Excelsior is a 1921 Lowestoft trawler restored and sailed for voyages, day sails, charters and sail training. She is run by the Excelsior Trust, a charity that provides life changing sailing experiences for young and disadvantaged people, schools and corporate groups, as well as unique sailing opportunities for the individual.

National Historic Ships rates Excelsior as one of the nation’s 60 most important historic vessels. Today she is proudly part of the National Historic Fleet of vessels ‘of pre-eminent national or regional significance’.

Portsmouth – Paimpol Festival (18 yr+)
29 July @ 12:00 pm - 3 August @ 12:00 pm

Portsmouth to Paimpol 2019 :"Roads to the East" Excelsior continues its tradition of regular attendance at the Paimpol "Festival du Chant du Marin" For many the expedition across the Channel to to northern France is one of the highlights of the Excelsior Sailing season. Join us in Portsmouth for a trip via the Channel Island… 

The Paimpol Sea Shanty Festival 2019 has a Roads to the East theme and will be following in the footsteps of Marco Polo, Vasco de Gama, Magellan who embarked on a discovery journey to the eastern lands and their treasures. The Silk Road, the Tea Horse Road, the Spice Road… These “roads to the East” helped to develop maritime trade. They also considerably boosted cultural exchanges… and will continue to do so at the Festival’s next edition.

Featuring music from Istanbul, Armenia, Iran, Mongolia, Samarkand, the Cape of Good Hope, Réunion and Madagascar, Kashmir, Mumbai, Kolkata (Calcutta) and India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, China, Japan…  Once again, Paimpol will have you travel, dream, escape, stumble from encounter to encounter and from one musical discovery to the next. See more on the festival:  HERE

Excelsior continues its tradition of regular attendance at the Paimpol "Festival du Chant du Marin"... For many the expedition across the Channel to to northern France is one of the highlights of the Excelsior Sailing season. Join us in Portsmouth for a trip via the Channel Islands

Be ready to enjoy world and Breton music, sea shanties, brass bands, bagadoù and festoù-noz, exhibitions and local produce tasting… Not to forget the beautiful extravaganza provided by the near two hundred traditional ships moored in the harbour.

The Paimpol Festival voyages sell out fast so get your tickets quick. Email sailing@excelsiortrust.co.uk of phone 0845 3082323