Multi-Day:
Circumnavigation - GB + Ireland

Route Distance: ~1980 nm / 3667 km
Prevailing direction: CW
Record: 2004 - 140
Solo: 2
Team: 2

Records

Fiona Whitehead
K1W1402004
Richard Elliot
Bill Taylor
Mick Wibrew
Team1571986
GPS/Chart Irish Sea

For some the challenge of the circumnavigation of the GB mainland is not quite enough, adding the Irish coastline to the journey lifts that challenge to a new level. Further details of successful attempts of circumnavigations of the GB Mainland + Ireland.

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Multi-Day: Circumnavigation - GB + Ireland

Solo

Click column header to sort.
Posn.K1WCatPaddlerElapsedDateStartBoatNoteLink1Link2Dir
1(1)K1WFiona Whitehead14026-Aug-04PortsmouthSKUK Greenlander Race
CW
2K1MSean Morley16918-Sep-04FalmouthKirton C-Trek
WebsiteCW

2 solo paddlers

Teams

Click column header to sort.
Posn.CatPaddlerElapsedDateStartBoatNoteLink1Dir
1K2Andy Morton /
Jane Morton		14326-Aug-13PlymouthValley Aleut II

WebsiteCW
2TeamRichard Elliot
Bill Taylor
Mick Wibrew		15722-Sep-86GillinghamNordkapp
Nordkapp
Nordkapp
CW

2 Teams -- 5 Paddlers

Notes

Richard Elliot / Bill Taylor / Mick Wibrew (22-Sep-86)
From Bill Taylor:
"In 1986 I completed the first vkayak circumnavigation of both britain and Ireland (19.4.86 - 22.9.86) with my 2 buddies, Mick Wibrew and Richard Elliott, all 3 in Nordkapps. This was aknowledged as a record by the BCU and is described in my book of the expedition: Commitment and Open Crossings, published by Diadem (Hodder) 5000 copies and still advertised on Amazon as used copies with all 5 Star revues. Started Gillingham in Rivr Medway estuary and crossed our original track at Garrison Point on Isle of Sheppey, having paddled closckwise , paddling from St Davids to Rosslare and fom Ratlin to Mull of Kintyre " (sic)
Sean Morley (18-Sep-04)
Sean has completed many challenging trips and expeditions, including record setting Irish Sea Crossings, the Roof of Britain route and the circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. But in the GB it is his solo trip around the GB & Ireland that sets him apart. Sean's trip was different in that he took in all the outlying GB islands (excluding the Channel Islands) on his way, including such wayward landfall as St. Kilda and the Shetlands. Total distance - around 4500 miles!
A route that is yet to be repeated...
Andy Morton / Jane Morton (26-Aug-13)
Jane and Andy may not be the first married couple to undertake the GB Circumnavigation but I believe they are the first persons to complete it in a double (and the first for nearly a decade to complete this route at all). They set out from Bere Ferres Quay near Plymouth in April, and included Ireland in there for good measure. They went on to tick the whole thing off in an impressive 143 days!
From Jane:
"Of the 143 days, 99 of were on the water - mainly due to those first two awfully windy months. 5 days in total taken up with boat repairs on otherwise paddleable days. We never set out to do the trip in the fastest time possible and had we done so I think this year we could have been very quick indeed - probably up to 1 month quicker had we really pushed it. We took our time and rested when sensible e.g. very windy days mainly and took in the wonderful coastline and took care of ourselves, not getting off the water ridiculously late. Mostly on the water by 8am each morning."
Fiona Whitehead (26-Aug-04)
I believe Fiona to be the first woman to complete this venture. During her trip she spent much time on the beach awaiting gaps in the weather, the bane of any GB Circumnavigator. Though Fiona set out to paddle solo, I'm sure she would agree that it would be rude to overlook the company of such veritable sea kayaking 'names' as Harry Whelan, Barry Shaw, Axel Schoevers (and 'Tom' - sorry, no surname) she had along the way. In her time Fiona has also circumnavigated Anglesey, circumnavigated Wales, competed in the Devizes to Westminster race and soloed the western coast of Australia. Fiona now works for the Outward Bound Trust.

Summary:

Multi-Day: Circumnavigation - GB + Ireland

Solo paddlers: 2
Team paddlers: 5
Teams: 2

Recorded Start Points:
    • Falmouth (1)
    • Gillingham (1)
    • Plymouth (1)
    • Portsmouth (1)

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