The Folly Inn

[Richard_Peevor]

Hoping to go to the Folly in the near future. Can I ask some questions?

1) Is it difficult getting a berth or is it only weekends that are busy?

2) Is food served everyday?

3) Are there any facilities eg washroom / showers?

Many Thanks for any advice... from all the chat about the Folly I feel as if I have missed out not going there!

Richard

 

[Becky]

Shouldn't be any problem this time of year. But the clients will be mainly charters, don't know whether that matters to you. Keen ones only prepared to sail in winter.

 

[l'escargot]

1. Nearly always room on the pontoons in the river, but check water taxi times out of season or take your dinghy. Rafted at busy times, can be chaotic bank holidays and high season when you are best in before tea time. The walk ashore pontoon is usually pre booked.

2. Food is served every day - this time of year (Jan/Feb), if you get a copy of the County Press (local paper) there is often a 2 meals for the price of one voucher.

3. Yes, there are washrooms and showers at the back of the pub.

 

[VicMallows]

If you are going 'soon' you certainly will not have a problem with a berth!. Even in high season I have never known a problem. There are two options: Hbr authority pontoons in mid river opposite (not shore connected) and an alongside pontoon at the Folly itself with electricity/water. The later can take about 5 boats alongside with rafting about 3 deep. In season, a water taxi operates fromj the pontoon berths to the jetty. The Folly pontoon gets busy but can be booked; slightly more expensive than the river berths

Another option is to anchor (free) a bit further up river, nearly opposite Island Hbr marina on the west side, but it dries so need a bilge keel.

Food (good and reasonable) available all/every day, including breakfast.

Showers (£1 in slot) available at Folly.....but a bit tempermental and liable to run out of hot water!!

Walks to either East Cowes (free passenger ferry to West Cowes) and to Newport ...though can be muddy.

Vic

 

[BlueSkyNick]

We went on to the pub's own pontoon last week, so we could walk ashore long enough for a pint .... and had to pay a fiver for the privilege.

 

[nicho]

Can you overnight on the Folly pontoon Nick??

 

[tcm]

nice touch eh?

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Dunno mate , you would have to give them a call. As somebody else has pointed out, there is only room for about 5 boats alongside.

 

[StugeronSteve]

We Have overnighted on the Folly (walk ashore) pontoon a few times, gets a bit shallow on LWS, about 1.5m of water, bottom is very soft though and keel tends to sit in the mud, rather than tip you over.

Nick's fiver stay sounds a bit steep. I can understand that sort of charge in summer, but this time of year? I think an overnight for a 10m boat was around £12-15 last year.

 

[jimi]

We stayed there a couple of weekends ago. Discussed with Para on CH69 where to go and were told to get off as it was a working channel (?????) found out who the working channel belonged to when we moored at the Folly.. the gentleman collecting the dosh seemed to have swallowed a crateful of lemons!

 

[StugeronSteve]

"the gentleman collecting the dosh seemed to have swallowed a crateful of lemons!"

They do say that 69 is a bit of a mouthful. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif