A Visit To Keyhaven
Created | Updated Mar 26, 2013
Bob Stafford is handy with a camera.
A Visit to Keyhaven
Keyhaven was founded about 1200 AD The name Keyhaven means 'Harbour where cattle are shipped'. Now it is just a small harbour with yachts and some working boats however and a nice pub. The rest is just very expensive housing, so take all you need for a day out. There are no handy shops.
It is, however, the center for some brilliant coastal walks that can be varied to suit the visitor. You can easily park a car in the car park opposite the Gun public house. There are public toilets here.
Now you have a simple choice of direction: east or west.
The Path to the East
This takes you along the coast to Lymington. This is a wonderful open walk with plenty to see – a bird watcher's paradise.
This part of the coastal parts goes through land now owned by Hampshire county council. It is very well managed. To add interest to your walk you will see a variety of birds including kingfishers, black-tailed godwits, white throat and curlew. This is a wonderful place to see the gathering of migrating birds at the end of the summer, with clouds of birds in the sky. The summer will see the blooming of the purple-flowered of the Sea Aster, these will be popular with the butterflies including the Wall Brown and Painted Lady.
If you walk all the way along the coastal path to Lymington yacht club, it is 4.7 miles – call it a round trip of 10 miles, but the 3.5 mile walk to eight acre pond is plenty giving you a walk of 7 miles. Please remember a walk mile or two is plenty, and very well worth it.
The Past to the West
This walk takes you toward Hurst point, which boasts a lighthouse and a castle, a walk of just over 2 miles – a total of 4 round trip. It is worth a mention here that there is a ferry from Keyhaven to Hurst Castle. This gives you the option of a 2-mile walk (taking the ferry back to Keyhaven) or a walk of a few hundred yards (taking the ferry both ways). If you walk to the castle, stout footwear is a must, as the shingle bank can be tough going. Take a camera: the views of the Isle of Wight and the Needles are fantastic.
There is plenty of bird life to be seen here as well, from gulls and a variety of waders and a few resident swans.
The castle is a gem built by Henry VIII and extended during the Napoleonic wars and WWII. Do go in if you have time – it's well worth it.
Do remember to visit at any time of the year – each month will offer you something different, even in the winter.
Happy wandering.
