Practical Boat Owner - January 2016

94 Enjoying a beer outside Café CannaPractical Boat Owner 595 January 2016 • http://www.pbo.co.uk

are securely moored or anchored, a walk ashore is essential to experience the island’s delights and its friendly welcome. It will

also enable you to put the £10 mooring fee in the honesty box. population of around 20 people For a small island with a

(including the neighbouring island of Sanday), Canna has a lot to offer to various visitor tastes. From

Readers’ cruising destinations, near and far

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hor south from the Point of Sleat, puts the charming group of islands known as the Small eading north from the spectacular Ardnamurchan Point,
Isles at the top of your list as potential stopping-off places. interesting and have their own All the islands in the group are
attractions, but Canna’s anchorage is the most sheltered and has moorings for visiting yachts. Options are divided on whether
the moorings are a benefi t, but it certainly gives the less confi dent sailor some assurance of a relaxing night when they are there.

Charmian Entwistle and her husband Mark run the Isle of Skye

company. Charmian is also a director of Sail Scotland.Yachts charter

between Canna and the tidal island of Sanday. Approaching from most directions takes you The harbour at Canna lies

close to the island of Rum, which is easily visible in fi ne weather because of its spectacular Cuillin.Unless you are approaching

from the west you will also have a view of the isle of Eigg with its magnifi cent Sgurr, which changes shape continuously as you sail

past. Once you are into the Sound of Canna, some careful navigation is required to get into the harbour past the Sgeir a Phuirt reef. There

is still space for anchoring if you prefer – or if you arrive to fi nd the moorings are already taken. The moorings are likely to be

busy in midsummer, so plan to arrive reasonably early if you are keen to pick one up. When planning a passage to Canna and

the other Small Isles, although they are delightful in good weather, you always need to plan your passage carefully and keep in mind the

remoteness of the area. Once you

a historical point of view there are three church buildings to look at; Canna House, with opening hours limited to Wednesdays and

Saturdays, although walkers can access the walled gardens at any time; and the Old Laundry at the farm, which is open all the time

and which houses a small museum giving the history of the island.There are several walks between

Canny CannaCharmian Entwistle recommends a visit to the Isle of Canna, a handy stop-off en route
to or from Skye or the Outer Hebrides, but also an alluring destination in its own right

Canna Harbour

Ardnamurchan PointCannaMuckRumEigg Sanday Point of Sleat Steve Goldthorp

LochboisdaleLochmaddy Skye SCOTLAND

(^0) NM 10 20