This film is part of Free

Sea and Ships

Join a family of 1960s holiday makers as they tell the story of their colourful adventure on the high seas of Scotland, steaming around the Firth of Clyde and beyond.

Amateur film 1960 14 mins

From the collection of:

Logo for Scotland's Moving Image Archive

Overview

Join a family of holiday makers for a colourful adventure on the high seas of Scotland aboard ships and steamers chugging up the Firth of Clyde and beyond. Destinations include Largs, Millport, Rothesay, Ardrossan and Belfast. Ship enthusiasts will be enthralled as they journey “Doon the Watter” on the historic Waverley paddle steamer and salute passing ships, including the Transatlantic liner RMS Empress of Britain.

The impressive ships featured in this film are certainly a distinguishing feature. One of these ships, the Waverley, is the last seagoing passenger-carrying paddle steamer in the World. She was built in Glasgow in 1946 by A. & J. Inglis shipbuilders. The steamer faithfully worked the Firth of Clyde route from Craigendoran Pier, near Helensburgh, up Loch Long to Arrochar until she became too costly to operate. In 1973 she was bought by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society, who renovated her and now operates coastal passenger excursions. Trips often depart from the Clyde, a nostalgic reminder of her Clydeside past.