Where to go? South Coast tour...

[HUMBER P4VWL]

If you had 2 weeks to tour South Coast, how would you do it and where to visit? Summer 2016

Thinking of say 2 or 3 launch points for a jaunt at each for a few days.

So far thinking:

Poole to see sandbanks and go around Isle of white with a stopover in Cowes.

Plymouth, with a trip to Salcombe, Newton Ferrers and Fowey.

Penzance, with trip to Michaels Mount then across to Scilly Isles for a few nights.

What places are worth visiting for views/lunches/exploring and/or easy storage for staying overnight B&Bs/camping?

Going to mix cheap B&Bs and kipping on the boat, using sailing club/marina showers.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by HUMBER P4VWL

If you had 2 weeks to tour South Coast, how would you do it and where to visit? Summer 2016

Thinking of say 2 or 3 launch points for a jaunt at each for a few days.

So far thinking:

Poole to see sandbanks and go around Isle of white with a stopover in Cowes.

Plymouth, with a trip to Salcombe, Newton Ferrers and Fowey.

Penzance, with trip to Michaels Mount then across to Scilly Isles for a few nights.

What places are worth visiting for views/lunches/exploring and/or easy storage for staying overnight B&Bs/camping?

Going to mix cheap B&Bs and kipping on the boat, using sailing club/marina showers.

Not a Bad list there HP
I'd add Weymouth...a nice place to visit/jump off and easy launching...with a run to West Bay/Lyme Regis an easy Day trip passing The Chesil and Portland Bill,and Harbour with plenty to see inc the Mulburrys they took to Normandy ect.
From Weymouth it's a very short Hop the other way to Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door a must see if your that way

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Lulworth cove and durdle door are a good shout, they could be done from Poole I guess, before heading towards silent.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by HUMBER P4VWL

If you had 2 weeks to tour South Coast, how would you do it and where to visit? Summer 2016

Id have left a week ago!

[paulbrown22]

I'd ditch Sandbanks in favour of Brownsea Island, Studland, Swanage, Lulworth Cove, Chapman's Pool, Weymouth. All easily do-able from Poole in an hour or two. Or enjoy a (slow speed) trip in and around Poole Harbour, Brownsea Island, Round/Long Islands, or up the river to Wareham.

But I love everywhere on your list! Dartmouth is nice as well if you're in that area, as is Falmouth and the Helford River. For Penzance, consider using Newlyn as it's all tide access, and whilst a big fishing port, I've always found it really friendly.

Obviously loads of places in the Solent to visit, I would include Lymington, Yarmouth, Newtown Creek, Beaulieu River, Bembridge and Chichester Harbour as some of my favourites.

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Originally Posted by Poly

Id have left a week ago!

Ha, I meant 2017, 40th birthday venture.

[John Kennett]

From the Solent to Lands End is some of the best RIB cruising in the UK, only rivalled by the west of Scotland.

Trying to do everything is likely to mean too much time in the car, and you're better off doing a couple of areas well instead of charging round trying to tick off loads of places.

If you want a "multi-centre" holiday by car then I would pick two of these:

Solent (various places to stay, but I'd suggest launching at Southampton and B&B in Cowes)

Jurassic Coast (Poole or Weymouth)

Devon (staying in Dartmouth, handy for Torbay, Salcombe)

Cornwall (staying in Falmouth, handy for Fowey, Penzance)

Have you thought about not relying on the car though and going on a proper expedition?

What's your fuel range and crew endurance like? Two weeks would make an interesting one way trip, but could be pushing it a bit to do both ways. If you could manage an extra week you should be able to do a round trip without too much trouble. Occasional long days would help with flexibility. It's perfectly possible to do Solent to Falmouth in a day if necessary given reasonable conditions.

[boristhebold]

From poole launch at cobbs quay marina holes bay.

Suggestions based on three day.

Day 1 launch cobbs quay travel past rnli through twin sails and poole bridge, through harbour and go clockwise round brownsea island, once past wills cut heading toward poole quay go left by condor terminal and headthrough back of harbour past hamworthy and lake and go up the wareham river for lunch in wareham. Head back through wareham river and harbour passing sandbanks millionaires row and through chain ferry entrance, head up swash channel to studland and old harry have a swim and a chill.

Day 2 go through poole harbour past old harry and go round swanage bay past pier and back out and head west past durlston head light house hugging the jurrassic coast, past dancing ledge, winspit etc head west past st aldhelms head and pop onto chapmans pool, head back out along jurrassic past kimeridge warbarrow bay and past lulworth to view durdle door, head back to lulworth for lunch and answim then head back to poole.

Day 3 leave poole head to isle of wight going near the needles then past the fort into solent and enter cowes for day.

[HUMBER P4VWL]

6.3m rib with 140-190 litres. Plenty of range.

All useful info cheers. Basically I'll tow down to say Poole and then venture east with one or two stopovers either on board or at B&Bs

Then head west for a night or two, then return and tow further west to say Plymouth where I'll do similar.

Then tow to Penzance to do Scilly isles.

Don't want to do one long trip away from car/trailer, then back in case weather turned or boat died and needed to recover.

Does that make sense?

[toonpirate]

If your going to Scilly and want to know good B&B's to stay at let me know, I lived there for a couple of years and still have some contacts who can point you in the right direction.

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Cheers. All in the ideas/planning stage at the minute.

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by HUMBER P4VWL

Don't want to do one long trip away from car/trailer, then back in case weather turned or boat died and needed to recover.

Does that make sense?

Nope!
Has someone stopped public transport working along the South Coast.
Shove boat in at S'Ton. Starting tootling West. When you get as far as time/weather/gear failure/crew failure will allow:

- leave the crew where you come ashore to spend a day chilling.
- catch a train back to S'Ton.
- take Car & Trailer West
- retrieve boat
- job done.

[John Kennett]

Definitely doable as a Plan B. As a worst case you should be able to do Penzance-Southampton-Penzance by train and car in 12 hours.

[paulbrown22]

Obviously very weather dependent, and depends how much the rest of the crew enjoy longer and possibly slightly bumpy passages, but unless dreadful should be no reason you can't do Poole -> Penzance -> Poole in 2 weeks solely by boat, and possibly Scilly as well, depending on how much time you want to spend in the various harbours along the way - there are some lovely places to explore.

I did Poole -> Penzance (Newlyn) -> Poole over 4 days a couple of years ago in pretty rough weather, stopping overnight at Salcombe both ways, and a pop in to Falmouth for lunch and present buying on day 2. My thinking was exactly as above - if something goes wrong (weather/boat) such that I need to tow it home, I'd just stick it in port for a day rr two and catch the train back to Poole to retrieve the trailer.

My little video of that trip here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBADORyniUw

Thinking about this makes me want to do it again now!

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

Nope!

Has someone stopped public transport working along the South Coast.

Shove boat in at S'Ton. Starting tootling West. When you get as far as time/weather/gear failure/crew failure will allow:



- leave the crew where you come ashore to spend a day chilling.

- catch a train back to S'Ton.

- take Car & Trailer West

- retrieve boat

- job done.

Fair point! Hadn't even thought of that.

Quite like the idea of no timetable actually, with flex on distances/stopovers. Just an exploration.

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by HUMBER P4VWL

Fair point! Hadn't even thought of that.

Quite like the idea of no timetable actually, with flex on distances/stopovers. Just an exploration.

I have an urge to do Round Britain that way. Possibly by Wind rather than Petrol Power. Sail a bit. Park up for a few weeks, get train home. Train back and carry on etc. I'm sane age as you - it's in my bucket list if things to do b4 I'm 50!

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Whole of Britain by sail would be a bit boring in my eyes. Lots of rather dull areas.

A full summer by sail doing the south coast, channel and Scilly isles. Now even the wife might buy in to that!

Then rib trips to western Scotland and Ireland. Sorted.

[ShinyShoe]

The East Coast is the only 'boring' bit really. But sailing makes it less boring... There is stuff to do rather than sitting at a wheel pushing the throttle.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by HUMBER P4VWL

Whole of Britain by sail would be a bit boring in my eyes. Lots of rather dull areas.

A full summer by sail doing the south coast, channel and Scilly isles. Now even the wife might buy in to that!

Then rib trips to western Scotland and Ireland. Sorted.

You do know that outside the Menai there be dragons, big ones😏


Lions led by donkeys

[HUMBER P4VWL]

I thought the dragons were all in Wales? X