BLUE500 - Scotland's Great Loop
Explore the Loop / Leg D

Puilladobhrain

Classic natural anchorage at the north end of Seil, south of Oban. BLUE500 value is the anchorage experience itself: quiet scenery, dinghy landing and the short walk over the hill to the Bridge over the Atlantic and Tigh An Truish.

EXPLORER STOPMain LoopDesktop researched · field verification pending

Why this stop matters

BLUE500 view

Classic natural anchorage at the north end of Seil, south of Oban. BLUE500 value is the anchorage experience itself: quiet scenery, dinghy landing and the short walk over the hill to the Bridge over the Atlantic and Tigh An Truish. It is not a serviced marina and should not be treated as a long-term unattended layover or launch/recovery location.

Sail Argyll describes Puilladobhrain as a famous, beautiful overnight anchorage that can be crowded in high season, with a well-trodden walk to Tigh An Truish and the Bridge over the Atlantic. ScotWays records the 0.5km pedestrian path between Clachan Bridge/Tigh An Truish and the usual anchorage landing area. Tigh An Truish is operating in 2026 with restaurant, bar and rooms. Desktop sources are useful for destination context, but anchoring positions, holding, depth and approach must come from current charts/pilot information and field/boat verification.

At a glance

What a cruiser needs to know

Visitor berthingNatural anchorage only; no visitor pontoon/managed berth identified. Well-known overnight anchorage. Do not publish navigation specifics until chart/pilot and boat verification are complete.
LayoverNot suitable as an unattended long-term layover. Use nearby marina alternatives. Overnight anchorage only in BLUE500 context. At anchor - not unattended None; unmanaged natural anchorage.
FuelNo fuel at anchorage.
Water & powerNo marina water/power.
Launch / liftNo launch/recovery facility identified at the anchorage. None identified. N/A.
Repairs / boatyardNone at anchorage.
AshoreOne of the archetypal West Coast cruising experiences: anchor, dinghy ashore, walk to the pub. Bridge over the Atlantic and the anchorage itself. Tigh An Truish restaurant/bar at Clachan-Seil.
Transport / accessTigh An Truish notes public bus connection; this is not a practical crew-change harbour.

Field verification still required

ANCHORAGE: verify approach, usable anchoring area for different drafts, seabed/holding, swing room, crowding, weed and actual shelter in differing wind directions using proper pilot/chart information and a boat visit.

DINGHY LANDING: confirm safest normal landing point, tide effect and condition of the shore/path.

LONG-TERM LAYOVER: record as NOT SUITABLE for unattended long-term storage; it is an anchorage, not a managed berth.

LAUNCH/RECOVERY: no facility at the anchorage; identify nearest sensible trailer-launch alternative (Seil/Ellenabeich/Craobh/Ardfern) only if useful.

DESTINATION: walk the path to Tigh An Truish/Clachan Bridge, photograph the anchorage and assess whether this should be a signature Explorer Stop or an optional alternative to Easdale.

Primary source

Check current official information

BLUE500 organises the route, but operational and navigation-critical information must remain current.

Official website ↗