Keyhaven to Hurst Castle and back, South coast

Karen had to work today, so we took off on our own. - As it was goign to be hot a day at the seaside was called for... We followed the "idiot box" to Keyhaven, with the aim to go out to Hurst Castle.

After negotiating the traffic jam at Lyndhurst one way, then passing through the old haunts of Brockenhurst and Lymington we were taken down some single lane back tracks before coming out at the long stay car park at Keyhaven. If we had known we could have parked on the coast road for free, but this was a good place to start.

From the car park we took a track to the sea through reed meadows.

At the sea, we had a great view across to the Isle of Wight, and a raised path heading to the shingle spit off to the right.

Walking along the raised track kept us above the wetlands that are covered at high tide but exposed as we passed by.

All the time the isle of Wight is just over the water.

The track ended when it met the road from Keyhaven. This was where the free parking was and currently mostly occupied by numerous camper vans.

The road turned sharp right to turn long the coast, however we crossed a little river by bridge (after Bertie had dipped in to cool off).

The spit just looks like an inlet from this point, but the reality is that there is ocean the other side of the bank.

Climbing up the bank, then the view down the coast to Christchurch.

Along the spit, with the needles just across the water.

It seemed to go for ever into the distance, where the buildings that can be seen are the fort and the lighthouse.

Looking across to Keyhaven and the road parking. As the river/ tidal inlet came closer to the shingle bank Bertie charged down and into the seaweed clogged sea for a second dip ad cool off... getting back up the bank was rather harder work.

the full length of the fort, with all the extensions from the Tudor part in the middle to the Georgian ends, and the world wars alterations.

Towards the end of the spit was the lighthouse and former keepers cottages.

Once at the fort you have to go to the land side as the other is being repaired after tidal damage. We used our English Heritage card to get in and have a look around - Bertie came too!

Inside the fort was a mix of architectures from the various phases of operation.

All had magazines underground with lifts and stairs to get to the gun ports on the top.

Walking around the walls and looking over the Georgian part (still used and not accessible) to the lighthouse, and also across to the fort on the isle of Wight - presumably now private accommodation.

Looking out of the signallers perch, with the isle and also out to the needles.

The Tudor tower in the middle was effectively 4 levels (one underground), the top having views all around and over the other parts of the fort.

Views over the Solent and the Isle of Wight.

Back outside the fort and a quick detour around the remaining part of the spit ...  the Lighthouse and the cottages.

Back to the entrance for a cup of tea and some snacks before the return journey.

Along the length of the Western walls, back to the spit, with a slight detour to the remains of the "quick fire battery" at the end - mainly for the photo opportunity

Sun baking down, we were grateful for the breeze coming off the ocean.

The tide had come in a little since the outward journey, but not high tide yet, still plenty of green showing through.

The end of the spit, and back to the road.

Dog leg along to Keyhaven and the car park.

Back in the van for tea and snacks again, before returning to Karen's.

In an attempt to bypass the traffic in Lyndhurst I took the route to Beaulieu ... but after sitting in traffic for 20 mins and gettign only a few meters we turned back to Brockenhurst and the route we came out on - the queues in Lyndhurst at least moving.