Scottish anchorages

The visitor moorings are too far out, and anyway are no longer free, so it is best to anchor near what is called the middle pier. Over the years, the three piers were built increasingly far away from the village, of course with increasing utility too but also with decreasing charm; the old pier in the 19th century, then in the 1960s the middle pier, and finally the 1987 new pier (as celebrated in the Katie Morag stories written and illustrated by local resident Mairi Hederwick, and much loved by Scottish children who no doubt will all look out for Grannie Island driving her tractor or Grannie Mainland arriving on the CalMac ferry). The village was founded in the early 19th century by Alexander Maclean of Coll, so explaining the row of very similar – and charming to modern eyes - cottages along the main street. Mind you, in recent years quite a few new houses have been built to accommodate a population which is now increasing.

The attractions here include the shop for modest supplies and the child and yacht extremely friendly Coll Hotel (with its webcam) for a shower, laundry which they will do for you, bar and excellent food (ph 01879 230334). It is not cheap but then it would be a lot more expensive in London to eat lobster and scallops, and they would not be as fresh as they are here. Sit outside in the garden in good weather, and let the kids run free. Kevin and Julie Oliphant have owned and cherished this hotel since 1984 - and it certainly shows.

There is a café in the main street which is not open every day, a rather nice general store and post office with of course the Katie Morag books and various crafts, a small play park, and craft shop/gallery. Don't miss out on the Parish Church on the hill which although a not very inspiring early 20th Century Gothic confection has a fabulous wooden roof described in Pevsner as “This triumph of joinery is a wholly unexpected delight” (sadly it is a bit spoiled by the electric lights strung from it – please Minister get rid of them!).

There is a golf course at Cliad, but that is over two miles from the anchorage.

This is another of those anchorages - like Canna and Craighouse on Jura - which seems to attract a lot of boats in the afternoon but most are gone by 10am the next morning without even having bothered to launch their dinghies - very odd.