On 17 May 2013, the National Trust for Scotland will set sail from Greenock, marking the 60th anniversary of their annual cruises.
To celebrate, the Trust are embarking on a one-week cruise round the Western Isles and a two-week cruise to explore Europe's Celtic ports.
Both cruises will sail onboard Quest for Adventure, the second year the Trust have chartered the luxury liner. Ports of call include the remote Knoydart peninsula as well as spectacular archipelago St Kilda and, appropriately for a 60th anniversary cruise, diamond-shaped Isle of Rum.
Cruise Director Elaine Bruges said:
“We are immensely proud to be celebrating 60 years of seafaring success for the National Trust for Scotland. The cruises have become an integral part of the Trust's calendar. They help to fund projects that protect the islands and coastal properties, but more importantly they mean we get to share some of our finest properties, such as St Kilda, with members and supporters of the Trust.”
The National Trust for Scotland cruises first launched in 1953 on a journey round Scotland's gardens. Late in 1952 an advert from the Trust's Gardens Committee appeared in the members' newsletter advertising a cruise that would 'greatly simplify access to the more remote gardens...most of which entail difficult and tedious journeys by road.' The next newsletter announced that the ship was fully booked with a waiting list long enough to fill it twice.
The Trust continued to offer garden cruises in petite luxury ships until 1961 when the British India company offered them the chance to charter one of their school ships. With dormitories sleeping up to 800, meals served in canteen-style metal trays, and fares costing £12.50 for a bunk, a new style of cruising was born. The Trust called it 'The Bargain Sail' and gave it the slogan 'know your country', welcoming onboard people from all ages and walks of life. Lord Wemyss, former Chairman and later President of the Trust, used to lead the cruises, and slept in the staff dormitory along with ornithologists, musicians and experts brought onboard to offer lectures, entertainment and deck commentaries. The Weekly Scotsman described it as 'a splendid concept' and 'a new dimension in holidaymaking.'
Since 1953 the Trust have chartered 10 different ships, taking over 40,000 passengers to a multitude of different islands and coasts. St Kilda, Islay, Rum and Lewis are some of the favourites, and the 2013 itinerary is designed to hark back to the spirit of the original cruises, sharing some of the country's most beautiful inaccessible landscapes.
Following a turnaround day at Greenock on 24 May, the Trust will embark on their two-week cruise Celtic Connections, sailing to the Isle of Man, Brittany and Galicia.