The Chaotic Compass Travel Advisory!
This, our first year of genuine sailing, has been a true adventure. Every aspect of it has been a challenge, sometimes very stressful, sometimes administratively exhausting, but mostly heaps of fun and lots of learning.
I have previously written about our year and our reflections on it, but I thought you might like to hear a little more about the places we have visited and sailed into....it may help plan your next adventure!!
The Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Dorset Coastines
It's easy, as an Australian, to be arrogant about our magnificent beaches and coastline. But I am here to tell you, the UK has a spectacular coast and this last couple of years has seen us explore those areas closest to where we lived. We have explored the Hampshire, Dorset and Isle of Wight coastlines this year and these areas should not be overlooked in lieu of the fabulous Devon or Cornwall counties.
Dotted with some lovely historic cities and villages, a visitor is never short of sites of significance to explore, unique places to sleep or local cuisines to sample. My favourites along this coastline are Chichester, Portsmouth, Weymouth and of course, Lymington. One must also visit Cowes if you are into sailing but Godshill on the Isle is also gorgeous. If you are really keen, you could walk the Coastal Path and see all these places, catching a ferry across the Solent to the Isle! Accommodation is never really hard to find and there is always a quaint little country inn or B'n'B enroute to stop at. The UK is also famous for its farmers markets and nearly every weekend and often on most weekdays, you can find some little market village to visit and pick up supplies or tasty treats.
Transport options are plenty. We often relied upon the rail network which I think is brilliant. A car does mean you can go off track of course, but the public transport is excellent.
And in terms of sailing....well, there are plenty of lovely anchorages and marines along this coast and all welcoming.
Across the Channel to France
After leaving Studland Bay on the Dorset Coast, we sailed across the Channel to Cherbourg, France. Cherbourg is a major maritime centre and a port of entry for France. It has a long history and was first mentioned in Roman records when it hosted a Roman garrison. Today, it is a very busy harbour with cross-Channel ferries, shipping, industry and yachting. Situated on the Normandy Coast, it is a great jump off point for visiting D Day and War museums and sites of significance, Chateaux and manors, and some amazing gardens. Of course, you can't say France and not mention its food, and cider and seafood is a big deal on this coastline! It's not fair to ask for my favourites as there is Rouen, Mont Saint Michel, Giverny, Caen, Alencon and the list goes on.
Accommodation is not a problem and my advice...go different. Find the quirky and unique and there are plenty!
For sailing, there are so many wonderful anchorages and bays to stop at, and some great marinas. On this trip though, we were focussed on 'checking in' for Schengen and getting some minor bits and pieces for Inelsamo.
From Normandy to Brittany
In the cover of darkness, we left Cherbourg, sailed through the Channel Islands and enjoyed the sun rising over the Brittany Coast. Brittany is a substantial region of France. Running from St Malo in the North to Brest in the West and Bretagne and the Loire in the Southwest. On several trips, we have road tripped through this area and it is overwhelming the places you can explore. In fact, it's a part of France you could spend months and still not be fulfilled! It's chock full of fortified villages, castles, and cathedrals, and the food and wine of this region is amazing. I love St Malo, Rennes, and Lorient.
On this trip however, we stopped in at two spots - Fort de Bertheaume and Benodet. Neither had we visited before and neither was planned or expected. Bertheaume was a necessary stop as we had some minor repairs to make to Inelsamo after our couple of nights sailing from Cherbourg. We anchored off the beach right under the shadow of the ancient fort which sits atop the hill. A quaint little seaside village that is famous for its adventure sports apparently!! I was too busy elbow deep in our bilges to really explore.
But Benodet....ah. Loved this place. Will definitely put this on my 'must revisit' list. We stopped in the Marina here for a couple of nights to replenish the pantry and fridge (and wine store). This gorgeous little village sits at the mouth of the River Odet. Its given over to tourism these days but still is a hidden gem with fabulous markets, seafood and walks along the coast. A tiny ferry across the river to Port de Sainte Marine provides even more exploring to be had.
Across the Bay of Biscay to Spain
Crossing the Bay of Biscay is an experience in itself and definitely a once in a lifetime thing. Of course you could skip down along the French coast visiting the amazing La Rochelle and Bordeaux, all the Marquee stops as someone put it, but having done that route by land before, we scooted direct across the Bay making landfall a couple of days later in Gijon, Spain.
Sitting on the Asturias Coast, this is a lovely historic old city rebuilding and reimagining itself. Well worth the visit. But it is this amazing coastline that took my breath away. It's known as the Green Coast because of the endless shades of green from the Cantabrian Sea, to the green of the cliff tops and mountains and the blues of the sky. This coast has fabulous charming villages and ports, beautiful walks including parts of the Pilgram's Way along the beaches, cliffs and the rivers which are in abundance. I knew nothing about this part of Spain previously and I'd love to shout out its value as a place to visit. My favourite was Luarca but seriously anywhere is worth it.
Further along from Luarca, you cross over into the Galicia region and Coast. This area is the start of all the Spanish Ria which are essentially amazing river mouths and estuaries dotted with lovely towns and villages. Along this coast we stopped at Ribadeo, Viveiro, A Coruna, Camarinas, Muros and Praia de Barra. Out of these, my favourites were Viveiro, A Coruna and Muros. Each completely different in nature but all fabulously welcoming with much to explore and enjoy...particularly the seafood. This part of Spain lives and breathes seafood!
In some of the rural or remote areas, accommodation is a little more harder to find but great spots do exist and once again, look for the unique farm house or beach cottage. Transport is again pretty easy and like most European countries the train system is great. However, having a car would certainly give you freedom to get lost.
Portugal!!
What can I say about Portugal. Love it. A country which has the oldest borders in Europe! It has so much to offer a visitor from an amazing variety of landscapes, enormous historical value and cultural heritage, and amazing cuisine and wine. You will feel welcome here!!
Portugal is easy to get around and driving is no problem at all. The distances, by Australian standards, are not far and so you can give visiting Portugal a decent whack and see pretty much all the sites.
Accommodation, again look for the unique experience. There are some fabulous little beach houses and Casa everywhere you go, along with the usual hotel chains.
My absolute favourites....Porto, Cascais, Lisbon. But there as some wonderful little villages worth visiting if you have wheels (or a set of sails) such as Sagres, Ferragudo, Portimao and Lagos. I think Faro is also worth a visit as it has a lovely old walled ancient city and some lovely mosaics.
Of course, Albufeira, where Inelsamo is spending winter, is also worth a visit but you do need to explore the coast path and beaches along the coast here. The town itself can be touristy and is popular for English visitors. Consequently, plenty of accommodation.
Obviously there is an abundance of information I could send your way but that might get boring. Just know that if you are considering these areas, just ask and you never know....I might have a recommendation or two to ponder. Either way, do not miss these somewhat overlooked parts of the UK, France, Spain and Portugal.
A final note: to get to any of these spots you can either fly into the airports at Gijon, A Coruna, Porto, or Faro from the major cities of Lisbon, Barcelona, Seville, or Madrid. Or you can catch the trains out of the major cities to these regional areas!
