Sponsored content: Carrickfergus Marina situated on the northern shore of Belfast Lough is making the most of the current Euro-Sterling exchange rates to highlight its Five Gold Anchor facility, with 300 fully serviced berths, to sailors and boat owners considering a change of berth on the East Coast.
The County Antrim marina has a choice of flexible contracts, and new customers taking out their first contract will get their first month free on a complimentary basis. In particular, its Winter Berthing Contract is £112.20 per metre for the six month period from 1 October 2016 till 31 March 2017.
Those coming in from 1 November onwards will be given pro-rata of this price, and again each new customer will receive the same discount.
Facilities at Carrickfergus
Customers at Carrickfergus Marina can avail of a boat yard on site, with a 40-ton travel hoist, chandlery and guardianage services are also provided. There is also an onsite brokerage service, and the long-established sailing club, with an active racing and cruising section. Club racing at Carrickfergus runs from Easter through to mid-December.
Twenty-four-hour security should give you peace of mind, while the marina also provides a dedicated berth for contract holders, a post-holding service for those on the go, and free Wi-Fi to stay connected. An extensive site refurbishment is currently underway to revamp the marina’s electrics and access systems, and a new family bathroom with separate shower is due to open in late winter.
Travelling to Carrickfergus
By car: Carrickfergus Marina is just over two hours from Dublin via the M1 and A1 to Belfast, then the M5 and A2 north along Belfast Lough. Car parking is available adjacent to the east and west gates into the marina basin.
By bus/train: The marina can be reached from Dublin in around three hours, by coach from Dublin to Belfast city centre and then local services to the main road outside the marina office, or by rail from Dublin Connolly to Belfast Central and local train (approx 25 minutes) to Carrickfergus station, a three-minute walk from the marina.
Carrickfergus as a destination
Spend a weekend, or a week, in Carrickfergus exploring the town’s unique local heritage, including its Norman castle and renowned St Nicholas’ Church, both dating from the 12th century, as well as the local heritage museum and Flame Gasworks Museum – Ireland’s sole surviving coal gasworks, one of only three left in the British Isles.
Go for a swim or a workout in the state-of-the-art gym at the Amphitheatre Leisure Centre; browse the selection of boutique shops in the town centre; and enjoy a meal in one of the many fine local restaurants — all located within a five-minute walk of the marina.
To keep the family entertained, the Omniplex multiscreen cinema across the road which also offers reduced-price child-friendly and ASD-friendly showings during holidays and weekends, and there is a brand new soft-play centre two minutes’ drive away.
No spare cabin for friends or family? They can stay at one of the town’s comfortable local hotels. Premier Inn is right across the road, while Dobbins Inn is a five-minute walk on the town’s main street, and the four-star Loughshore Hotel is a two-minute drive from the marina.
Contact details are as follows:
Carrickfergus Marina, Mid & East Antrim Borough Council, 3 Quayside, Carrickfergus, BT38 8BJ Telephone: 028 9336 6666
Website: www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk