CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: MY FAVOURITE SEASIDE PUBS

Going to the pub is one of the pleasures of a visit to the British seaside, and at Christmas the pub comes into its own. Whether you have been for a bracing walk along the seafront with a fierce souwesterly hurling seaspray across your path, or whether you have spent a pleasant interlude pottering around a harbourside, dodging the waves crashing over the harbour wall, there is only one place to head for to warm up: a cosy pub with a roaring fire, the heady aroma of hearty pub food and mulled wine, a clutch of local characters of varying degrees of eccentricity putting the world to rights and a jolly array of Christmas decorations and lights. The following is a list of my personal favourites, but it is by no means exhaustive. I would be delighted to hear about other people's beloved seaside pubs, so feel free to add yours to the list via the comments.

Penzance, Cornwall: The Turks Head

I had to start with my home town, and of all the pubs there it had to be the Turks Head. The oldest pub in Penzance, and situated in its most historic street, the pub is entered via a small door in its white facade, and is on two levels, with the bar on the ground floor and extra tables for eating downstairs. The good pub fare on offer includes a range of excellent fish and seafood options. The pub dates from the 13th century and has seen its fair share of action over the years, including part of the building being burnt down during the Spanish invasion of the 16th century, and the activities of smugglers making use of the tunnel leading from the pub directly to the harbour.

Polperro, Cornwall: The Blue Peter

Wandering through the impossibly picturesque streets of this Cornish fishing town you pass a series of increasingly inviting restaurants, cafes and pubs. Then, just when you think you've seen them all you come to the Blue Peter, right at the bottom corner of the village, overlooking the harbour. As well as a range of ales, ciders and wines, including mulled wine at Christmas, the pub offers meals and frequent live music, which has always been excellent when we have been there. Be careful on the way out: the only exit from the pub is not through the door at the front, but via a substantial flight of stone steps to the side. I shudder to think of the accidents that must have taken place on those steps.

Dartmouth, Devon: The Cherub

The Cherub is equally appealing outside and in, with its quaint black-and-white exterior and rickety interior with a roaring fire in winter. The building, the oldest in Dartmouth, dates from the 14th century and is thought to have been a Merchant's House originally, however it was in relatively recent times that it became a pub. Upstairs, the restaurant does a nice line in fine dining, while lighter bar snacks are also available.

Seatown, Dorset: The Anchor Inn

Whether you've spent the morning huffing and puffing up and down the roller coaster clifftop paths on this part of the Dorset coast, or whether you've been wandering along the palaeontologist's dream of a beach, head down, fossicking for fossils, relief is close at hand in the form of the Anchor Inn, marvellously situated overlooking the beach, near the cliff's edge. In summer there are outside tables to enjoy the view from, but in winter it's all about wood-burning stoves and good value, warming pub food.

Lymington, Hampshire: The Kings Head

We stayed in Lymington a couple of years ago in the month of October, a time of year when I start to yearn for hearty, warming comfort food, ideally served in cosy candlelit surroundings with a lively, convivial atmosphere, and the Kings Head delivered on all counts. Occupying the top end of a quaint little street leading down to the harbour and marina, this pub also satisfied on the drinks front, serving my husband's favourite ale (London Pride) and my favourite cider (Aspalls).

Whitstable, Kent: The Old Neptune

I have to be honest. The beach at Whitstable is not going to win any beauty contests, but the sunsets just might. And the best place to view one of them is on a bench outside the Old Neptune or Neppy to its regulars, which occupies a prime position right on the beach. In fact, given its precarious location it is a miracle that there is still a pub there. The original building is long since gone, washed away by a storm in 1897, the second time that century that it had taken a lashing. However, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the pub was rebuilt, although it still retains a somewhat fragile appearance. The interior of the pub has a pleasingly lived-in look, and attracts an eclectic clientele. The walls are covered with an array of interesting artwork and photographs of celebrities such as Iggy Pop. Continuing the celebrity theme, scenes from the film Venus starring Peter O'Toole were shot in the Old Neptune bar. Live music is a regular feature at weekends, which always makes for a good atmosphere.

(Sorry, bit of a crap picture!)

Aldeburgh, Suffolk: Ye Olde Cross Keys

In a town full of quaint buildings, Ye Olde Cross Keys is one of the quaintest. Set slightly back from the seafront, the pub is perfectly placed to be dived into after a bracing walk along Aldeburgh's beach. Cosy and inviting inside, with a roaring log fire, the pub serves locally caught seafood washed down with Adnams ale. One evening during our stay in Aldeburgh we found ourselves sharing the bar with a large group of young musicians, not surprising in this town, which is famous for its musical connections, most notably its association with Benjamin Britten.

Whitby, North Yorkshire: The Duke of York

Ideally situated as a bolt hole after descending the steps from Whitby Abbey, the Duke of York has a history stretching back 1,000 years to the days when the monks landed their produce from the sea at this spot before taking it up to the monastery. You can satisfy the inevitable hunger and thirst produced from walking up and down all those steps courtesy of the pub's decent standard pub fare and local ales, while enjoying fabulous views of the harbour.

Seahouses, Northumberland: The Olde Ship Inn

I fell in love with the Olde Ship during two self-catering weeks in Seahouses, especially the main bar, which is stuffed full of nautical photographs and artefacts. Unfortunately, the pub's popularity proved to be its downfall on weekend nights, when the main bar could get uncomfortably crowded. During the summer, relief is at hand in the form of a small garden out the back. I have not experienced the pub during the winter, but I'm sure it would be the perfect place to head for after pottering around the harbour or going for a long walk along the fabulous beach between Seahouses and Bamburgh. The Olde Ship also offers accommodation and serves meals in a separate restaurant area.

Inverary, Argyll and Bute: The George Hotel

The George Hotel is a historic coaching inn. We were so taken with it on a visit to Scotland a few years ago that we drove all the way over from Loch Awe to have an evening meal there, something my husband does not do lightly. As the pub's website suggests, it owes its existence to the architects Adam and Milne, who were responsible for Scotland's first planned town.

Caernarvon, Gwynedd: The Black Boy

Although just a minute's walk from Caernarvon's famous castle, the Black Boy is tucked away in a narrow side street, so it may take some unearthing. However, it is worth the effort, as the main bar provides a welcome respite from Caernarvon's lively weekend atmosphere, and the restaurant is a popular feeding post for those in search of decent British pub food.

Porthgain, Pembrokeshire: The Sloop Inn

I have only visited the Sloop during the springtime, but I can well imagine diving into it after an invigorating winter walk on the Pembrokeshire coast path, which passes through here. Porthgain has an interesting past as a quarry port, offloading slate from the surrounding areas. The interior of the Sloop has bags of character, and the food is pretty good too.

Lynmouth, Devon: The Rising Sun

The Rising Sun ticks all the boxes for a traditional harbourside inn, although it is also an upmarket hotel, occupying a whole row of cottages in this prime location by the side of Lynmouth harbour. We once spent a lovely New Years Eve at the Rising Sun, culminating in a 60s singalong to the live musician in the main bar. Every time I hear You've Lost That Loving Feeling by the Righteous Brothers it reminds me of that night!

St Ives, Cornwall: The Sloop Inn

The Sloop Inn in St Ives occupies a superb harbourfront location, nestling among the bars, restaurants, gift shops and amusement arcades. At Christmas it is ablaze with lights and decorations, and there is a range of delicious seafood specials on offer as well as mulled cider, a welcome change from the usual mulled wine.

LANGSTONE/HAYLING ISLAND

Langstone Harbour is a Site of Special Scientific Interest which includes an RSPB reserve as well as Farlington Marshes Nature Reserve which offers the possibility of viewing many species of waders and wildfowl. The nearby village of Warblington, a suburb of Havant, has the remains of a red-brick castle which was built around 1525 but was largely ruined in 1644 during the Civil War.

The main claim to fame of Hayling Island, another island similar to Portsea Island, which is easily accessible from the mainland by road, is that it is where windsurfing was invented. It was in 1958 that Peter Chilvers first assembled a board combined with a sail, the forebear of the modern windsurfing board. Hayling Island has a seafront with funfairs and amusement arcades, and for the more nature-loving types there is a walking trail called the Hayling Billy Cycle Trail which follows the route of a disused railway line and provides a viewpoint for the birds in the Kench Nature Reserve.

In 1920 a Hayling Island Nun made the ultimate sacrifice when a fire broke out in a convent on the island. Acting Mother Superior Sister Celestine made sure that 60 sick children and 7 other nuns were evacuated safely from the burning convent, then returned to the building to make sure that nobody had been forgotten, but was overcome with smoke and was found dead near the altar by firemen.

To the east of Hayling Island is another island called Thorney Island, which is mainly off limits due to it being Ministry of Defence property, although there is a path which follows the foreshore. This brings us out of Hampshire and into West Sussex.

Map of the area.

Houseboats at Hayling Island. Photo by Mark Murphy, via Wikimedia Commons.

PORTSMOUTH AND SOUTHSEA

The city of Portsmouth occupies a rectangular island called Portsea Island, although it is easily accessible from the mainland via the road network. The city includes the seaside resort of Southsea, and it is a major hub for sea transport, with ferries linking the mainland not only with the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands but also the coast of France and Spain. The port is also used by some cruise ships.  For people returning to the city by ferry, the most prominent sight that greets them is the Spinnaker Tower, an elegant 170-metre high tower in the style of a sail with magnificent views.

The western part of the island houses a naval base, and the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard including the National Museum of the Royal Navy, and three historic ships going back in time: HMS Warrior, dating from 1860, HMS Victory, launched in 1765, and Henry VIII's warship Mary Rose, which was raised from the seabed in 1982 watched by an anxious Prince Charles, who had closely followed the operation to bring the ship up from the seabed. There was a heartstopping moment when a steel frame supporting the vessel collapsed, but all was well in the end, and the ship is now on proud display to the public. The Dockyard was one of the locations used for the filming of Les Miserables.  Another maritime attraction which is bound to prove fascinating is the Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower.  One of Britain's most famous writers, Charles Dickens, was born in Portsmouth, and his birthplace is open to the public as a museum.

Southsea, meanwhile, is  home to the D-Day Story and the Blue Reef Aquarium.  Southsea Castle, built by Henry VIII in 1544, stands on the southern tip of the 'island' and offers displays on Tudor history and views out to sea at the eastern edge of The Solent.

For a list of events in Portsmouth, see here.

Webcam views of Portsmouth Harbour from HMS Warrior.

Map of the area.

Portsmouth Harbour from Gosport Haslar Marina 3. Photo by Editor5807, via Wikimedia Commons.

FAREHAM/PORTCHESTER

Fareham is a market town which lies at the northwest corner of Portsmouth Harbour. The town dates back to the Norman era. In 2007, Baroness Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Britain, visited Fareham to unveil a commemorative arch to mark the 25th anniversary of the Falklands conflict. Many of the Task Force ships which took part in the conflict sailed from nearby Portsmouth.

Portchester is best known for Portchester Castle, formerly Portus Adurni, considered the finest example of a Roman fort in Western Europe, although it was also used by Britons, Saxons and Normans over the years. The walls of the original Roman fort, six feet thick, surround the remains of a Norman castle built by Henry II. It was here that Henry V marshalled his forces for the 1415 expedition to Agincourt. As well as a fortification, the castle has been used as a royal residence and as a prison.

Map of the area.

1229190-Portchester Castle. Photo by Johan Bakker, via Wikimedia Commons.

GOSPORT

Gosport is not a very well known place on the British coast, but for somewhere so untrumpeted there are quite a few interesting spots to visit in the surrounding area. For a start, it hosts the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, where those who are not too subject to claustrophobia can step aboard real submarines to get an idea of what life on board these vessels is like. On the northern edge of Gosport is Fort Brockhurst, one of a number of forts built in the 1800s to protect Portsmouth and its harbour against a French invasion, and now owned by English Heritage. Meanwhile, on the western edge of the town, is Little Woodham, a recreation of a 17th century village taken from a time when the area was on the eve of Civil War, complete with “villagers” dressed in period costume on hand to answer questions and give an insight into the period.

In 2009 the British Parliament was in the grip of a scandal over the expenses claimed by its Members of Parliament. One of the most notorious examples of expenses abuse, so much so that it almost came to symbolise the whole expenses fiasco, was the example of a Scandinavian duck house which had been claimed for on expenses. The Member of Parliament responsible for this disgrace was none other than Sir Peter Viggers, MP for Gosport. Viggers stepped down in 2010 as a result of the investigation into MPs’ expenses.

Map of the area.

Approaching Gosport on a glorious morning in Late spring - geograph.org.uk - 1326417. Photo by Basher Eyre, via Wikimedia Commons.

LEE-ON-SOLENT

Further along the Solent heading east is the small town of Lee-On-The-Solent, with a shingle beach backed by the seafront. The town was the home of Royal Naval Air Station HMS Daedalus, which has since closed, but an airfield remains here. It also has a rather unusual museum, the Hovercraft Museum, which has just held a Hovershow showcasing historic and modern hovercraft, seaplane displays and much more.

In 2006 the town hit the news when 900 homes had to be evacuated following the discovery of 30 unexploded Canadian pipe mines during repairs to the runway at Daedalus airfield. The mines were left over from World War II, when at one time there were 265 pipe mines on the airfield packed with 2,400 lb of gelignite. There is an interesting walk from Lee-On-Solent towards Gosport taking in an area known as Browndown, which is a former naval firing range, where there are still relics remaining from its former existence.

Map of the area.

Lee On Solent Beach -0 geograph.org.uk - 1106604. Photo by Kevin Legg, via Wikimedia Commons.

HAMBLE/WARSASH

There are many eccentric traditions in Britain, including a lot of unusual sporting events. One of these takes place each year near Hamble, a village on the River Hamble, just off Southampton Water. The event is a cricket match between the local Royal Southern Yacht Club and the Island Sailing Club in Cowes which takes place annually on a sandbank called Brambles Bank in the middle of the Solent which once a year, when the tides are just right, dries out enough for such an activity to take place. Occasionally, however, the conditions fail to cooperate, as happened in 2008, when the cricketers found themselves playing with a foot of water splashing around them.

From Hamble there is a ferry across to Warsash, which is home to a Maritime Academy, as well as having a sailing club. A coastal path 4 miles long leads from here to Hill Head, taking in the Hook with Warsash Nature Reserve, which is frequented by birds such as oystercatchers, shelducks, linnets and meadow pipits. Hill Head is a former haunt of smugglers. To the east of Warsash is Titchfield Abbey, a ruined 13th century abbey with a four-storey Tudor gatehouse, owned by English Heritage.

Live webcam view of Hamble River.

Map of the area.

River-hamble-mouth-20040903-002. Photo by Ghouston, via Wikimedia Commons.

SOUTHAMPTON

The last time I visited Southampton we were due to depart on a cruise from one of the city’s three cruise terminals. Southampton is such a major departure point for cruises that it is not unusual for several cruise ships to depart on the same day. In fact, the day we went out, we were the first of a convoy of four ships leaving Southampton, which made an impressive sight as we gazed backwards from the deck of our ship. For this reason, anyone visiting Southampton would do well to avoid the docks area on a day such as this, because the traffic generated by the cruisers-to-be causes a big tailback through the town. Happily, our ship made it safely back to Southampton a week later, which is more than can be said for the most famous ship ever to depart from there. The ill-fated Titanic left Southampton on 10 April 1912, having been declared “unsinkable”. I don’t need to remind you how misguided that description turned out to be. Next year the centenary of the disaster is due to be marked with a series of events.

Like Plymouth, Southampton suffered badly from bombing during World War II. However, there are glimpses of the city’s past still on view: the towers of the 14th century town walls, the 12th century Bargate building and the 15th century Tudor House. The city needed its walls, having been on the receiving end of a succession of attacks. The first fortifications were established following the Viking raids of the 9th century. In the 14th century the town was sacked by ships operating under Charles Grimaldi, the proceeds going towards the establishment of the Principality of Monaco. The city was an important centre for shipbuilding, including Henry V’s ship HMS Grace Dieu. Speaking of Henry V, a group of plotters were tried and executed for their part in the Southampton Plot, just before Henry’s departure for the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. The trial took place in what is now the Red Lion pub in the High Street, and the executions took place outside the Bargate. Back in the present, alongside the luxury yachts moored at the waterfront development Ocean Village is the SS Shieldhall, built in 1955, the last working coastal passenger and cargo steamer, which is open to the public.

For events in Southampton, follow this link.

Live streaming webcam view of Southampton port.

Map of the area.

Southampton Docks - geograph.org.uk - 1721650. Photo by Rod Allday, via Wikimedia Commons.

HYTHE

As we move around to the estuary area known as Southampton Water, the entrance to the estuary is dominated by the oil refinery at Fawley, the largest such facility in the United Kingdom. But moving up the estuary to Hythe, the shoreline is once again given over to leisure pursuits. One of the favourite activities at Hythe is to stand and watch the enormous cruise ships passing by, having left their terminals at nearby Southampton Docks. Meanwhile for the seriously well-heeled, there is a Marina with berths for expensive yachts, as well as a ‘village’ with waterside dwellings, restaurants, shops and bars. Properties in the marina can be had for upwards of £450,000 at the time of writing. It is no doubt an attractive place to live, since as well as the delights of the waterside on the one hand, on the other there is the New Forest right on the doorstep, which comes right up to the outer reaches of the town.

In 2003, Hythe made the national news when a 700-tonne dredger collided with the pier serving the ferry which connects Hythe with Southampton, splitting it in two and resulting in repairs costing £308,000. The following year, the captain of the dredger was jailed for eight months, having been found to be two and a half times over the drink drive-limit. The only thing to be thankful for about this sorry episode is that the ferry was not disembarking people at the time: shortly before the incident, 235 people had come off the ferry, on their way home from a football match.

Map of the area.

Hythe Foreshore Facing Hythe Marina - geograph.org.uk - 328849. Photo by Gillian Moy, via Wikimedia Commons.

EXBURY GARDENS AND LEPE

On the opposite bank of the river from Bucklers Hard is Exbury Gardens, a stunning woodland garden started in the inter-war period by Lionel de Rothschild. The gardens offer up a riot of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, to name but a few plants to be found there. Different features of the garden peak at different times of the year, for example the impressive rock garden is at its best in April, so whatever the season a visit to Exbury is a must if you are in the vicinity.

Heading back round to the Solent, we come to Lepe. There is a country park here with walks including a World War II walk featuring relics from D Day, Lepe being a number of places along the south coast which had a part to play in this pivotal wartime moment. There is also a wide variety of birdlife, including Little Egrets, Oystercatchers and Ringed Plovers. There was a harbour at Lepe village from the 1700s which was used for shipbuilding, but it silted up in 1825. This was another area where smuggling was rife, and the captain of a smuggling ship, Billy Coombes, was captured and hanged at Stone Point in the 1800s. Curiously, he has the same surname as George Coombes, who met a similar fate at Mudeford (see earlier post); maybe he was a descendent. Lepe’s contribution to the D Day landings included not only acting as a departure point for the troops and equipment, but also the construction of a Mulberry Harbour, a type of temporary harbour used to facilitate the unloading of troops onto the Normandy beaches, and as a mainland base for the P.L.U.T.O. pipeline, (Pipe-Lines Under The Ocean), which were used to pump the vital fuel supplies needed by the troops in France in order to carry out their operations.

Map of the area.

American Garden, Exbury - geograph.org.uk - 450119. Photo by Colin Smith, via Wikimedia Commons.

BUCKLERS HARD

For people who enjoy walking trails, Bucklers Hard, on the west bank of the Beaulieu River, can be reached from Lymington by means of a portion of the Solent Way, a 60-mile trail stretching from Milford On Sea to Emsworth on the border with West Sussex. The walk includes a corner of the New Forest, which lies just inland of this stretch of coast. Otherwise, Bucklers Hard is reached by means of a series of minor roads. Unfortunately, it is not possible to just turn up and wander round this picturesque riverside village and former naval shipyard. The whole village is a museum, and there is an entrance fee to get in. However, it is a worthwhile diversion, especially for history buffs.

Lord Nelson owed the existence of two of his fleet of ships to Bucklers Hard. His favourite ship, Agamemnon, was built in 1781, and saw action in the French Revolutionary, American Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Sadly, she came to an ignominious end in the River Plate during her service in South America, when she became grounded while seeking refuge from a storm. HMS Euryalus, built in 1803, took part in the Battle of Trafalgar and the War of 1812, but ended up in the breaker’s yard in Gibraltar in 1860.

A short distance further along the Solent Way from Bucklers Hard is the village of Beaulieu, which is famous as the location of the National Motor Museum.

Map of the area.

Bucklers Hard Village - geograph.org.uk - 1105043. Photo by Barry Shimmon, via Wikimedia Commons.

LYMINGTON

The town of Lymington, on the Lymington River in the Solent, the stretch of water separating the mainland of England from the Isle of Wight, dates from the Iron Age. Between the Middle Ages and the 1800s, the mainstay of the economy in the town was salt, which used to be produced by evaporating sea water in copper pots. The salt was then shipped all over England. However, the industry died a death following the discovery of mineral salt in Cheshire. By then, Lymington had another string to its bow in the form of shipbuilding, helped along by the proximity of the New Forest, which proved a rich source of the timber needed to build the ships. Boat building remains big business in the area to this day. Another activity which was rife in Lymington several centuries ago was smuggling, and the town’s most famous smuggler was Tom Johnstone, who was a fully fledged smuggler by the time he reached 15. This was around the time that France and England were at loggerheads, and Tom Johnstone didn’t seem to mind which side he took, allegely working alternately for both the French and English governments, either as smuggler or revenue man. His life story was a dramatic saga of escapes, spells in prison and mishaps.

Much of the architecture of today’s Lymington is Georgian, and it has some charming cobbled streets. There are a number of attractive pubs, including The Ship, with a terrace overlooking the Marina, and The Angel, which is reputed to be haunted. The original inn to stand on the site of the Angel, called The George, dated from 1250, and there are two ghosts associated with it, one of a shadowy coachman, and the other of a tall figure wearing a naval uniform. Another spooky tale dates from the 60s, when a piano was heard being played loudly at midnight. The possibility of it coming from somebody’s radio was discounted due to the amateurish thumping that the “playing” consisted of. It transpired that the inn’s only piano had been broken up only the previous day.

Live streaming webcams from the Yacht Haven.

Map of the area.

Boats at the mouth of the River Lymington - geograph.org.uk - 592863. Photo by Margaret Sutton, via Wikimedia Commons.

MILFORD ON SEA

So it’s goodbye Dorset, hello Hampshire. Like Mudeford, Milford On Sea offers excellent views across to the Isle of Wight, which is not surprising since the spit of land which juts out just to the east of the village is less than a mile from the nearest point on the island. If you can summon up the energy to walk 2 miles over a pebble causeway to get out to this spit, you will be rewarded at the end of it with a chance to visit Hurst Castle, built by Henry VIII between 1538 and 1544 to defend the western approach to the Solent. It was here, in 1648, that Charles I was imprisoned before being tried and executed in London. The castle rediscovered its purpose in life during World War II, when it was manned with coastal gun batteries. In case the castle and guns are not enough to fill your visit, there is also a lighthouse with an exhibition. If you don’t fancy the walk to get here, there is a ferry crossing from Keyhaven in summer.

Milford On Sea itself has a villagey feel to it, enhanced by the presence of a village green. This hosts a May Day festival every year. Other events include a music and arts festival in late June/early July.  

Map of the area.

Hurst Castle Spit - geograph.org.uk - 37160. Photo by C D Uglow, via Wikimedia Commons.