Cruising the Western Isles
Coming into harbour, the easterly wind picks up, scalping white caps off the heads of waves. Ahead a fishing boat, rusty and battered around the bows, punches into the chop of water, then turns south. The radio crackles to life on the bridge of our boat, the Glen Massan, and the engines are cut back, giving time for a ferry to dart out of the narrow harbour entrance. A pair of seals bob up near the rocks and watch our progress towards the pretty waterfront, the houses brightly painted and the castle romantically ruined and overgrown. Behind us are snow-peaked mountains, hillsides drizzled with golden gorse and lined with sunlight, then below in the water the sudden leap of a porpoise. This is a cruise, I remind myself, but not one of those anodyne luxury hotels on water, rather a true salty experience with itineraries that change with the winds and a trawl-net of wonderful experiences. No need, either, for planes or airports since we're sailing into Tarbert on the Kintyre peninsula, unbelievably just 40 miles from Glasgow.
Our boat is a converted fishing trawler, one of two belonging to local outfit The Majestic Line. This 85ft hunk of Irish oak has been stripped and rebuilt for passengers with elegant saloon, well-appointed cabins and a little suntrap of a sundeck up behind the bridge. But there is a great deal more to the Glen Massan than smart panelling and soft cushions, and once she was tied securely to Tarbert harbour wall I scouted around and discovered the first clues. They were up on the bridge, sitting behind the charts and binoculars, unannounced and unassuming, a little pile of treasure: three leather-bound volumes filled with careful looping handwriting, the unpublished memoirs of a man looking back on his youth.
I began reading, "In the year 1842, I was in command of the brig, Mary, and returning from Egypt with a cargo of cotton bound for Liverpool ..."
I settled on the stool and placed the book on the chart: "... had been following us closely for some days and I decided, when the opportunity arose, to harpoon the beast."
A tale emerges of an impetuous young sea captain who spears the shark, only to get his leg tangled in the harpoon rope which then flips him overboard. He ends up dangling, like bait, in front of the angry shark - a potentially fatal situation if not for a crew member who spots the captain's unlikely predicament and rescues him.
Scot Atkinson, our own captain, comes back up to the bridge after a chat with the harbourmaster. "Those are the diaries of Captain Andrew Smith," he tells me, "great-grandfather of the co-owner of this boat, Andrew Thoms."
The Majestic Line is nothing if not steeped in maritime history and tradition. Four years ago, lamenting the senseless breaking-up of good wooden fishing boats, Thoms and a friend, Ken Grant, hatched the idea of refitting the vessels as luxurious cruising boats that would tour the Western Isles and the long narrow fingers of sea lochs that tickle the coast from Campbeltown to Ardnamurchan. It is an area they had sailed all their lives, and despite it being so close to Glasgow, they knew that most people had no idea of its beauty when seen from the sea.
It was not always like that. At the end of the 19th century, 1.5 million tons of shipping were launched every year on the Clyde and the river was thick with pleasure craft. Every resident of Glasgow knew the route "doon the watter", catching one of the many steam packets for day trips. Competition in those days did not just mean low prices: the boats had fine dining saloons and German oompah bands to entertain. And the islands themselves, though losing population for decades, had inhabitants who needed transport and supplies. When Neil Munro, a journalist on the Glasgow Evening News, came up with the character of Para Handy, the seasoned old trader who plies the tiny ports, it was an instant hit. Handy's boat, the coal-fired puffer Vital Spark, became a symbol for indomitable tradition and canny common sense. The name Majestic Line itself is borrowed from one of Para Handy's adventures.
The line's Glen Massan and Glen Tarsan may not have the oompah bands of yesteryear, and they are certainly not steam-driven, but they do match the elegance of old-fashioned service in other departments. Catering for 10 passengers at most, the order of play is to tour the more beautiful bits of coast, putting in at pretty little ports like Tarbert. When passengers want to walk, they disembark, tramp along a shore or over a hill, and get picked up.
Having sailed across to Lochranza on the Isle of Arran we had ourselves ferried to the jetty, then walked up the hill above the village. Away to the west stood the jagged crags of Goat Fell while below us the sun burnished the sea. As the light faded we returned to the shoreline, listening to curlews and song thrushes before jumping back in the tender and returning to the Glen Massan for dinner.
Meals are taken at one large convivial table and the food is excellent - lobster fresh from the ship's creels with a bit of luck, or a line-caught mackerel in summer. I tried my hand at catching dinner the next evening in the Kyles of Bute, with help from Bob Drewery, the ship's engineer, and a man with many years of experience on fishing boats.
It was one of those limpid evenings when the water is a dark mirror for the brooding hills, the only sign of life a dusting of eider ducks swimming towards the little island of Eilean Dubh. We chuck creels overboard and Bob recollects how he once got a rope twined around himself, just like Captain Andrew Smith back in 1842, and was summarily thrown overboard. Unlike Smith, however, who was doused in Mediterranean seas, Bob landed in the chillier February waters of Scotland.
"Climbing back aboard was the problem," he says with some understatement. "Specially since the captain was laughing so much he couldnae' help me."
Next morning, we check our catch. No lobsters unfortunately, just a few velvet swimming crabs. A curlew cries on the beach and a patch of sunshine slides effortlessly up the hillside. As we head back for a breakfast of porridge and kippers, I fantasise about owning a croft and cobble boat. The Majestic Line, I reckon, is set to become the vital spark in many similar dreams for lots of people.
Kevin Rushby
· The Majestic Line (0131-623 5012, themajesticline.co.uk) runs two boats: the Glen Massan sails from Inverary to Dunoon, and the Glen Tarsan out of Oban to the waters around the Isles of Mull and Islay. Three-night cruises £650pp, six nights £1,285, inc all meals and wine with dinner.
Sail to vineyards, Bordeaux
You would expect that seven days of hard sailing might deserve a reward, wouldn't you? The sea crossing from Dartmouth to La Rochelle, after all, is no route for the faint-hearted. But if you have the experience necessary, the exhilaration of the open sea voyage is followed by a week cruising up the Gironde river in Bordeaux, visiting vineyards and chateaux. The boat is a Dufour 485 and passengers are required to have a RYA Competent Crew standard (which can be done in five days if you are a complete novice). Once on the Gironde you tour Médoc vineyards such as Château Cos d'Estournel, Lynch-Bages, Haut Brion and Vieux Châteaux Certan, with plenty of stops for wine-tasting.
· Nonstop Sail (01803 833 399, nonstopsail.com). June 22-July 6, £1,475pp including on-board accommodation, all food and soft drinks and a vineyard tour. Return via SNCF high speed train La Rochelle-Paris (approx 2hrs 50mins) then Eurostar to London St Pancras.
Sea kayaking, Scotland
Sea kayak enthusiasts Stuart Hood and Ben Dodman set up Rockhoppers four years ago to cater for demand for trips out to the beaches and islands west of Fort William. The speed and silence of the kayaks ensures close contact with the natural world of otters, seals, dolphins and birds. Rockhoppers use single or two-person expedition craft which are stable and fast - into these go all the camping equipment and food. Three-day trips start at Loch Moidart and move out to sea visiting various small islands and beaches. Nights are spent under canvas with a campfire. Beginners are welcome.
· 07739 837344, rockhopperscotland.co.uk. £160 for two days or £220 for three days. Rockhoppers can pick you up from Fort William station.
Paddle and camp, Norfolk Broads
Paddling along the Norfolk Broads by canoe gives you access to areas that cannot be reached by larger boats - nature reserves, shallow waters and secret side channels. Mark Wilkinson runs guided canoe adventures with overnight stops in B&Bs in some of the prettier villages such as Horning and Coltishall. Canoeing is by far the best way to spot the elusive freshwater otter; other delights include kingfishers, bitterns and marsh harriers. If you prefer a hardier trip, Mark also runs bushcraft voyages where you camp in local woods alongside the broads.
· 07810 838052, thecanoeman.com. A two-night guided bushcraft canoe trail costs £150pp, including camping and food. A two-night guided B&B trip (inc lunches) costs from £175.
Create your own cruise, Faroes and Iceland
Spectacular and unusual, the 18 islands of the Faroes can be visited by boat from Britain by taking the Smyril Line's new route from Scrabster in the far north of Scotland to the capital Tórshavn, a 13-hour journey on board the MV Norröna. Once there, you can use MV Norröna's routes between the Faroes, Iceland, Norway, Denmark and Scotland to construct your own mini-cruise with stopovers where you wish. The ship is a large comfortable cruiser with restaurants, bars and panoramic viewing lounges.
· scantours.co.uk/smyril, 020-7554 3530. Scrabster-Tórshavn from £57pp one-way. Runs May til September.
Build your own canoe, Leicestershire
This mini-break not only scores well on the green-o-metre, it's also practical. You come back with a clean conscience and a boat. A wooden Canadian-style canoe to be precise, that will fit on to a car roof rack. John Clohesy runs three-day courses at his riverside home in the Wreake Valley, Leicestershire, where you build a lightweight plywood canoe and two paddles while camping in his garden (or there are rooms available). No woodworking experience or special talent is required.
· 07922 164061, birchcanoes.com. £600 for a three-day course including materials, camping on site with hot meals, and, of course, your canoe. See one of John's boats at tinyurl.com/44zo4q.
Join the resistance, Ireland/Brittany
One of the more unusual consequences of the second world war was a sailing club, Les Glenans, established by former members of the French resistance to promote friendship, love of the sea and adventure. Les Glenans is a small archipelago off the Breton coast where much of the activities occur, but there is also an Irish branch that teaches cruiser sailing at centres in Baltimore, West Cork, and Collanmore Island, near Westport. The Glenans approach is to offer tuition but it also encourages sharing of duties. You can find yourself tasked to cook lunch aboard for six crew, alongside learning to sail. It's a great method, especially if you fancy the idea of owning your own boat one day.
· Glenans Irish Sailing Club (00353 1 661 1481, gisc.ie). Weekend (two days) from €190/week from €575, full board.
Barging in style, Loire
There are barges and there are barges. Renaissance is a 128ft converted barge with spa pool, crew of five and touring bikes for all eight passengers. Starting at Paris, the boat explores the Upper Loire over a week with lots of opportunities to hop off and go exploring - by hot air balloon if you like. Candle-lit dinners are served in the panelled 42ft saloon. If all the luxury makes you feel guilty, then comfort yourself with the knowledge that Renaissance uses less fuel in an entire season than the average jet gets through in one hour.
· 01784 482439, gobarging.com. From £2,700pp for six nights, includes all meals, wine, open bar and excursions.
Mail ship to St Helena
Intrepid travellers with solid sea legs can join the 128-berth RMS St Helena, a mail ship which sails from Portland to Cape Town twice a year (May and October), stopping en route at St Helena, an unspoilt, lost-in-time island in the south Atlantic. This is not a voyage for anyone in a hurry - it takes about 24 days to reach the island and another five or six to Cape Town - nor is it the kind of cruise that offers swimming pools and luxurious cabins. The "casino" allows a maximum bet of 20p. This is an old-fashioned marine experience with comfortable cabins, decent food and entertainment provided by you and your fellow passengers. How much longer this anachronistic but wonderful service might last is uncertain - a St Helena airport is planned.
· Andrew Weir Shipping (020-7575 6480, aws.co.uk, rms-st-helena.com). From £1,501pp full-board (plus surcharges).
Follow a canoe trail, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has some particularly well-organised canoe facilities, including three marked trails (two more opening next month). The River Bann trail takes you from Lough Neagh northwards through the wildlife-rich area of Lough Beg and on to Coleraine via campsites and B&Bs. Alternatively, head south from Lough Neagh along the River Blackwater, passing through the countryside of Tyrone and Armagh, or explore the bays and islands of Lough Erne.
· canoeni.com for canoe hire centres, guided trips and places to stay.
Mini cruise, Norway
Although the Queen of Scandinavia is "just" a ferry, this is an exceptionally comfortable ship and its round trip from Newcastle to Bergen takes in some stunning Norwegian coastal scenery. Embarking in the early evening the first night on board is taken up with crossing the North Sea, but next day, weather permitting, you get a look - from the deck - at old Stavanger, then the ship spends the day picking its way through a maze of channels via Haugesund to Bergen. You could then set sail to return next morning, but the more sensible option would be to hop off for a couple of days and explore the lovely waterfront of Bergen and the fjords. The ship has an excellent Scandinavian buffet. Music in the night-club is bland Euro-pop but there are bars, cinemas and a children's entertainer.
· DFDS Seaways (0871 522 9955, dfds.co.uk). Newcastle-Bergen from £43pp one way.
Crew a yacht, Channel Islands
Don't have a spare half-a-million to buy your own yacht? Never mind - you can sail one for under £300 this summer. Portsmouth-based Tall Ships Adventures has launched a series of trips on board its new fleet of four 22m yachts, previously used for round-the-world races. Its summer programme is primarily aimed at young people (up to 25 years old) but it is also running five-night sailing jaunts to the Channel Islands in June. This is no cruise - as part of a 12-strong crew you'll be expected to muck in - but there is a team of professionals on board to make sure the journey runs smoothly.
· 023-9283 2055, tallships.org. Five-night Channel Island journey from £299, full board plus training. No experience required.
Cruise and walk, Europe
Think of this as two holidays for the price of one: Ramblers Worldwide has teamed up with Fred Olsen Cruises to offer 20 itineraries departing from the UK. They include the seven-night Slow Ship to Brittany, departing from Liverpool and visiting Belle-Ile, St Malo, St Peter Port (Guernsey), Cobh (Ireland) and Douglas (Isle of Man), and a 12-night Baltic Discovery which includes stops in Helsinki, St Petersburg, Talinn, Copenhagen and Oslo. A Ramblers tour guide leads excursions from each port.
· 01707 331133, ramblersholidays.co.uk. Slow Ship to Brittany from £886pp, departing August 31. Baltic Discovery from £1,330, departing Dover June 22. Includes all meals and the services of a tour leader.
QM2 to New York
If you've got your eye on New York you have limited options if you don't want to fly, so why not embrace the glitz and glamour of a Cunard voyage? Cruising your way to the Big Apple onboard the Queen Mary 2 takes six days, and if the organised fun, casinos, spa, lectures, acting classes, afternoon teas and posh dinners get too much, you can always hide away to watch films in your cabin. Make sure you're on deck though for the grand arrival into New York harbour, past the Statue of Liberty, to dock at Brooklyn Pier
· 0871 781 4877, cunard.co.uk. From £899 one way. Twelve nights to New York and back costs from £1,219pp departing June 3 with virginholidaycruises.com.
Motorboat around Potsdam, Germany
Potsdam, just south west of Berlin, has hundreds of kilometres of waterways to explore, and cruising the Spreeland region in a live-aboard motorboat will take you through an immense nature reserve. You can make a trip into Berlin, though there are limited moorings so you're advised to catch a train in from Potsdam.
· 0844 463 3577, leboat.co.uk from £618 for three days, sleeping six. For a train to Berlin, see seat61.com/Germany.htm.
·Time Out's guide to Flight-Free Europe, edited by Chris Moss, will be published in June, priced £14.99.