Devon, England

Lynmouth Harbour slipway

Launch — A concrete slipway on the east side of Lynmouth Harbour entrance, owned by North Devon Council.

Parking — Nearest is the Esplanade car park, with Manor Foreshore car park closer on the harbour's east side; charges apply year-round, 10am to 6pm, to all users including Blue Badge holders.

Access — Reached via the public harbourside road on Riverside Road, at sea level 210 metres below Lynton; there is no harbourmaster, and no booking requirement for launching is published by the harbour authority.

Season — The harbour hosts a regatta and maritime festival, and a raft race, run by the local sailing club; the public toilets may close during the off-season; the harbour authority carries out maintenance dredging of berths, causeway and access each spring.

Regulations — North Devon Council owns Lynmouth Harbour; Lynton and Lynmouth Town Council runs it under an agency agreement. The harbour is open to the public and holds no byelaws or statutory powers to regulate vessels, so no licence or registration applies to unpowered craft.

Lynmouth's small harbour sits where the East and West Lyn rivers meet the Bristol Channel, in a gorge below Lynton. The original harbour and boat house were destroyed in the catastrophic flood of August 1952 and have since been rebuilt; the slipway on Riverside Road gives tidal access from the harbour into the channel.

Downstream of the harbour mouth the coast runs west past the Valley of Rocks and Lee Bay toward Woody Bay, and east toward Foreland Point. Further west, near Combe Martin, Great Hangman carries the highest sheer sea cliff in England and Wales at 244 metres; the whole stretch is recognised as Heritage Coast.

At the harbour entrance stands the Rhenish Tower, a square rubble tower on the pier originally built to store sea water for baths. The harbour remains a working one, home to a local sailing club and to small fishing and tourist boats running trips along this stretch of coast.

Nearby

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The Coffee Mill

Outdoor garden cafe on Riverside Road, the same road as the slipway, overlooking the harbour.

The Pavilion

Cafe and restaurant on the Esplanade overlooking the seafront.

Lynmouth Bay Cafe

Cafe near Lynmouth's eastern beach.

Lynton Camping and Caravanning Club Site

Non-members are welcome and may join on-site, about 2.5 miles from the harbour by road.

Website

Sunny Lyn Holiday Park

Touring and tent pitches on the West Lyn river, about 0.8 miles from the harbour, open to the public.

Website

Lynmouth Holiday Retreat

Touring, camping and static-caravan park above Lynmouth, open to the public.

Website

Conditions to check

Limited exit

The harbour and its approach dry out from about half tide; the approach channel is usable for roughly ninety minutes either side of high water, depending on draft.

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Shallow or rocky

The approach channel into the harbour is marked by wooden posts on either side, approached on a bearing of about 175 degrees true.

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Boat traffic

Mooring ropes run out ahead and astern of the boats moored in the middle of the harbour.

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Tidal flow

Lynmouth sits on the Bristol Channel; at the nearest standard port, Ilfracombe, the tidal range varies between about 3 metres at neaps and 10 metres at springs, with tidal streams in the approaches reaching 2 to 3 knots.

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