Must visit/see places in the Solent

[PetiteFleur]

We are planning a trip to the Solent arriving on Friday evening at Haslar Marina and staying in the area until Tuesday evening when we will be at Lymington for a crew change(initial crew of 4/5 blokes). What are the must see/must do places to visit whilst we are there. After the crew change there will only be two on board for the next 10 days - more relaxed and slower. Last time in the Solent 40 years ago, now used to the emptiness of the East Coast and lots of mud.

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

http://www.troppo.co.uk/tightwad/tightwad.htm

 

[Iota]

Newtown Creek, Beaulie, Yarmouth, and Lymington would be my top 4

 

[Pasarell]

I agree with Iota but would add Keyhaven - for Hurst Castle - and Bembridge to the list with the time you have

 

[Topcat47]

If you want to do Cowes, use East Cowes Marina....it's cheaper, quieter and calmer than any of the outer ones and it's a short walk to the chain ferry. Speaking of ferries, the ferryboat at the top of the Medina is a good stop if the weather's foul.

 

[tross]

10 days ? I would work with the tides, and consider Alum bay, Freshwater bay, Hamble, , Folly inn, Osborne bay and if you have time Chichester

 

[dancingwithmoons]

With a crew of 4/5 blokes i would say the Folly Inn up river from Cowes at the weekend
good food good beer and drunken females dancing on the tables
What more could you want ? maybe a pole
No not an east European

 

[Sailfree]

[ QUOTE ]
i would say the Folly Inn up river from Cowes at the weekend
good food good beer and drunken females dancing on the tables


[/ QUOTE ]

Was there with my family last weekend for my Birthday.

As good as ever if you like dancing and making a fool of yourself but andy remarked that it was good to be crowded (2 hen nights) as it had been quiet the last few weeks.

PS sorry to the 2 blokes that were working their way towards my 2 dancing blonde daughters and backed off when i started dancing with them!

 

[Sgeir]

[ QUOTE ]
Must visit/see places in the Solent

[/ QUOTE ]

Indeed. We read so much about these magical places, the Hamble, Newport, RTI etc etc. Photographs would be great for those of us outside of the area.

 

[jonjo]

Friday evening. Have a drink on the top deck of the Lightship right by the visitor pontoons at Haslar. The nautical scene in Portsmouth harbour never stops. Fascinating on a first time visit.

If time allows Friday, catch the Gosport foot passenger ferry over to Portsmouth and follow the crowds around to Gunwarf Quay. You don't mention the age of these blokes but the bar-side culture at Gunwarf is an interesting study of the human race even if this sort of thing is not your typical evening out.

The Tapas place at Gunwarf is my favourite for eating.

If the weather is bad on Saturday the RN Historic dockyard is worth a visit.

After that I suppose you have to visit Cowes, personally don't like the place so would recommend just a part day stop at the Cowes Yacht Haven. This puts you in the center of Cowes action both in terms of activity afloat and easy access to Cowes town. Walk down the high street, don't buy a sandwich at the terrible Tiffins place, continue north down to the Royal Yacht Squadron green where the cannons are. Pause at the green and observe the Solent in full weekend summer boating mode.

I don't think the suggestion of using East Cowes is right for a first time visit in 40 years, that marina is too far out on a limb and anyhow you deserve to discover why we all hate the CYH if you decide to stay the night.

After Cowes, if you get the tide right its just two hours down to Yarmouth which is the place to linger. Saltys in Yarmouth is where you want to be on a Friday or Saturday, you get a far better class of Yacht Master table dancing at Saltys.

Lymington is worth a visit. Your East Coast ears are going to laugh at the accents. Beaulieu and Newton are regular favourites for all we Solent dwellers but they are just our South Coast answer to all your tranquil estuary anchorages on the East coast so I am not sure you will experience anything new.

I'd say goto Beaulieu given the option because Newton gets packed at weekends whereas the Beaulieu River harbour master can usually find a slot. Bucklers Hard a long way up the river Beaulieu has a special charm.

After the crew change I'd say head straight back to Yarmouth, there are excellent walks from Yarmouth. The harbour master might be able to help with a booklet. Yarmouth berthing is much cheaper Mon to Thu.

Nav Notes:

1 - Don't let Wightlink scare you, they are quite good at weaving a route through yachts.
2 - Don't run aground in Osborne bay while looking up at Osborne House, it shelves quickly.
3 - Watch the tidal set at the entrance of Portsmouth which can push you into the main ship channel.
4 - Don't wander over to the moored RN ships without supplies of underwater setting epoxy aboard to fill the bullet holes.

 

[Salty]

I would make your definition of Solent fairly elastic if you want to make the best use of 10-days. If you're fully crewed for the weekend I would head off to Poole from Lymington, and then come back to Yarmouth before dropping crew off at Lymington. And then spend the rest of the time in the Solent, although I'd try and get to Chichester Harbour if you can. If you go to Cowes (and you have to really if you're spending that much time), then try Shepherds rather than the Yacht Haven - on the right side of the river but much more pleasant. Portsmouth Harbour is probably the most interesting port to spend any time shoreside if you have any interest in maritime/RN history. Victory, Royal Dockyards, HMS Dolphin etc all excellent days out. Are your East Coast sensitivities ready for Solent marina charges?!

 

[wooslehunter]

If you get to Chichester Harbour, be careful of the tides. The entrance runs hard & entry at peak ebb flow on a strong wind with southerly in it is interesting to dangerous. Otherwise don't worry about it 1000s of boats do it every weekend.

Hang a right as soon as you get through the channel & don't cut the corner. there are 3 x green bouys. Take all of them to port. The channel shelves VERY sharply. This takes you up to Ichenor/Bosham Chi Marina etc. East Head is a very popular anchorage.

If instead of hanging a right, you carry on up, you get to Emsworth. You'll always find a slot at the visitors pontoon. At weekends, 2hrs either side of HW, Sid the harbour master runs a ferry to Emsworth. Other times it's a quick dinghy trip to town with lots of restaurants & pubs.

 

[ChrisE]

No don't go to Keyhaven it is a terrible place, tide bound, lots of mud, nothing there other than seabirds. Stay away.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Motoring up the Hamble to the road bridge and back down is interesting if you'd like to see where 10,000 yots and mobos park. If you're into raceyot envy, park at Port Hamble and wander around the pontoons and the yard, where hot aramid fibre often parks between races, so as not to get the bottom dirty.

(edited, in view of Flaming's remark and my extreme age)

 

[flaming]

[ QUOTE ]
where hot metal often parks between races, so as not to get the bottom dirty.

[/ QUOTE ]

Metal!!?

Sooooo last century!

 

[jimi]

If time permits a trip to Chichester or Studland? Anchoring in Priory Bay , Alum Bay or for a bit of solitude up at the very top of Southampton Water near Eling Mill

 

[michael_w]

10 days in The Solent? A couple of days, then head off for France and the Channel Islands.

 

[StugeronSteve]

Anybody that does't know the Solent could easily spend 10 days pottering around, especially if you include Poole and, maybe, Weymouth.

 

[benjenbav]

Two suggestions, probably a bit hackneyed. When you're in Haslar, get the ferry across and go round HMS Victory. In Lymington, have a swim in the seawater pool. (I always mean to do this but never have...yet).

 

[Twister_Ken]

HMS Victory is obligatory, but HMS Warrior is actually more interesting (to me, at least). And there's the submarine museum right next door to Haslar marina. There's also the D-Day Museum in Pompey.