Hurst Castle
Milford on Sea, New Forest
An artillery fortress built by Henry VIII at the seaward end of Hurst Spit to guard the narrow western entrance to the Solent, later strengthened from the Napoleonic Wars to the Second World War. Reaching it is part of the outing, by ferry from Keyhaven through the saltmarshes or on a 2-mile walk along the shingle.
Highlights
- Tudor keep where Charles I was probably held prisoner in 1648
- Roof views across the Needles Passage to the Isle of Wight
- Second World War garrison theatre
- Ferry ride past Keyhaven saltmarsh, where seals are sometimes seen
- School holiday trails and crafts included in admission
Good to know
- Dogs on short leads are welcome everywhere in the castle and travel free on the ferry
- Ferry tickets are bought on the day, by cash or card, and cannot be booked in advance
- The east wing is closed after a wall collapse in 2021, and some west wing rooms are closed for repairs
- There is no drinking water on site, and under 16s must be with an adult
Getting there
Hurst Castle, Hurst Spit, Milford on Sea, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 0TPParking: No vehicle access to the castle. Use the pay and display car park at Keyhaven (SO41 0TP) for the ferry, or park on Milford on Sea seafront for the 2-mile walk along the shingle spit.
Get directionsChecked on 19 October 2026 against english-heritage.org.uk, english-heritage.org.uk, english-heritage.org.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check
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What's on at Hurst Castle
Halloween at Hurst Castle
Hurst Castle, the Henry VIII fort at the end of the Solent shingle, runs a Halloween programme on every day of October half-term. A maze in the basement, a treasure trail and crafts keep younger visitors busy.
More things to do in LymingtonEvery English Heritage place in Hampshire
Nearby
Photo: Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0Keyhaven and Keyhaven Marshes
A level coastal walk from Keyhaven along the sea wall of the Solent Way, between Hampshire County Council's Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Local Nature Reserve and the Wildlife Trust's offshore saltmarsh and mudflats. There are views to Hurst Castle, the Isle of Wight and the Needles, and birdlife in every season.
Photo: Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0Milford on Sea beach and clifftop
The seafront at Milford on Sea, looked after by New Forest District Council, runs from Hordle Cliff and Paddy's Gap in the west to Hurst Road, where the shingle spit heads out towards Hurst Castle. Beach huts line the promenade, and the clifftop grassland at Hordle Cliff is managed for wild flowers and wildlife.
Lymington Town Quay and seafront
The cobbled streets of Quay Hill lead down to Lymington's Town Quay, where yachts fill the harbour and the waterside path carries on along Bath Road past the sea water baths. The New Forest National Park Authority's 2-mile town trail links the quay, seafront and Georgian High Street in a level loop.