Scotland today is a country with a rich history, delightful natural beauty and thousand-year traditions of warriors, sailors and hunters. The small Scottish islands retain their identity and people continue to farm, livestock and fish.
Some of the first associations associated with Scotland are mountains or "highlands" and highlanders, however, the plains located in the northwest, called "lowlands", are no less interesting. Despite the outward severity, the native people of Scotland treat visitors with hospitality and openness. Note that it is better to call the mountaineers "cattle" or, if it is unpleasant for you to say that, you can call them "Scottish", but not "Scotch". "Scotch" in this country is called only objects, such as whiskey, scrambled eggs or beef.
The peculiarities of yachting in Scotland are incredibly beautiful landscapes, a large number of all kinds of routes, developed yachting infrastructure and a good opportunity to visit distilleries with whiskey tasting.
Due to the influence of the warm current of the Gulf Stream, a mild and humid climate is formed in Scotland, and even in winter the temperature here rarely drops below zero degrees Celsius. The islands are quite hot in summer and the best time to visit Scotland is from May to September.
Unlike warm seas, yachting off the coast of Scotland can be complicated by harsh winds and frequent fogs. Prevailing winds - southwest direction blowing from the ocean. They reach their greatest strength in the areas closest to the ocean, especially in the Hebrides and Orkney Islands (there can be up to 30 stormy days a year here).
If you feel like an extreme and are not afraid of cold weather, then you can practice yachting here even from autumn to spring. However, even in the summer, you cannot do without non-polished clothes and warm linen in the sea, bad weather can catch you everywhere, and you need to be constantly prepared for this. We also note that the ecological situation in the country is wonderful, and when traveling on a yacht, you can watch migrating dolphins in open water, and look at seals closer to the shore.
The nature of "ancient Caledonia" is unique, rich in bright colors and very distinctive. The vastness of this northern country attracts with its serenity and tranquility (for example, the legendary heather wastelands), as well as the harsh beauty of northern nature. Visiting Scotland, you can enjoy a wide variety of natural beauties: views of green hills, huge clear lakes, snow-covered mountain ranges, green river valleys, etc. In some places between the lakes you can come across ancient castles, many of which have already turned into ruins.
Taking in yacht charter in the UK and heading to the coastal regions of Scotland, you will be greeted by the mountains Highland, and the coastline is picturesque bays, harbors and fjords. There are about 800 islands along the coast, forming large archipelagos such as the Shetland Islands.
The length of the country's coastline exceeds 16 thousand km, and the local beaches are some of the best in the world. On the west coast, white sand beaches and crystal clear waters are often used as the backdrop for photographs masquerading as Caribbean beaches.
Thanks to the large number of natural harbors and convenient access to the Atlantic, Scotland is home to almost the entire navy of Great Britain, and civil navigation is no less developed here.
In Scotland, yachtsmen have dozens of well-equipped marinas at their disposal, not only in the vicinity of large cities, but also in remote areas, including the islands. On the basis of yacht ports there are numerous yacht clubs and sport schools of yachting, especially on the Atlantic coast of Scotland.
Due to the natural features of this country, there are opportunities for planning many interesting yacht routes. If you wish, you can even take a yacht ride on the world famous Loch Ness, in the waters of which, according to eyewitnesses, an ancient monster lives. On the shore of the lake, in a small village, there are two exhibitions at once dedicated to the elusive creature, and there is also a statue of a mystical animal, made, according to local residents, in full size.
Loch Ness is included in the most popular yachting tourist route, passing the Caledonian Canal with a chain of many other scenic lakes. The route starts in the vicinity of the city of Inverness on the North Sea coast, and ends in the seaport of Korpach on the Atlantic coast.
Overcoming 100 km of this route, yachtsmen will have to go through dozens of locks, pass 10 bridges and 4 aqueducts. The local nature is incredibly picturesque and stunningly beautiful (especially in pristine areas), and many attractions can be seen on the shores. For example, Arkart Castle, built on a cliff near the water and the most visited in Scotland. It can take about a week to overcome this route, along the way you can moor in convenient marinas or anchor in interesting places to explore the sights. Originally led by engineers through the lakes formed during the Ice Age for economic purposes, the Caledonian Canal is currently used only for tourist trips, and navigation is allowed here from March to October.
One of the most popular yachting destinations in Scotland is alcohol tasting tours. At the same time, whiskey tours do not turn into ordinary walks with abundant alcohol consumption, but become a real entertaining adventure for those who are not yet familiar with the history and culture of this country.
Distilleries, which produce traditional Scotch whiskey, are scattered along the coast and islands. For educational purposes, the distillery employees organize excursions for tourists with obligatory tastings, introducing them to local production traditions and explaining the differences between different varieties of the drink. At the end of the tour, selected types of alcohol can be purchased in the required quantities. The most interesting excursions are conducted at the Bruichladdich and Bowmore distilleries, located on the Isle of Islay off the western coast of Scotland. Here you can see with your own eyes the entire production process, from peat extraction to bottling drinks. Note that moderate consumption of whiskey helps to cope with the cold prevailing in a given climate.
If the northern landscapes of Scotland suddenly seem too boring to you, you can go on a yacht to the south - to England - or to the west - to Ireland, where yacht infrastructure is better developed. It is worth noting that many rare yachts have survived in Scotland, on which, if desired, you can even travel, renting for a while.
If you are interested in yacht charter in Scotland or in another popular yachting region - you can always take advantage of the company's capabilities 2yachts, we have the most relevant offers from the yacht market available, and you can rent or purchase a selected vessel as soon as possible.