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Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
  • Steve and Barbara White,
  • Barbara White
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  • Steve and Barbara White,
  • Barbara White

Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

We have been thinking about this for some years and are now getting no younger. At 71 we have just decided to get on with it, so watch this space. For some odd reason Find Penguins has us in 'Woking.' Trying to sort this out as we are at home. Read more
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    🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Berwick-upon-Tweed, England
  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Wed 12 Aug Stonehaven-Dundee

    August 13 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Nice start, even though the wind was coming from where we wanted to go, again. So we did so for a couple of hours and then we motorised the rest of it but we did get about half an hour of nice Sailing on the way into the River Tay before coming alongside in Tayport Marina.
    A very lovely Marina run by the locals. No electricity for the pontoons the sound, there is freshwater and shower & toilets.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Mon 10 Aug Buses

    August 10 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    The run back from Dundee to Peterhead via Aberdeen, on buses! More buses, same story in reverse. got back to Peterhead in time to go to Aldi and get some provisions (including beernwinestuff.) Back onboard for a lovely bolognese meal and a few beers before retiring at a civilised hour.Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Sun 9 Aug, Dundee and a Rockie Concert

    August 9 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    We had wanted to get to Dundee for the weekend but it was a step too far so, having decided to stop in Peterhead.
    Stagecoach seems to be the only company that services Peterhead. No trains or other buses. So it was £12 and change on the Stagecoach to get from Peterhead to Aberdeen (33 miles), then the Flix bus from Aberdeen to Dundee (66 miles) was £4 and change each. Go figure!!
    Anyway we met up with Mike in a pub in town, had lunch, found hotel and wandered off to Gilfillan Memorial Church for the Rock Choir concert, raising funds for the church.
    The Rock Choir was from south Hampshire and the leader, Jan, is from Dundee, hence the connection. The concert raised over £2000 for the church and was enormous fun. The after party at a local performing arts hub was as much fun again, and we retired to our hotel room quite late.
    Lovely day.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Sat 8 Aug, Quiet Day in Peterhead

    August 8 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    What a strange place! Barbara got ‘Wandah’ our portable twin tub washing machine out and did a pile of dhobying. Armed with the trusty heaving line, the upper deck resembled an oriental (can we still say that?) laundry. Suitably laundered, we ‘wandah’d ashore into Peterhead for a look around.
    There are 2 churches in Peterhead and the town centre nestles between them. First pub had a very loud karaoke (in the afternoon!). Had a pint then found a ‘Spoons’. No loud music, comfy chairs, all good.
    Probably a ‘Spoons’ meal then back onboard to stow the dhobying and an early night.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Fri 7 Aug Exit Moray Firth

    August 7 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Whitehills to Peterhead

    Early start out of Whitehills this morning. The swell has subsided and we have favourable winds. Under sail and making good progress, we did have to reef a bit
    After being underway about 4 hours we passed Fraserburgh, effectively saying farewell to the Moray Firth and starting to knock points off our latitude.
    Enjoying the sail…. Having departed at 0735 and sailed all the way, the wind came round to on the nose and subsided just as we pulled level with Peterhead. We had decided to press on to Stonehaven – a total of 70 miles, but we turned into Peterhead, alongside and shutdown exactly 8 hours after leaving and sailing pretty much all the way - hoorah! - and are staying here the weekend. (Whitehills to Stonehaven, another 36 miles, which meant at least another 7-8 hours and probably burning diesel all the way.)

    We will be catching the bus to Aberdeen and bus or train down to Dundee on Sunday to go and see our friend Mike in a Rock Choir concert in the evening. As a precaution we have booked a room for the night as there is an after concert party too.

    So, the story will restart with favourable tidal stream on Tuesday but a report on the weekend’s activities will be included at some stage.

    Quiet night onboard tonight and restful day tomorrow.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Thur 6 Aug, Lossie-Whitehills

    August 6 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Bit of a lazy start this morning. Wind is still blowing a F6, so we will monitor it closely and decide what to do. One optiion is a 23 mile nip along the coast to Whitehills, something we are considering for later on today perhaps.

    A bit of blue sky up there and scudding clouds are whizzing by (as seen through the forepeak hatch (shut and clipped) while sipping a second cup of tea at nearly 0900!

    1455 After watching the strong winds ease, we departed Lossiemouth and motor-sailed all the way to Whitehills. Big sea after the blow, it was quite a bumpy ride. Arrived at Whitehills at 1910
    Heavy swell across a narrow, shallow an very short entrance followed by a tight turn to port into the outer basin. Quite focussing getting in there.
    Big thankyou to Nick for the intel video on Whitehills entry, very helpful 👍👍
    We t to find the pub. The Seafield Arms was pleasant and friendly. After deciding to make an early start tomorrow, we finished our drinks and wandered back to Wight Mistress.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    Departing Wick
    Tucked up in LossiemouthAaaand, it's raining in LossiePub close byOnce in past the breakers

    Wed 5 Aug Escaped Wick

    August 5 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Escaped Wick, motored to Lossiemouth

    After the blow yesterday we departed Wick just before lunchtime. Of course, after the F7 the Moray Firth had an interesting swell running but no flippin’ wind. Motored for 8 hours. The swell across the entrance to Lossiemouth made for a challenging entry, while watching the ‘Hawaii 5-0-esque’ breakers on the sandy beach quite close to our port side as we shimmied in at a jaunty angle. The video from the webcam, courtesy of our friend Mike, shows us pottering in as if nothing had happened, but if you look closely…… really closely, you will see us both heaving sighs of relief 🤣. For the navigation-minded, there are two head marks (showing as red lights in transit on the charts) in transit on heading 292T, however they were not lit; against the mirk we couldn’t make them out until after we got through the entrance. Hmmm! Anyway, the visitor pontoons (there are 3 available) were inside, immediately left after entering and tucked in under the sea wall. Visitor pack and key was left for us in the box at the gate. The Steamboat Inn, just across the harbour, didn’t do food but it seems the norm in Scotland to allow take-out food to be brought in and consumed while drinking in said premises, a great idea for both businesses.
    Let’s see what tomorrow brings…    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    A murky day in Wick
    Waves coming over the harbour wall

    Tue 4 Aug, Holed up in Wick

    August 4 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    So very glad we crossed the Pentland Firth yesterday. The wind got up over night and is blowing a steady F6-7 here in Wick Harbour ( gusting 31 knots plus at times.) Also the wind is quite chilly. Just added extra mooring line aft and observed other boat owners doing the same thing. Hunkered down til it blows through, possibly not out of here til Thursday, which then delays the rest of our plans.

    Hey ho!. Can't really complain, this is the first bad weather since we left the Crinan Canal on Thur 2 June. Still, we have started the run south.

    Update, wind now reached one knot short of Gale Force 8 (33kts), blowing a hooley and the waves are coming over the outer wall of the harbour.

    This enforced stop is giving us time to chill and relax, catching up with projects and blog etc. We have had an amazing time of it since departing Island Harbour 117 days ago.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    High Point on Hoy in the Morning Sun
    Fish farmBye bye Stromness, on our way southFerry Hamnavoe departs Stromness astern of usFish FarmsFish FarmsPentland Firth in light airsCantick Head and Switha, starting the FirthQuick look around south of Duncansby Head

    Mon 3 Aug, Day 116 - Starting the Run South

    August 3 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Return Match with the Pentland Firth

    Departed Stromness at 0600 to make the correct time between the islands of Swona and Stroma to catch slack water and then the east-going flood tidal stream. As a note, the tidal streams for the Pentland Firth are predicted based upon Tides for Dover, as are many other areas of the UK. Interestingly enough we discovered the tides at Muckle Skerry match those of Dover. We just love the names of all these places.

    We motored past Hoy Sound (the western entrance to Scapa Flow), the islands of Graemsay, Cava, Rysa Little, Fara, Flotta and South Walls. The island of Hoy was, of course, in the background all the time. As we passed between Cantick Head on South Walls and the island of Switha, the engine went off and we sailed all the way across the Pentland Firth. Some interesting swirls of water, even when the tidal stream was close to slack water, demonstrated to us in no uncertain terms that the Pentland Firth must be treated with great care and respect.

    Made it to the gap between Swona and Stroma about 6 minutes earlier than planned, and we then aimed for a point 1M east of Duncansby Head for a peaceful rounding, while being whooshed down with the flood tide all the way to Wick.
    Arrived at Wick at HW slack and made a peaceful entry into the harbour.

    Poor Barbara managed to pick up some kind of coldy fluey bug thing on our last day on Orkney, so today she stood her watches and harbour duties, but slept quite a lot. We hope she feels better tomorrow for the run down to Lossiemouth.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Sun 2 Aug, Final Northbound Leg

    August 2 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Longhope to Stromness to visit Chrissie and Peter in Kirkwall

    Departed Longhope at 0855 for the 11.6M run up to Stromness.
    The currents and tidal streams make for very interesting navigation between the islands close by Hoy, especially when passing to the north of Graemsay where the Hoy Sound brings the Atlantic tidal stream into Scapa Flow. One of the occasions where one proceeds sideways toward one’s goal.

    Arrived Stromness 1150 to be met by Linda and Keith who embarked for a sail around the Flow. Engine on, out of berth, sails up, quick beam reach out of Stromness, over to Graemsay then turned around and reached back, alongside after about an hour. It was Linda’s first ever trip on a sailing boat and she seemed to really enjoy it. Keith had worked on the boats up on Orkney, so he was put to work on the helm while Steve and Barbara sorted out the sails and things.

    Hopped into L&K’s car, ‘nipped’ into Kirkwall (35 minute car ride) and went into a café for a coffee and a bite to eat, only to find that the café had no food available, and the coffee was not very good. Not put off by this, we went into Tesco, picked up a meal deal and then went and sat to have an impromptu picnic, while watching the ferries come and go.

    Next stop, Chrissie (Lin and Keith’s daughter) and husband Peter’s house up near the airport. Tea and cake and a long catch up – Barbara and Steve had not seen them since 2023 during our previous visit.

    It is surprising how far, by car, it actually is from Kirkwall to Stromness. (By boat it is around 33 miles!) A 35 minute journey put Steve and Barbara back onboard after wishing farewell to Linda and Keith, with heartfelt thanks for a lovely time with them.

    Early night ready for an early start tomorrow    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    So this is where the hole needs to be
    Steve digging the hole for the treeIn goes our treeBarbara filling in the hole wot Steve dug

    Sat 1 Aug Chilled Day and Tree Planting

    August 1 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    It is a bit of a Daisybank tradition. Many years ago when Lin and Keith moved to Hoy, they started a massive experiment with planting trees. (There really weren’t many trees on Hoy back then.) Now, their whole plot has a beautiful selection of trees and when people come to visit, they are invited to plant a tree to add to the collection. Steve and Barbara had such an opportunity, planting a red alder (named ‘Alan’ of course!) and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We strolled through the multiple gardens and meadows Lin and Keith have crafted and went to meet the chickens, who just happen to have their on mini forest to forage in.

    This was to be our last day at Daisybank. After dinner we packed our bags and Keith took us back to Wight Mistress, so we could be onboard tonight ready for departure tomorrow.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Fri 31 Jul, Daisybank Day Out

    July 31 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Loaded up into Lin and Keith’s motor home and did a road trip around Hoy.
    For those of you who do not know this lovely island, it is half the size of the Isle of Wight and has a population of around 430 people. One main road runs around part of it, connecting South Walls (another island really but with a causeway road connecting it to Hoy) round to Lyness (car ferry to Houton and naval museum), Moness (passenger ferry to Stromness) and Rackwick, a beautiful bay the other side of the island, where there is a 5.5 mile round trip on foot ( not for the faint-hearted, or us either) up to the Old Man of Hoy. We didn’t do the walk…… just sayin….
    Back in time for tea.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Thur 30 Jul, Daisybank Break

    July 30 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    Steve went to the boat to check on her.
    PJ Fisher had departed and run up to Lyness for the night and to visit the Naval Museum there. If you, dear reader, ever come to the Orkneys, hop on the Houton Ferry to Lyness and visit the museum, it is well worth it.
    Other than that, a quiet day…. well, a day spent nattering……    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    2 Fisher 34s tucked up in Longhope
    Catherine and Steve in Longhope2 Fisher 34s tucked up in Longhope

    Wed 29 Jul, The Pentland Firth Crossing

    July 29 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Local knowledge dictates that a crossing of the Pentland Firth northwards requires starting 2 miles due east of Duncansby Head at High Water Wick. Today that start was 1227, so the calculations were done. Further local knowledge recommends keeping close inshore in Sinclair’s Bay, just north of Wick, to avoid the foul tidal stream.

    Working to the Royal Navy’s definition of ETA - ‘EXACT Time of Arrival’ we worked our speeds to get there right on time. Our uneventful crossing had us alongside in Longhope’s tiny harbour by around 1530. After checking out the visitor moorings 2 of them, very good but on one, the pickup buoy was jammed under the mooring buoy) PJ Fisher came into the little port to raft up alongside Wight Mistress.

    Barbara’s cousin Linda and husband Keith invited both crews home for tea and cake, and supper. Lovely conversation, revealing that Linda and Keith had acually bought their motorhome from Steve and Catherine’s company, highlandcampervans.com, 14 years ago.

    Barbara’s cousin Linda and husband Keith have lived in ‘Daisybank,’ their croft on Longhope Sound for 43 years. When they bought it in 1983 it needed some serious work and the plot was bare, barren and boggy. It is a mark of their hard work and dedication that their home is now situated in a self made woodland, with a number of private gardens and meadows, beautifully tended and providing a lovely level of privacy and protection from the winds.

    After tea and a good natter, Keith gave Catherine and Steve a lift back to PJ Fisher in Longhope, across the sound but quite a way by car. Steve and Barbara are staying at Daisybank for a few days.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    PJ Fisher
    PJF inthe murkPJF in company

    Tue 28 Jul, Murky Start

    July 28 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    A peaceful night at anchor of Portmahomack, the alarm went off at 0700 and we woke up to find that it is raining and a bit murky with just a little bit of wind. The weather guessers have suggested a reasonable wind direction today Wrong as usual, it seems. Weighed anchors at 0900 and sailed close hauled at good speed for a couple of hours. Wind dropped, murk, rain and NFW. Now 1445, been motoring for a while. Good news is the murk has lifted and a bit of brightness. We have been passing through a sea of purple jellyfish 🪼 for the last couple of hours and we think we spotted a minky whale too (pic to follow….)
    About 2 1/2 hours to run…    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Mon 27 Jul, Inverness Departure

    July 27 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    An absolutely lovely week staying with Steve and Catherine Bunn at their home in Culloden. This gave us the opportunity to chill out.
    During the week some maintenance work was carried out on board Wight Mistress who was parked right next door to her fellow Fisher 34 PJ Fisher, owned by Steve and Catherine.
    After fuelling up this morning we departed Inverness at 11 o’clock and had a very pleasant sale down the Moray Firth to an Anchorage in a place called Portmahomack, arriving at 5:30.

    We have such lovely memories to take away from our time here, from learning how to throw a pot, to crossing Scotland for lunch with David and Christine, to buying a circa 1890 chiming clock on impulse, to exploring Inverness, to playing with Steve and Catherine’s lovely dog, to flying the drone up over Steve and Catherine’s house and providing them with some nice video. In all a wonderful time we were sad to leave.
    Today, Wight mistress, in company with PJ Fisher, took us from Inverness to anchor off Portmahomack.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Sun 26 Jul. Preps for Next Step

    July 26 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Today was spent dodging rain showers and preparing our boats for sea. The 2 Steves were down on board their boats generally fettling and making sure everything worked.
    Meanwhile Barbara and Catherine we’re doing their own preparations and at the same time producing an absolutely lovely roast dinner and an outstanding mixed fruit crumble.

    Mindful of a relatively early start tomorrow, we turned in early for a good nights kip.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    Cairngorms Aflame
    Caringorms aflame2Toes in the Spey

    Sat 25 July, A Trip to the Cairngorms

    July 25 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    This morning after breakfast, Steve B showed Steve and Barbara how to throw a pot on the wheel. Wonderful experience. We both made a simple pot, with Barbara doing it properly first time, while Steve managed to trash the first one but do ok-ish on the second attempt. We are quite motivated to go and do a course on this when we get home, so a huge thank you to Steve B for the experience. After this Catherine took us out for a ride around toward the Cairngorms and to Aviemore. Beautiful scenery. We saw the Cairngorms on fire with the smoke looking enormous and threatening. We visited Grantown on Spey and a bit further along, stopped by the River Spey where we had to dip our toes in the water, it seems it is a rule up here, so we have added some of our genetic material to the Spey waters for the local distilleries to use.

    Found the Cairngorm Brewery, had a bit of a taste and departed with 2 cases of ale, a bottle of sparkling cider…… and a naff T shirt.

    Back to Culloden at tea time.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Fri 24 Jul Inverness, a Tourist Jaunt

    July 24 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    Catherine kindly dropped us both from Culloden into Inverness for half a day or so’s wander around and to do the tourist thing. A baguette, mocha and cake fortified us for the march up to the castle. While on an ancient site, the current building only goes back to around the 1830s or so. Some lovely displays of weaving and a local music band called ‘Runrig’ Well worth the visit. This was followed by a quick sprint through the Victorian Market. Plenty of Turkish barbers and souvenir shops.

    Bravely, we caught the No 1 bus to Culloden Academy and marched up the hill to Steve and Catherine’s house. On arrival, Steve B had brought in his ship’s whistle, which was not working. It took a couple of hours and a complete strip down to component parts, but Steve W managed to fix it and test it. It is VERY LOUD, but ready to be re-installed.

    A lovely day, we shall sleep well.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Thur 23 Jul Inverness Maintenance Day

    July 23 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We all headed to Inverness Marina in two cars. Barbara and Catherine to shops to pick up some victuals while Steve and Steve went to Halfords to procure 10w-40 part synthetic oil for Wight Mistress’s engine oil change. WM gets and oil change every year regardless of engine hours. Since departing Island Harbour on 10 April her engine had chugged on for 187 hours and we have covered 1193 miles in 105 days total, from Island Harbour to Inverness via Beachy Head, then west about.
    So and oil change was a well deserved thing. Also did both diesel filters even though they were quite clean. Barbara cleaned Wight Mistress to within an inch of her GRP skin, then hid in the corner of the saloon while Steve emptied the quarterberth in search of maintenance items and to access the engine space from the side panel (for the oil filter removal.) Always a bit of a messy experience, changing the oil filter. A little oil did drop into the bilge but Team White, armed with half a kilometre of paper towel and grim determination, and it was successfully cleaned up.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Wed 22 Jul Culloden to Ullapool by Car

    July 22 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We are being looked after to beautifully by our FOA friends up here. David and Christine Dawson drove the 55 or so miles, right across Scotland, from Ullapool to take us ‘up homers’ for lunch. They did point out to us that ‘nipping over to Inverness’ is just a shopping trip for them to the nearest big town. The scale of distances is different up here – so it is a good thing the roads are of a good quality.
    The scenery (apart from the grey murkiness) was stunning. We had a short tour of the area around Ullapool, stopped at the Elphin Café for coffee and a chat (where we also bought a circa 1890 clock – like you do. Then we visited a small craft fayre where we bought a pretty little jug – like you do. Foolishly, despite taking snaps of scenery throughout the day, Steve omitted to take any pictures of people!

    We ended up at David and Christine’s magnificent cliff-edge home, overlooking Loch Broome and Ullapool, with their F37 ‘Lunga’ swinging on her mooring, close to their Flying Fifteen racing yacht. A sumptuous lunch of venison, mashed root veg and broccoli, with all kinds of lovely home made things – a veritable banquet.

    Armed with a beautiful slab of traditional fruit cake, David and Christine drove us back to Culloden. A 200 mile round trip!, thank you so much. While we understand that Ullapool to Inverness is just ‘going to the shops’ for you, for us it was ‘crossing Scotland,’ to thank you again.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Tue 21 July, Caledonian Completes

    July 21 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    After a second restful night alongside at Dochgarroch we started the final descent through bridges, a staircase and the final Clachnaharry lock, railway bridge and the Sea Lock out into the Moray Firth. What a super journey, Crinan Canal, a bit in the western isles (not enough really) and then the Caledonian Canal. Definitely recommended.

    Cathering Bunn, our diligent FOA Assistant Webmaster, joined us at Dochgarroch to help with lines and enjoy the run down through Inverness. Always good to have local knowledge embarked, AND Catherine brought cake, so Steve was happy.

    Departed the Sea Lock around lunch time and made the 1 ¼ ish mile run around to Inverness Marina, where we berthed alongside Steve and Catherine’s F34 PJ Fisher, with another F34 parked ahead of us, an F37 astern of us, and an F25 in the mix as well. (an impromptu, un-arranged Fisher rally?)

    Steve and Catherine invited us up to their beautiful home in Culloden, where they offered all those essential logistics – laundry, shower, comfy bed, good food, wine etc. Delightful, very grateful.

    We have booked Wight Mistress in to Inverness Marina for a week, so we can have a bit of a self-maintenance period (SMP) and a bit of a reset before heading north to Orkney.

    We have discovered that, after a period of moving on almost every day, a short interlude of rest and recuperation is becoming more of a necessity than before. Can’t think why……    Read more