Who needs France, Greece or the Caribbean when the UK can offer all that you need for great sailing holidays around Britain? From strong winds to stunning scenery, Britain has it all when it
comes to affordable getaways that whole families can enjoy.
Learning how to sail can open the doors to a huge range of holiday and leisure options, whether your ultimate aim is to sail around Britain yourself, enjoy a chartered yacht holiday, or take part in a charity event.
Even if you have never sailed before, there are options available. For example, you could have joined First Class Sailing as we sailed around Britain to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Our Sail Round Britain Adventure started at Fambridge Yacht Haven and will take in around 30 UK ports, covering more than 1,500 miles. We are visiting – or have already visited some of Britain’s best sailing destinations, including The Farne Islands, the Caledonian Canal, Crinan, the Clyde Estuary, Milford Haven, Portpatrick, Padstow, Falmouth, Fowey, Plymouth, Weymouth, and Brighton.
Learning to sail
There was the option to join us for the whole trip but even if you missed the start, there was still the chance to join us for one of the other five to seven-day legs. Each one offered a crew member the chance to skipper the boat as a Yachtmaster qualifying passage, as well as offering a great introduction to learning how to sail.
That chance may have passed but First Class Sailing can still start you on your voyage of discovery on British waters by offering London sailing courses, among other destinations, including practical sailing courses.
Ways to sail around Britain
Whether you fancy a learn to sail holiday or have your heart set on chartering your own boat in the future, there are many different ways you can explore British waters.
You could choose to spend time sipping whiskey on a skippered charter yacht as you watch whales dive and roll off the Hebrides or swim with seals off the Scillies. One of the great things about British waters is that they are bursting with oxygen, meaning that they are, quite literally, full of life.
There are both modern and historic craft to sail and a multitude of different locations to explore. Just the county of Cornwall, for example, can offer a vast array of different experiences, from the harshness of the Lizard to the calmness of Falmouth and Charlestown’s tiny harbour.
When it comes to the craft, the huge variety of sailing ships range from the likes of the Brixham trawler and other square-riggers to vessels with their rigs scraping the skies and wide, flat decks on which to work – and experience one of the best adrenaline rushes around.
Adventure holidays are a popular choice, often combining learning how to sail better with some serious sightseeing, and partying, along with the opportunities to race.
If you like this idea, then the Solent is the place to go, whatever your level of experience or expertise. The Round The Island Race, for example, offers different grades of excitement, and danger, depending on which boat you’re on.
