From Largs you sail close to Glasgow in Scotland in historic waters surrounded by breathtaking nature. The area is varied, and from leisurely vacation sailing to adventurous strong-wind sailing, everything can be found here. Beach and tidal navigation should not be a foreign word for anyone who wants to sail here. However, in the Firth of Clyde, an inlet shielded from the Atlantic Ocean, you will find yourself in a sheltered and low-lying bay. The waters here are calm, and the winding waterways wind far into the surrounding Highlands, always providing a gorgeous natural backdrop for your türn. In general, you shouldn't scramble the United Kingdom for your sailing vacation planning. Sail the Ärmel Canal and the Solent, be enchanted by the Hebrides, or discover England's northeast in the footsteps of ancient königs.
Climate: temperate with temperatures between 8 and 15 degrees
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Winds: partly strong winds from the sea, important to note is the tide and resulting currents!
Sailing season: May to September (July and August are considered rainy)
Yacht charter Largs
A yacht charter Largs takes you to the west coast of Scotland in the Firth of Clyde, an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. It is located just 50 kilometers west of Glasgow and is easily accessible via the international airport there. Combine a yacht charter Largs with a city trip to the city founded by the Romans in 80 AD. Today, it is particularly known for its Victorian and Gothic architecture, music scene and distinct cultural landscape.
Largs itself is a small port town with a long history. As is particularly impressive in Orkney, there are remains from the Neolithic period, such as a grave in Douglas Park dating back to 3000 B.C. At the beginning of the 12th century, the Vikings dominated the entire area. Largs became sadly famous in 1263 because of the "Battle of Largs" in the Firth of Clyde, because the Scots did not want to leave their land to the Vikings and started a reconquest. The battle claimed many lives and ended in a draw. Three years later, in the Peace of Perth, the territory reverted to Scotland. Even today, a memorial in Largs, Pencil Point, commemorates this battle. Each September, the Largs Viking Festival also commemorates the period, and the Vikingar, a museum with a multimedia exhibition on the history, informs visitors about what happened.
Behind Largs, the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park opens up. Here, hiking and mountain biking trails lead through the green landscape past forests and lakes. At the nearby Kelburn Castle & Country Centre, families with children in particular will find a great diversion. Several themed playgrounds and a "secret forrest", an extensive garden landscape with old trees and waterfalls, guarantee an eventful day for young and old. The castle itself, already a varied sight from the outside as one part is sprayed with Brazilian graffiti, can only be visited during certain months as it is still privately inhabited. However, the park is open all year round.
Downtown Largs makes for a nice stroll in a seaside atmosphere. The promenade is said to have the best ice cream in Scotland, however, several ice cream parlors have now settled there and vie for the title and, fortunately for the visitor, the choice is now even greater. There are also many options for dining out. If you want to take a Scottish culinary approach, you can end the evening with a typical haggis (the stomach of a sheep, filled with heart, liver, lungs, kidney fat, onions and oatmeal) and a glass of good whiskey. Whisky, a keyword that of course must not be missing in any Scottish vacation. So why not combine a yacht charter in Largs with a visit to one of the distilleries such as the "The Classic Malts Cruise" flotilla that departs from Oban every year. Well then: Slàinte!
Quiet anchorages and cozy fishing villages in front of spectacular scenery
The Largs base is located in the calm waters of the Firth of Clyde. The inlet is shielded from the swell of the ocean by the Kintyre Peninsula. Just a short beat from Largs is the island of Great Cumbrae. Popular with day trippers, here you can visit the smallest cathedral in Europe, the Cathedral of the Isles, in the island's main town, Millport. A hike to the highest point of the island, the Glaid Stone (127m), offers a view over the islands of the Firth. The neighboring island of Bute was once the vacation destination of the wealthy inhabitants of Glasgow and so you can still see many houses from the Victorian era, such as the very well preserved mansion Mount Stuart House on the east coast. Here, not only the exterior appearance impresses, but also the still original furnished interiors as well as the attached gardens.
Perhaps rather bizarre, but on the island a sight, are also the silent toilets from the time. So you can visit the public toilets of the Winter Gardens, an event building from 1920. The toilet building, which in the 20s was actually only allowed to be used by gentlemen, impresses with mosaics and marble washstands. The Winter Garden now houses a cinema and the Rothesay tourist information office.
Every year in June, Rothesay hosts the Round Bute Yacht Race. And music lovers enjoy the Jazz Festival in the spring. The waters around the northern part of the island around Loch Striven and Loch Ruel are still almost untouched by tourism. Numerous bays offer beautiful anchorages, even though it is usually too cold for swimming here, even in summer. Sit back and enjoy the impressive landscape of Scotland in complete tranquility.
All of Scotland on one small island
The Isle of Arran, located southwest of Largs in the Firth of Clyde, is considered a miniature version of Scotland. The largest settlement on the island, with just under 1000 inhabitants, is Lamlash, where you lie sheltered in a buoy field and have to decide whether to take a dinghy trip to the small village or to Holy Isle, where there is a Buddhist monastery that you can visit (prior registration required). Also in Lochranza in the north of the island buoys are provided for free mooring. Here it is worth a shore excursion to visit the ruins of the 13th century Lochranza Castle. Or you can take a detour to one of the island's two distilleries. The Arran Whisky Distillery has been distilling island-grown whisky since 1997 and has an attached visitor center, which won Best Visitor Experience in 2018 and provides information about Scotland's national drink. From here, it's also a good place to start a hike through the highly rugged, mountainous and boggy northern part of the island. The nearly 850 meter high Goat Fell, the highest elevation of the island, offers a beautiful overview of the varied landscape of the island. In the middle of the island runs the Highland Boundary Fault, which forms the border between the Highlands and the Lowlands. So the Isle of Arran has the Highlands in the north and the Lowlands in the south. In addition, there is a distillery, a brewery and a castle, so a whole Scotland in miniature.
For more experienced sailors, who are not only looking for relaxed bay strolling and coastal sailing, there is the possibility to experience the world of the Hebrides after a circumnavigation of the Kintyre Peninsula or through the Crinan Canal (use is subject to a fee). The Irish Sea is also close by and can be reached on a Largs yacht charter (flat rate extra charges apply for sailing experiences outside the Firth of Clyde).
The rest of theUnited Kingdom also offers varied destinations for sailors. Start on the English side of the English Channel and discover the south of England from the water. Southampton is a place steeped in history. The SeaCity Museum, an interactive maritime museum, provides information about the Titanic, which sailed here in 1912. The French mainland, Cherbourg, is just 80 nautical miles away. Inverness in the north of Scotland is located at the border of the northern North Sea and the Scottish Sea and transports you to medieval Scotland with Inverness Castle. Or you can start with a yacht charter Armadale a trip around the Isle of Skye and the Inner Hebrides.
Yacht charter Largs - set sail with 1a Yachtcharter!
