MARINA FOCUS

38 MARINA FOCUS

FAMBRIDGE YACHT HAVEN

Marina Manager: Danyal Adams Fambridge Yacht Haven Church Road, North Fambridge, Essex CM3 6LU VHF Channel 80 01621 740370 fambridge@yachthavens.com www.yachthavens.com

This month we head to Essex and pay a visit to the charming Fambridge Yacht Haven, which is laying more swinging moorings this winter to meet growing demand.

NESTLED within a peaceful and pretty village in Essex, Fambridge Yacht Haven is less than an hour from London and boasts an impressive range of facilities. It is not hard to see why this marina is commonly referred to as ‘the jewel of the River Crouch’.

Fambridge offers a back-to-basics family holiday with watersports on the river, mudlarking and fi shing on the shore, along with wildlife watching across the surrounding salt marshes, tidal fl ats and grasslands.

The marina is split across two sites. On the riverside is the Yacht Station with access to the marina’s river moorings, visitor pontoon, boatyard and the Ferry Boat Inn. Within Stow Creek is the Yacht Haven and the 200 berth marina, indoor and outdoor boat storage, 40 ton boat hoist and marina café.

Part of the Yacht Havens Group, berth holders benefi t from a rural, peaceful marina, but with the professional services and facilities that come from being part of a modern marina group.

Berth holders also enjoy discounted cruising through the TransEurope Marina scheme, as well as 14 days’ free berthing across Yacht Havens’ eight other marinas around the UK and the Netherlands.

There are many things to do, both on and off the water in this part of Essex FACILITIES 200 berth modern pontoon marina 120 deep water swinging moorings Complimentary launch service for swinging mooring holders Visitor berthing 24 hour access to toilet, showers and laundry Ample free parking Free Wi-Fi throughout the site Extensive boatyard with lifting for boats up to 40 tons Indoor and outdoor boat storage Park and launch slipway service Chandlery On-site eateries including The Ferry

Boat Inn and River Breeze cafe

BERTHING & STORAGE With more than 120 moorings, the River Crouch offers excellent value for money for boat owners wanting the freedom and economy of swinging moorings.

Suitable for boats up to 16m in length and up to 18 tons, owners get complimentary use of a fl oating tender pontoon and seven-day ferry service. There is even a handy pontoon for easy pick-up/drop-off of crew and belongings.

For year-round use, Fambridge offers a ‘Summer Swing’ package – seven months on a swinging mooring during the summer and fi ve months on a sheltered pontoon berth over the winter.

Indoor and outdoor storage is available at Fambridge Yacht Haven

ACCESS Well connected by road and with a direct train line to London, Fambridge Yacht Haven is located in a peaceful, rural part of Essex overlooking the scenic River Crouch.

North Fambridge is 6nm upriver from Burnham-on-Crouch. Approaching from seaward, pass through Burnham Fairway on the south (port) bank of the river and leave Essex Marina and the commercial Baltic Wharf at Wallasea Island on your port side. The river is wide and deep to North Fambridge

where you will see the Yacht Station on your starboard side as well Fambridge’s river moorings. To access the marina, continue beyond the Yacht Station to Stow Post and into Stow Creek.

North Fambridge is well-connected by road and situated between South Woodham Ferrers and Burnham-onCrouch on the northern bank of the River Crouch. The village train station has hourly trains to London Liverpool Street with complimentary pick up/ drop off from the marina team. By road, the M25 is just 30 minutes away.

There are lots of opportunities for watersports in this area including at the nearby activity centre There is a park and launch slipway service

LOCAL EATERIES Reopening soon, the historic Ferry Boat Inn has undergone a major renovation. The characterful 16th century pub is being carefully restored with a little 21st century space being added.

THINGS TO DO North Fambridge is a peaceful retreat for families, rallies and solo-travellers with fi ne riverside walks to country pubs and plenty of children’s attractions. Overlooking the marina, a recently opened adventure playground allows children to play, with the adjacent River Breeze Café open 7 days a week serving freshly cooked food.

North Fambridge Yacht Club and West Wick Yacht Club are both based at Fambridge Yacht Haven, with an active racing, social and cruising programme allyear round.

The jointly organised Winter Series provides free racing for yachts of all sizes, with the Sunday series culminating in a popular Icicle Pursuit Race in the New Year.

After years of planning and fundraising, the 1st North Fambridge Holy Trinity Sea Scouts Group opened their new activity centre at the Yacht Haven last year. Utilising the sheltered Fambridge pond, the centre is fi tted out with a fl oating pontoon, a range of watersports equipment, offi ce and storage. The centre will take young Scouts aged fi ve to 25 on the water, teaching them the basics of kayaking, sailing, canoeing and other watersports.

The Blue House Farm Nature Reserve is a migration hotspot for a variety of birds, with the riverside walk a popular place to spot owls. The 605 acre farm is managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust ensuring the Site of Scientifi c Interest is well-protected for wildfowl and wading birds. Continuing down the riverside footpath takes you through scenic Essex countryside with several train stations en-route to return you back to Fambridge.

A classic boat near the yacht station, with access to the marina’s river moorings, visitor pontoon, boatyard and the Ferry Boat Inn