First, a little heads up for anyone eyeing up our tall ship experiences - if you join the upcoming September 5 Isle of Skye trip, you'll have a chance to swim with our Founder Simon Murie!
The ancient briny is calling - it's time for high winds to buffet your swim sails as you hit the open seas!
The more curious among you might’ve already seen a particular tall ship reappearing on many of our Liveaboard experiences! She is the Lady of Avenel – a 102 foot Brigantine square-rigged ship with 12 berths and all the platform features you require for far-out adventure sailing (and swimming!) off the coasts of Scotland, Ireland and England. Often steered by principal skipper, Stefan Fritz, this soaring beauty has long been a highlight among those adventurous SwimTrekkers who join her crew.
The Lady of Avenel is the absolute best vessel for immersive coastal swimming adventures! That's why we favour her for our unique Tall Ship Experiences. The Lady of Avenel is our chosen transport/floating fortress for our Isle of Skye trips, as well as for expeditions we take along the west coast of Ireland on our Donegal Atlantic Way trip - a chance to seek out some of Ireland's wildest and most remote gems, following the country's majestic Atlantic coastline. For lovers of those pristine beaches found in the south west of England, we also take the Lady of Avenel on unforgettable crossings from Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly. Where you'll be privy to plenty of opportunities to submerge yourself in the best swimming spots around the British Isles, and to do so in a way that is completely unique!
You can even try your hand at crewing this traditional tall ship and going full oceanic-pirate as you scramble up the riggings, surrounded by the sweeping ocean and the distant offing on all sides.
'[The Lady of Avenel is] a 102 foot Brigantine square-rigged ship with 12 berths and all the platform features you require for far-out adventure sailing (and swimming!)...'
British Isles: Tall Ship Highlights
Roam the Outer Hebrides and get to know the 10 totally different islands that make up this region's exciting southern section. As part of this package, you can also try your hand at crewing the traditional a 102-foot Lady of Avenel. (7 days/4km swims)
Discover the far-flung magic of the popular Isle of Skye. Escape the tourist bustle with specific adventures to sprawling, serene lochs and scree-scarred mountains, as you get to know the lesser-known Small Isles of Rum, Eigg and Muck. (7 days/4km swims)
Comb the coastline of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and enjoy a spot of island-hopping among the almost tropical local scenery. You might even forget you're still in the broody British Isles! (7 days/5km swims)
Fall in love with the Donegal Atlantic Way and unlock Ireland’s wildest secrets, preserved by the raw power of the world's second largest ocean. (7 days/4km swims)
Lady of Avenel 2021
No SwimTrek tall ship experience would be complete without her! And so, here's the Lady of Avenel in all her 2021 post-Lockdown glory, whisking SwimTrekkers off to long-awaited distant lands and waters...
The Scottish Saltire flies on the ocean wind as our crew scramble up the Lady of Avenel's rigging
One bold SwimTrekker busts out a length of butterfly, during our 2021 Inner Hebrides trip
The moody coastline and blackened stacks of the Scottish Inner Hebrides
Crow in the nest - a deck-positioned mast shot taken during calmer moments on our Inner Hebrides trip
SwimTrekkers take to the rigging in style!
Feeling inspired by dreams of your new life aquatic? Hop aboard the Lady of Avenel with us and book your place today!
