Craobh Haven
Encyclopedia
Craobh Haven is a small purpose-built village and sailing port on the west coast of Argyll and Bute
, Scotland
. It is situated on the Craignish
peninsula, one mile to the west of the A816, and approximately 22 miles (35.4 km) south of Oban
. Craobh Haven is between Arduaine
and Kilmartin
, and around 17 miles (27.4 km) north of Lochgilphead
.
Craobh Haven was built in 1983 as a holiday resort village and marina. Glasgow based architects Gillespie, Kidd & Coia
were involved in the early stages of the project, but were replaced before the construction of the buildings. The large, safe water marina was formed by the building of causeways and a large breakwater between a small group of tidal saltwater islands. The village has one public house, called "The Lord of The Isles", a village store, as well as a harbourmaster
and marina office. A watersports centre, together with holiday accommodation, is located on Eilean Buidhe, one of the small islands surrounding the marina. Within the village, there are two small terraces of houses, a group of small cottages, the majority of which are used as holiday rentals, and several small cottages and larger houses scattered around the outer edges and the hillside above the village.
The enclosed marina is very popular with private boat owners, but does not have anchorage for larger passenger vessels. There are occasional visits to the village by small cruise ships, touring the nearby islands, which land passengers by their ships boats to awaiting coaches, for sight-seeing trips ashore.
The waters to the north of Craobh Haven are part of the Firth of Lorne
, and the village overlooks the Slate Islands
, with Shuna
being the closest. Beyond the Slate Islands are the Garvellachs
, and to the southwest are the islands of Colonsay
, Oronsay
, Jura
and Islay
.
, in which is located the infamous Corryvreckan whirlpool, which is the third largest whirlpool in the world. It surrounds a pyramid-shaped basalt
pinnacle, rising from a depth of 70 metres to 29 metres below sea level, at its rounded top. It is not unusual to find 9 metre high waves passing between the island at high tide.
Recreational diving
The Garvellachs are particularly well known to divers, with boats from Oban also taking groups down to the area. Increasingly many divers are basing their activities from Craobh Haven itself. The waters, though somewhat devoid of fish, offer some very clear waters and an extensive array of corals, Seastars, Anemone
, Shellfish
and underwater topographical features. The trips out to the dive sites also offer the opportunities to see Golden Eagles, Sea Eagle
s and porpoises. Due to the fast flowing waters in the Firth of Lorne Minke Whale
s may also be viewed occasionally.
Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is situated on the Craignish
Craignish
Craignish is a peninsula in Argyll, on the west coast of Scotland. It lies around south of Oban, and north of Lochgilphead. The peninsula is around long, and is aligned along a north-east to south-west orientation, in common with much of the landform of coastal Argyll. To the south is Loch...
peninsula, one mile to the west of the A816, and approximately 22 miles (35.4 km) south of Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
. Craobh Haven is between Arduaine
Arduaine
Arduaine is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.Arduine is a most characterful tiny hamlet just south of Kilmelford. On the reef just outlying, it has very good, classic Scottish diving, with scallops, lobster and many local Melfort prawns and "Squat" lobsters.-External links:*...
and Kilmartin
Kilmartin
Kilmartin is a small village in Argyll and Bute, western Scotland. It is best known as the centre of Kilmartin Glen, an area with one of the richest concentrations of prehistoric monuments and historical sites in Scotland. It contains over 350 monuments within a 6 mile radius.-Kilmartin Parish...
, and around 17 miles (27.4 km) north of Lochgilphead
Lochgilphead
Lochgilphead is a town and former burgh in Scotland, with a population of around 3,000 people. It is the administrative centre of Argyll and Bute. The town lies at the end of Loch Gilp and lies on the banks of the Crinan Canal....
.
Craobh Haven was built in 1983 as a holiday resort village and marina. Glasgow based architects Gillespie, Kidd & Coia
Gillespie, Kidd & Coia
Gillespie, Kidd & Coia were a Scottish architectural firm famous for their application of modernism in churches and universities, as well as at St Peter's Seminary in Cardross. Though founded in 1927, it is for their work in the post-war period that they are best known...
were involved in the early stages of the project, but were replaced before the construction of the buildings. The large, safe water marina was formed by the building of causeways and a large breakwater between a small group of tidal saltwater islands. The village has one public house, called "The Lord of The Isles", a village store, as well as a harbourmaster
Harbourmaster
A harbourmaster is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbour or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the correct operation of the port facilities.-Responsibilities:Harbourmasters are normally responsible for issuing...
and marina office. A watersports centre, together with holiday accommodation, is located on Eilean Buidhe, one of the small islands surrounding the marina. Within the village, there are two small terraces of houses, a group of small cottages, the majority of which are used as holiday rentals, and several small cottages and larger houses scattered around the outer edges and the hillside above the village.
The enclosed marina is very popular with private boat owners, but does not have anchorage for larger passenger vessels. There are occasional visits to the village by small cruise ships, touring the nearby islands, which land passengers by their ships boats to awaiting coaches, for sight-seeing trips ashore.
The waters to the north of Craobh Haven are part of the Firth of Lorne
Firth of Lorne
The Firth of Lorn is a body of water on Scotland's west coast, in Argyll and Bute. It lies between the Isle of Mull to the northwest and the Isles of Kerrera, Seil and Luing along with parts of the Scottish mainland southwest of Oban on the southeast side...
, and the village overlooks the Slate Islands
Slate Islands
The Slate Islands are an island group in the Inner Hebrides, lying immediately off the west coast of Scotland, north of Jura and southwest of Oban. The main islands are Seil, Easdale, Luing, Lunga, Shuna, Torsa and Belnahua...
, with Shuna
Shuna, Slate Islands
Shuna is one of the Slate Islands lying east of Luing on the west coast of Scotland.-History:Shuna Castle was built as recently as 1911 for a rumoured cost of £300,000...
being the closest. Beyond the Slate Islands are the Garvellachs
Garvellachs
The Garvellachs or Isles of the Sea form a small archipelago in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Part of the Argyll and Bute council area, they lie west of Lunga and northwest of Scarba and have been uninhabited since World War II.The islands include Garbh Eileach, Dùn Channuill and Eileach an...
, and to the southwest are the islands of Colonsay
Colonsay
Colonsay is an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, located north of Islay and south of Mull and has an area of . It is the ancestral home of Clan Macfie and the Colonsay branch of Clan MacNeill. Aligned on a south-west to north-east axis, it measures in length and reaches at its widest...
, Oronsay
Oronsay, Inner Hebrides
Oronsay , also sometimes spelt and pronounced Oransay by the local community, is a small tidal island south of Colonsay in the Scottish Inner Hebrides with an area of just over two square miles....
, Jura
Jura, Scotland
Jura is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, situated adjacent and to the north-east of Islay. Part of the island is designated as a National Scenic Area. Until the twentieth century Jura was dominated - and most of it was eventually owned - by the Campbell clan of Inveraray Castle on Loch...
and Islay
Islay
-Prehistory:The earliest settlers on Islay were nomadic hunter-gatherers who arrived during the Mesolithic period after the retreat of the Pleistocene ice caps. In 1993 a flint arrowhead was found in a field near Bridgend dating from 10,800 BC, the earliest evidence of a human presence found so far...
.
Sailing
The waters surrounding the islands are extensively used for leisure sailing areas. A good knowledge of the area is required, with weather conditions likely to change very quickly. Due to the array of separate tidal races produced by the underwater topography there are some treacherous stretches of water. These include the 'Grey Dogs' and the Gulf of CorryvreckanGulf of Corryvreckan
The Gulf of Corryvreckan , also called the Strait of Corryvreckan, is a narrow strait between the islands of Jura and Scarba, in Argyll and Bute, off the west coast of Scotland.It is possible for tourists to visit the site by way of boats trips from local harbours.- Topography...
, in which is located the infamous Corryvreckan whirlpool, which is the third largest whirlpool in the world. It surrounds a pyramid-shaped basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
pinnacle, rising from a depth of 70 metres to 29 metres below sea level, at its rounded top. It is not unusual to find 9 metre high waves passing between the island at high tide.
Recreational divingRecreational divingRecreational diving or sport diving is a type of diving that uses SCUBA equipment for the purpose of leisure and enjoyment. In some diving circles, the term "recreational diving" is used in contradistinction to "technical diving", a more demanding aspect of the sport which requires greater levels...
The Garvellachs are particularly well known to divers, with boats from Oban also taking groups down to the area. Increasingly many divers are basing their activities from Craobh Haven itself. The waters, though somewhat devoid of fish, offer some very clear waters and an extensive array of corals, Seastars, AnemoneAnemone
Anemone , is a genus of about 120 species of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae in the north and south temperate zones...
, Shellfish
Shellfish
Shellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
and underwater topographical features. The trips out to the dive sites also offer the opportunities to see Golden Eagles, Sea Eagle
Sea Eagle
Sea eagle mainly refers to Sea eagle, birds of prey of the genus Haliaeetus.It may also refer to:-Aerospace:* Sea Eagle , British, anti-ship missile* Sea Eagle * Supermarine Sea Eagle, 1920s British passenger flying boat-Sports:...
s and porpoises. Due to the fast flowing waters in the Firth of Lorne Minke Whale
Minke Whale
Minke whale , or lesser rorqual, is a name given to two species of marine mammal belonging to a clade within the suborder of baleen whales. The minke whale was given its official designation by Lacepède in 1804, who described a dwarf form of Balænoptera acuto-rostrata...
s may also be viewed occasionally.
External links
- Watson, Jeremy, "Sink or swim for whirlpool daredevils" Scotland On Sunday, 24 Aug 2003 http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=2455788