Trip 6-2026: From Oban through the Caledonian Canal to Edinburgh

Available places: 1

Difficulty level 3: Sailing skills helpful - sea passages up to 36 h - possibly extended periods away from "civilisation" in the sense of sanitary facilities, showers, shopping opportunities and restaurants.

More photos on Instagram @sailing.atalanta

Departing from Oban, we pass Lismore Island and sail through Loch Linnhe towards Fort William and the Caledonian Canal. 29 locks lie ahead of us, some arranged in staircases. The longest staircase, Neptune's Staircase, consists of 8 lock chambers in a row. It is the longest staircase lock in Great Britain. There are also various bridges which must be operated. A third of the canal is man-made, the rest consists of lakes (called lochs in Scotland) that lie in the Great Glen. This valley connects Scotland's west coast with its east coast. We shall also pass the famous Loch Ness. In Inverness we leave the canal and sail along the coast eastwards until we reach Rattray Head and the port of Peterhead. This is the first port on the coast that we can enter safely at all states of the tide. From here the course is southwards, past Aberdeen (where sailors are not welcome). SW would not be the optimal wind direction, but with sufficient time a good weather window can normally be found within which to cover this distance. There will be longer passages, as there are very few harbours we can enter with a 3 m draught and anchorages need the right wind direction.

The destination of the voyage is Edinburgh, Scotland's capital. Here one can recover well from the exertions of the journey and do a little sightseeing afterwards.

What is described here are some examples. The actual course of the trip, the distance sailed and the destinations reached depend on wind, sea state and ultimately also on the crew. It follows the assessment and decision of the skipper.

Information about the boat:
• 63-foot sloop (one-off by Sparkman & Stephens).
• ATALANTA holds the official ship safety certificate and navigation permit for up to 10 persons in navigation area A (worldwide voyage).
• On this trip, ATALANTA will accommodate a maximum of 7 guests (in single berths).
• Fully automatic SECUMAR 275 N lifejackets with lifebelt and AIS emergency transmitter are on board for all participants.
• MUSTO BR 2 OFFSHORE oilskins are available for hire from us in sizes M, L and XL.

Information about skipper Martin Zeyer:
• Has been sailing professionally since 1991.
• More than 250,000 nm as skipper.