Exploring Portsmouth Harbour by Land and Sea

Portsmouth Harbour is a bustling hub of activity, and exploring it by land and sea is a must-do experience. The harbour is home to the historic dockyard, which has been in operation since the 19th century.

The harbour is surrounded by a scenic coastal path, perfect for walking and taking in the sights. This path offers stunning views of the harbour and the surrounding city.

Getting around the harbour by land is easy, with a variety of buses and trains connecting to the city centre.

Portsmouth Harbour has a large number of recreational vessels, with around 3500 licensed to moor in the harbour.

Harbour control is responsible for traffic co-ordination, with a watch of 3 staff members working 24 hours a day to manage vessel movements.

All vessels over 20 metres LOA must obtain permission before entering, leaving, or moving within the harbour.

Admiralty Pilots provide pilotage support to warships, as well as commercial and private vessels, to ensure safe navigation within the harbour.

The Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Order 2005 gives KHM the power to issue directions to all vessels within the Dockyard Port, including commercial, private, and military vessels.

Camber Dock is the oldest developed part of the Portsmouth Harbour complex, lying within the historic area of Old Portsmouth.

It's situated outside the original fortified boundaries of Portsmouth, near Portsmouth Point. Camber Dock started taking shape from 1590 with the construction of dockside storage and ancillary servicing facilities.

The area's popularity as a lewd destination for visiting sailors began in the 18th century, thanks to major ships anchored at Spithead.

However, with the advent of bigger steam powered ships, Camber Dock's physical limitations made it obsolete, and it was eventually bypassed for the newer Portsmouth Harbour.

Today, Camber Quay is home to the local fishing fleet, which has been there for a long time, and you can still see the commercial fish market on the dockside.

The dock also has visiting berths for non-commercial craft, and in 2015, the Land Rover BAR yacht racing headquarters was completed nearby.

Portsmouth is one of the busiest harbours in the country.

Over 3500 recreational vessels are licensed to moor in the harbour, in addition to the larger vessel movements.

The harbour is a very large natural harbour, almost completely landlocked except for the narrow entrance.

The approaches to the harbour are well sheltered by the Isle of Wight.

All vessels over 20 metres LOA must obtain permission before entering, leaving or moving within the harbour.

Admiralty Pilots provide pilotage support to warships entering and leaving the harbour, and also when they move between berths and docks within the harbour.

The Dockyard Ports Regulation Act of 1865 gives KHM extensive powers to oversee and enforce the act.

KHM issues directions to all vessels within the Dockyard Port, which covers Portsmouth Harbour, waters from Cowes to Hayling Island, and down to Sandown Bay, excluding Bembridge Harbour.

The naval base itself comprises only a small part of the geographical area of the Dockyard Port.

Portsmouth Harbour has a well-connected public transport system. You can easily access the harbour by train, with the railway station located right next to the ferry port.

The ferry port is also served by a bus interchange, The Hard, just outside the train station, with both local buses and national coaches stopping here.

If you're feeling energetic, you can even walk from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde Pier Head, with the journey taking just 22 minutes.

Getting around is easy, especially with public transport options available. Our harbour passenger ferry port is situated within Portsmouth Harbour Railway Station, so if you're arriving by train, just head to the end of the station after getting off your carriage.

The train station is also home to a well-connected bus interchange, The Hard, which is served by both local buses and national coaches. This makes it a convenient option for those who prefer to travel by bus or need to connect to other transportation services.

Parking at the FastCat Ferry Port is a breeze, with over 200 car spaces available. You can also find free motorcycle parking within dedicated bays.

For those with Blue Badge holders, accessible spaces are provided. The port also features two POLAR network, 50kw rapid charging points for electric vehicles.

To pay for parking, you can use RingGo, or simply swipe your credit or debit card. The postcode for the parking area is PO1 2LA, and the What3Words location is ///pump.fence.local.

Here's a breakdown of the parking fees:

Ryde Pier Head is a convenient port for travelers, with ticket gates introduced at both the Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier Head ports.

These gates accept rail tickets with barcodes or QR codes, as well as Wightlink paper tickets, passes, and online tickets on smartphones.

If you're traveling with children, adults will need to have their rail tickets with magnetic strips scanned manually by port staff.

The FastCat catamarans serving this route come with spacious passenger lounges, bicycle racks, and a sun deck for taking in the views during the day.

You can cross the waters between the Isle of Wight and mainland in just 22 minutes on this reliable and high-speed route.

Portsmouth Harbour has undergone significant development over the years, with expansion occurring in the mid-eighties. This led to the construction of additional berths, including two twin-tier berths, which increased the port's capacity.

Berth 2 was rebuilt and mainly used by the Earl Granville for Channel Islands and Cherbourg routes, while Berth 1 was used by Commodore Shipping for Channel Island freight services. Berth 3 was left incomplete initially but was finished later.

The final stage of development saw the creation of Berth 5, with the port becoming a hub for various ferry companies, including Channel Island Ferries, Hoverspeed, and Truckline.

Expansion was a natural next step for the port as it grew in popularity. The mid-eighties saw a significant increase in usage by all three operators, leading to the need for additional berths.

An additional two berths were built, both twin-tier, which allowed for more efficient use of space. Berth 2 was rebuilt and a new Berth 2 was constructed, mainly used by the Earl Granville for routes to the Channel Islands and Cherbourg.

Berth 1 became more congested and was eventually used by Commodore Shipping for their Channel Island freight services. Berth 3 was left incomplete, while Berth 4 was finished and primarily used by Brittany Ferries.

Townsend Thoresen moved their passenger operations to Portsmouth, followed by the purchase of P&O (Normandy Ferries) and their relocation to Portsmouth as well. The old Southampton Ferry port was then converted into a marina.

The continued use of Portsmouth led to the creation of Berth 5, marking the final stage of development. Additional ferry companies, including Channel Island Ferries, Hoverspeed, and Truckline, began operating from Portsmouth, with new routes to Caen, Santander, and Bilbao.

The advent of the Channel Tunnel and the abolition of Duty Free led to the disappearance of most ferry companies, with Sealink merging their Channel Island operations and later relocating to Poole.

A proposed tunnel was once considered to connect Gosport and Portsmouth, with a study undertaken in 1941 during the Blitz.

The tunnel would have allowed pedestrian traffic and served as a subterranean air raid shelter for residents on both sides, but the project was never constructed.

In 1942, the proposal evolved into a rail link tunnel, but it too was abandoned.

An immersed tube was deemed the most effective construction method for a tunnel crossing in 1999, requiring only 24 hours of harbour closure per segment.

The proposed tunnel would have been approximately 1 km in length, with about 670m underwater.

The tunnel was intended to be part of a light rail network connecting Fareham, Gosport, and Portsmouth, with the South Hampshire Rapid Transit Order 2001 providing authorisation for the project.

Financial problems, however, delayed the construction, which was ultimately declined by the Department for Transport in 2005.

Portsmouth Harbour is home to a Site of Special Scientific Interest, which is a testament to its unique and valuable ecosystem.

Most of the harbour is composed of intertidal mudflats and cordgrass marshes, providing a rich environment for benthic fauna.

These benthic fauna are a crucial food source for birds, highlighting the importance of the harbour's ecosystem.

Dark-bellied Brent geese, grey plovers, black-tailed godwits, and dunlins all rely on the harbour's resources, making it a vital habitat for these species.

The harbour's mudflats and marshes support three species of waders, including the grey plover, black-tailed godwit, and dunlin.

Portsmouth Harbour is a stunning natural haven, nestled in the heart of the city. It's a vital part of Portsmouth's identity and has been so for centuries.

The harbour is approximately 1.5 miles long and 0.5 miles wide, providing ample space for a variety of vessels to dock and moor.

Its strategic location on the southern coast of England has made it an important naval base and commercial port for centuries.

Portsmouth Harbour is located on the south coast of England, near the city of Portsmouth. The harbour is a natural bay that provides a safe and sheltered area for boats and ships.

The harbour is approximately 1.5 miles long and 1 mile wide. It has a total area of around 1.2 square kilometers.

Portsmouth Harbour is a popular tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors each year. The harbour's historic dockyard is a major draw, featuring famous ships like the Mary Rose and HMS Victory.

The harbour is also an important commercial hub, with a busy ferry terminal and cargo ships arriving and departing regularly.