Galmpton - River Dart?

[Tim Good]

I"m currently on a Trot at Kingswear and been offered a swing mooring at Galmpton. Does anyone have any experience with moorings there. For example is there a dingy park, are the boats accessible all tides, is there car park etc?

Thanks.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

MDL run Dartside Quay up there. It may be worth talking to them.
The Harbour Masters office in Dartmouth would also be worth a call. They are always very helpful and would at least be able to give you the names of people to contact.

 

[JALDI]

You need to find out if you will have a drying or deep water mooring. Dolphin Marine have shore pontoons and limited parking at Galmpton but these dry, so access to your mooring could be very tide restricted. As advised by Rigger Mortice, speak to Dart Harbour Navigation Authority and MDL at Dartside Quay, Galmpton. Parking may be an issue, depending on whether you come from Dartmouth / Dittisham side or Galmpton side. The only parking is at Dartside Quay or Dolphin or Greenway Quay or Dittisham (both very limited). I have a trot mooring in Kingswear and am currently ashore at Dartside Quay, so let me know if you want more info. Galmpton is another 30 mins upriver from Kingswear, which may be a consideration, as well as considering where will you want to visit when you go ashore, Dartmouth, Kingswear, Dittisham, Galmpton or up-river. I'd like a swinging mooring too but am waiting for one near Kingswear, near the Higher Ferry. Do you have your own tender to get to and fro? It can be very exposed at Galmpton when the wind is in the West.

 

[Tim Good]

Thanks for that. MDL charge nearly £350 a year for a dinghy is seems and isn't accessible all tide. I spoke with Greenway and they do have a taxi service they say runs between 8-6 in summer. Does anyone know how reliable this is? Finishing at 6pm is a bit of a pain but something I'll just have to work around maybe.

 

[xeitosaphil]

Thanks for that. MDL charge nearly £350 a year for a dinghy is seems and isn't accessible all tide. I spoke with Greenway and they do have a taxi service they say runs between 8-6 in summer. Does anyone know how reliable this is? Finishing at 6pm is a bit of a pain but something I'll just have to work around maybe.

I had a mooring there at Galmpton with Dart Harbour Authority for a number of years, but it was a deep water mooring in the turn of the river at the creek mouth ( Galmpton Dries right out to the turn of the river ).
Problem is with the creek being tidal you are still governed to tides for access. The ferry at Ditsum (Local pronunciation ) is ok but the parking on the quay is very limited. Ferry runs as said during summer, but it only goes across the river to the pub from the quay.
Lovely spots anywhere on the Dart, and great for exploring up to Tones, but access to the sea, ( Castle Stone Ledge buoy ) is aprox 40mins away - a lot of time out of one tide if going for a day sail and have to get back before the water disappears from Galmton Creek to put the dinghy away?
Hope this helps.

 

[fastjedi]

We were there 2005 - 2007. We used Greenway Quay for parking / dinghy storage / nominated local agent for the reason you describe (24 hour access).... not cheap on the basis of limited supply vs demand
There's plenty of space in the car park when arriving on a Friday evening but can be chaos over sunny summer weekends / high risk of car doors banging your bodywork.
We had a high mooring number in year 1 at the Galmpton end but negotiated our way towards Greenway Quay.
Never had any security / weather problems. Dart Harbour are good at checking boats

It might be worth investigating the council car park at Ditasham depending on the location of your mooring. From memory there are DNHA dinghy racks there too?

 

[Tim Good]

Yeah I think the only viable option is using the taxi service from Greenway Quay (£2 pp). The mooring I was offered was deep water so that isn't an issue. Just the fact far away from the sea and limitations of taxi times and parking. I may hold out on the off chance a trot at Kingswear comes up again. If not i could be royally stuff come April 1st