The EU funded Sail West Initiative is the result of a collaboration of over 20 partners from the West of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Its aim is to encourage the development of marine and cultural tourism across the entire region. As part of an extensive marketing campaign to promote the north coast of Ireland and the west coast of Scotland as important sailing destinations, Visit Scotland, with the assistance of Sail Scotland, organised a Scottish sailing weekend for a group of European travel writers.
Following their arrival in Oban on the Friday afternoon, the journalists enjoyed what was the start of an action packed weekend with a tour of the distillery and a meal at the Waypoint Grill on Kerrera, before settling down in their bunks for the night. Saturday morning saw us heading up the Sound of Mull to Lochaline and the new pontoons. A delightful lunch was provided at the Whitehouse Restaurant, then it was on to Tobermory for a seafood dinner at Cafe Fish. The evening continued with visits to the Mishnish and McGeochans, where we were all welcomed to a 21st birthday party which was already in full swing! After a hearty breakfast on Sunday morning, it was back down to Oban with lunch for the 15 party members on board Moonshadow before the afternoon train to Glasgow departed.
For reviews of the weekend see the following articles in the Guardian and on Green Traveller:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/sep/09/sailing-holiday-scotland-oban
http://www.greentraveller.co.uk/blog/sailing-scotlands-west-coast
