Sailing holidays to England, Great Britain, United Kingdom (U.K.)
The English coast offers a very varied and impressive landscape. The British people are friendly and courteous. They speak quite good English here, which means that for most people there is no language barrier. The United Kingdom is close to the Netherlands, so sailing holidays to England does not have to be expensive.
Time has stood still in many ports of Great Britain and the British people do their best to keep it that way. This is also one of the charms of sailing holidays in Great Britain. After a nice day of sailing, you will enter a harbour with beautiful classic Victorian or sometimes even medieval buildings. The estuaries are usually beautifully wooded with green slopes and magnificent cliffs. There is always a cozy pub and with a bit of luck it twill have live music.
Sailing round Britain (U.K.) | Sail along to England, Great Britain
From our home port of Rotterdam, we can sail to the United Kingdom (U.K.) in 24 hours theoretically. This of course depends on the weather. The wind can be strong and fog is not unknown in this part of the North Sea.
Around 300 ships pass through the English Channel every day, making this sailing area one of the busiest routes in the world. Nowadays there are also many windmill parks being build, which are extra obstacles. “Shipping Lanes” separate the shipping traffic. In which we can only cross at 90-degree angles. In addition, there are many ferries and fishing vessels outside of the shipping lanes. Furthermore, we will have to make use of the tide, because the currents can be pretty strong.
The closest ports across the the English Channel are Ramsgate and Dover, typical charming English harbours. On top of the “white cliffs of Dover” (the famous chalk cliffs) lies the ruin of Dover Castle. This is a beautiful old and large castle from where you will have a nice view over the English Channel and you can see France in the distance.
The Castle and the constant mooring of the ferries, the typical Victorian houses and the brand new marina, all make this harbour a special destination after or before crossing over the English Channel. If there is enough time, it is definitely worth taking a walk to the lighthouse, with has a cozy vintage interior, to have a cup of tea with delicious “Scones”.
The atmospheric port of Ramsgate is surrounded by old warehouses, built against the white chalk cliffs. The old buildings provide a cozy atmosphere and in the evening, you can admire and experience the typical English nightlife.
Sailing voyages to England, with or without sailing experience
You do not need to have sailing experience to sail along to the UK. Usually we will be in a harbor or at anchor every night, except on our category-A sailing trips. During our sailing holidays with category C, there will also be more time to spend ashore for example a long walk or an excursion.
We will regularly have to carry out a sailing maneuver. The sailing enthusiast can help us, but nothing is mandatory, after all it is your holiday, you can simply enjoy and relax.
Bed & Breakfast in the U.K. / Great Britain / England
On some of our sailing holidays in the United Kingdom, it is also possible to book an extra day on the boat (as Bed & Breakfast), so that you can explore the surroundings by yourself. This option is indicated in the sailing schedule.
Sail with us to Whitby
Depending on the weather, the approach of Whitby can be spectacular or even impossible. However, definitely worth trying, with its beautiful abbey ruin on the cliff and the entrance with wooden piers. The old town center with narrow streets on the north bank is very nice and cozy. It is certainly worthwhile to spend a day in Whitby on our sailing holidays to England.
You can, for example, climb the 199 steps to the abbey and enjoy the view over the North Sea. Just as Count Dracula did when he made landfall in Whitby. Fishing has been an important source of income for Whitby, in particular whaling. This old fishing port is a popular destination for the British people themselves, and known for its fish & chips. It is also nice to visit the museum of the famous Captain Cook who grew up here.
Sailing holidays to the heart of London city
From Rotterdam, a return trip to London is possible within a week (if the weather cooperates). With stopovers in other nice harbours and off course, sailing through the night. London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom and is the political, economic and cultural center of this country. We can ty up right in the city center, close to the famous Tower Bridge, one of London’s largest tourist attractions.
We will need two days to sail up the river Thames from Ramsgate. The best way to enter a city is usually to sail in. We will remain a day in London for sightseeing and or shopping.
Sailing holidays in Cornwall & Devon
Cornwall and Devon are the two most southwestern provinces of England and due to the mild climate, the region is also called “the English Riviera”. The sea water has a beautiful greenish color and is crystal clear.
Particularly special are the beautiful hillsides and the authentic and charming old villages. A number of these villages, such as Fowey, are situated on beautiful river mouths with beautiful houses, trees and sandy beaches, which are fantastic to sail in. The ports are not far apart, so the daily distances are not very long either. After sailing you can take a wonderful “woodland” stroll or go shopping in a pleasant shopping street and enjoy tea and scones. As usual in the U.K., there is always a pub to be found, which often has live music. In Plymouth, there is even a buzzing nightlife on the harbor, ideal for a pub crawl.
Sailing holidays to the Scilly isles
The Scilly Isles are close to Land’s End, the southwest tip of Cornwall in England. A small and special archipelago with jagged cliffs, dazzling white beaches and crystal clear water. With a warm ocean current, the North Atlantic Drift, the Isles of Scilly have the mildest and warmest climate in the United Kingdom. As a result, all kinds of exotic flowers and even a few palm trees can grow here.
There are no ports, but there are several sheltered anchor bays, depending on the wind and the Atlantic ocean swell. We can go ashore with the dinghy or a water taxi. There are numerous hiking trails along the coast and there are many forts worth seeing. The islands are small and after a not too long walk there is usually a cozy pub or an atmospheric tea room to be found.
The Isles of Scilly have around 2200 inhabitants, most of which are located on the largest island, St. Mary’s. From large to small, there are five inhabited Isles of Scilly: St. Mary’s, Tresco, Bryher, St. Martin and St. Agnes. The Isles of Scilly are an ideal stop over on our sailing passages between Ireland and England or Brittany.
Have a look at the Photo album: Sailing holidays around the United Kingdom
Read more about our British sailing area and possible ports of call and islands that we can visit during our sailing holidays:
– Sail along to Scotland
– Sail along around the Shetland & Orkney Islands
– Sail along to Northern Ireland
– Sailing along around the Channel Islands
