Fairies Hill Moorings - Reflect Magazine

12 Fairies Hill Mooring Ltd
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Fairies Hill Moorings:
Created By Boaters, For Boaters
Providing safe and secure moorings on the Aire &
Calder Navigation in a quiet and picturesque corner
of west Yorkshire, Fairies Hill Moorings is a familyfriendly
site located between two locks, one filled in,
on the site of the old coal wharf. The site has been
transformed over the last 10 years.
Reflect spoke to Mel Smith from Fairies Hill Moorings, to find out
more. He said: “The Aire & Calder Navigation has always
been an important waterway. For many years, it carried
large commercial barges (transporting sand) inland
directly from the sea. It is a commercial waterway, with a
heavy leisure craft presence. However, as with many of
the nation’s waterways, Fairies Hill Cut fell into disrepair;
it became overgrown and underused by the end of the
1990s. The regeneration of the site began in early 2000,
when the old line of the Aire and Calder navigation at
Whitwood Wharf was dredged; this created a very basic
place for people to moor their boats. Wendy and Peter
Hardwick took over the lease of the mooring site from
British Waterways on the 1st of July in 2010 and since
then, we have come up with a four-year business plan to
transform the site into somewhere people really want to
stay.
the back of the big hill that’s onsite, allowing visitors to wander and
see a vast array of wildlife for themselves; there are few marinas that
can offer visitors the chance to see a herd of deer from the river
bank. We’ve even had a pair of black swans visit the site; we really
do welcome a vast array of animal and birdlife, including herons,
kingfishers and ducks. I think this is what makes us unique; we’re
located at the end of a lane, so we’re secluded yet within easy
reach of nearby towns and we’re not on a main waterways course,
so chugging along our waterways is even more peaceful than other
areas of the country. We’re not as well-known as other areas, but
again I think this makes us the ONLY place to enjoy a quiet and
relaxing holiday. In fact, due to our unique location, you can travel
for two hours before you hit a lock, allowing you to truly sit back and
watch the world cruise by.”
“Two years in to our plan and everything is on track and
running smoothly. We’re ploughing every penny of the
income back into the business. When Wendy and Peter
took over, they started with 20 boats moored here, but in
just two years, we’ve increased that to 60. It’s not about
generating more income; for us, it’s about creating
somewhere special, somewhere people want to be,
which is why we’re ploughing every penny back into the
business. We have the drive and ambition to transform
Fairies Hill into somewhere special but we want to do it
without loans and debt. Everyone here understands that
and supports us. We all support one another in fact; we’re
like a large family and there’s a real sense of community
here; everyone helps one another without being in each
other’s pockets.
“We have plans to take the marina further in the future, so
although we initially had a four-year plan, we’re planning
so much more. We’re in talks with British Waterways at the
moment. The future is very exciting.”
Fairies Hill Moorings not only boasts moorings for up to 70 boats,
mains water connections and a children’s play area, it’s also home
to an unrivalled abundance of wildlife, such as deer, kingfishers,
ducks and swans; a pair of black swans have even visited in the
past.
Fairies Hill Moorings is home to The White Rose Boat Club, who hold
three or four events at the site each year. Mel explained: “The
Club moved their base to here a few years ago as a lot of their
members were already moored here. We’ve had a stage built on
the river bank for The Club’s events, which are always a big hit, with
members, site residents and visitors.”
Tucked away in a picturesque and serene area of west Yorkshire,
Fairies Hill Moorings also attracts a lot of non-human visitors, as Mel
explained: “We welcome a whole host of flora and fauna to the
site on a regular basis. We have created some great paths around
For further details, please contact Mel Smith or Wendy or Peter Hardwick today
Tel: 01924 223712 Web: www.fairies-hill-moorings.co.uk Email: info@fairies-hill-moorings.co.uk