Was it busy in the West Country this summer?

[doug748]

There was a worry that the pressure on berths, between the Exe and Land's End, was going to intolerable this season. Was this the case?

Did you travel to the West of England and find it was packed or was it happily quiet compared, perhaps to the Solent? General interest really but I think a lot of folk will also be planning for next season.

.

 

[neilf39]

We were there for 4 weeks before the school holiday and had no problems finding spaces on pontoons or bouys. Only used one marina (mayflower) and got in OK. I am told Mylor was packed. Brixham visitors was empty when we got the bus there from Kingswear.

 

[ashtead]

We were there for a week in July -we missed sailing into Tom cruise anchored yacht but found no real issues finding a lovely marina berth at Brixham (residents berth who had gone away for week so pleasantly quiet and we found are the other residents very chatty) and by chance as we had day sailed there one night in the Dart marina by the steam train on kings wear side . We also anchored for the day in a peaceful bay just past Dartmouth whose only beach inhabitants seemed to be enjoying the sun to the full .ironically only debate we had was at Portland but we did after negotiation manage to secure some nights. We didn’t venture further than Dartmouth though as ran out of time really and wanted to sample locality. We didn’t really want to venture into salcombe and I hadn’t really checked out places with interest beyond that so interested to learn more as to quality venues once past Dartmouth . I guess yacht haven at Plymouth?

 

[halcyon]

This year has been dead, we over look the Penryn river, hardly a boat has passed by to or from the marina, boats have sat on their mooring all summer.

Brian

 

[rotrax]

We spent 4.5 months in and around the West Country.

We dont use Marina's so cant comment about those. We prefer HM's facilities, buoys and pontoons or our own ground tackle. We could not afford Marina's for 4 plus months.

We expected the worst, found it appeared normal. Very busy at weekend/ bank holiday periods, not too bad otherwise. In fact we commented that both Dartmouth and Falmouth seemed less busy shoreside. Fowey, however, seemed busier.

Until we got to Weymouth on the way back we had not had shorepower for 4 months.

 

[Scillypete]

It wasn’t overrun, I only needed a marina berth for crew pick up and drop off and Mayflower in Plymouth obliged both times, got alongside in Looe, twice, plenty of spare visitor moorings in Fowey when we went there, anchored Helford, Falmouth, Mevagissey and Yealm with plenty of room. Had a week alongside in Mousehole in August no other visitors inside or out.

The weather was never particularly settled throughout the summer, if it had been then the story could have been very different.

 

[Sandy]

I fled Plymouth and had an enjoyable trip to Peterhead and back via the East Coast.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Only used newlyn, falmouth and brixham marina to get showers and plenty of space there. Otherwise mostly anchored or moored up on pontoons / dried on the wall in harbours at Goran Haven, Helford, Dartmouth, Totnes, Salcombe, Kingsbridge , Yealm and of course Looe. Except for a regatta week in Falmouth it all seemed fairly ok, nether deserted or crowded.

Certainly a bit busier than our two week May outing when things were just starting up and showers and faciliities all shut up.

Perhaps Scilly was busier than usual but there is so much space its hard to tell. Friend's said there was some pressure on Green Bay after we left, as folk sought best shelter from F8

 

[Bathdave]

We had 4 weeks from mid July to mid August, first week as part of a 25 boat rally from Jersey then stayed on …Falmouth, Fowey, Plymouth, Dartmouth, up the Dart, Salcombe, back to Fowey, and Falmouth, up the Fal.

stayed in marinas or river pontoons …never had a problem getting in somewhere, though a few times we had no success trying to book ahead (even on the morning), we had no problem when we rocked up.

we were in Falmouth for Falmouth week, we were told it was booked out fully but in the event there were loads of no shows (weather wasn’t great) and berths were available on the day without a problem

shoreside Salcombe was rammed, Fowey busy, but otherwise what you would expect in peak holiday time

overall formed the impression that the idea of the WC being rammed full and rafted so deep you could walk ashore was simply not the case, in what would have been peak time

 

[Moonbeam]

We spent 4.5 months in and around the West Country.

We dont use Marina's so cant comment about those. We prefer HM's facilities, buoys and pontoons or our own ground tackle. We could not afford Marina's for 4 plus months.

We expected the worst, found it appeared normal. Very busy at weekend/ bank holiday periods, not too bad otherwise. In fact we commented that both Dartmouth and Falmouth seemed less busy shoreside. Fowey, however, seemed busier.

Until we got to Weymouth on the way back we had not had shorepower for 4 months.

I noticed an Island Packet SP Cruiser anchored on the Lynher River upstream of Forder village. Reading this, I guess that was you. Your boat looked very smart.

I agree with Scilly Pete... the weather in the west country this summer has been particularly poor/grey/damp/windy for long periods interspersed with a couple of ultra hot and sunny weeks. I think that kept a lid on things.

 

[ryanroberts]

No idea how relatively busy things were but I didn't really have any trouble. Was mostly anchored but spent some of my freedom berthing points in Brixham / Torquay without issues. Exeter was impossible to get into (and their phone mostly rang out) but I think that's just the default state of the place.

Weather was absolutely dire though, so didn't make it to Cornwall on weekends as the next leg west from Salcombe looked like not a lot of fun for the few weeks I was there. As soon as I went back and hauled the boat out it is beautiful sailing weather for weeks though of course.

 

[doug748]

We had 4 weeks from mid July to mid August, first week as part of a 25 boat rally from Jersey then stayed on …Falmouth, Fowey, Plymouth, Dartmouth, up the Dart, Salcombe, back to Fowey, and Falmouth, up the Fal.

stayed in marinas or river pontoons …never had a problem getting in somewhere, though a few times we had no success trying to book ahead (even on the morning), we had no problem when we rocked up.

we were in Falmouth for Falmouth week, we were told it was booked out fully but in the event there were loads of no shows (weather wasn’t great) and berths were available on the day without a problem

shoreside Salcombe was rammed, Fowey busy, but otherwise what you would expect in peak holiday time

overall formed the impression that the idea of the WC being rammed full and rafted so deep you could walk ashore was simply not the case, in what would have been peak time

I also had the impression that things were not rammed, though I was away for a good deal of the time.

Interesting point about booking. Last spring a number of people were reporting West Country marinas as "not taking bookings" the implication was that they were snowed under by requests. However it is not common to take bookings at all in the area, because:
a) It is unusual not to find a berth on the day
and
b) In most places there are usable alternatives

Plus in many of the best spots: Salcombe, Fowey, Yealm, Upper Fal, Fowey, Helford etc there are no marina berths.


Thanks, great response from all, sure to be useful for those considering a visit next year.

.

 

[rotrax]

I noticed an Island Packet SP Cruiser anchored on the Lynher River upstream of Forder village. Reading this, I guess that was you. Your boat looked very smart.

I agree with Scilly Pete... the weather in the west country this summer has been particularly poor/grey/damp/windy for long periods interspersed with a couple of ultra hot and sunny weeks. I think that kept a lid on things.

We were in the Lyner several times, even encountering a Flasher at Dandy Hole!

Caught several Bass on small feathers. They were actively feeding on fry at certain tide states. None were big enough to take, but their presence shows promise for the future.

Nice place to stop and relax. We did drop down to the buoys by the village one night when severe wheather was forecast as another boat had anchored too close to us. I found a free one with heavy twin strops that held us while outside it was blowing 45kts.

We went to the Saltash Sailing Club for a few nights and had a rare public outing, taking a really nice Sunday lunch with them.

Returning to the dinghy we found some bugger had nicked our bailer! I had to borrow a jug from the chef.

Thanks for the compliment, we try and keep Jarrow Lily up together.

 

[Moonbeam]

We were in the Lyner several times, even encountering a Flasher at Dandy Hole!

I expect that could have been 'Will', he lives aboard all year round and enjoys a naked dip leaping from his boat. Probably a combination of a daily cleanse and a constitutional. He always returns a friendly wave.

 

[rotrax]

No, this was a motorboater, turned up, dropped his hook really close, stripped off, got the barby going while he was stark naked. His girlfriend - or the woman with him - was embarrassed. She hid below and would not catch our eyes.

He made a point of turning and facing us so we copped an eyefull of all he had!

He sodded off the next morning, making a lot of noise.

 

[ashtead]

Maybe he thought he was in Croatia -quite normal there or was looking for that beach near Dartmouth and got lost

 

[Wing Mark]

Many of the coastal towns in the West of England were unpleasantly crowded from about the tail end of June until mid September.
Made worse by staff shortages, so capacity to cope reduced.
The beach we sail dinghies from was often very busy at weekends, a lot of locals I think.

Several people I know have bought camper vans, possibly people will continue to think more about self catering in their vans and boats instead of paying high prices in tourist pubs?

I suspect next year might be quite different, ,many people will have paid high prices for mediocre holidays this year and will be booking somewhere warmer for 2022?

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Many of the coastal towns in the West of England were unpleasantly crowded from about the tail end of June until mid September.
Made worse by staff shortages, so capacity to cope reduced.
The beach we sail dinghies from was often very busy at weekends, a lot of locals I think.

Several people I know have bought camper vans, possibly people will continue to think more about self catering in their vans and boats instead of paying high prices in tourist pubs?

I suspect next year might be quite different, ,many people will have paid high prices for mediocre holidays this year and will be booking somewhere warmer for 2022?

Mediocre holidays in the West Country? Near paradise on earth!

We had trouble booking restaurant in Fowey but that was the only issue. Didnt fancy the Gallants menu but the place on quay slotted us in. As many of the coastal towns depend on tourism I hope it is near as busy next year.

As a camper van owner, what we save on accommodation in money often paid to absentee landlords, is instead spent locally on fine food and drink. We spend similar when visiting by sail.

 

[Lightwave395]

We returned from France to a swinging moorng at Pasco's on the East side of Falmouth harbour, during a couple of weeks there we had light easterlies and the area south from our mooring was rammed with anchored boats but it remained peaceful, we had no problem finding a buoy in Helford for a night although there did seem to be lots of boats about. The only real crowds we encountered were on the couple of times we walked into St Mawes for takeout fish and chips and found it very crowded.



We went down a few weeks ago for a few days and were greeted by a 20+ knot SW wind. We stayed onboard for all of an hour before giving up, returning to shore and driving home, I don't think I've ever been bounced around so much... Beware the East side of Carrick Roads

 

[Bathdave]

We were in the Lyner several times, even encountering a Flasher at Dandy Hole!

Caught several Bass on small feathers. They were actively feeding on fry at certain tide states. None were big enough to take, but their presence shows promise for the future.

Nice place to stop and relax. We did drop down to the buoys by the village one night when severe wheather was forecast as another boat had anchored too close to us. I found a free one with heavy twin strops that held us while outside it was blowing 45kts.

We went to the Saltash Sailing Club for a few nights and had a rare public outing, taking a really nice Sunday lunch with them.

Returning to the dinghy we found some bugger had nicked our bailer! I had to borrow a jug from the chef.

Thanks for the compliment, we try and keep Jarrow Lily up together.

I remember you and your boat …we berthed next to you on the pontoon in Fowey and had a chat. It’s always interesting to join up the dots and work out who are Scuttlebutters !