Keyhaven to Hurst Castle Ferry Ride

The views from the leisurely ferry ride to Hurst Castle is a highlight for many of our visitors as you meander down the Keyhaven River, home to much wildlife.

Here you can spot a large number of waders, wildfowl and other birds as the Keyhaven marshes is home to a wide range of habitat, including grassland, scrub, saltmarsh, shingle, fresh and saltwater and reed beds.

Important fauna includes breeding colonies of Terns (often on shingle islands on the face of saltmarshes), Ringed Plover, Black Headed, Mediterranean Gull and nationally rare invertebrates.

The saltmarshes also supports an internationally significant feeding population of dark-bellied Brent Geese.

The spectacular views continue once at the castle, it has been documented that the view from the top of the Tudor Keep is one of the best in England. From here you can see the Isle of Wight, which lies across the Needles Passage. On the island’s shore diagonally opposite Hurst to the south-east, our two 19th century defences: Fort Albert and on the cliff top above, the remains of Cliff End Battery.