Topsail Adventures Ltd

Amelie Rose's Destination Guides

Amelie Rose visits many places during the sailing season and when we arrive at a new destination our crew are usually eager to get ashore to stretch their legs, explore the area, check out the restaurants, shops and pubs and to stock up on postcards, gifts and nibbles. Sometimes there's time to explore further afield or to visit a local attraction too and we're always on the lookout for showers and rubbish facilities as well as places to re-provision.

To make all of this easier we're going to create guides to Amelie Rose's favourite destinations which you'll find here, organised by cruising area. We hope that you'll find these guides useful - if you find any errors or can supply us with updates please let us know at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or via Amelie Rose's Facebook Page or the Enquiry Form on her Website.

To start; browse through the cruising areas below then select your destination of interest from the list under each area. Downloadable copies of the guides will be made available in Amelie Rose's Download Zone as they become available. It's going to take a while to complete so bear with us and check back often...

The Solent

Ranging from Hurst Spit in the West to Selsey Bill in the East and including the north coast of the Isle of Wight, the Solent is one of the most popular sailing regions in the UK. The coastline is nearly 230 miles long, making it one of the largest estuaries in Britain.

With so much on offer, there's bound to be something to suit your tastes. Bustling harbours like Yarmouth and Cowes compete with quieter backwaters like Beaulieu, Bembridge and the beautiful Newtown Creek to attract the flocks of yachts that inhabit the Solent during the Summer.

We like to visit in the Spring and Autumn when the crowds haven't yet arrived or have gone home and Amelie Rose can get her stove going in a quiet anchorage without smoking out the neighbours.

Destination Guides:

Yarmouth >>>  Lymington >>>  Newtown Creek >>>  Beaulieu >>>  Cowes >>>  Portsmouth >>>  Chichester >>>

The West Country

From the Jurassic Coast in the East to Lands End in the West the West Country is one of our favourite cruising grounds. Sandy beaches give way to pebbles and shingle and finally to the imposing granite rocks of Cornwall as you pass along this endlessly changing and interesting coastline.

There's a ton of places to layover for an evening; Dartmouth, Fowey, St Mawes and of course our lovely home port of Poole are all stunning places to visit - and there's something incredibly magical about getting there by sea. This stretch of the English coast is also frequented by all kinds of wildlife; grey seals, basking sharks, sunfish and whales have all been spotted from Amelie Rose's deck and it's a rare West Country Trip that goes by without a visit from at least one pod of Dolphins.

Destination Guides:

Helford >>>  Falmouth & The Fal >>>  St Mawes >>>  Fowey >>>  Dartmouth >>>  Weymouth >>>  Poole >>>

Isles of Scilly

Situated 30 miles South West of Lands End, Scilly is a plateau of 100 islands, islets and rocks in an area barely 10 miles square. White sandy beaches and a host of almost tropical wildlife, flora and fauna festoon the 5 inhabited islands and the whole place is simply magical. Moorings are rare and marinas unheard of but anchorages abound making it the perfect place for Amelie Rose.

We're always treated to the warmest of welcomes as Amelie Rose is of course a replica of the cutters that worked from here in the 1800's and there's nothing quite like the sight of her anchored in the same bays and sounds as her ancestors. 

Destination Guides:

St Agnes >>>  Gugh >>>  Tresco >>>  Bryer >>>  St Martins >>>  St Mary's >>>

The Channel Islands

Lying just 60 miles South of our Poole base the Channel Islands are full of rocky charm and pack in a multitude of different experiences. Every Island has it's own feel, from the historical interest of the Nazi fortifications on Alderney, to the hustle and bustle of St Peter Port on Guernsey. Herm is peaceful and secluded and Sark is the island that time forgot. With no cars and Sunday trading laws that take you back 20 years Sark is our favourite island in the group but if time allows the Iles des Chausey, the only French Channel Islands, are well worth a visit.

Visits to the Channel Islands are an opportunity for some great sailing too. The pilotage is interesting, the weather often windy and the Islands are home to the Alderney Race and the infamous Swinge so our passage planning has to be up to snuff.

Destination Guides:

Alderney >>>  Guernsey >>>  Herm >>>  Sark >>>  Iles des Chausey >>>

Northern France

From the Normandy beaches to the Brittany coast the coastline of Northern France is as varied as any. Traditional boats always get a great welcome and there are lots of places to stay. We don't often get chance to explore at length but already St Malo and St Vaast are firm favourites and the Biannual Festival du Chant Marin (sea shanty festival) at Paimpol is never an event to missed. Cherbourg - just 60 or so miles South of our Poole base is also a regular haunt and we'll no doubt be back there topping up our wine cellar soon.

Next year (2012) will bring the Brest Festival - the grandfather of all traditional boat festivals - which will probably see us head  around the corner and into Southern Brittany for Amelie Rose's first visit to these fascinating waters.

Destination Guides:

St Vaast >>>  Cherbourg >>>  St Malo >>>  Paimpol >>>