Bill Fen Marina

Day 8
Bill Fen Marina, Ramsey

Yes indeed, today we have gone nowhere at all, just lopsed about all day in the sun (me) or shade (Jim). This is the third time we've visited Bill Fen Marina. The first was when we were looking for a mooring for Helyn. I loved the place straight away, and we were all set to sign up, but then we went on to see Floods Ferry. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure why we preferred Floods Ferry; its situation was slightly less off the beaten track (but that's all very relative here) and it was new, and quiet - we watched it develop substantially in the two years we were there, with holiday 'lodges' etc going up. I think if we were looking today Bill Fen would win hands down. It's a big marina, but separated into a number of basins which you can't see all at once. It's an enormous site, some of which has been in the Shotbolt family for generations, and includes woodlands and ponds. It's terrifically friendly. We were told that if we started to walk into town this morning, and another moorer was driving by, they'd probably offer us a lift - and sure enough, someone did! Not only that, but brought us back too. There are red squirrels and chickens and peacocks ... it's pretty idyllic. We'll definitely be staying here for the winter now, and make a fresh start with a Gold licence in January - then who knows what?

And here's Warrior's sister ship, (Sweet) Revenge, the Shotbolts' next boat after Warrior, and in the background you can see Free Bird, another one of theirs, one of two built with a butty style stern.