Southampton is our base on the English side of the Ärmel Channel. The town is sheltered in a branch of the channel, but sailing is still challenging due to the tidal range and currents, as well as heavy shipping traffic. The rewards are a beautiful coastal landscape that shows us the history of the earth, as well as small bays and beaches in the steep coast. The area around Southampton with the offshore Isle of Wight is the sailing center of Südengland, where the famous Cowes Week Regatta is held. On the southwest coast in the counties of Devon and Cornwall, you will find idyllic fishing villages, opulent stately homes and impressive towns.
Climate: temperateä&aerospace;igt with temperatures between 15 and 20 degrees
Winds:West winds
Sailing season: May to September
Yacht charter Southampton
If you start your trip from the city of Southampton, you will find yourself in the sailing center of England. Protected in a side arm, which is called The Solent, one is not exposed here to the whole energy of the English Channel, however, the current conditions are not to be underestimated. In this area the experienced yacht charterer will find an impressive landscape with a variety of nature and cities like Southampton and Portsmouth. The city can be reached from Germany by direct flights, but mostly by connecting flights. The international airport is only a few kilometers away from the city.
With a yacht charter Southampton to the sailing mecca Isle of Wight and the fossil Jurassic Coast
Due to its sheltered location, Southampton already played an important role as a trading port under the Normans and later also in shipbuilding. The city is also linked to a tragic event in recent maritime history: it was from here that the Titanic set off on its first and last voyage. Since a large part of the crew came from the region, the SeaCity Museum is devoted to this topic in greater detail.
In the bay lie other smaller important port cities in southern England, and if you drive a bit eastward, you reach the city of Portsmouth. Many Royal Navy ships, including aircraft carriers, are berthed here, as well as their headquarters. Accordingly, there are also sights and activities related to the Navy, such as exhibitions on the history of submarines in Submarine World or museum ships like the famous HMS Victory or the Mary Rose. Portsmouth was also the starting point for the Normandy landings, the events and course of which are covered by the D-Day Museum.
The Solent is also home to the Isle of Wight, which is a highlight of the region. The coast is characterized by bright chalk cliffs, best known The Needles in the far west of the island, the interior of the island forms a green hilly landscape with small idyllic villages. In the north lies the international sailing mecca of Cowes, which hosts one of the largest regattas in the world, Cowes Week. This regatta has a long tradition, as it has been held annually in August since 1826. The Isle of Wight has long been a popular vacation destination among the English, even Queen Victoria appreciated the island and built Osborne House as her residence, where she also died. The house is still furnished as it was during her lifetime and is open to visitors. The island also invites for hiking and biking.
West of the bay, you can take a detour to the Beaulieu River, which leads to the town of the same name. Around the river already stretches the New Forest National Park, a large forest area that invites you to a hiking stop. Further west, in the county of Dorset, stretches the Jurassic Coast, which is considered an Area of Outstanding Beauty and is protected. On the coastal cliffs, geological structures can be found, some of which are over 200 million years old. The strata reveal rocks from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Special are also the high occurrences of fossils. In the rocky coast there are small bays and sandy beaches, for example Lulworth Cove near the landmark of the region, the Durdle Door, a natural rock bridge made of limestone in the sea, or Ladram Bay. A long-distance hiking trail also runs along the Jurassic Coast.
The southwest coast of England is also known as the English Riviera, especially the Torbay region. Long sandy beaches stretch along the coast and even palm trees and other exotic plants grow here. The Devon and Cornwall regions are home to picturesque fishing villages such as Mevagissy and small and large traditional harbor towns such as Salcombe and Dartmouth, from which the Mayflower set off across the Atlantic, as well as the region's largest city, Plymouth. When the sea gets rough, the rivers offer shelter, and they are also worth exploring. There are also usually stately homes nearby that can be visited, and what would England be without beautifully manicured gardens. Near the village of Mevagissy is a special one called The Lost Garden of Heligan. It too once belonged to a stately home. The garden fascinates with different themes as well as its sustainable cultivation methods. For example, there is an ornamental garden with several pavilions and a crystal grotto, as well as a rock ravine. In the kitchen garden, several hundred varieties of fruits and vegetables grow, cultivated according to farming methods from Victorian times. A jungle of subtropical plants was also planted in a valley over a hundred years ago. The garden is also home to rare wildlife.
If the south of Great Britain is too lovely for you, you will find bases in mystical landscapes and more nature in Scotland on the Isle of Skye and in Inverness.
Yacht charter Southampton - set sail with 1a Yachtcharter!
