Kyles of Bute

The Kyles are excellent for the day sailor. Sailors have many sheltered anchorages to choose from, both on the Bute side and along the mainland. We had a weeks cruising using Carry Farm at as a base. Excellent hosts and lovely 'chalet' accommodation.

Experienced sailors will find the Kyles of Bute an absolute pleasure. These are quiet straits and part of Argyll’s Secret Coast. Loch Riddon and Loch Ruel, at the northern end of the Kyles, are particularly scenic.

The Kyles of Bute are beautiful narrow sea straits stretching from Tighnabruaich around the northern end of the Isle of Bute. The Kyles are designated a 'National Scenic Area'. The narrowest point of the Kyles of Bute is just 300 metres across, between Rhubodach on the Isle of Bute, and Colintraive on the mainland. CalMac operates a ferry service across this strait, which takes only 5 minutes.

Tighnabruaich is a Gaelic name meaning 'the house on the hill'. Never has there been such an appropriately named village, the steep hills rising above the shoreline prove this. When approaching by road, only completed in the 1960s, you drive along the narrow and twisty road chiselled and blasted out of the hillside, and you are met with spectacular views. Especially look for the view over Burnt Island narrows, hidden behind bushes and trees at the very top lay-by.

Please take care if you are a sailor or venturing out into these waters – you need to know what you’re doing as tidal and coastal conditions may be different from what you are used to.

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Kyles of Bute - Trip 1

The slipway at Carry Farm, allowed great opportunity for exploring. Its near Tighnabruaich, Kyles of Bute, I left my boat on a trolley on the beach. Overnight there was a spring tide. It did not wash away (thankfully, lesson to be learnt there) but I was left with a silver cylinder marked 'explosive' in red under my boat. Called the owners over to have a look. Police came -Bomb Disposal Unit came - bomb taken to nearby sand dunes and set-off with a big bang. End of story NO - the next morning - a similar device was found on the beach next to by boat and Police would not let me near my boat, the whole day was lost!

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Rothesay Bay (Bute) 2018

One week with Hollowell Sailors Weather awful, strong winds and deep dark skies kept 26 members of Hollowell Sailing Club in the shelter of Rothesay Bay. Isle of Bute Sailing Club were our hosts for the week and what a great help they were. The weather dominated our time and curtailed many planned day cruises. We still managed a day's sail to Tighnabruiaich (a trip of 30 miles). We had day out together on Waverley and local stately homes. Many hours were spent munching meringues at local tea shops watching the rain run down the windows...but hey ho...that's small boat sailing!

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2019 - Returned for a second weeks cruising out of Rothesay

With a crowd from Hollowell SC. Weather this time was a 'little' bit better. Again proving what a great place for day sailing. The island was exploed and beaches combed!

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Notes for the Kyle

Visit the Ettrick Bay Tea Rooms.
Good food especially the cakes. Nice area for a walk. Beach is very shallow therefore unlikely you will be able to do this in a small boat.

Why anchor in Cowal
The Kyles of Bute offers some of the best protection for boats in the Clyde Estuary. It offers some of the most scenic and peaceful spots too.

Sailing up the East Kyle: Port Bannatyne and Colintraive
If you’re sailing up the East Kyle there are few sheltered anchorages between Port Bannatyne and Colintraive. The shoreline is very rocky samller boats left on the shore need to wait for the next tide.
There are also some good anchorages north of Colintraive, although they require care as there are many rocks and strong currents near the 'Narrows'. Loch Riddon again offers anchorages and good protection. Do watch your depth though, as the head of the loch dries out a long way.

Visit the Isle of Bute
Opposite the moorings there are two excellent bays on the Bute side: Wood Farm Rock Bay and Wreck Bay. They’re both great places to anchor and there’s room for many boats. Anchor out of the channel and avoiding the marked Wood Farm Rock. Wreck Bay is so called because in the war the area was set up as a mock village to attract enemy bombers to unload their bombs. It’s an amazingly peaceful place now.

Stop at Tighabruiaich
Caladh Harbour is by far the most impressive and cosy place to anchor in the Clyde Estuary. It’s a natural harbour with a lovely island and great shelter. There’s a limit to the number of boats that can fit in here, so in high-season you need to arrive reasonably early. Although marked, they can catch you out at low water.
Nice tea rooms in the village. Plastic floating pontoon available for small boats (next to the lifeboat station) has a donation charge.