N
Whitehaven Whitehaven
Marina
Peel Harbour
Marina
Douglas
Marina
To Portaferry
43nm
To Ardglass
42nm
To
Greystones
Marina
54nm
To Malahide
55nm
Preston
Marina
Liverpool
Marina
Conwy Quays
Marina
St Bee’s
Head
Great Ormes
Head
Abermenai
Point
Snaefell
Scafell Pike
Douglas
Port
Erin
Peel
Barrow-
in-Furness
Morecambe
Blackpool
Fleetwood
Morecambe
Bay
Conwy
Bay
Swellies
Menai
Strait
River
Ribble
Irish
Sea
River
Mersey
Lytham
St Annes
Crosby
New Bootle
Brighton Liverpool
Llandudno
Holyhead Beaumaris Conwy
Caernarfon
Pwllheli
Porthdinllaen
Preston
LAKE
DISTRICT
ISLE OF
MAN
SNOWDONIA
NATIONAL
PARK
LANCASHIRE
LLEYN PENINSULA
ANGLESEY
HOLY
ISLAND
PUFFIN
ISLAND
WALES
ENGLAND
nautical miles
0 5 10 15 20 25
a chandler and boatyard on site.
The wide drying mouth of the Ribble opens
into the Irish Sea ten miles north of the
Mersey. The entrance looks a bit tricky
on the chart but in fair weather, within two
hours of high water it’s easy to fi nd the outer
perches by plotter and follow the 12-mile
channel in past Lytham St Annes. Use Admiralty
1981 and the directions in the latest Reeds
Nautical Almanac. If possible, the marina
appreciates reasonable notice of arrivals.
From seaward on a clear day, you’ll see the 158m Blackpool
Tower, six miles north of the estuary and one of England’s
iconic landmarks. As the channel draws closer to Lytham, the
solid Lancashire houses look rather homely, though the distant
south bank is wild and marshy, like a scene from the Fens. Above
Lytham, the narrowing river runs through largely rural country
almost as far as the lock.
Robert Gasse bases
his Nelson 42 at
Preston Marina
PRESTON AND THE
RIVER RIBBLE
I am starting with Preston because it seems so
amazing to fi nd a comfy marina in the heart
of this historic Lancashire textile town. Yet here
it is, a welcoming yacht harbour in a 40-acre
dock which once pioneered roll-on roll-off
cargo handling. Reached by a lock from the
River Ribble, the marina is immediately inside
the basin to port, opposite some apartments
and a leafy promenade. Baffi to’s Italian
restaurant is next to the lock with a pleasant terrace. There’s
Whitehaven Marina
backs on to the Lake
District National Park
TRAVEL
The latest Reeds Nautical
Almanac is invaluable (www.
reedsnauticalalmanac.co.uk).
David Rainsbury’s Irish
Sea Pilot is an excellent guide
(www.imray.com).
Imray’s C62 Irish Sea chart
has useful approach plans,
including the Preston channel.
Admiralty chart 1826 is the
main reference in this feature
and covers the east side of the
Irish Sea and the Isle of Man.
CHARTS AND GUIDES