Lymington Town Quay & Harbour Berths

The Lymington River winds up from the western Solent between salt marsh, the two marinas and the Wightlink ferry terminal before reaching the old town. Town Quay sits right below the Georgian and Victorian streets, with pubs, cafés and chandlers close at hand. It is busy, sociable and very convenient, and in high summer it fills early.

The Harbour Commissioners describe the entrance as accessible at all states of tide. The main channel is maintained to 2.5 metres below chart datum as far as the ferry terminal and 2.0 metres from there to the railway bridge beside the Town Quay moorings.

Call Lymington Harbour on VHF Channel 66 at the river entrance, opposite the starting platform, for berthing instructions. Keep to the starboard side of the fairway, give way to the ferries in the channel under Rule 9, and keep wash to a minimum past the marinas: the limit is 6 knots, with a 4-knot advisory above the timber wave screens.

Town Quay offers 26 finger berths and 22 rafting berths for boats up to 12.2 metres. It is the closest berthing to the town centre and advance reservations are strongly recommended.

Dan Bran, a 650-foot pontoon on the west bank just past the Yacht Haven entrance, takes rallies of up to fifty 10-metre boats and motor yachts up to 36 metres by arrangement. It is handy for the Royal Lymington Yacht Club, Lymington Town Sailing Club and the Mayflower pub. The Harbour Master pontoon by the Bath Road slipway has six bookable berths for RIBs and small boats up to 8 metres.

The river's fore-and-aft buoy moorings are allocated first come, first served: call on arrival. Water can be topped up at the Harbour Master pontoon landing. The public landings at Town Quay and the Harbour Master pontoon are for pick-up and drop-off only, free for up to 20 minutes.

The Commissioners' 2026 summer tariff (1 April to 31 October) charges Town Quay finger berths at £4.70 per metre per night (£5.30 on Friday and Saturday nights from June to August) and £2.25 per metre for a short stay of up to four hours. Rafting berths, Dan Bran, the Harbour Master pontoon and buoys are cheaper. Charges include VAT, harbour dues, electricity connection where available, and washrooms. Lengths are rounded up to the next metre.

Town Quay and Dan Bran have electricity, water, Wi-Fi and washroom access. The Harbour Master pontoon has water, Wi-Fi and washrooms but no shore power. For fuel and lifting, use the marinas downriver. The Bath Road slipway beside the Harbour Master pontoon is closed for resurfacing from 16 November 2026 to 22 February 2027. Winter visitor-berth arrangements for 2026/27 are set out in the Commissioners' Local Notice to Mariners No. 6 of 2026.

The Harbour Commissioners run berths and moorings, not a boatyard. For fuel, lifting and repairs, Lymington Yacht Haven and Berthon Lymington Marina are just downriver; see their Guides, and book any yard work direct.

The High Street is a two-minute walk from the quay. Lymington's Charter Market fills it every Saturday from about 8am to 3pm, weather permitting. Wightlink ferries run from Lymington Pier to Yarmouth, and a Quay to Quay passenger ferry links Town Quay with Yarmouth. Check opening hours and timetables for the dates of your stay.

Crews who want to step off the boat into town; rallies (Dan Bran); small boats and RIBs; short lunch stops on the way through the western Solent.

Boats over 12.2 metres at Town Quay; skippers who need fuel or a boatyard alongside; anyone arriving on a summer Saturday without a booking.

Town Quay, with the cobbled street running up from it, still feels like the town's front door, where sailing boats, yachts and the fishing fleet share the water. The Harbour Commissioners run the river and its visitor berths, and harbour dues are included in every visitor charge.

Yarmouth is directly across the Solent, Newtown Creek and the Beaulieu River are short hops east, and Hurst Narrows opens the way west to Christchurch and Poole. Keep a careful eye on the ferries in the Lymington River on every departure.

The practical information in this Guide was checked against the source records below on 21 October 2026. Operational details can change.