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Synopsis: an early summer cruise of interesting and varied destinations without the long haul out to St Kilda; ideal for island lovers who are worried about sea-sickness (or getting bored!). Remote island visits and some sites of great historical interest. A good time of year for wildlife sightings, especially sea birds (see below).

Destination: guests arrive at Oban for around 1600 with vessel Hjalmar Bjorge departing in the late afternoon of Thursday 1 May for a leisurely cruise up the Sound of Mull to either Tobermory or Loch Sunart. We'll pass the Small Isles with perhaps a visit, if those onboard wish, call at Sandaig and/or Isleornsay with a night in Loch Nevis, by lovely and remote Inverie. Then it's under the Skye bridge, through the Kyle of Lochalsh and on to Rona (sometimes called South Rona) and an anchorage at Acarseid Mhor ("Big Harbour"). Rona is a fascinating island well worth a visit. We might poke our nose into Staffin Bay, Skye, on the way to the amazing Shiant Islands where weather permitting a night will be spent. If not, or the next day, we'll cross to Loch Rodel where St. Clement's Church stands high in the village. Overlooking the loch, this church is one of the most important monuments in the Western Isles. Then we cross the Sound of Harris with visits to the beautiful islands of Taransay and Scarp with exploration and an overnight stop.

Weather permitting we'll take a cruise down the little visited West side of the Outer Hebrides passing North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist with a stop at the Monach Islands. These fantastic islands, with amazing white beaches, are an absolute joy.

From here we'll explore the Southern islands of the Outer Hebrides including Eriskay, Mingulay and perhaps Barra Head. We'll stop a night before crossing the Sea of the Hebrides to Gunna Sound between Coll and Tiree (a cetacean hotspot!). A stop at Arinagour with a visit to the island of Gometra or Ulva on the west side of Mull. Through the Sound of Iona into peaceful Loch Spelve where sea eagles and otters are usually seen. The final day will see our arrival back in Oban with lunch   onboard before you depart on Friday 9 May.

Sightings and findings from previous similar cruises: Arctic skua, bluebells, bottle-nosed dolphins, common dolphins, corncrake, fossils, golden eagles, great skua, guillemots, long-tailed skua, Manx shearwaters, minke whales, orchids, otters, peregrine falcon, pomarine skua, porpoise, puffins, red-throated divers, sea eagles, short-eared owl, unusual evening rainbow

Please Note: The journey described above is typical of this cruise but is not guaranteed. Sightings and findings are examples from previous similar cruises; the list is neither exhaustive nor guaranteed.

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an introduction to

our cruises

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guests' stories and

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(reviews)

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a single traveller's

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"I was thrilled by

the Outer

Hebrides, the

space,

remoteness,

stillness..."

S Cooper, Shipley 

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Northern Light Charters, Achnacraig, Achindarroch, Duror of Appin, Argyll PA38 4BS | Tel: +44 (0)1631 740595

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