Walk 59. Gosport to Hill Head

 Today’s walk begins in Gosport beside the ferry terminal. 

In contrast to the last time I was here, it’s a lovely sunny day and I can see clearly across the harbour to Portsmouth!

A ‘toy’…

The entrance to Portsmouth Harbour…

I set off past the Haslar Marina, which is quite big!

Embedded in the pavement are a lot of stones bearing peoples’ names. I presume there is an explanatory info board or plaque or something somewhere, but I must have missed it so I can’t say who they are…

I pass over a small footbridge…

…then the path comes out onto a road that crosses a bridge to the Haslar Peninsula.

A lot of the Haslar Peninsula seems to be owned by the MOD, so public access is limited. It is home to a submarine museum, so you can go in that bit!

I continue along the road between the high brick walls…

After about fifteen minutes I see a signpost pointing towards the sea…!

I walk through a car park and emerge onto a pebble beach. However, it is immediately apparent that I’m not going any further on this beach…

Beyond this fence is Fort Monckton, an 18th Century fort that today is used as a training centre by M.I.6 - hence the barbed wire!

I turn around and re-cross the car park back to the road. Fortunately, just five minutes further on is a path that leads across a golf course to Gilkicker Point.

Gilkicker Point lies at the southern tip of the Gosport peninsula, and according to the map the rest of today’s walk should be beside the sea!

The path takes me down to the beach where there are great views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight…

There is yet another old fort here, this time dating back to the 19th Century. It is also closed to the public, but for rather more mundane reasons - it is being converted into flats and is currently a building site!

So I set off along the pebbly beach - my favourite surface to walk on, not heavy going at all. Luckily, after a short ten minute plod I reach the start of a proper prom…

This is much better…

I stroll along the prom right round Stokes Bay. At the northern end of the bay is a diving museum with a few bits of diving equipment on view behind the fence…

I am now at Browndown beach, which is another military firing range. It doesn’t appear to be used much these days, and there is no red flag flying so it seems safe enough! I pass the fence and head along the beach - more pebbles…

No idea what this is…

Less than half an hour later I reach the other end…

Once out of the firing range the prom begins again…

I am now walking along the sea front of Lee-on-the-Solent, which is very pleasant but a bit featureless. In the distance is Solent Airport, hidden by buildings and trees but I see several light aircraft taking off and landing.

A couple of miles later I reach Hill Head. The coast path veers inland here as some properties back on to the beach. It looks like it might be possible to walk along the beach though…

Yes! You can…

Past the houses, it is just a short walk along the prom to Hillhead Harbour where the river Meon enters the sea. So this is where I am finishing for today. Next time - up Southampton Water!

Walk 58. Portchester to Gosport

 Today I’m back at Portchester Castle and the plan is to walk around the western side of Portsmouth Harbour to Gosport.

The view across the harbour of Portsmouth Naval Base and the Spinnaker Tower…

The coastal path starts off well…

But almost immediately I am stopped by the high tide…

So I have to follow the ‘high tide route’ back past the castle and through the streets of Portchester…

Fortunately this is only a ten minute detour and I find myself back beside the water…

I follow the path for about a mile and then have to take another short ‘high tide’ detour around a boatyard.

The view looking back at the obstruction…

The path continues along the northern shore of Portsmouth Harbour through some trees and past a sports ground…

At the northwest corner of Portsmouth Harbour the River Wallington flows into the sea. There is a square-ish bit of land here surrounded on three sides by water. Most of it seems to be occupied by a golf course and the waterside path around it appears to be popular with dog walkers!

As I walk up the river I see a guy on what looks like a motorised paddle board - no idea what these are actually called…

The view from the river bank is very pleasant, and the bridge is not far away - just by the buildings in this picture…

Soon I’m at the bridge. I cross it, go under the solid-looking brick viaduct that carries the railway, and turn left.

There is a few minutes of road walking here…

…before I get to a nice riverside walk area…

The other side of this green comes out on a main road…

I’m going to have to follow this road for quite a way, it seems. Access to the water is blocked by industrial areas and more MOD installations including a munitions store. Definitely to be avoided, I reckon!

A half hour’s march later I turn left down here…

…and continue for another fifteen minutes until I finally get back to the water!

I believe these guys are decommissioned and awaiting their fate…

Now, from here the map shows a public footpath following the shore. It does seem a bit gooey, however…

After only a few yards I give up and cut through a boatyard and onto the road!

Soon I reach Priddy’s Hard, home to surely the best-named museum ever - Explosion! 

Turns out you can walk through the ‘yard’ of the museum and out the other side…

Just south of Priddy’s Hard is a small inlet called Forton Lake. Fortunately there is a footbridge over it, saving me a detour around it!

The middle of the bridge gives a great view of the aircraft carrier HMS Prince Of Wales, docked in Portsmouth. It’s a fair old size…

Over the bridge there is a large housing development and a marina blocking public access to the sea. So I complete the last mile or so along the road to the Gosport Ferry terminal. This ferry operates across the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour and docks on the other side next to the railway station.

Bizarrely, after cloudless blue skies all day, as I turn the corner the sea is now covered in fog!

So that’s the finish for today. It’s been a slightly frustrating walk, what with all the road walking and the high tide, but there you go…