Dartmouth and Salcombe

Sailorsam101

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Mid August i'm heading west and going to explore both of the above. Never been to either before so any ideas on where to spend the night would be great please.

Needs to have access to showers and rubbish clothes and handbag shops..not for me i will add.!!!!

Cheers
 
Both are stunning. Salcombe, watch the bar at the entrance, then just pick up a buoy as directed by the HM. Just outside Starehole Bay is a lovely anchorage in light in light northerlies. As for fancy schmancy shops; it's known as Chelsea-on-Sea for a reason ;).

Dartmouth, there's a ton of options depending on what you fancy.
 
Salcombe will be busy unless the weather changes..even mid season you can be rafted 4 on a bouy or you will be in The Bag..and rafted. There are two showers on the quay or you walk up the hill and pay a modest amount at the sailing club. Expect the main restaurants to be booked well in advance.
If you are up to a decent walk then head westward from the estuary mouth for a truly epic coastal walk. Eastwards is not so impressive.
Salcome is a jewel in the UK coastline but I would expect the estuary and town to be absolutely packed.
Dartmouth..you might find it very hard to get into a marina so it might be a bouy up river or the town quay.
Appreciate this might be time you are going..I would choose any other month of the year!
Just make sure it isn't regatta week!
 
For me, the Bag pontoon in Salcombe is hard to beat. In fact it’s my favourite. You’ll have to tender ashore and use their shower facilities at the harbour.

Dartmouth is full of options. If you want to marina it then Darthaven is the obvious choice. Dart Marina if you want to go posh and if they have space too.

Loads of deep water pontoons or the Yacht aclub pontoon is walk ashore.

As others said Regatta week at Dartmouth means limited space.

It’s my favourite cruising ground. Gets even better upriver at Dittisham but you’d be on a buoy. Hard to beat though!!!
 
Darthaven Marina is slightly out of it but that can be a good thing if you or your crew want to chill out. It's the only marina I know where you have to key in a code to exit from the pontoon, how daft is that in an emergency? Walk down through the marina past the choochoo-puffer steam engine down to the ferry to cross into Dartmouth. The ferry itself is quite an experience (rotates 180 midstream). If you need resupplies get them in Dartmouth as there's very little in Kingswear.
 
You will be rafted up in Salcombe, two each side if you're unlucky and get the mooring buoy first. Good new for later arrivals is that the HM will radio you who to raft up with. Once you have secured alongside, he will send out a chap in a rib to pass your bow lines through the mooring buoy and back. If you're rafted up against a longer boat, you might need to revise how to tie a sheet bend if your lines to the buoy and back are not long enough.
 
Darthaven Marina is slightly out of it but that can be a good thing if you or your crew want to chill out. It's the only marina I know where you have to key in a code to exit from the pontoon, how daft is that in an emergency? Walk down through the marina past the choochoo-puffer steam engine down to the ferry to cross into Dartmouth. The ferry itself is quite an experience (rotates 180 midstream). If you need resupplies get them in Dartmouth as there's very little in Kingswear.

Stops people mooring their tenders and coming ashore...
 
We love Dartmouth. Darthaven is our preference. You can get a book of crossings on the lower ferry which is much much cheaper.

Saveurs the French cafe is lovely, as is the quaint tea shop upstairs in the butterwalk.

Worth a trip up river to Greenways.
 
Just a little further west you’ll find a lovely anchorage and pontoons on the Yealm - worth a visit if you have time imho.
Plus 1 for the Pontoons @ Salcombe - very nice spot, good run up to Kinsbridge on the tender, Salcombe is lovely and if you like to walk a mini hike to Overbecks, (NTrust), is really worthwhile.

Water delivered to pontoons each day btw

Dartmouth is always fab and make sure to have fish and chips at Rockfish....

Have a wonderful trip :)
 
Just a little further west you’ll find a lovely anchorage and pontoons on the Yealm - worth a visit if you have time imho.
Plus 1 for the Pontoons @ Salcombe - very nice spot, good run up to Kinsbridge on the tender, Salcombe is lovely and if you like to walk a mini hike to Overbecks, (NTrust), is really worthwhile.

Water delivered to pontoons each day btw

Dartmouth is always fab and make sure to have fish and chips at Rockfish....

Have a wonderful trip :)

Kingsbridge is a small ex market town. Normal priced victuals available at two supermarkets. Greater variety of shops on Fore St.

Is reachable not only by dinghy but also by boats with draught of 1-1.5m HW+2.5hrs. Check with HM for daily figures.
Alongside berth for patrons at pub/restaurant Crabshell Inn.
Pontoon further upstream - check with HM for availability.


Have a good time.
 
Just a little further west you’ll find a lovely anchorage and pontoons on the Yealm - worth a visit if you have time imho.
Plus 1 for the Pontoons @ Salcombe - very nice spot, good run up to Kinsbridge on the tender, Salcombe is lovely and if you like to walk a mini hike to Overbecks, (NTrust), is really worthwhile.

Water delivered to pontoons each day btw

Dartmouth is always fab and make sure to have fish and chips at Rockfish....

Have a wonderful trip :)

Winking Prawn is worth a visit on the way to overbecks…… you didn't mention the hill up to overbecks
 
Dart Marina doesn't have any visitor moorings but they do have visitors come and go if a boat is away... best to ring up and ask or drop in to see if they have a vacant berth. not VHF....

I watch boats come and go from our apartment.
 
Avoid fuelling up in Salcombe. Its the most expensive diesel you will find down that way.
 
Kingsbridge is a small ex market town. Normal priced victuals available at two supermarkets. Greater variety of shops on Fore St.

Is reachable not only by dinghy but also by boats with draught of 1-1.5m HW+2.5hrs. Check with HM for daily figures.
Alongside berth for patrons at pub/restaurant Crabshell Inn.
Alongside pontoon and wall further upstream - check with HM for availability.


Have a good time.

Sorry, should of course be HW+/- 2.hrs
For dinghy draught HW +/- 3.hrs

Dartmouth fuel barge owned by same co as the one in Salcombe. Hence similar prices
 
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