Calshot to Hythe Ferry
(Our overall day number 49 - Part of The KC3 ECP Leg 16 - Calshot to Lee-on-the-Solent)Calshot to Hythe Ferry
22nd February 2024 | Miles 7.9 | Elevation gain 254ft
A 7.9 mile walk up the western side of Southampton Water, starting from Calshot, the first two miles alongside the Calshot Marshes, and then heading inland for a fairly long road based section to navigate round the oil refinery. At the 5.5 mile mark, we headed back towards the coast across country - this was a very wet section given the time of year. The final mile is along the coast to arrive at the Hythe Ferry.
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Getting there and back
Starting from our accommodation in Southampton, we caught the Hythe Ferry (runs every hour, half hourly at peak times), and then the number 9 bus for the 30 minute ride down to Calshot (runs every hour from just outside the ferry building at Hythe - be sure to get the right number 9 via Fawley, some of these run to Langley only). At the end of the day we caught the ferry back to Southampton.
Weather conditions
Shocking! We delayed our start by a couple of hours to allow some of the rain to pass, but all but the last hour of the walk was completed in rainy conditions. It was also very wet under foot, with sections that required wading almost up to the knees.
Walking difficulty
Easy (in theory) - flat and well marked, but very wet when we did it, and an annoying inland stretch including a couple of busy roadside walks, to circumnavigate the oil refinery
The story of our day in photos
.jpg "Waiting for the ferry to Hythe")
Waiting for the ferry to Hythe
.jpg "It was raining cats and dogs!")
It was raining cats and dogs!
.jpg "More rain!")
More rain!
.jpg "Borrowing someone's beach hut veranda at Calshot Beach to shelter with a spot of lunch!")
Borrowing someone's beach hut veranda at Calshot Beach to shelter with a spot of lunch!
.jpg "Setting off from Calshot - despite appearances, we were having fun!!")
Setting off from Calshot - despite appearances, we were having fun!!
.jpg "Walking past Fawley Power Station")
Walking past Fawley Power Station
.jpg "Not sure how we're going to navigate that!")
Not sure how we're going to navigate that!
.jpg "No respite from the rain")
No respite from the rain
.jpg "Walking up the A326, different type of wet hazard from passing cars!")
Walking up the A326, different type of wet hazard from passing cars!
.jpg "To board the ferry at Hythe, it's a 640 metre ride on the world's oldest pier train")
To board the ferry at Hythe, it's a 640 metre ride on the world's oldest pier train
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