Golfing Secrets in the Hebrides

Transcription

1 FIRST TEN CABINS BOOKED SAVE 200 PER PERSON Golfing Secrets in the Hebrides An autumn voyage aboard the 50-passenger MS Quest 29th September to 6th October 2011 NOBLE CALEDONIA

2 Join us for our second golf themed voyage of 2011, an eight day odyssey to six of the most scenic, natural golf courses in the world with a chance to taste some fine seafood, game and outstanding single malt whiskies A T L A N T I C O C E A N OUTER HEBRIDES LEWIS HARRIS Loch Ewe Loch Torridon Inverewe Shieldaig SOUTH UIST SKYE Portree Loch Sligachan BARRA Mallaig ERISKAY Loch Shiel Tobermory MULL Oban S C O T L A N D Roger Preece Helping us arrange this unique tour is Roger Preece who will be escorting the voyage. Roger has worked with us for many years and has been involved in organising some of our more unusual themed trips. His experience lies in the food and drink industry and he has many long-standing friendships with Scottish distilleries and an in-depth knowledge of the Scottish Isles. Glasgow If you are a fan of resort-style golf, plush clubhouses, buggies and practice grounds complete with pyramids of balls, then this is not the cruise for you. However, if you love the thought of stunning sea and mountain views, pure Atlantic ozone, the sights and sounds of seabirds, plus the thought of carrying a light set of clubs on fairways contoured from natural dunes, with greens thriving over sandy subsoil and golf as it was played a hundred years ago, then look no further. The islands of Mull, South Uist, Harris, Skye and the seashore at Loch Gairloch and Traigh each have unique golf courses and all overlook the Atlantic with fabulous scenery. Our programme includes a cruise on beautiful Loch Shiel as well as visiting an outstanding highland garden. Of course the highlands and islands are blessed with fine shellfish, seafood and game as our lunches ashore on Uist, Skye and at Arisaig will bear out. We will also have a chance to compare Tobermory s light, honeyed, single malt whisky with the fuller smoky flavour of Talisker on Skye. This is an ideal opportunity to cruise aboard a small ship in a delightfully scenic location while experiencing a round of golf in some of the most picturesque courses in the UK. Our floating hotel, the MS Quest, allows you to relax and unpack once whilst we look after everything else for you. Finest malt whisky Puffins Island of Lewis Loch Torridon

3 The Itinerary Day 1 Oban. Embark the MS Quest in the afternoon. A transfer will be provided from Glasgow Central train station and Glasgow International airport at a set time. Day 2 Isle of Mull. This morning we play at the Tobermory Golf Club, set on the cliffs with ever-changing panoramic views overlooking Tobermory Bay and the Sound of Mull. Special exhibition rounds were played over the course by leading Scottish amateur players during centenary celebrations in 1996 and in 1999 the club was honoured by a visit from Tom Watson who played with a number of junior members and made very complimentary comments in the visitors book. After lunch enjoy a tasting at the Tobermory Distillery at the southern end of the harbour. In the late afternoon we sail across the Sea of the Hebrides to the island of South Uist. Day 3 South Uist, Eriskay and Barra. This morning we play at Askernish Golf Club on the west coast of South Uist. There are few more remarkable golfing stories than the re-discovery of this original Tom Morris layout. Since its careful restoration, it has become a gem and one of the most natural design layouts in the world. Lunch today is at the historic Laird s retreat of Grogarry Lodge. We will taste some local venison as well as locally-smoked salmon and the freshest of shellfish. If time allows we will visit Kisimul Castle in the afternoon, before we sail for the Isle of Harris. Day 4 Isle of Harris & Isle of Lewis. Today we are at Harris Golf Course, one of the most beautiful 9 hole courses in the world, bordered on one side by the Sound of Taransay, leading onto the Atlantic Ocean. All along the west side of the course stretch the white sands, typical of this part of the Hebrides. Nick Faldo described the course as one of the most beautiful settings for golf. From cliffs, mountains and moorlands to crofts, lochs, meadows and sandy beaches, this is an island ready to exceed all expectations. With the Harris Hills (the highest is the Clisham at 799 metres) being formed on the oldest rock in the world, Lewisian Gneiss, there is a strange and awe inspiring lunar landscape. In these hills you can find castles nestled in lonely bays, right on the edge of the Atlantic. After lunch we will explore the Isle of Lewis. Bursting with world famous archaeological sites, Lewis is home to the Neolithic Callanish Stones which predate the Egyptian Pyramids, the Pictish Carloway Broch (roundhouse), the Norse mill house and many more. There are beautiful sandy beaches, coastal scenery and rocky hills rising up out of the surrounding peatbogs. After dinner we sail for Inverewe in the wilds of Wester Ross. Day 5 Inverewe & Loch Torridon. This morning we visit stunning Inverewe Gardens, built on a craggy hillside with a majestic setting on the water s edge of Loch Ewe. The property has a famous walled garden with plants from around the world including Chinese rhododendrons, Tasmanian eucalypts and New Zealand daisy bushes as well as woodland containing a canopy of Scots Pine trees which are underplanted with many unusual woodland plants including the garden s own Primula Inverewe. The gardens enjoy extensive views from both low and high vantage points of Loch Ewe, the surrounding Highlands and out to sea. After an early lunch, we play at Gairloch Golf Club. The course occupies a fabulous location above a beautiful long sandy beach with the Minch and the islands of Skye, Harris and Lewis to the west, the mountains of Torridon to the south, and the wilderness of Letterewe to the east. To the north lies Ullapool, the gateway to the Western Isles. We rejoin the ship at the attractive village of Shieldaig and during dinner we sail for Portree on the Isle of Skye Day 6 Isle of Skye. This morning we play at the Isle of Skye Golf Club on the coast at the tip of Loch Sligacha with spectacular views of the Red Cuillins, Ben Tianavaig and the Isle of Raasay. After lunch at the Gairloch Visiting Kisimul Castle Tobermory 2 AA Rosette Cuillin Hills hotel in Portree, we will take the scenic drive across to Talisker Distillery and taste some of their well-rounded, full-flavoured single malts before rejoining the ship. During dinner we sail for Mallaig. Day 7 Mallaig. A few miles from Mallaig is Traigh Golf Course, laid out on traditional springy links land next to the white sands of the Traigh beaches from which it gets its name. Out to sea, the golfer can gaze at the chain of Inner Hebridean islands, Muck, Eigg, Rum and the Isle of Skye. Inland, the steep rocks of Craig Mhor rise up out of the heather. The white clubhouse is modelled on the traditional Highland cottage. The big surprise for such a remote course is the quality of the course itself. The scenery has always been jaw-droppingly beautiful and is probably unmatched anywhere in Scotland, but the course itself has dramatically improved over the last few years. Our lunch today will be at a picture-perfect hotel near Arisaig overlooking crofts and white beaches with crystal clear waters and views of Skye. Our last afternoon will take us on a scenic cruise on the stunning, sheltered waters of Loch Shiel, one of Scotland s most historically significant and unspoiled natural treasures. During dinner we sail for Oban Day 8 Oban. Disembark after breakfast. A transfer will be provided to Glasgow Central train station and Glasgow International airport at a set time. 200 PER PERSON DISCOUNT OFF PRICES SHOWN FOR FIRST TEN CABINS BOOKED Prices per person Based on double occupancy Tour Code: SCQ Cat Deck Cabin Description F/E 3 Twin cabin with two twin beds 2695 D 3 Superior twin cabin with two twin beds 2895 C 3 Double bedded cabin 2995 B 3/4 Superior double bedded cabin 3295 A 4 Owner s cabin with double bed 3695 E 3 Single cabin, sole use of double 3295 Price includes: 7 nights aboard the MS Quest on full board including three lunches ashore, shore excursions, green fees, port taxes, expedition team, transfers. Not included: Travel insurance, gratuities. NB. Ports subject to change and local weather conditions. Inverewe Gardens

4 The Courses TOBERMORY GOLF CLUB, ISLE OF MULL This nine-hole golf course is one of the most beautifully situated golf courses in the world, enjoying a beautiful position on a headland overlooking the Sound of Mull towards the mainland of Scotland. Although hilly the course is suitable for trolleys. The Tobermory Golf Club was founded in 1896 and the first match was played over a course just to the North of Tobermory on June 10 that year. The present heath and heather course was built in 1935 on a superb site overlooking Tobermory Bay and is acknowledged as one of the most scenic courses in the whole of Scotland. It is a challenging course, beautifully maintained, and offers a real test to golfers of any standard. The dog-leg second and the par 3 seventh are recognised as outstanding holes of golf. ASKERNISH GOLF CLUB, ISLE OF SOUTH UIST Askernish is a fine challenge for any grade of golfer. First laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1891, it has recently been restored to its original position under the guidance of Gordon Irvine (Master Greensman) and Martin Ebert (Architect) using entirely traditional design principles. The result is a course that begins and ends in understated fashion, in the manner of Turnberry. From seven through seventeen, however, the journey is mind-blowing. The par 4 seventh runs south along the shore from a dune-top tee to a green sheltered by even taller dunes. The green at the eleventh, a long and spectacular par 3 playing directly into the sea wind, looks as if it could only be reached using ropes and crampons. And what can you say about sixteen? Dubbed Old Tom s Pulpit, this unforgettable par 4 has a two-level green, the back half of which forms a punchbowl, which is where most approach shots end up, the pulpit being as hard to hold as a stone parapet. Environmental experts have already hailed the Askernish as the most natural links course in the world ; the dunes natural contours form the fairways, no artificial chemicals are used in maintenance, and during winter months sheep and cattle graze the course. ISLE OF SKYE GOLF CLUB, SCONSER The course enjoys spectacular views of the Red Cuillins, Ben Tianavaig and the Isle of Raasay. It is a 9-hole layout with several alternative tee positions on the back nine, giving a different approach and length second time around, and more of an 18-hole feel to the layout. If you are lucky you can watch seals basking on the rocks, sometimes porpoises or dolphins are seen close inshore, as well as a variety of bird-life, including eider ducks, oyster catchers, plovers and the odd dipper. The course plays in typical links style, though it does not have the sharply rolling fairways and undulating greens found on many links courses. Rather, its overall setting is on a large, gently rolling plane that gradually slopes from the clubhouse by the road down to the very edge of the sea. GAIRLOCH GOLF CLUB, GAIRLOCH Gairloch Golf Club occupies a fabulous location above a beautiful long sandy beach. It is without doubt a gem set in the northwest highlands of Scotland and, like any good gem, the facets are well worth individual attention. In course terms the area of play is very small, there are other courses with larger areas of rough than this course inhabits, but within the facets is the outstanding 8th, a near 500 yard par 5 along the beach. Also worthy of note is the peculiar seventh. Stand on the tee and all you see is the top of the flag; no fairway, no green, a hit and hope hole! The fifth is a good par 4, some skill is required to reach the green without being drawn into the many difficult areas and the closer you get the more obvious they become. On a fine day there is no grander view than that from the elevated sixth tee. HARRIS GOLF COURSE, ISLE OF HARRIS This is perhaps Scotland s finest hidden gem. Nick Faldo once described it as one of the most beautiful settings in golf after he plumped his 5 note in the safety deposit box. The note, now framed and adorning the clubhouse wall, is played for every year as part of a competition. Tom Watson and Sean Connery have been rumoured to have played a few holes. The beautiful Scarista beach, once famously described as making the Malibu beach look like a school sandpit, runs alongside the course providing the most beautiful of settings. The second is probably the course s signature hole. It is typical of a course that has been fashioned by nature. Although relatively short, it requires an accurate drive over the ocean, chasm and rocks onto a fairway sloping sharply to the sea, then a blind second shot to a small green nestling in a hollow. TRAIGH GOLF CLUB, ARISAIG This course is based on a line of grassy hills, with the springy turf of a true links course. It is a 9-hole course, par 68, SSS 65. The word Traigh (pronounced try ) means beach in Gaelic, and a series of sandy beaches run alongside the course, with stunning views of the Hebridean islands of Eigg and Rum, and the Cuillins of Skye. The main feature of the course is the line of grassy hills, originally sand dunes, which rise some seventy feet, and the first hole demands a cunning tee shot to the top. At the second, a long drive is needed to get from one summit to the next. The third is aimed straight at the glorious views of the islands, and is followed by a short but testing par 4 where big hitters can easily find trouble. Another ocean bound par 3 over a broad burn (broader still at high tide) takes one to McEachen s Leap, back across the burn in a tricky dogleg par 4. This brings the player to the most testing part of the course. The long par 5 leads to the most difficult hole, an uphill par 4 into the prevailing wind, demanding a long and accurate second shot. After this ordeal the player signs off with another magnificent panorama as the final hole sweeps back towards the Cuillins of Skye on the horizon Please note, golfers will need to bring their own golf clubs which will be stored securely aboard the vessel. All golfers must be in possession of a current handicap certificate to show if required. The courses are ideal to carry clubs but they all should have sufficient manual/electric trolleys to hire for those who require them.

5 MS Quest We are delighted to have found the MS Quest, which we have chartered long term. She is the ideal small ship, accommodating a maximum of fifty passengers in attractive and comfortable cabins with outside views. Built in Denmark in 1992 and completely refurbished in 2008, this stout-hearted ship can operate in the most demanding and difficult places. As you would expect from a vessel designed and built in Denmark, she is comfortable and up to date with all the latest safety and communications equipment. This unique vessel is a gem of an expedition ship. Her small size allows her to venture where larger ships cannot, yet because of her substantial build and design she is as at home in vast wilderness areas as she is in a tranquil Scottish loch. Category B Cabin Category A - Owner s Cabin Accommodation Passenger cabins are located on two decks and are priced according to size and location. All have outside views, individually controlled heating and air-conditioning, private shower and toilet. They are well designed with typical Scandinavian light woods and pleasing colours. The superior grade cabins on decks three and four are spacious and have a seating area. The owner s cabin on deck four is also spacious, has two large picture windows and is in the prime location on the vessel. Public Areas The Panorama lounge located on the top deck affords excellent views and is the main meeting place. It is here that our guest speaker and expedition team will provide informative and informal talks and briefings. The bar and a small library are also located in the lounge. The attractive dining room seats all Category D Cabin Dining Room Buffet passengers in a single sitting and offers delicious meals with a mixture of table service and buffet. The Bridge is also open to passengers and here Scandinavian officers will provide chart and sailing information for all those interested in the vessel s navigation and operation. There will be a doctor onboard.

6 Panorama Lounge The Bridge Category A Category D Category B Category E Category C Category F Going ashore by Zodiac Life Onboard & Exploring Ashore The daily programme is in the capable hands of our Expedition leader who will coordinate with the Captain and officers to make the most of each day. The schedule can change due to weather conditions or unexpected wildlife sightings which adds to the adventure. Zodiacs will be used to explore shorelines with their prolific birdlife and make landings on remote beaches. Daily briefings from our expedition team will prepare you for each day s activities and experts in subjects such as ornithology or marine biology will give talks and accompany us ashore. Relaxing on Deck Call Reservations: Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Brochures: 24 hours a day/7 days a week NOBLE CALEDONIA 2 CHESTER CLOSE, BELGRAVIA, LONDON SW1X 7BE info@noble-caledonia.co.uk Fax: The air holidays and flights in this brochure are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority Our current booking conditions apply to all reservations (available on request) Printed in England - May 2011 Job No TE 08145