STAFF REVIEW: EDINBURGH SAILING TRIP
By the time our final Edinburgh experience came around, it felt like our trip had flown by! We were now excited to be on our way to take part in a sailing trip before catching the flight home. The sun was shining and the waves were gentle: perfect conditions for a sail!
Edinburgh Boat Charters had kindly invited us over to take part in a sailing trip across the beautiful Queensferry Crossing. This being our first time in Edinburgh, the bridges were an incredible sight! All visible from miles away, the beautiful Queensferry Crossing, Forth Road Bridge, and almighty Forth Bridge are iconic landmarks for tourists. As we approached Port Edgar, we were surprised to see how busy the free carpark was! The annual food market was being held in the port itself, which was great for us as we hadn’t had lunch yet. After a little wander and some great food, we headed down the port to where Colin and Ellie of Edinburgh Boat Charters were meeting us.
The sailing boat was incredible, very luxurious but also perfectly cosy and relaxing. Colin and Ellie were extremely welcoming and introduced us to the rest of the group. There were 8 of us, but it can fit up to 10 participants! It was then time to suit up with lifejackets. Don’t panic, they aren’t huge puffer jackets! They are small, red and fitted comfortably on top of our clothing. Once we had set off, Ellie offered us all a hot drink and even plated up some double chocolate cookies - mmm! Colin was happy for us all to wander around the boat and find a seat, whether that was at the front looking out, or at the back in the upholstery. Gemma and I shot round to the front to grab some great photos of the bridges. We weren’t disappointed; the beautiful architecture was incredibly photogenic, and the blue sky above made it even better!
The first bridge we sailed past was the very well-known Queensferry crossing. First opened in 2017, the cable-stayed bridge is the newest addition to the famous 3 bridges and transports all M90 traffic. Next, we saw the Forth Road Bridge. The older structure first opened in 1964 and although used to be the main traffic corridor, it became a public transport and walkway link once the Queensferry crossing opened. The final, and probably most impressive, is the Forth Bridge. Opened in 1890, the structure has become an icon, and one of the most famous landmarks in Scotland.
After quite a few more photographs and selfies with the bridges, I sat comfortably on the netted area of the boat where I could see the waves below me. I felt like a very sophisticated lady, on holiday in her luxury boat (without the heat bearing down of course.)
All of a sudden, we could see some little grey smudges in the very near distance, moving about a bright green buoy. These were in fact the local seals! Colin cut the engine and we sailed using just the wind towards the little seals… although, we soon gathered that they weren’t so small after all! They didn’t seem concerned that we had approached them, and instead just watched us curiously as we all took photos and videos.
Next on our sailing experience, we saw Inchcolm Abbey standing proud on Inchcolm Island, one of the most beautiful islands in the Firth of the Forth. The grounds are open to the public to explore most of the year, and Ellie even said that people can get married on the island! Definitely a place to visit next time.
After a wonderful few hours relaxing, enjoying the sea breeze, and watching the world go by, it was time to head back to port! Colin was happy for anyone to have a go at taking the helm and steering us through the waves. For others, enjoying the gentle sail was the perfect harmony.
A huge thank you to Colin and Ellie for having us on board. We both had an amazing time and can’t wait to visit Edinburgh again! What a brilliant end to our Scotland trip.
