Round Britain... Where would you choose to start

[Uricanejack]

I'm based in north east England.. that gives me Whitby, Hartlepool, Royal Quays, Blyth as home port options. But none are hugely appetising.

Potential new boat in Lakes... So actually not an awful location. Could be bought. Kept there. Sea(well freshwater) trials/commission ed. Tweaked.. equipped etc. THEN move it...

The boat I want is not exactly common. Less than 50 ever built. First to have appeared for sale north of Essex... So up till now it was gonna need a big delivery trip to bring "home" or trucking. So I had always assumed I'd be commissioning in Falmouth or somewhere else equally a pain to get to. So Lakes is a doddle and I'm liking the idea to then move to the Clyde

My first sailing experience ever, A training vessel North Sea fishing boat with sails, the name of which escapes me. A trip up and down the Tyne from South Shields. Then out the breakwater and up to Blyth. Then back out into the N Sea, the whole thing finally called of and a return to South Shields. When every one on board had succumbed to mal de mer.

One unfortunate lad, lay down with his head on a coil of rope and didn’t move except to throw up, he got of the boat and disappeared causing a slight fuss.
Apparently he went straight to the station and went home.

It almost put me of sailing for life

 

[Daydream believer]

. But everyone says West is best..

I am sure that I recall a magazine article, many years ago, that sought to decide which way round was best.They looked at wind patterns over several years & decided that there was actually no difference, whichever way one went.

That being said, starting from the Thames estuary, I would go clockwise & leave the east coast until last. Then just get from Eyemouth to home as quickly as possible, as there is little of merit thereafter.By the time one gets that far one might be getting homesick. If one had a home or the season was drawing to a close, that is

But the Orwell & Blackwater areas provide a great cruising ground, with many destinations, to give a variety of distances. Plus there is the added attraction of easy access to Europe. The other benefit being that cost is somewhat less than the Solent, I would suspect

 

[Kukri]

I think that, starting from the Orwell, I will go right if I get a slant down the Channel. If not, I will go left.

 

[dunedin]

I'm based in north east England.. that gives me Whitby, Hartlepool, Royal Quays, Blyth as home port options. But none are hugely appetising.

Potential new boat in Lakes... So actually not an awful location. Could be bought. Kept there. Sea(well freshwater) trials/commission ed. Tweaked.. equipped etc. THEN move it...

The boat I want is not exactly common. Less than 50 ever built. First to have appeared for sale north of Essex... So up till now it was gonna need a big delivery trip to bring "home" or trucking. So I had always assumed I'd be commissioning in Falmouth or somewhere else equally a pain to get to. So Lakes is a doddle and I'm liking the idea to then move to the Clyde

Living in the NE of England, the Clyde definitely sounds like an ideal place to base your boat initially. Short truck trip to launch in salt water, all the facilities you could need to get set up and teething issues fixed, great cruising locally before you embark further.

Then how about a "round Ireland (and West Britain) circuit from the Clyde - incorporating Isles of Scilly, SW England, W Ireland, W Scotland, the Hebrides, Orkney/Shetland and back via the Caledonian Canal. All the best bits and none of the boring bits!

 

[capnsensible]

I think that, starting from the Orwell, I will go right if I get a slant down the Channel. If not, I will go left.

Should you get around nw mcscotland and with a tidal stream atlas one can pilot a nic 55 through the Corryvekan. Its a ride!

 

[Kukri]

Should you get around nw mcscotland and with a tidal stream atlas one can pilot a nic 55 through the Corryvekan. Its a ride!

Should I get that far I’ll invite you to join as pilot!

 

[capnsensible]

Cant do smileys on my phone so......smiley smiley!

 

[scruff]

However, being SH I did not wish to anchor, so stuck to harbours/marinas. That limits the stopping places a little.

This is a curious statement, and not meant as an argument or a slight but why did you prefer not to anchor?

I've always found anchoring easier than marinas when singlehanded, plus there must be thousand fold more options for stopping on the west coast...

 

[steve yates]

"I think it is a bit marmite...
My plan is to do it in bits. Abandoning the boat somehow along the way."

There is a guy called Dylan Winter doing just that. You would get a lot of ideas, information and inspiration from watching his videos. Being a professional photographer - also some stunning video footage. https://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/

He's a cameraman, not a photographer, very different professions and skills. And I think he is on pause at the moment till he sorts out a new boat.

 

[steve yates]

I'm based in north east England.. that gives me Whitby, Hartlepool, Royal Quays, Blyth as home port options. But none are hugely appetising.

Potential new boat in Lakes... So actually not an awful location. Could be bought. Kept there. Sea(well freshwater) trials/commission ed. Tweaked.. equipped etc. THEN move it...

The boat I want is not exactly common. Less than 50 ever built. First to have appeared for sale north of Essex... So up till now it was gonna need a big delivery trip to bring "home" or trucking. So I had always assumed I'd be commissioning in Falmouth or somewhere else equally a pain to get to. So Lakes is a doddle and I'm liking the idea to then move to the Clyde

Consider putting it in Maryport, gives you proper seatrials and miles cheaper than keeping it on windermere et al.

 

[scruff]

He's a cameraman, not a photographer, very different professions and skills. And I think he is on pause at the moment till he sorts out a new boat.

I used to loosely follow Dylan, but he has some films on youtube under Dylan Winter, some under keep turning left, some other videos on Vimeo and his entire catalogue, but in terrible 240p quality thus unwatchable, on his own website.

Even if you wanted to watch his films he has made it quite hard. Shame, because they were fairly enjoyable.

 

[ShinyShoe]

Solent to Solent seems the most logical. At least start with the best and look forward to returning. Where else can you find so many other interesting folks and boats. There is a reason it’s the worldwide home of leisure sailing!

If I'm going 'round' should I not leave IoW to the North?

The reason it is home of leisure sailing is it's close to where rich London commuters live and a bit sheltered and in the right place to travel towards France. I'm 100% certain the West of Scotland is far better sailing ground with plenty of interesting folks and enough boats to satisfy

 

[ShinyShoe]

Living in the NE of England, the Clyde definitely sounds like an ideal place to base your boat initially. Short truck trip to launch in salt water, all the facilities you could need to get set up and teething issues fixed, great cruising locally before you embark further.

Then how about a "round Ireland (and West Britain) circuit from the Clyde - incorporating Isles of Scilly, SW England, W Ireland, W Scotland, the Hebrides, Orkney/Shetland and back via the Caledonian Canal. All the best bits and none of the boring bits!

That was my thoughts for a second loop!

 

[Kukri]

If I'm going 'round' should I not leave IoW to the North?

Funny you should say that; the Isle of Wight, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Outer Hebrides are the bits that I haven’t circumnavigated.

 

[Daydream believer]

This is a curious statement, and not meant as an argument or a slight but why did you prefer not to anchor?

I've always found anchoring easier than marinas when singlehanded, plus there must be thousand fold more options for stopping on the west coast...

I do not want the hassle of carrying, inflating & launching, rowing a dinghy. I do not have an anchor winch. plus , of course the extra weight.
I used to get get seasick at anchorage .(I can get seasick on 20% of my sailing trips)
If I were in a rocky cove with changeable weather at night & had to get the anchor up due to dragging, or uncomfortable, I might find that I was on rocks, or aground, before I got going.- That is another reason why I did not go round the top.
I have had my boat 16 years & although I anchored my last 2 boats very many times I have only anchored this one 6 times & 3 of those were emergency.
Marinas/harbours are a piece of cake & I enjoy the experience.
How much better to be able to walk ashore with ease to comfortable showers, loos, eateries etc. without hassle (well most places that is). It suits my "sail a day, rest a day" routine
What, actually, is the attraction of anchoring? Once you have anchored in one rocky cove you have anchored in them all!!
I understand that many hate marinas. Anchoring is a different aspect of sailing that sailors look forward to. I really look forward to arriving at a nice safe harbour.
But to each his own.
I got what I wanted from my round UK trips. Others are looking for something different. So long as one achieves that goal then all is good

 

[Genoa]

Don’t miss a bit of Sweden round Gothenburg. It is stunnng and some of the best sailing in Europe. IMHO of course.

 

[[3889]]

Y However, being SH I did not wish to anchor, so stuck to harbours/marinas. That limits the stopping places a little.

You don't anchor single handed?

 

[Daydream believer]

You don't anchor single handed?

post # 75

 

[vociferousMeldrew]

This thread is trending towards ever more grandiose routes around Britain to include Denmark, Sweden, Ireland and the Outer Hebrides. Now even the Isle of Wight is to be passed to the South.

In the interests of balance I have often contemplated a circumnavigation of The Kingdom of Wessex in something like a Mk1 Cornish Crabber 24. The route would be the English Channel, Thames, Kennet & Avon, Bristol Channel, Barnstaple, think there is a canal down there. Short road truck haul over to Exeter then home. Has this been done before?

 

[steve yates]

This thread is trending towards ever more grandiose routes around Britain to include Denmark, Sweden, Ireland and the Outer Hebrides. Now even the Isle of Wight is to be passed to the South.

In the interests of balance I have often contemplated a circumnavigation of The Kingdom of Wessex in something like a Mk1 Cornish Crabber 24. The route would be the English Channel, Thames, Kennet & Avon, Bristol Channel, Barnstaple, think there is a canal down there. Short road truck haul over to Exeter then home. Has this been done before?

Yup, in a 19ft boat, single handed, in his 80's? (from memory, could have been 70's) from the thames estuary, down channel, round lands end, up the bristol channel, into the canal system, back to the thames and sail home. No trucking involved https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thumbnail-Circumnavigation-Paul-Packwood/dp/095502434X

It's a great wee story, oh, another one for the book forum.