FERRY STATUS

Please check the timetable for details on timings of the ferry service.

APPLEDORE START OF FERRY SERVICE

Please note that the published start of service for the ferry gives an indication when the ferry will pick up its onboard crew and passengers from Instow; the first ferry from Appledore will usually be about 10-15 minutes after the published timing. This only applies when there is one ferry operating.

Weather

5°C

Torridge Estuary

Breezy

Humidity: 65%

Wind: 45.06 km/h

20 Nov 2018
6°C 1°C
21 Nov 2018
7°C 0°C

EVENTS CALENDAR

2018

APRIL

5 Launch of ferry service

7-8 Supervets regatta

8 Blessing of ferries

MAY

JUNE

JULY

22 Bideford Water Festival

29 Instow Community on Show

AUGUST

19 Appledore Carnival

SEPTEMBER

21-29 Appledore Book Festival

OCTOBER

23 Last day of ferry service

EU LEADER FUNDING FOR NEW BOAT!

We need to replace our oldest boat, Misty Blue. This is the boat with which we started the modern ferry but it is getting old, increasingly costly to run and can only carry 10 passengers instead of our licensed 12. Even though passenger numbers have steadily increased year on year, we don't have enough in the kitty to purchase a new vessel. Also, since we can only run 7 months in the year and there is both a physical and licence limit to the numbers we can carry (never mind the tides and weather!), the prospect of ever having enough funds is distinctly poor! So, over the last 6 months, application has been made to North Devon Plus which administers requests for LEADER 5 EARDF funding.

On 19th October, we finally heard our grant application was approved! The LEADER fund will cover a large part of the costs of the new boat. Two very experienced skippers - Simon Fleet and Dane Stanley - are in charge of specifying and procuring the new boat which is about to be ordered from the manufacturer in Portugal. It is a Pescador 780, similar to, but larger, than our other vessel, also a Pescador. Hopefully, the new boat will arrive in time to be in service for the start of next season!

THE 2018 FERRY SEASON IS OVER!

The ferry season ended on Tuesday 23 October 2018.

What a great season is has been. We have been blessed with wonderful weather, apart from the odd storm, and have carried more people, dogs and bicycles than ever before. Thank you to all our regulars, visitors and sponsors for supporting the ferry throughout the season. Without all our wonderful volunteers the service couldn't happen. They skipper the boats, they are on board giving safety advice and importantly taking the money and the on shore crews who marshall the customers and ensure they get on and off the ferries safely.

The boats will be taken out of the water for the winter to be maintained ready for the start of the new season in April 2019. The timetable for 2019 will be available on the website in late December.

THE FERRIES ARE NOW TWEETING

Follow the ferries' news and status on @appleinstferry. If the ferry cannot operate due to high winds a message will be put on Twitter and of course Facebook.

WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN SPONSORING THE FERRY?

The Appledore Instow Ferry is a not for profit company and has endeavoured to keep the prices as low as possible. However, we do need to cover the costs of running two boats and sponsorship is the perfect way for companies and businesses to show their support for the ferry operation and advertise their business, as you can see from the logos on the Home page. For more information please use the Contact Us page and one of us will be in touch with you.

TANDEMS AND BICYCLE TRAILERS

The fares for the ferry remain the same for another season which allows us to cover our costs as a not for profit company. The ferry is licensed to carry twelve people and two crew, which includes the skipper. The ferry is able to take buggies and bicycles but the skipper will make a decision if there are some large buggies and a number of bicycles, to balance the number of passengers, buggies and bicycles - so please be patient if you are not able to get on the first available ferry.

We have made the decision to charge £3 for tandems and if a bicycle has a trailer there will be a cost of £1.50 for the trailer.

JOHNS OF INSTOW

Johns of Instow has a cafe next door to their deli. The cafe offers gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options as well as all the wonderful pastries and cakes that they offer.

Appledore village

Appledore1-Large Appledore is a quaint fishing village where you can wander the cobbled streets and find secret gardens and interesting door hangings. It has thriving local artists and numerous art galleries and craft shops, and is well known for its Visual Arts Festival, the book festival and the carnival that are held during the year. Read More

Instow village

Instow is a pretty, unspoilt seaside village with large stretches of sandy beaches and dunes. Fishermen’s cottages nestle against shops and a good selection of pubs and restaurants. The village store and delicatessen are superb. Read More