Inland holiday destinations for a trailer sailor

Thanks everyone, some fantastic suggestions, keep them coming.

One question re the broads or similar. Over hanging trees... having just fitted some wind instruments I'd like to keep them there so are there any?

being a serial loser of pennants through tree encounters my advice is to take it off the mast before you head off into the broads - the trees will win

D
 
Loch Maree-its always been my ambition to spend time there but the only possible access I recall was from its western end and that info is over 30 years old.
Not sure either how the wealthy estate owners would view it!
 
Ijsselmeer

From Kent I would have thought a ferry trip from Dover and a drive up into Holland. The Ijsselmeer for example is a great holiday destination. You are much less likely to be storm bound on an inland sea. Most places you moor you are right in the middle of an interesting small town rather than up the head of yet another muddy creek. (sorry Dylan but sometimes getting into spending areas is the price to pay to get partner or family to join a cruise )
Southern Holland with the delta is also terrific.
If the ferry with a big trailer is prohibitive however the Solent does offer short sails and plenty to visit, why else would so many gather there?
 
Loch Lomond?

Nudists, chavvy motorboats and near Alexandria, a hell hole of a town whose residents go on holiday to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet. Might be worth trying, but take midge repellent, a foghorn and a shotgun. Also sunscreen, if you are that way inclined.
 
Milford Haven. At one end you have The Sea and some miles inland there are little shallow places. There is wildlife, supertankers and cute villages. Lots of launch sites and places to anchor. Work the tides and it's easy to get about.
 
From Kent I would have thought a ferry trip from Dover and a drive up into Holland. The Ijsselmeer for example is a great holiday destination. You are much less likely to be storm bound on an inland sea. Most places you moor you are right in the middle of an interesting small town rather than up the head of yet another muddy creek. (sorry Dylan but sometimes getting into spending areas is the price to pay to get partner or family to join a cruise )
Southern Holland with the delta is also terrific.
If the ferry with a big trailer is prohibitive however the Solent does offer short sails and plenty to visit, why else would so many gather there?

Plus 1 for the veersmere etc. Some really interesting places to visit & going foreign always adds to the experience. Leave the boat there & have 2 seperate (or 3) weeks over the year. Once you have done one trip you will know what it is like & have fun planning the next holiday which can be as exciting for a family as the actual holiday

Possibly launch at, say, Breskens where you can leave car & trailer safely, but leave the boat at, say, Middleburgh ( Or veere if you can get a berth). It is only a short trip back to the car & costs about 12 euros for combined train & ferry to Breskens when holiday is over. Drive to Breskens from Calais ,
 
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Nudists, chavvy motorboats and near Alexandria, a hell hole of a town whose residents go on holiday to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet. Might be worth trying, but take midge repellent, a foghorn and a shotgun. Also sunscreen, if you are that way inclined.
I was thinking more of the northern end of the Loch, at Ardlui. We had many happy days when we were berthed there. The top end of the loch was very quiet - mind you, that was 20 years ago now, so things may have changed.
 
There is another Red Fox based in Ullswater if you want a bit of a cruise in company (or some better information about sailing a Red Fox there).

Lots of nice waterways on the East Coast (Blackwater, Crouch, Orwell & Deben). Depending on your car and your willingness to tow 1600kg, harbours like Chichester, Plymouth, Milford Haven and Falmouth are all appealing and can be pretty sheltered.

Of course, you could always take the mast down and do an inland waterways holiday?
 
The drive from Kent to Scotland with a hefty boat would put me off. However if you get up here, there are 30,000 freshwater lochs. Agree with suggestions of Lochs Ken, Lomond, Marie and Awe already suggested. They are big. Loch Lomond has more than four times the surface area of Windermere, so enough to justify a few days exploration.

I am sailing on Loch Sheil in the summer, and have also been recommended Morar. There is also some very sheltered salt water sailing available, for instance in and around Loch Melfort.
 
Pretty much as the subject suggests...

We are now the proud owners of a Red Fox and now that we have the ability to go any where for a holiday, rather than just the distance we can sail in the time allowed, were thinking of heading inland for a change.

We are based in Kent and the Norfolk Broads is appealing however we're worried that its going to be to busy during holiday season so any one got any other suggestions or ideas?

Ian

Ian

We used to have a much heavier trailer sailer which we took to South Brittany.

You say inland Cruising.
We launched on the non tidal (Barage at Arzal) River Villaine and had up to 35 km of river to explore with free launching, trailer and car parking, free mooring visiting marinas and during day time electrical use is also free. Only charged a maximum of 12 euros for an overnight in a marina.

You also have the huge Morbihan (Means inland sea in Breton/French) to explore it is a superb sheltered coastal inland cruising ground and was very warm when we visited!

If the weather is good you have the option of exploring some coastal islands like Houat Hoedic and Belle Isle all an easy day sail from the main land or the Villaine

2 hours drive from St Malo.

If you want more info PM me.

Steve
 
I sail on Ullswater and it is fairly quiet during the week even in the school holidays.

Ullswater marine do holiday moorings and are only about 6 miles from the M6 Penrith junction.
http://www.ullswatermarine.co.uk/m/

Next door is Fairfield Marine with similar facilities to Ullswater Marine.
http://ullswaterholidaypark.co.uk/marina

Both will launch boats for you but Ullswater Marine is manned all day.
 
WE sailed out of Glenridding Sailing Centre on Ullswater when we wend down there for a week. Tractor to put you in and out the water. Plenty of holiday accommodation in the village.

www.glenriddingsailingcentre.co.uk

From where you are though, I would be tempted with the france options suggested by Steve
 
Loch Lomond?

We took our boat up there in 2004 for a fortnight. We did not enjoy it, it rained and rained, the places we could get of the boat were limited as was the opportunity to interact with other sailors. Could not understand why there were so few sailing boats on the Loch until we went to the Clyde in 2006. If the OP considers travelling that far the Clyde is the better bet IMHO, we have launched at Largs which offers plenty of destinations. We have never sailed on tidal waters but did not find it too much of a problem but obviously they have to be taken into account.
 
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