on the Diary page at the front of this issue of Cruising Monthly.
