North Wales and NW England

Conwy will be your first stop down the A55 but it might help if your boat will take the ground to get something sheltered there or you may well find yourself a little more exposed by the marina entrances.

Port Dinorwic is also a little exposed from the predominant southwesterlies.

Bangor to Beaumaris offers the most protection most of the time.



_______________________
 
Just moved from Gibraltar Point back to NW with my 'new' bilge keeler.

Stunning scenery, wide range of berths and trips. I have visited Borth to Douglas via Barrow
Currently at Fleetwood. Not an expert, but let me know if you want any info.

Nick
 
Conway is not cheap (over a grand for a 30' drying swinging mooring). But there are other places where you can still lay your own mooring, or get someone to do it for you. But the tides are big & most of the cheaper places dry out for most of the tide. There are all tide swinging moorings on the Menai Straits, it is beautful & mostly pretty sheltered. The drying mud off Bangor is sheltered & cheap.

Shallow twin keels are the best for N Wales & Anglesey as far as I'm concerned, but there are deep keel spots at Holyhead & in the Straits plus most of the marinas too. Red Wharf Bay is a lovely spot with a self-laid moorings & a decent club, but it's just a bit off the beaten track when driving.
 
Give Liverpool Yacht club a ring- if they cant help they may know who can because i have a feeling there are some moorings around Tranmere and New Brighton run by YC. Other than moorings you might want to cost up a berth at Liverpool Marina and compare that with travel costs and mooring fees in North Wales/ Anglesey especially if you are maiking the trip from Yorkshire- thats if you get past our Lancashire border control in Todmorden!! :)
 
Conwy also suffers from a longish and tide limited approach. Depends on your boat but I'd recommend an all tide mooring between Menai Bridge and Beaumaris. Although always better to work the tides, you can just about always get back to your mooring at any tide state - useful if say you have a slow passage back from say IOM. I live in Yorkshire and keep my boat in N Wales. Anglesey is a a beautiful area to sail in and there are plenty of anchorages for fin and long keel boats.
 
Deepwater moorings in the Menai Straits above the bridges are at a premium, as at times are drying moorings, and all moorings there are controlled by the Menai Bridge Piermaster.If available he will allocate you a position , for which there is a charge, and you then put down your own mooring or buy whats there from the previous owner.Ignore anyone who says that they will sell you a mooring position. If you call the Council at Llangefni they will give you Alan Price's telephone numbers.
http://www.anglesey.gov.uk/leisure/maritime-services/ports-and-harbours?tab=contacts.

Below the bridges the moorings are laid and controlled by Caernarfon Harbour Master.http://www.caernarfonharbour.co.uk/

Those above the bridges have the advantage of all tide access.

I know of a number of people from Yorkshire/Derbyshire who keep their boats in the Menai Straits.
 
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DMenai is a terrible place .
It's not the tides,the shifting sand banks,the swirling back eddies and whirlpools that should worry a tight fisted Yorkie.:)
The natives are far too welcoming. No they don't burn yer boat. They do however have a habit of luring you to some hidden anchorage .:eek:

That's when you find out that all their friendliness is a cover to their aim to empty your stores of alcohol.

You have been warned.


Best Cruising guide is by Ralph Morris.

Also try NWVYC website for online info.

See you are a muddy water sailer. Menai mud is much the same.
 
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river alt

you could try Blundell sands sailing club they have moorings(swinging)on the river alt, you do need to be a member and it is tidal and does dry out.but it does give you acces to the irish sea app two hours before and after high water,they also have a laying up yard which at the moment has some spaces.if you want to know more go to the website ,just type in Blundell sands sailing club and you will find all you need to know.Kieron
 
kieronriley said:
you could try Blundell sands sailing club they have moorings(swinging)on the river alt, you do need to be a member and it is tidal and does dry out.but it does give you acces to the irish sea app two hours before and after high water,they also have a laying up yard which at the moment has some spaces.if you want to know more go to the website ,just type in Blundell sands sailing club and you will find all you need to know.Kieron
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Kieron I enjoyed looking at the Blundellsands sailing Club web site. Being a keen sailing club member myself it is good to see how other clubs do it. But oh so different here in oz. Anyway it makes me appreciate how good we have it. good luck olewill
 
Karouise said:
Any recommendations for secure mornings (well protected) rather than marinas?
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Although Holyhead has been mentioned.........

The sailing club there has many laid moorings with a taxi available. Good club and very welcoming.

http://www.holyheadsc.org.uk/

Great cruising to be had from there, all states of tide (unless you are going further afield) but would suggest a calmer mooring for the winter months.

There are moorings available South of the bridges (contact the Harbour trust) as some have moved into Victoria Dock on the new pontoons.

Pilot book, Cruising Anglesey and adjoining waters.

Tom
 
William_H said:
Kieron I enjoyed looking at the Blundellsands sailing Club web site. Being a keen sailing club member myself it is good to see how other clubs do it. But oh so different here in oz. Anyway it makes me appreciate how good we have it. good luck olewill
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I think Blundellsands is a triumph of determination, driven by local people largely because it is nearby. I doubt that anyone would "choose" to travel there from a distance unless they had links to the area. The Mersey is not a prime cruising ground, the tides are strong & the river is very exposed to the NW gales, so conditions can be awful on the ebb in strong winds. Several lovely cruising grounds are within a full day's passage, but UK weather being what it is, "windows" for the passage out & back may not occur when you want them.

I used to keep my boat in a mud creek on the River Dee because it was 20 mins drive away from where I lived at the time. Great for an evening sail on a nice day, but all my holiday cruising was a 10-12 hour passage away in N Wales so it made sense to move the boat & have a 1 hour drive instead of the day long passage to get there.
 
Agree totally with those sentiments Searush and I know a number of people who live on the Wirral who keep their boats in Conway/the Menai Straits for those very reasons
 
Must also confess to being a tight fisted Yorkie living in Yorkshire. I tend to shift from N Wales to East Coast and back every few years
Have found Deganwy side of Conwy harbour really good apart from 1 case of thieving. Yes it is a bind getting in and out but what scenery and clean water!
Have you tried Northumberland ? Can honest recommend Amble for moorings and marina. This is an easier journey than fighting round M62 and thelwall viaduct (am I the only one that gets annoyed than the Mancs have hijacked the long standing M62 and re badged in M60 Manchester ring road!!)
Enjoy the journey!
Martin
 
Another factor for Menai is that the mooring must be vacated for the winter - I think 1 Oct until 1 April.

I was lucky, I lived in Beaumaris and lifted out at Gallows Point.

Beautiful sailing in season but not quite as convenient as the South Pontoon in Brightlingsea!
 
I wouldn't recommend a mooring on the Mersey anywhere. If the weather/tides don't get you then the scrotes will. The Marina is the only viable spot for reasonable access and good shelter. Holyhead Marina and moorings can be very exposed. The Menai Strait is fantastic but it is a good idea if someone keeps an eye on your boat, it can get very rough in the Strait. Victoria Dock at Caernarfon is a delightful Marina if your boat can get in there, it's the best spot in North Wales.
 
Searush said:
I think Blundellsands is a triumph of determination, driven by local people largely because it is nearby. I doubt that anyone would "choose" to travel there from a distance unless they had links to the area. The Mersey is not a prime cruising ground, the tides are strong & the river is very exposed to the NW gales, so conditions can be awful on the ebb in strong winds. Several lovely cruising grounds are within a full day's passage, but UK weather being what it is, "windows" for the passage out & back may not occur when you want them.

I used to keep my boat in a mud creek on the River Dee because it was 20 mins drive away from where I lived at the time. Great for an evening sail on a nice day, but all my holiday cruising was a 10-12 hour passage away in N Wales so it made sense to move the boat & have a 1 hour drive instead of the day long passage to get there.
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I enjoy this forum especially as it gives me an insight into boating in UK. I am always left with the conviction that all boating in UK " is a triumph of determination". Congratulations to all boat owners in UK for their determination. olewill
 
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