Fareham Creek - Portsmouth Harbour

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Fareham Creek offers a sheltered short paddle or part of an extended paddle within Portsmouth Harbour. It is ideal if you just want to paddle for an hour or two when the weather leaves other places too exposed. It can be surprisingly peaceful, especially with an early start.

Grid Ref SU 598 047 GB
Access / Put-ins:
Ready access to the area from the M27 junction 11 or the A27 from Fareham or Gosport. Two practical put-ins, one at the Town Quay where there is a public slip way next to Trafalgar Yacht Services and the second at the head of the creek (shown as a pink 2 on the map. Both points have limited on street parking and access HW+/- 2 Hrs. There is not much water in the creek around low water. It is possible to paddle a short way up up the Wallington River that flows under the roundabout in to the creek, but no more than half a mile to Wallington Village.

Features:
Other than at low water, this is a pleasant creek, home to a small dredger quay and a few yachts. With a golf course on one side and public parks on the other, it can be quite tranquil, except when the wind is in the north / east and the traffic can be heard. There is frequent air activity at Fleetlands (western edge of map). MOD helicopters are serviced here and there are frequent arrivals and departures, which can either be of interest or annoyance depending on your view. Paddling round the coast eastwards to Portchester Castle for a coffee stop, or landing on Pewitt Island can give you a leg stretch. Just up from the slip way at Portchester Castle are public toilets.

Nature:
Home to many visiting wild fowl, Brent and Canada geese are plentiful during the winter months. I have even seen fallow deer roaming the shore line on an early winter morning.

History:
Nothing specific to the creek itself, other than the impresive viaduct at the dead of the creek. Look for the bricked-up arch way that once held the sluice gate for a tide mill that used to exist here. Once out of the creek and looking at Portsmouth Harbour, just another kilometer to the east is Portchester Castle, one of the best preserved roman castles in the UK. The dock yard is ahead in the distance with historic ships.
Waterside Pubs:
Not directly on the water, but within 50 yards of the public slip way at Fareham town quay is the Castle in Air pub.

Hazards:
Only the dredger. Keep an eye open astern.