Salterns Way to Itchenor

We took the Salterns trail from Dell Quay down to Itchenor in Chichester Harbour at the end of the summer. The trail actually runs from the centre of Chichester down to East Head in the Witterings, but I like the middle section which runs through the boat yards and these delightful villages.

The water front at Itchenor is always lively with a mix of cruising and racing boats and more than a few high performance skiffs from the sailing club. Our former neighbour sailed International 14's in the fleet at Itchenor.

There's a great mix of traditional and modern, that looks like a Squib in the foreground and a lovely gaff cutter getting ready to leave.

Chichester harbour is a great place for day sailing and is home to fleets of XOD, Sunbeams and Swallows,  I think this is a Solent Sunbeam designed by Alfred Westmacot and still keenly raced in the Solent.

Just outside the village is the former Northshore yard, builders of the Southerly lifting keel yachts and Fisher motor sailors before the company went into receivership last year, fortunately the company has recovered under the Southerly  name.

The big spring tide brought high water right up to the top of the hard, well past the dinghies, one owner had to put on waders to set out to his tender in  the dinghy compound. The tide came right up to the front of the sailing club.