West Country advice required.

[StugeronSteve]

Summer cruise is coming up and it looks like a West Country trip is on the cards. Weymouth, Dartmouth, Salcombe, Newton Ferrers, Plymouth for victualling and then onwards via. Fowey, Falmouth and Helford, I hope.

Never put into Plymouth so my question is...... Which is the best situated marina for access to supermarkets, cinemas and general fleshpots?

Any help would be appreciated. Also if there happens to be any forumites down that way, in a few weeks time, we could share a pint or two.

<hr width=100% size=1>Semper Bufo

 

[Scillypete]

Sutton harbour marina puts you right in the heart of the Barbican, Queen Anne's battery a little further out but not much. Mayflower marina is at the other end of the city centre and a bit more of a walk to town for the shops but is close to union st if you are into sharing your nights out with hundreds of kids and other's intent on following the youth culture of the day ie get legless asap.

<hr width=100% size=1>Rather a bad day on the water than a good day at the office.

 

[tugboat]

Plymouth is undergoing something of a metamorphosis at the moment and the current stage is bombsite! The top end of the city centre is being flattened and Tesco is no more. I'm not a Plymothian but I think the only major supermarket in the centre is now Sainsbury's. The nearest marina to the action is Sutton Harbour which puts you in the heart of the Barbican district. You have to go through a lock to enter. It's a fair hike to Sainsbury's but there are plenty of other food stores. If you should feel like a quiet spell away from marina life, no-one will hassle you for money if you drop anchor somewhere out the way.

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[GeorgeP]

It's all beautiful down there. Last year I did Weymouth/Topsham/Turf Lock/Torquay/Dartmouth and enjoyed them all (although I would have enjoyed them more if it had ever stopped raining!).

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[jorinda]

And there was I thinking your shore power lead only streched to the mouth of the Beaulieu River.



<hr width=100% size=1>The Chandler at Bucklers Hard

 

[GeorgeP]

Nearly 30 miles from Poole?

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[John_N]

Sutton is too close to the Barbican which is almost as bad as Union Street for lager louts on a Friday and Saturday night.

I'm surprised that previous posters have omitted to mention Plymouth Yacht Haven. Although it's on the other side of the Cattewater there is a regular ferry service to the town centre, and there is an excellent hypermarket ten minutes away in Plymstock by frequent bus service. Access is easy at all times and the pontoons are well spaced. The staff are friendly and the toilet and shower facilities are luxurious. To cap it all there are a couple of very good pubs within easy staggering distance.

In my opinion it's by far the best of the bunch.

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[StugeronSteve]

Nah. Bin down the electrical merchants and bought an extra 200mls. Could never have afforded it in your place! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Semper Bufo

 

[AlienP2]

Sutton Harbour (personal choice). Few remaining fisherman tend to use all the hot water, but the EU is putting a stop to that.

If its raining (it will be) try the aquarium. Much better than the usual type, the tanks resemble big screen TVs where you can sit back and watch the fish (and turtle) swim by.

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[tritonofnor]

i will, of course recommend Plymouth Yacht Haven as I work there. Bus every 20 mins to Plymstock for supermarket, or into town. Water taxi nearby running straight into the heart of Plymouth every 20 mins. Best pub in Plymouth IMHO 5 min walk (or two min dinghy ride) in the village. Better shelter than QAB/Mayflower, less drunken louts about than Sutton Harbour and as John_N said - friendly staff!

<hr width=100% size=1>Marina skips - the greatest free resource centre!

 

[dralex]

I must say, Plymouth Yacht Haven is one of the better value marinas in this area. I'm still on the waiting list. Also agree about the shelter as it sits around the corner. The local supermarket is huge- looks like a French hyperstore and the isles are so high I can't reach the top. Mayflower is good, but takes about 20mins to walk into town- worth walking then getting taxi back with shopping.

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now.

 

[StugeronSteve]

Thanks guys, any other info that might prove to be useful west of the Dart would be much apreciated. Steve.

<hr width=100% size=1>Semper Bufo

 

[jimi]

From last year my experience was:

Dartmouth.. hang about until after 17:00 and then moor on the town quay
Fowey .. worth going up to Mixtow Pill to see if you can get moored there.
Salcombe .. nightmare when busy
Newton Ferrers .. lovely
Mevagissey .. anchor outside
Helford .. anchor up at the top
Falmouth .. go to Pandora




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[StugeronSteve]

Re: Salcombe, the more I hear....

.... the less it appeals.

<hr width=100% size=1>Semper Bufo

 

[dralex]

Anchoring in Frogmore Creek at Salcombe is pretty nice and usually quite. There's a deep part in the channel which we go in, even with a fin keel. You just need to make sure the boat lies in the right place on the ebb tide because the entrance is pretty shallow at LW. River Lyner off the Tamar is pretty and worth exploring. The Yealm is small and crowded, but pretty.

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now.

 

[snowleopard]

a few additions to everyone else's excellent comments:

mayflower (plymouth) run free buses to sainsbury's in city centre for shopping.

falmouth visitor's marina is good value and reasonably central

in popular spots like salcombe, cawsand etc. don't expect to go ashore for a meal without booking especially at weekends.

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[MrG]

Hi Steve
SWMBO and I are aiming to do the same trip, starting from Haslar on Mon 26th or Tues 27th July.
We'll keep a look out for Two JJ's

Have you booked the weather?

Wishing you fair winds and a good trip..

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>Mark

 

[StugeronSteve]

Hi Mark. We will be going a little later than you, but our paths may cross.

Agency have screwed up my weather bookings so far this year, so I'm not too hopeful.

Have a good holiday. Steve.

<hr width=100% size=1>Semper Bufo

 

[dralex]

We had enough bad weather on our trip last week that I suspect the Weather Gods are going to take a while to restock- hope it's good for you.

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now.

 

[whisper]

Plymouth - For relative peace, yet near enough to the action I'd choose Queen Ann's Battery - Sutton Harbour too near the action at weekends.
Plymouth Yacht Haven out on a limb on the wrong side of the water but 2 excellent pubs nearby. A number of forumites "live" there.
Mayflower also out on a limb in the opposite direction and visitors pontoon can be very bouncy due to exposure to lots of passing traffic.

Good anchorage up R.Lynher at Wizards Pool , vis buoys available at Weir Quay I think. Super day trip up Tamar to Calstock. Go upstream from Weir Quay on a rising tide and anchor just upstream of ferry pontoon in Calstock.

Salcombe - very busy at weekends - Vis buoys off S. part of town can be very bumpy in fresh to strong S'lies. As mentioned by others - good anchorage just inside Frogmore Creek but a long trek into Salcombe. Anchorage N.W. of the Saltstone is a bit nearer. Bilge keelers can enjoy drying out alongside quay at Kingsbridge - far more down to earth place than Salcombe. Its also got a Summerfield supermarket 5 mins walk from the quay. Accessible for 1.5m draft approx 2hrs either side of HW - maybe more.

River Yealm - super spot so get to the vis. pontoons early in the day.

Nice anchorage off the beach at Cawsand at entrance to Plymouth Sound.

Looe - think I'd give it a miss - rather tacky - like Brixham is[shock]
Polperro - pick up vis. buoy - nice place to stop for a few hours.
Fowey - super
Falmouth - personally think the town is a bit of a dump. Visitors Yacht Haven excellent for shops etc. Upriver is really lovely.
Helford River - vis. buoys in The Pool - gets a bit crowded but lovely trip further up river and up the creeks probably by dinghy.

Have a great time.





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