Bo11ocks !! I just spent 20 minutes typing a long reply .. and the damn site lost it ... aaargh..... and i can't take that long as I'm up for an early shift at 5.30 ....
In summary.
I too got my PPL around 45 hrs (well done)
Strangely I got checked out on grass .. after 70hrs... at Gigha .. in a Warrior .. the week before I did something similar to what you intend... and you'll never guess what happened ?
I had a superb time.
I headed off to a 700m grass strip in the Aberdeen zone. I was quite nervous, as this was my first overnight landaway and I was more worried about the weather closing in and stopping me getting back to work ....... foolish notion .... I got better
Anyway, over the next 3 days I flew 8 pals all around the Banffshire area, including 3 kids who had never ever flown before, and I made their days !!
Right I really need to get to my bed.............
PS
I also learnt about aborted take-offs. Into sun I failed to spot/sense that the parking brake was on one notch. On grass it was less noticeable (imagine not noticing that on tarmac), but when I got to 47 kts, and no more, I knew something was wrong and aborted in plenty of time.
I now have a rule of thumb, learned in Canada on a mountain flying course, if you ain't at 70% of takeoff speed halfway down the runway ... abort. It is a good discipline to get into the habit of picking an abort point, and practice making the decision in your mind.
Just as I would recommend taking some time and trouble to note weights, winds and actually measure your take-off runs, and then compare them to the book figures. Good exercise, good experience and especially if it is one particular plane you fly, a good way to learn about your machine.
Was I foolish ? I don't think so. I felt it was within my capabilities. Like you, I planned and planned. I had alternates. I discussed it with an instructor beforehand.
And I did 7 hrs of 'new experience' flying - even landed at Feshiebridge on the way home !
Now. What about lifejackets ? If you are planning on island hopping I would recommend them.
I wouldn't recommend Gigha with 3 or 4 people.
I would exercise caution at Plockton. There are some VERY tall trees on the approach to 20/climbout to 02 - be warned they look significantly more than 50 ft on climbout, so I wouldn't be happy heavy unless there was a pretty strong northerly, and then you have the turbulence problems!!
Leeds to Prestwick ... 1h30min ?
Prestwick to Oban ... 40 min ?
Prestwick to Mull 50 min ?
2 legs in one day. Seems quite a nice sensible plan if you ask me.
Without seeming to scorn the cautious advice, I agree with the sentiments that we should all be encouraged/challenged to spread our wings and get out of our local flying areas. I have seen clubs where the CFI seems to think the safest way to fly is to stay on the ground. I think they are in the wrong job.
We aim to minimise the risks, but flying by its very nature is a challenge - that's why we do it - isn't it ?
Sure it is foolish to boldly go .. but not if you have a well thought out plan ... a bit of practice ... and clear alternative options.