The Bristol Channel is a tidal estuary in the United Kingdom.

Regions

Dartmoor National Park

Pembrokeshire National Park

Vale of Glamorgan

Cornwall

Devon

Somerset

Gloucestershire

Gower

Cities

• 1 Bristol (visitor moorings available at the City Docks and Portishead Marina).
• 2 Cardiff (visitor moorings available at Cardiff Bay and Penarth Marina).
• 3 Newport (visitor moorings available at Newport & Uskmouth Sailing Club).
• 4 Swansea (visitor moorings available at Swansea Marina).

Towns and villages

• 5 Barry
• 6 Milford Haven
• 7 Ilfracombe
• 8 Minehead
• 9 Padstow
• 10 Bideford
• 11 Portishead
• 12 Watchet

Other destinations

• Caldy Island
• Steepholm
• Flatholm
• 1 Lundy

Get around

The Bristol Channel is a tidal estuary on the South West of Britain. It accommodates pleasure vessels throughout many marinas and tidal harbours from St. Ives in Cornwall in the West, to Sharpness in the East on the South side England, and from Milford Haven in the West to Chepstow in the East on the North side Wales.

There is also a lot of commercial traffic serving the larger ports at Bristol, Newport, Cardiff, Barry, Port Talbot, Swansea and Milford Haven.

The Glasgow based paddle steamer Waverley regularly visits the Bristol Channel, offering day cruises for a couple of weeks in the summer.

The historic steamer Balmoral has previously offered day cruises in the Bristol channel. In 2024 funds are being raised to return the ship to service.

Stay safe

When sailing in the Bristol Channel don't forget that this is a very challenging sailing area with very strong tidal currents, with the second highest tidal range in the world next to Bay of Fundy.