20 Attractions to Explore Near Solent Way

HMS Alliance is an Amphion-class submarine built at Vickers Armstrong, Barrow in Furness for the British Royal Navy and launched on 28th July 1945. It is now a museum which shows the marine history and also it provides a new experience for those who visit this museum.

Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower is an award-winning museum of naval warfare set in the 18th-century buildings at the Royal Navy's former armaments depot of Priddy's Hard, in Gosport, Hampshire. you can wander in the world of weaponry and firearms, which is fearsome, powerful and inventive. Learn of the damage that was done by the collection of guns, cannons, torpedoes, modern missiles – and even a nuclear bomb – at the former 18th-century armament depot which houses the museum.

The Hovercraft Museum is the only one in the world dedicated to this unique concept. The collection consists of approximately 60 hovercraft, ranging in size from single-seat fun craft to giant SRN4 that used to operate across the English Channel. Here, visitors can see famous hovercraft from film and television, climb aboard historic specimens, and see the very first proof-of-concept machines that led the way to the hovercraft revolution.

Ryde's pier is the second-longest seaside pier in the country. Only Southend's is longer. The original wooden structure at Ryde opened in 1814. At 1,740 feet, it allowed ferries to berth even at low tide, when the sea retreats half-a-mile from the shore. It was extended in 1824, and reached its present length of nearly 1/2 mile by 1842.

A beautiful flat sandy beach that was stretching from Ryde pier where the ferry and hovercraft dock, all the way to Puckpool and Seaview. Ryde’s pier splits the beach in two, with a wide variety of activities and entertainments occupying both the pier itself and the beaches beside it. Ryde beaches are perfect to visit all day long. If you're searching for a relaxing beach experience, with cafes and amenities.

Originally built in the late 3rd century, Portchester Castle is the most impressive and best-preserved of the ‘Saxon shore’ forts. The castle’s commanding location has made it a major factor in the Solent's defenses for hundreds of years. Make the most of the wide-open grounds and castle courtyard, and enjoy a family picnic surrounded by history. Today Portchester Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and a Grade I listed building.

A beautiful and huge public park is a great place for a family day out playing traditional outdoor games and enjoying the wonderful views across Ryde to the mainland of Portsmouth, where you can sometimes see Spinnaker Tower. Hanging out in Appley Park is a fantastic family day out and, as well as an assortment of pleasing eateries just minutes away from the Goodleaf tree, you can go swimming, build sandcastles, try orienteering, explore the park.

An impressive collection of Island buses and coaches dating from 1927 to more recent examples are housed here. There are over 20 vehicles on display. These include a 20 seater Dennis Ace bus, beautifully restored to as new 1934 condition, which worked the Ryde - Alum Bay Coastal Route pre-war. The museum hosts two bus rallies of its own. There is one event in May, running day.

Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve is a wetland nature reserve with a rich habitat of rivers, marshlands, and scrapes. It is excellent for birdwatching and attracts many people hoping to spot a rare species. The reserve is managed primarily for birds but it also has rare flora including rarities such as slender bird's-foot-trefoil, frogbit, and marshmallow. One of the iconic attraction which shows the importance of the conservation of nature.

No Man's Land Fort was one of a chain of four sea forts in the Solent recommended by the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom in 1860 and designed to protect Portsmouth dockyard from seaborne attack. As part of an integrated sea based defensive line the massive structure of No Man's Land fort provides a visual reminder of the strategic importance of the Solent in the late 19th century.

Quarr Abbey Situated just off the south coast of England, which is home to a small group of Benedictine monks who dedicate their lives to the glory of God. Visit this beautiful church and wander around the grounds to experience the tranquil atmosphere. There was a art gallery where local artists display their artwork or browse the bookshop, where you can buy published works by a member of the community of monks along with other Quarr Abbey souvenirs.

Westbury Manor Museum is the main town center museum located at 84 West Street, Fareham, Hampshire, England. It features a variety of exhibits on local histories, such as the use of Fareham red bricks in the construction of the Royal Albert Hall. explore Westbury Manor Museum to find out about the borough's origins as a Stone Age settlement, the infamous workhouse scandal of 1837, its long traditions of brickmaking and strawberry production, and much more.

Rosemary’s Vineyard has become One of the most iconic vineyard and has produced some of the most highly regarded Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in California. ll English wine, liqueurs, juices and ciders are made on the estate from grapes/apples grown on the estate. Relax and enjoy a taste of the good life in this peaceful setting.

Fort Nelson is home to the Royal Armouries' national collection of artillery and historic cannon – the big guns – and is a great day out for all the family. It was built in the 1860s to protect against a potential invasion by the French, which never materialized. You can explore a fully restored Victorian fort with its high ramparts, original fortifications, massive parade ground, and underground tunnels, plus a national museum housing over 700 pieces of artillery from across the world and span

The Royal Armouries is Britain's oldest national museum and was all originally in the Tower of London. It now occupies Fort Nelson, The Tower of London, Leeds Royal Armouries Museum and a permanent display at Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Over 700 items of artillery from many countries and spanning 600 years are brought to life whilst sensitively telling the unique stories behind them.

Portsdown Hill is a chalk ridge that overlooks Portsmouth and provides a stunning viewpoint over the city, the harbors, and over to the Isle of Wight. It provides beautiful views over Portsmouth and beyond. The slopes are home to impressive shows of wildlife that can be explored through miles of paths. The grassland is home to fantastic displays of colorful wildflowers that change through the spring, summer, and autumn. There is also a vast collection of spot bees, butterflies, and hundreds of

A beautiful former holiday home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, located on the Isle of Wight. Relax in the open air as you wander rolling acres of the magnificent Osborne estate. The island palace has seen royal weddings, romances and parties grace its rooms and gardens over the last 160 years and now you can write the next chapter in the story of this unique home, and begin your new life together where one of greatest love stories played out.

Priory Bay is a small privately-owned bay on the northeast coast of the Isle of Wight. The northern part of the bay has a straight coastline and is sandy with some pebbles. The bay is surrounded by woodland known as Priory Woods owned by the National Trust. The seabed is predominantly sandy and the shallow bay shelves gradually to the shore, a shallow sandbank called Gull Bank exists just offshore which keeps a long thin pool of water next to the beach at low tide.

The ruins of 13th-century Titchfield Abbey, the last monastery of Premonstratensian canons to be founded in England, lie in the valley of the River Meon in south Hampshire. The extensive ruins of the 13th-century abbey are dwarfed by an imposing Tudor gatehouse built from the nave of the abbey church. The remains were purchased by the government in the early twentieth century and are now a Scheduled Ancient Monument under the care of English Heritage.