Hythe (Hampshire)

Not to be confused with Hythe (Kent).

Hythe is a town in Hampshire, a county in England. This article also covers Fawley and the surrounding area.

Towns in Hythe

• 1 Dibden Purlieu. Part of the civil parish 'Hythe and Dibden' and has since merged with Hythe. (updated Jan 2021)

• 2 Totton. Not part of Hythe, but nearby. (updated Jan 2021)

• 3 Marchwood. A town in between Hythe and Totton. (updated Jan 2021)

Towns in Fawley

• 4 Ashlett. (updated Jan 2021)

• 5 Blackfield. (updated Jan 2021)

• 6 Langley (a suburb of Blackfield). (updated Jan 2021)

• 7 Calshot. (updated Jan 2021)

• 8 Holbury. (updated Jan 2021)

• 9 Hardley (a suburb of Holbury). (updated Jan 2021)

Understand

The village of Hythe lies in a pivotal position on the western shore of Southampton Water abutting the New Forest. In the area now known as the Waterside, Hythe is the central village of numerous small communities vastly expanded by dormitory housing serving the petrochemical industries in the Waterside and the City of Southampton.

Calshot Spit comprises a flint pebble structure around one mile long. Between it and the main shore is a salt marshy area with a wealth of wildlife and birds. The nearby Fawley Power Station discharged cooling water into the shallow waters around Calshot beach, and this has led to some reports of warm water species being attracted into the Solent. The Habitats Directive Review of Consents for the Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation (SAC) did indeed identify thermal pollution on the intertidal zone on the west shore of Southampton Water, but this is likely to be from more than this one source. Excavation for the nearby power station discovered buried land surfaces from the Neolithic period.

Get in

By plane

1 Southampton Airport (SOU ^IATA) is a relatively small airport and serves destinations in the UK and Europe. It is about 15 miles from Hythe via the M27.

By ferry

The Hythe ferry is a practical and charming way to travel between Hythe and the Town Quay in central Southampton. An adult return costs £7 (return leg valid for a month), and cycles are charged £1 (as of 2020). The ferry departs every half hour, 7 days a week and the journey takes about 15 minutes. If you like quirky transport and spectacular sea views then the journey is worth making just for fun. A shuttle bus operates at the Southampton end between the Town Quay, the West Quay shopping centre and Southampton Central station.

By train

Hythe no longer has its own main line rail service – the last train ran in 1966 and the station is now the village museum. However, you can reach Hythe easily from the stations at Lymington and Southampton (via bus or ferry).

By taxi

There are a couple of local taxi companies providing local and long distance travel services from major airports, towns, bus and rail stations to Hythe. New Forest Taxi and Soton Taxi provide instant cab/taxi booking facility.

• Taxi fare is approximately £80 from Heathrow, £90 from Gatwick, 130 from Luton and £20 from Southampton, £30 from Bournemouth airport.

By bus

Bluestar Buses travel from Southampton, £8, between 1 hour 20 and 1 hour 30.

Get around

Hythe is on the eastern edge of the New Forest.

See

• 1 Hythe Pier. At 2,100 feet (640 m), this 19th-century iron pier is one of the ten longest piers in the British Isles. In 1909 tracks were laid for use by hand-propelled trolleys to carry goods and luggage. In 1922 a narrow gauge electric railway opened to take passengers the full length of the Pier. This railway with its original engine and rolling stock is still operational and an important part of the local transport system to Southampton.  
• 2 St Johns Church. Consecrated in 1874, the church still provides an impressive backdrop as you enter the village from the south. (updated Dec 2020)
• 3 All Saints' Church. Church built between 1170 and 1340, with some fine stained glass windows. (updated Dec 2020)
• 4 Calshot Castle, Jack Maynard Road, Calshot Spit, ☏ +44 2380 892023. An artillery fort constructed by Henry VIII on the Calshot Spit between 1539 and 1540 that has been used as an artillery fort, coast guard station and air base. It has been restored to its pre-1914 appearance by English Heritage, and is a "well-preserved example" of King Henry's Device Forts. Adult £4.20, child (5-17 years) £2.90, concession £3.70, family (2 adults, up to 3 children) £11.30. (updated Dec 2020)
• 5 Calshot Spit. 9AM-4PM every day. Calshot Spit is a one-mile long sand and shingle bank. At the end of the spit are Calshot Castle (built by King Henry VIII), an RNLI lifeboat, an NCI station, several slipways, a former Royal Navy and Royal Air Force flying boat station and Calshot Activities Centre. The neck of the spit is owned by New Forest District Council while the end of the spit is owned by the Crown Estate which leases it to Hampshire County Council. (updated Jan 2021)
• 6 Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway, Exbury, SO45 1AZ (From Calshot by car only, about 5-6 miles. From elsewhere in the New Forest (e.g. Beaulieu, Brockenhurst rail station, Lyndhurst) a summer bus service runs), ☏ +44 23 8089-1203. Mar-Nov: daily 10AM-5:30PM. Email via online contact form. A spectacular 200-acre woodland garden, world famous for its collection of rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias. Best seen in May and early June, when the rhododendrons and azaleas are at their best. Like a number of Rothschild properties, Exbury has a rather delightful 1½-mile narrow-gauge steam railway, which meanders through gardens not otherwise accessible to visitors. Once you've ridden, there's a small exhibition to visit. £7.50 adult, £3.50-5.50 senior; £1-1.50 child (higher price applies during rhododendron and azalea flowering season), railway £5.50. (updated Dec 2020)

Do

• 1 Gang Warily Leisure Centre, Newlands Road, Fawley. Gym and fishing lake. Car boot sale on Sunday mornings in the carpark. (updated Dec 2020)

• 2 Calshot Activities Centre, Calshot Spit, ☏ +44 2380 892077. It is one of the largest outdoor adventure centres in Britain. A hangar built for World War II flying boats, it's now an activity centre for watersports (including kite-surfing), climbing, snowboarding and track cycling. There is a small indoor velodrome, a dry ski slope, and facilities for climbing and bouldering. The climbing grades vary from about 3 to the occasional 8a. The centre offers residential and visitor courses. (updated Dec 2020)

• 3 Lepe Country Park (Lepe Beach), ☏ +44 2380 899108. Walking, swimming, birdwatching, wild flower meadows and historic remains from the D-Day landings. There is also a mile of beach, pine fringed cliffs and stunning views across the Solent from Hurst Castle to Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower. From £2.00 to £6.00 depending on how long you stay. (updated Dec 2020)

Buy

• 1 Cycle Xperience, Unit 4A, South Centre HYTHE Hampshire SO45 6EB, ☏ +44 2380 840765. M-Sa 9AM-5:30PM. Decent specialist bike shop offering hire/rental as well as sales. (updated Dec 2020)
• 2 Long Lane, Southampton SO45 2ND. Two Co-op foodstores (one with a post office), a Boots pharmacy and Holbury Hardware Stores. (updated Dec 2020)
• 3 Holbury Drove, Southampton SO45 2NE. A One Stop Store and some specialist shops. (updated Dec 2020)
• 4 24-7 Boardsports, ☏ +44 2380 894000. (updated Dec 2020)
• 5 Calshot Lifeboat Shop, ☏ +44 2380 893509. (updated Dec 2020)

Eat

• 1 Falcon Inn, The Square, Fawley, SO45 1DD. 18th century pub. mains £9 - 30. (updated Dec 2020)

• 2 Bluebird Cafe, 23, B3053, Calshot. Tu-Su 11AM-4PM. Cafe on the beach for sandwiches, coffee and ice cream. (updated Dec 2020)

Sleep

• 1 Boathouse Hotel, Hythe Marina, ☏ +44 2380 844066. (updated Dec 2020)
• 2 Walcot Guest House, Blackfield Road, Fawley, SO45 1ED. Bed and breakfast, evening meals (£15) can be ordered in advance. (updated Dec 2020)
• 3 Luttrell's Tower, Eaglehurst SO45 1BT. A three-storey tower near Calshot. Built in 1780. From £773 for 4 nights. (updated May 2021)

Go next

Routes through Hythe

Southampton ←	N  S	→ END
merges with ←	N  S	→ Beaulieu → Lymington