Solent Self Guided Tours: D-Day In a Nutshell

This tour takes you from Hayling Island in the East to Lepe Beach in the West, discovering locations that were key to the planning and delivery of the invasion force. Please read the guide fully before starting your journey as there are various options which allow you to mix and match the tour travelling by Public Transport, Car, Cycle or on foot. The overall Solent tour could take you a day, or several days depending on transport and level of interaction with the locations. Each section describes the distance by car and cycle. Unfortunately it is not possible to include transport, but there are links to key providers.  

Tour 2: Museums, Monuments and Landing Craft

Start: Hayling Ferry, Ferry Road, Southsea, Portsmouth PO4 9LY.

Location A: Mulberry Harbour Phoenix Caisson Viewing Point. 

Location B: D-Day Memorial, and South Parade Pier Embarkation Site.  

Location C: The D-Day Story Museum, and D-Day Landing Craft LCT 

Location D: The Naval Memorial, Southsea Common.

Optional Locations of D-Day Interest:

Location E: Quay House.

Location F: The Camber Embarkation Site.

Hint: The D-Day Story Is the principle UK Museum for D-Day preparations, D Day landings and Landing Craft. Ensure that you allow enough time and adjust your visit accordingly.  

Location A: Mulberry Harbour Phoenix Caisson Viewing Point

Parking: Various Places on Ferry Road, Southsea, Portsmouth PO4 9LY

Toilets: None. Closest Toilets near to Icon marked Eastney Beach on Map.

Refreshments: Temporary Refreshments Van close to R.N.L.I. Station.

Walk towards the Langstone Harbour end of the Spit to view the Phoenix Caisson.

© Britain's D-Day Heritage

From this location you can see the abandoned Mulberry Harbour Phoenix Caisson. Also across the water to the east is the Mulberry Phoenix Caisson Construction Site. Please note that there are very strong currents at the entrance to Langstone Harbour. 

If this is your first section of the tour you can take the Ferry to Hayling Island and the construction site and in doing so get a closer view of the abandoned Caisson. See Mulberry Phoenix Construction Site Location above. 

Travel to Location B past Fort Cumberland which was The Inter-Services Training and Development Centre was established here in 1938 to conduct experiments in Combined Operations techniques for landing troops on enemy shores See C.O.P.P.

Note: This spit is the home of many Anti-tank blocks still in place on the right of Ferry Road.

Location B: D-Day Memorial and Embarkation Point

Parking: Free for 3 hours St Helens Parade adjacent to Canoe Lake

Toilets: South east corner of Canoe Lake.

Refreshments: Café in Canoe Lake or on the seafront at high season.

Walk to the Memorial which is located between St Helens Parade and Eastney Esplanade adjacent to Bus Terminus 

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