Calshot

Long stoney beach on one side, salt marshes the other.

Submitted by:
Anonymous
Updated:
15th Jun 2004

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Calshot beach is part of a shingle spit which lies within the open landscape of the South Hampshire coast. It offers panoramic views of the Solent, Southampton and the Isle of Wight. The spit also has an extensive saltmarsh of important wildlife interest.

Calshot is a spit, and so works in pretty much all wind directions. The wind never blows offshore here!!!!

Out the front the sailing varys from flat water blasting in lighter winds, to exelent bump and jump conditions when the wind really gets up. The front works in wind directions varying from SW (cross shore from the left) to NE.
There are a series of sandbars out the front which at mid-tide form a sheltered area for beginners, also kitesurfers like to take advantage of the flat water.

The lagoon out the back fills at low tide and is great for beginners and experts alike in search of flat water which works in all directions apart from N as the buildings leave huge holes in the wind. At low tide the lagoon empties leaving pretty smell mudflats but you can still sail off of the end of the spit underneath the coastguard tower.

You can either launch from one of two places:

1. Calshot Activities centre: £5.50 per launch and £1 per aditional board including use of the showers and changing facilities in the centre. If this seems like alot you can join the club costing £44 upon which you get a car pass and no more launch fees. Very good if you plan to sail there regularly

2. Otherwise just outside the centre boundary there is a council carpark from which you can launch for the usual hourly fee.

There are wash off points for your kit at both places.

There is camping on site however you must be a member again and there are limited spaces.

Dogs are allowed on the beach on a lead.

Calshot Activity centre is right next door, one of the bi ggest outdoor centres in britain. They offer courses in Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, climbing, sking, snowboarding, Sailing etc

Solent Sailboards is also on site. Very useful if you forget something or worse break something. The guys are very helpful and also offer a demo facility for people interested in buying.

There is no safety cover as such, however there are lots of friendly and experienced sailors around that are more than happy to help. There is however no shortage of lifeboat and coastguard cover as the solent is their main training ground. Also the solent is a very busy stretch of water and every yaught is a potential rescue as well. You would have to be extremely unlucky for something to go wrong here and go unnotticed.

There are toilets with disabled facilities and two cafes on the beach