Cruising from Millbay: Five Destinations Within a Day’s Sail of King Point
One of the real pleasures of keeping your boat at King Point Marina is just how much is within easy reach. Tucked into the naturally sheltered basin at Millbay, you are moments from open water, and once you slip out into Plymouth Sound the cruising grounds of the South West unfold in every direction. As the season gets going, here are five favourites, each comfortably within a day’s sail.
Cawsand and Kingsand, just across the Sound
For a first sail of the season, it is hard to beat the twin villages of Cawsand and Kingsand. Only a few miles across Plymouth Sound on the Cornish side, they offer a sheltered anchorage, a pair of pretty beaches and a choice of pubs a short dinghy ride ashore. Perfect for a lazy lunch and back in your berth by evening.
The River Yealm, a hidden gem to the east
A short hop east brings you to the River Yealm, one of the loveliest anchorages on this coast. The wooded creek shelters the villages of Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo, and picking up a visitor mooring here feels a world away from anywhere, despite being so close to the city. Time your entrance with the tide over the bar and enjoy the peace.
Up the Tamar, history on the water
For something different, point the bow north and head up the River Tamar. Sailing beneath Brunel’s great railway bridge and Telford’s road bridge, you leave the city behind for a green, winding valley. Push on towards Calstock and Cotehele and you are cruising through some of the most tranquil water in the region, with centuries of history on either bank.
Fowey, a proper day’s sail west
When you want to feel you have made a passage, Fowey is the answer. A day’s sail west along the Cornish coast delivers you to a bustling, deep-water harbour framed by steep wooded hills, all Daphne du Maurier romance and working boats. Pick up a mooring, explore the town, and make a weekend of it.
Salcombe, east to the estuary
In the other direction lies Salcombe, a day’s sail east and one of the jewels of the South Devon coast. The sandy estuary, golden beaches and sheltered creeks make it a summer favourite, though the bar deserves respect and careful timing. Few places reward the passage quite so handsomely.
Millbay, the perfect base for it all
What ties these together is how achievable they all are from King Point. A sheltered berth with 24-hour access means you can leave when the weather is right and return whenever suits, and because you are so close to open water, more of your day is spent sailing and less spent getting out of the marina. As the days lengthen, the horizons only grow: the Channel Islands and the Isles of Scilly are well within reach for those wanting a bigger adventure, but that is a story for another month.
Fancy making Millbay your home port this season? Talk to the team on 01752 424 297 or marina@kingpointmarina.co.uk about berthing at King Point.
