Private cruise charter the Monachs

We were delighted to welcome a particularly favourite group of guests on board for their 6th private charter with us. A very special guest on this cruise is Elizabeth Spanswick who Elizabeth G is named after. We have highlighted the menu on board to give a taste of what the guests enjoyed!

Day 1
We had arranged to pick up the group of guest from Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. It was a lovely calm day and guests came aboard around mid afternoon. They were welcomed with a glass of fizz and canape’s of palmiers with home-made summer fruit drizzle cake, compliments of Granny Mary. The wind had got up in the meantime so our anchorage for the night was Lochmaddy, ready to head out to the Monach Islands the following day.

Starter: warm asparagus and herb mayo
Main: sea trout with Champagne sauce, jersey royals, cauliflower puree and peas
Pud: baked peaches in Marsala and mascarpone cream

Day 2

We arrived at the Monach Islands, located to the west of Uist to excellent weather. The massive colony of over 200 grey seals was a sight to behold. Guests spent the whole day ashore, lapping up the sun and walking, with a packed lunch giving them the freedom to enjoy the fabulous weather as they wished

Breakfast: homemade granola, yoghurt, berries, juice & toast
Lunch: sweet potato and coats cheese frittata, green salad & bread
Starter: spinach soup with nutmeg and crème fraiche
Main: slow roasted shoulder of lamb, roast new spuds with fennel, green beans and hazelnuts
Pud: cardamom cream yogurt and pomegranate seeds

Day 3
With the weather again what can only be described as tropical, our guests opted to spend more time exploring these remote islands. These five tiny islands, linked at low tide are a National Nature Reserve. On the coast, fulmars, which usually prefer cliff sites, were nesting in sand dunes and the machair was just coming into full bloom with over 200 flower species identified on the islands

Breakfast: scrambled eggs & bacon
Lunch: fusilli with hazelnut & parsley pesto with mushrooms, green salad , & bread
Starter: mussels cooked in white wine and garlic
Main: roasted dill chicken with leeks, potatoes, & green beans
Pud: lemon tart and raspberries & cream

Day 4
Yet another flat calm sunny day made it very difficult to leave the Monachs and head for Barra. On the way we were delighted to spot a group of rare Risso’s dolphins just west of South Uist
We anchored off Castle Bay with the view of Kisimul mediaeval castle providing an excellent backdrop for dinner. The town of Castlebay has a good selection of pubs so our guests went ashore after dinner for a few drinks.

Breakfast: blueberry pancakes and homemade granola
Lunch: smoked mackerel, potato salad, green salad, bread & cheese
Starter: chicken broth with spinach
Main: pork with cream and mushroom, roasties and broccoli
Pud: chocolate mousse cake

Day 5
Strong winds in the morning made for a fairly easy decision to have a relaxing day on board. By the afternoon the wind had dropped and the sun reappeared, making it very pleasant to read and generally chill out on deck.

Breakfast: scrambled eggs, tomatoes & bacon
Lunch: kedgeree & greens
Starter: salad of poached salmon with blackened rice
Main: sautéed chicken with tarragon sauce, new potatoes, savoy cabbage, and peas
Pud: summer pudding

Day 6
With a good forecast, the decision was made to head for the Small Isles. Guests enjoyed wildlife spotting en route and were rewarded by the sight of a pod of common dolphins and Minke whales. We anchored off Canna and guests went ashore to enjoy the wonderful walking, flora and fauna that this amazing island offers with the Machair coming into season.

Breakfast: granola, berries, toast & yogurt
Lunch: spelt barley salad with broad beans, baby carrots, bread and cheese
Starter: skippers scallops, pea puree with black pudding
Main: chicken and ham pie, with mash and greens
Pud: pear and almond tart

Day 7
The next day, after a “fridge safari” breakfast we cruised to Mallaig for a heartening lunch of Chorizo with potato stew and bread to set our guests up for their onward journey. Guests disembarked at Mallaig, but not before booking their charter for next year!