Gosport Holiday Tourist Guide Submarine Museum Gosport Ferry

Gosport Tourist Information

Due to its position around Portsmouth Harbour and the Solent Gosport has always been an important sailing and defensive centre on the Hampshire coast. Over the centuries the town's industries developed to support the naval and military activities in the area.

The Waterfront at Gosport stretches for seventeen miles between Gosport and Lee-on-Solent. Along the way you get great views of the bustle of Portsmouth Harbour, the ships at the Historic Dockyard as well as the forts out to sea and Spinnaker Tower at Gunwharf Quays across the water. You can also follow The Waterfont Trail which points out memorials and sites of interest along a three kilometre route. A leaflet is available from the Tourist Information Centre or you can download it as a pdf or podcast from the Discover Gosport link right.

Gosport has a tourist information centre handily placed at the Bus Station - just down the walkway from the ferry. Gosport Tourist Information Centre, Bus Station Complex, South Street, Gosport PO12 1EP. Tel: 023 9252 2944. Fax: 023 9251 1687. Email: tic@gosport.gov.uk Tel: 023 9252 2944 or tourism@gosport.gov.uk

In addition there's the Gosport Discovery Centre on the High Street. It functions as the town's library, but also has the Gosport Gallery and Museum on the Mezzanine for art and museum exhibitions. There is also a local history collection, coffee shop and free internet service. It is open Mon-Fri 9.30am-7pm. Sat 9am-4.30pm. Gosport Discovery Centre, High Street, Gosport Hampshire PO12 1BT. Tel: 0845 603 5631.

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Gosport Ferry to Portsmouth

Not only does the Gosport Ferry run handy trips across Portsmouth Harbour to Gunwharf Quays, but they also offer a wide range of boat trips around Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight, Southampton and the New Forest.

The ferry service runs every day of the from 5.30am-midnight, weather permitting. The crossing time is just under eight each way, and is the only link between Portsmouth and Gosport. As you travel across the harbour you get excellent views of HMS Victory, Royal Naval ships and aircraft carriers and the other larger ferries using water way.

The boat trips they offer include a Portsmouth Harbour Cruise, a day trip to Cowes on the Isle of Wight and to rivers around the New Forest and Southampton. For a spectacular trip take the Cowes Firework Night cruise which gives you sea views of the fantastic firework display that marks the finale of Cowes Week.

Check the link right for up-to-date timetables and details of cruises. Tel: 023 9252 4551. Fax: 023 9252 4802. Email: admin@gosportferry.co.uk

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Submarine Museum Gosport

At the southern end of the waterfront you can find the Royal Navy Submarine Museum. You can find out all about the development of the submarine through this interactive museum. Not only can you have a look around a real life submarine, HMS Alliance, but you can view a whole host of submarines and torpedoes. There's loads of interactive displays and a fantastic opportunity to use a periscope to view Portsmouth Harbour.

The museum is constantly updating its collections of submarine related material and photographs that include uniforms, periscopes and models of submarines. In recent yeas it has also undergone some expansion including a new submarine-shaped building that houses the historic X-craft mini-submarine HMSX24.

There is a gift shop and cafe on the site. Admission prices apply but families will find the family ticket more cost effective which is valid for 2 adults and up to 4 children. The Museum is open all year round except over Christmas. Apr-Oct 10am-5.30pm. Nov-Mar 10am-4.30pm.

The Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Haslar Jetty Road, Gosport, Hampshire PO12 2AS. Tel: 023 9251 0354.

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Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower

To the north of Gosport in eighteenth century buildings, Priddy's Hard, you'll find Explosion! The Museum of Naval Firepower. Priddy's Hard used to be the Royal Navy's armaments depot. Now a variety of the old buildings display armaments through the ages from cannons and guns through to Exocet missiles and an atom bomb! There's even an original eighteenth century gunpowder vault.

Displays also detail the history of the site that once employed 2,500 women munitions workers who worked on the site during World War II.

Explosion is continuing to develop with new additions to its collection and the restoration of the buildings at Priddy's Hard ongoing. The site geared up for a full day out with plenty of interactive displays to keep you amused. There is also a waterside coffee shop and ammunition related gift shop.

The Museum of Naval Firepower, Priddy's Hard, Gosport, Hampshire PO12 4LE. Tel: 023 9250 5600. Fax: 023 9250 5605. 24 Hour Infoline: 023 9250 5678. Email:info@explosion.org.uk

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