Around Bute

The Kyles of Bute comprise the sea around the northern part of Bute, as it nestles up into a recess of the mainland; north of a line very approximately at the upper third of the Isle of Bute, the island is largely fairly inaccessible and unpopulated, leaving much of the shore around these sides almost without evidence of human activity. There is the West Kyle – on the West side of Bute, and around the top; and the East Kyle, on the East side of Bute; they meet at the North East corner of Bute where the tide has to squeeze through the narrow channels left between the Burnt Isles which sit between Bute and the mainland.

Sailing around Bute from Largs is a standard ‘milk run’ for a longish day sail or for a stop during a weekend cruise.

We have omitted, at present, both Port Bannatyne (where there is a small marina, in Kames Bay), and Rothesay (where there are finger berths in both an outer harbour and beyond a swing bridge in an inner harbour) as we have not yet visited by yacht – not since 1998, anyway! Anchorages we have used include the following, clockwise from the south west:

1. St Ninian’s Bay, Bute

This bay is sheltered from the north and East, by Bute, and partially sheltered from the west by Inchinnan Island, but is open to the South. Holding seems good, in sand. We are yet to go ashore here, so will update when we do.

*Dawn light whilst at anchor in St Ninian’s Bay, Bute*

2. Black Farland Bay

We have anchored for lunch a few times in Black Farland Bay, on the north coast of Bute; this is opposite Tighnabruaich, and is normally much more sheltered than either Kames or Tighnabruaich from the typically southerly winds. There is no habitation ashore here, and its just a lovely quiet bay from which to watch the world go by.

*At anchor in Black Farland Bay, with a classic motor yacht, looking East*

Waverley steaming past Tighnabruaich, as seen from Black Farland Bay

3. An Caladh

This is a small bay at the entrance to Loch Riddon, between the mainland shore to its north and the island of Eilean Dubh; there are a few moorings in this bay, but usually room for three or four yachts to lie to anchor.

*Approach to An Caladh from Tignabruaich*

*Looking towards Loch Riddon in Caladh harbour*

*Looking West towards Bute in Caladh harbour*

4. Wreck Bay

This bay on the north east corner of Bute is sheltered from the West and partly sheltered from the South; it has great long views up Loch Riddon, and over the adjacent Burnt Islands. It is out of most of the tidal stream, if not anchored too far out.

*Calm evening at anchor in Wreck Bay, looking towards Loch Riddon; the Burnt Isles are to the right.*

*Late light whilst at anchor with others in Wreck Bay, looking South East*

*Looking North into Wreck Bay from the passage to the West of the Burnt Is*

*Burnt Is, from the West looking north of East*

5. Colintraive

The small settlement of Colintraive includes the mainland slipway for the small CalMac vehicle ferry that crosses the East Kyle at this location, to Bute; CalMac actually have two slips here, one on each side of a central pier where the ferry is moored overnight when not in service, and the ferry might choose to use either slipway depending on conditions.

*Two CalMac slips at Colintraive; there is a further partial slip just to the right of this image for dinghies. Visitor moorings are to the North (to the left of this image)*

The main reason to stop here by yacht is to visit the Colintraive Hotel, where the landlord provides an excellent meal. The Hotel maintain a handful of moorings, on the north side of the CalMac slips; however, landing is a little tricky, with no dinghy dock, so its a case of wet feet on the beach. The one time we landed here, we used the slipway that the ferry was not using, and left the dinghy high up on the edge of the slip; the CalMac personnel telephoned the pub to ask his customers to remove their dinghy from the CalMac slip ‘in case they needed to use it’ – this, at the time that the ferry was being secured alongside for the night having finished its scheduled services!

*Colintraive Hotel ( 2nd building from right), and the smaller dinghy slip*

6. Kilchattan Bay, Bute

Kilchattan Bay near the south eastern tip of Bute offers good shelter unless the wind has any east in it; the bay is largely shallow, so the anchorage is near the north shore, whilst the village is on the South shore, meaning a long dinghy ride, or a decent walk around the bay from a closer landing point. Its a handy anchorage for a short trip out from Largs! We are not aware of any facilities ashore in Kilchattan but there will be good walks; there is however the Kingarth Hotel less than a mile from the landing place on the beach, which we understand serves good meals.