Arwen's meanderings

Hi everyone and welcome to my dinghy cruising blog about my John Welsford designed 'navigator' named Arwen. Built over three years, Arwen was launched in August 2007. She is a standing lug yawl 14' 6" in length. This blog records our dinghy cruising voyages together around the coastal waters of SW England.
Arwen has an associated YouTube channel so visit www.YouTube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy to find our most recent cruises and click subscribe.
On this blog you will find posts about dinghy cruising locations, accounts of our voyages, maintenance tips and 'How to's' ranging from rigging standing lug sails and building galley boxes to using 'anchor buddies' and creating 'pilotage notes'. I hope you find something that inspires you to get out on the water in your boat. Drop us a comment and happy sailing.
Steve and Arwen

Friday 20 October 2017

Hurst Castle spit and Lymington marshes


Hurst castle is 2 miles long, a spit at the eastern end of the Solent, famous for its castle built by Henry VIII and extended during WWII to protect the ports of Southampton and Portsmouth. The shingle is well trod by countless tourists who walk across the rounded flints, cherts and sandstones to each the English heritage site. To the north is the extensive Lymington marshes, small creeks, extensive mudflats, a haven for birds. The marshes face severe erosion, from waves and humankind. They are a protected SSSI site and no wonder why. Truly stunning scenery.
And having taught this as a case study on and off for thirty years, it was rather nice to visit it for the first time.
Lighthouse and lighthouse keeper's cottage at end of the spit


A little ferry plies between Lymington and the end of the spit

Hurst Castle: Henry VIII castle, extended during Napoleonic wars, First World war and WWII

Relics from WWII


Shells for the 38 tonne guns

WWII lighthouse

WWII ablutions block


The 38 tonne guns

Creeks and mudflats, an ecological haven and a SSSI site and National Nature Reserve












2 comments:

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

Definitely on my my bucket list list... and Mary Rose... :-)

steve said...

well worth a visit