THE PADDLE steamer Waverley will not be calling to Dunoon for this year’s Cowal Gathering for the second year running, which has provoked a strong response from some locals.
Traditionally the world’s oldest paddle steamer has visited Dunoon on Cowal Game’s Saturday, bringing with her a load of passengers who disembark to visit the town and stadium to experience the Gathering.
Last year the Waverley was absent as she was in Plymouth and now its been confirmed that she won’t be here for the games this year, as she will be sailing in the south west of England.
A former resident of Dunoon, who was concerned about the Waverley’s planned absence during the gathering this year, told this newspaper: “It makes no sense whatsoever to not sail in the busiest day of the year. If there was one day in the entire year that the Waverley would serve Dunoon it would be Cowal Games Saturday. The Cowal Games sailing, direct from Glasgow was traditionally the busiest of the season. The atmosphere on board was legendary, one big party.
“I suspect that lower passenger numbers are behind this decision, but this will undoubtedly have a negative impact on the Dunoon tourist trade at what should be the height of the summer season.”
He added: “I lived in Dunoon for 10 years from 1982 to 1992 and became enchanted by the Waverley during this time. I still visit the town regularly and in summer combine this with Waverley trips. I had planned to visit Dunoon for Cowal Games this year.”
A spokesperson for Waverley Excursions explained: “Each season Waverley’s sailing programme is carefully planned to offer the greatest variety of sailings across the UK. Over the past two seasons Waverley’s operation has been expanded to take in more of the UK but her core summer sailing season remains on the Clyde. While she has traditionally called at Dunoon over the Cowal Games weekend she didn’t do this in 2024 as she operated in the South West in the Plymouth area over that period.
We understand the significance of the Cowal Games and the expectation that the ship will be on the Clyde during the final weekend of August. As such I informed the Games organising committee some time ago that we had made the decision to once again
visit the South West in late August in 2025 which means the ship’s final summer sailing on the Clyde will take place on Monday, August 25.”
They added: “We will once again undertake a full review of Waverley’s sailing programme next winter. There are no permanent adjustments to her timetable as we must work to ensure the greatest possible variety of sailings is offered each year to attract the greatest number of passengers thus ensuring her continued operation.”
