Want to get involved in sail training boat trips in Shetland? There are a number of different ways you can volunteer.
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See the beautiful Western Isles of Scotland and, if weather permits, head for the British sailor's Holy Grail: St Kilda. National Trust for Scotland World Heritage Site and the UK’s most remote outcrop.
Boarding Swan in Oban at 10am, your stay will begin with a comprehensive safety briefing including how to work the lines on deck and set the sails. We will then head through the Sound of Mull to start this Western Isles adventure with a possible first night at Tobermory.
From there we will keep a close eye on the weather forecast and head generally north towards the Sound of Harris to give the best chance for a hop over to St Kilda.
This trip has high potential to see lots of wildlife such as dolphins, whales and basking sharks, as well as many kinds of seabirds. There will be a mix of nights at anchor, as well as in picturesque ports.
Please note: As St Kilda is 41 miles west of the Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean, any sailing voyage to the Islands are completely weather dependant, and it is never a guaranteed destination. However, if weather and swell conditions allow, we will hop over to visit this unique place.
On land you can walk around the abandoned village, once home to the most remote community in Britain, and discover small stone huts known as Cleits, on your climb up to the edge of the steepest cliffs in Britain for an incredible view.
From the Sound of Harris the journey takes us back into the Minch with possible stops on the Island of Skye.
We will disembark on Saturday 11th at 10am in Mallaig on the Scottish Mainland.
A voyage on Swan is very much a hands-on experience - you are part of her crew, and work as a team to make your voyage happen. All tasks are shared and everyone joins in, from the most to the least experienced. For more details of what to expect on board please refer to our Welcome Aboard leaflet.
Included in the price of this trip are sailing instruction, accommodation and all meals for the duration of your stay. For further details on what is included, and what to bring with you, please refer to our kit list.
Want to get involved in sail training boat trips in Shetland? There are a number of different ways you can volunteer.
Learn more
The Swan Trust is offering a varied 2020 programme of trips, which can now be booked online. Swan will visit two festivals on the UK Mainland, cruise down the Caledonian Canal, explore the Western Isles, and look to hop over to St Kilda. She will also be doing trips around Shetland, including a partnership with local musician Barry Nisbet to offer his Sessions and Sail in the isles for the first time, to coincide with the start of the 40th Shetland Folk Festival, and trips to coincide with Shetland Boat Week and the Festival of the Sea in Scalloway. In August she will head over to Norway on a trip inspired by the Shetland Bus then take a cruise around the Hardangerfjord before returning to Shetland for September.
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September marks the end of Swans 2019 season and we have been home around Shetland, working with schools, carrying out routine maintenance and our last sail of the year from Lerwick to Scalloway.
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