Langstone Harbour

Grid Ref SU 696 028 GB
Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

Langstone Harbour, situated conveniently between Portsmouth Harbour and Chichester Harbour at the eastern end of The Solent, offers paddlers an ideal destination, especially when the weather is less favourable. The harbour is a large open area measuring 7.3 square miles at high water and is very tidal. It has many attractions making it a good choice, including several waterside pubs, put-ins, islands, nature and historical features. The harbour authority website has some good downloadable features including a sketch map of the harbour and plenty of back ground information.

Access / Put-ins:
Use the map. At high water, everywhere can be reached. At low water, the harbour is a series of channels, mud and sand banks. All suggested launching spots have free parking opportunities: High tide /-:Milton shore, Great Salterns Quay shore and Kendal's Shore.
Half tide +/-:Brockhampton slip way, The Ship Inn slip way.
Low tide /+:Harbour entrance, Hayling or Eastney.

Features:
The harbour offers many possibilities, as it is a large expanse of water at high tide, fairly protected from the Solent. Following the coast provides a 14 mile paddle, as does completing a lap of Hayling Island or Portsea Island. Paddling around the islands offers a good view of the bird life. At low tide, there are are many creeks to explore, drying sand banks to pic-nic on and the harbour is a totally different experience.

Nature:
Langstone is a haven to many native and migrant species of bird. Farlington Marshes and the islands close by are RSPB protected areas. Grey seals also live in the harbour and can be seen occasionally in the smaller drying channels in the middle of the harbour. Porpoise have also been sighted.

History:
The most significant historical aspect of the harbour must be the abandoned concrete Mulberry Harbour, that broke it's back when being floated in preparation for D-Day. Made locally and stored submerged in Langstone Harbour with many others, the structure failed and it was left behind. Others can be seen at Arromanches in France. Next to the Thatched House pub, the only Langstone remains of the Portsmouth to London canal route can be seen. The lock entrance is still present, though the upper reaches (only 200 feet inside) are now in the possession of a fishing club. The canal once cut though Portsea Island, linked to Chichester via Langstone and Chichester Harbours, then through more canals and rivers to reach London.

Waterside Pubs:
The Ferry Inn: Halying side of harbour entrance.
The Ship Inn: Just east of the Hayling Island road bridge.
The Thatched House: SW corner of harbour, on the Milton shore.

Hazards:
The dredgers. Keep an eye open astern. Strong tides in the harbour entrance, 5 kts + and often a powerful chop if wind over tide present.