Enjoy a unique waterborne adventure when you go paddleboarding or kayaking in Hampshire! Setting off from Keyhaven’s marina you’ll paddle along over to Hurst Castle the military coastal fortress that’s steeped in history. We are offering one-way trips (taking the ferry back) in the day as well as round-trip moonlight paddles.
Hurst Castle first built by Henry VIII is an amazing place to visit. The original Keep which dates back to the Tudor times boasts some of the best views in Hampshire as you gaze over the Needles Passage towards the Isle of Wight. Then there are the Victorian red-brick battery additions and the quirky-looking lighthouses on the shingle spit. Hurst was decommissioned in 1956 and was taken over by English Heritage and Hurst Marine to ensure the upkeep of this fascinating site so we can all visit it for many years to come.
Just one thing you can’t get to it by car because it’s perched right on the shingle spit jutting out into the sea. So that’s where the paddle sports come in! You will be kayaking or stand up paddleboarding from the marina at Keyhaven on the waterways that take you to this impressive military defence.
If you book on for a daytime adventure in this Hampshire haven you paddle to across in a guided group and then spent time exploring the castle. Your bags will be there on arrival at Hurst so you can get changed into dry clothes and be comfortable for your visit. Entry tickets are included as is a light lunch at Hurst’s cafe which serves a tempting selection of sandwiches soups ploughmans toasties and cakes. You don’t have to worry about paddling back as you’ll enjoy a relaxed return journey back to Keyhaven through the salt marches onboard the Hurst Castle ferry.
For those of you who are up for the ultimate paddle sports adventure in Hampshire the moonlight stand up paddleboarding experience is for you. You’ll set off from Keyhaven at sunset (around 9pm) and paddle through the winding salt marshes with your guide to Hurst Castle and then return under the light of the stars in the sky. This has got to be the most novel way to visit Hurst Castle!
If you have friends or family who won’t be joining you on your paddle board or kayaking fun day in Hampshire they can either get the ferry from Keyhaven and join you at Hurst Castle or even set off on foot from Milford on Sea or Keyhaven to conquer the two-mile walk along the shingle spit shoreline. A superb day out for all!
