Historic Places

Another boat trip.

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Back in the Spring, we booked a trip on the SS Shieldhall yesterday, the weather held, and the promised rain held off. We had a 7-hour trip – 2025 is set to be a special year for Shieldhall, built in 1955, as she celebrates her 70th birthday. SS Shieldhall is the largest working steamship in Britain. The trip was down Southampton Water and into the Solent. We met up with the historic Paddle Steamer Waverley just off the Isle of Wight. PS Waverley was built in 1946 and is the last seagoing passenger-carrying paddle steamer in the world. She is also steam-powered. Both ships are on the National Historic Fleet Register. In the past, I have sailed on both these ships, but it is always a treat to step back in time and travel at a slower pace.

Part 1: Leaving Southampton Docks and heading down Southampton Water.

Leaving 110 Berth, Southampton Docks. View of the emergency steering gear.

Passing shipping in Southampton Water. Container Ship and Isle of Wight Ferry.

The Bridge.

Engine room.

Lifeboat.

Part 2: Meeting Paddle Steamer Waverley.

Part 3: A Visit from the Coastguard.

The Team on the Shieldhall have a good rapport with Solent Coastguard and undertakes exercises with them. We were lucky to have an exercise with the Solent Coastguard helicopter. The unit, currently operates two Leonardo AW189 helicopters and is staffed and maintained by Bristow Helicopters Ltd under contract with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. These aircraft are available 24/7 to respond to coastal and maritime emergencies, often working with lifeboat crews and other emergency services. They operate from their base at Lee on Solent.

You must respect both the skill of the aircrew in putting a winchman on the deck of a moving ship with all the wires and superstructure.

Part 4: Return to port.

After a great trip, once the helicopter departed, we sailed back to Southampton. In the last hour of the trip, the weather broke, and heavy rain came in. We arrived in port at approximately 1900 hours.

Circular walk.

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On Wednesday, our walk was a circular route of approximately 7 miles, starting from our campsite at Acton Fields, and then heading down to the coast at Dancing Ledge, along the coast to Winspit. The coast in Purbeck is dotted with quarries and caves, a legacy of the stone-cutting industry. Then back inland “uphill” to Worth Matraver and along the Priests Way back to the van.

Swanage.

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A couple of nights camping in the van at Acton fields campsite near Swanage Dorset. A chance to explore the coastal path near Worth Matraves about a miles walk from the campsite. The last time I was at  Acton fields I broke my shoulder when I fell at Kimmeridge Bay!

(Posted via smartphone).

Twyford Water Works.

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An open day visit to Twyford Waterworks near Winchester was worth a visit this morning. I had not visited the works since the pandemic, so it was nice to go there again.

The Chalk bedrock under the site acts as a giant sponge, storing rainwater. Wells are sunk into these aquifers, and water is pumped into the underground reservoirs. The site remains in the ownership of Southern Water, and their modern pumps under the site still takes 15 megalitres of water per day, which is put into the public supply. The old part of the site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and is run by a trust.

The original wells were sunk in 1898, with the steam pumps installed in 1900.

One of the 3 Badcock and Wilcox boilers for the steam engines.

Later 1930s Diesel pumping engine. (One of 3).

As part of the process, the water was softened, and the site had its own lime kilns. Three extra kilns were added in the 1930s to the original two. Chalk was moved to them from a quarry on a small railway.

The Kilns are known as “flare ” kilns.

Lister locomotive railway engine

Holly Hill.

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Holly Hill Park is situated on the eastern banks of the River Hamble, north of Warsash. The land is now owned by the council but was once the gardens of a long-lost mansion. As part of this, the mansion the grounds were landscaped, the stream was dammed to form a large lake and further damming was done to create a series of terraced lakes within the valley, rocky outcrops, cascades, and a grotto were made by Pulham Company. They made artificial rocky outcrops with their ‘Pulhamite’ mixture of Portland stone and cement poured over rubble, and individually moulded into shape. {date around 1870} A sunken garden was added in 1936 on the site of a large glasshouse. The building suffered from neglect and was eventually demolished. Fareham Borough Council purchased Holly Hill in 1954.

Living History.

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Today we had an exciting fast boat trip from Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. On  High Speed Launch 102.

A calm sea and sunny weather added to the experience.

102 is the only survivor of the 100 class in the UK. She was launched in 1936. She was one of the first, fast offshore rescue boats in service with the Royal Air Force. She was one of the most technologically advanced production craft of the day, She saw active service in WW2. Off Calshot, she was damaged by a Messerschmitt 109 which also killed her radio operator. 1943, she transferred to the Royal Navy for target towing. She was sold off off in 1946. She became a houseboat. She was restored between 1993 and 1996 at Fawley. Now she is in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Three Lights.

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Over time, three lighthouses have been built on Portland Bill headland. The original two short lighthouses were built in 1716. They worked together as a pair, and had coal-fired lights, and were said to be unreliable. They were replaced in 1906 by the current red and white striped one. All three lighthouses are still standing.

Dorset Coast trip.

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Our 1st Camper Van Trip of 2025 was just a couple of hours’ drive from home. It gave us a return visit to the Dorset Coast around Portland Bill.

Hive Beach is, made up of shingle, surrounded by striking sandstone cliffs. It forms part of the larger Chesil Beach. It is part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. It is also the largest shingle ridge in the world. Burton Cliff offers one of the finest examples of the distinctive geology of this Bridport Sands area. The cliffs glow bright gold in the sunlight.

Chesil Bank looking towards the Isle of Portland and Portland Bill.

The Hardy Monument stands on a hill above the village of Portesham. It has uninterrupted views across the Dorset countryside. It was built in 1844 to honor Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy. He was the Flag Captain of HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. Lord Nelson died in his arms, saying the immortal words ‘Kiss me Hardy’.

The Isle of Portland is an island linked to the mainland by the Chesil bank. It is 6 kilometers long and 2.7 kilometers wide. The southern tip is known as Portland Bill. It lies 8 kilometers south of the resort of Weymouth. This location forms the southernmost point of the county of Dorset.

Portland stone is a limestone geological formation. It dates to the Tithonian age of the Late Jurassic period. It is quarried on the Isle of Portland. The quarries are cut in beds of white-grey limestone. It has been used extensively as a building stone throughout the British Isles. It is notably used in major public buildings in London, like St Paul’s Cathedral and Buckingham Palace. Portland stone has been exported to many countries. For example, it is used at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

Portland’s quarries are interesting places to explore. They are full of tunnels and gullies. Many tramways and cranes can be found as you walk the area.