10 Ferries in South East England That You Shouldn't Miss

Enjoy a relaxing cruise along the Basingstoke Canal in Woking on board Kitty seeing wildlife and local sights. The canal skirts Horsell Common (a 355 hectares Site of Special Scientific Interest). Kitty is operated by qualified and trained volunteers from the Basingstoke Canal Society. You can either book a trip or charter Kitty as required, in addition, she is fitted with a hydraulic lift and a ramp and can accommodate up to 2 unpowered wheelchair users per trip.

Located within the New Forest National Park, Hurst Castle is situated on the seaward end of the shingle spit that extends 1.5 miles from Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire. Built by Henry VIII as a chain of fortresses to protect the Solent in 1544, this is the site where Charles I was imprisoned in 1648 before being taken to his trial and execution in London. The castle was modernised during the Napoleonic wars and again in the 1870s when the enormous armoured wings were added, making it the largest coastal fort in the world. Two of the huge 38-ton guns installed in the 1870s can be viewed in their casemates together with other weapons developed through 412 years of military use. During World War II, Hurst was manned with coastal gun batteries and searchlights. You can get to Hurst Castle by ferry from Keyhaven Quay (sat nav postcode: SO41 0TP) or you can walk along the shingle Hurst Spit. The castle is currently closed, however refreshments are available from outside the castle.

Hovertravel provides the fastest Isle of Wight ferry service across the Solent and is the world's longest running and only commercial hovercraft operator in Europe. Our passenger ferry service takes you directly to the shore at Southsea or Ryde in just 10 minutes. Easy onward travel connections are available with our Hoverbus to Portsmouth, bus and train connections at Ryde.

Passenger ferry service between Hamble le Rice and Warsash. We are also the main Mooring Contractor for the river and Crown Estate looking after all public sites, Boat yard and lift out services available , Diving services also available.

Red Funnel has a proud history of serving the Isle of Wight since 1820, carrying 3.4 million passengers to the Island each year. We have won awards for safety, innovation & service including Certificates of Excellence from Trip Advisor every year since 2013. Choose between two stunning routes: our Southampton-East Cowes (former home of Queen Victoria) service takes 1 hour, operates 365 days/year and carries vehicles & passengers. On board, enjoy free Wi-Fi, hot & cold food, a bar & coffee shops, or upgrade to the Signature Lounge, for a quieter club class experience. Our 2nd route connects Southampton to the world-famous yacht racing town of West Cowes. Our modern ‘Red Jet’ Hi-Speed catamarans take just 23 min to cross the Solent. Our entire fleet is dog friendly. Look to us for expert travel advice, accommodation bookings, attraction & event tickets. The opening times displayed are our Contact Centre hours.

Wightlink is the leading cross-Solent ferry operator carrying almost five million holidaymakers and Islanders to the Isle of Wight every year. We provide a vehicle and foot passenger ferry service from Lymington, a charming market town in the New Forest, to Yarmouth, a gorgeous historic town in the west of the Isle of Wight. Lymington to Yarmouth is our quickest and most scenic route for car passengers, with a crossing time of only 40 minutes. Facilities in both ports include a Costa Coffee serving drinks, rapid charging points (50kwh) for electric vehicles, ticket office, toilets and baby-changing facilities. Car parking and bicycle racks is also available. Three of our Wight Class ships serve this route. Whether travelling by foot or car, Wightlink’s modern, comfortable fleet provide spacious passenger lounges, sun decks to see the sights of the Solent, excellent food and drink options and easy to access facilities. Wightlink offers frequent sailings all year round.