Accommodation & Food

There are several options for accommodation and food, ranging from camping and relative self-sufficiency to all-inclusive accommodation in luxury cabins. All options include an evening meal on board Ros Crana, our 145’ converted Dutch barge that acts as the “floating clubhouse”, because it important that all crews have a chance to eat and drink together and discuss the day’s sailing. Participants may self cater for other meals or Sail Caledonia can provide breakfasts and/or lunches. Food and accommodation costs are provided on the Booking page.

Accommodation options range from camping, in your boat or a land-based tent, to a choice of boat cabins:

Ros Crana, The Floating Clubhouse

Stay aboard our floating clubhouse, Ros Crana, a very comfortable converted 145’ Dutch barge. Ros Crana is owned by Caledonian Discovery and spends her life cruising the Caledonian Canal. You will stay at the hub of Sail Caledonia and benefit from full board accommodation in twin en-suite cabins with comfortable lounge areas. But book early because Ros Crana’s berths are always the first the become fully booked.

Taransay Cruiser

If you don’t want to camp but want an alternative to Ros Crana then you can stay on a Taransay cruiser. Berths are available in twin cabins in modern, skippered and fully catered motor cruisers. As with Ros Crana, the Taransays are moved between overnight stops for you and are waiting when you arrive at the end of your day’s sailing.

Note that the cabins are not as roomy as those on the barge and very tall people should let us know so that we can try to allocate the longer bunks to them.

Camping

The weather in Scotland is usually fine in late May and the dreaded midges have not yet hatched in numbers. Camping offers an attractive low-budget option and participants can stay on their boats or in tents beside the canal.

Each of our stopovers has a suitable place to pitch your tent and will usually be close to a well-maintained toilet and shower block.

Except for those participating in the Highlander Challenge, campers’ gear is transported daily in our mini bus. This means you enjoy all the benefits of camping without having to transport and handle your gear.

Serviced Accommodation

There are many excellent B&Bs and hotels along the way. We have compiled a list of those willing to provide transport to and from your boats. Ask us for details or have a look at the following two web sites:

The Great Glen Way

Visit Scotland

Motor Cruisers

If you have non-sailing family members coming along you may wish to hire your own motor cruiser to use as your base.

Let us know if you would like to use this option and we will do our best to help with the logistics.

Cruisers can be hired from either Caley Cruisers in Inverness or from West Highland Sailing at Spean Bridge.