A few months ago I decided that I would aim to produce one blog post every month. This seemed reasonable enough, as I do love to write, and of course, lighthouses are one of the great loves of my life. Fast forward to this morning, and I open up my blog to see the last post was in October.
Nevertheless, I visited Hurst Point lighthouse this week and it’s one to write home about. So here we are!
Travelling to the lighthouse
By my standards, it was fairly easy to get to this lighthouse. From Waterloo station it was meant to be a direct train to New Milton, followed by a short bus journey and walk to the lighthouse. Of course, the direct train was delayed almost immediately. Over the tannoy I was informed that there were speed limits on the track, which was holding up a freight train and us. No matter, I thought, a bit of extra time to read my book and organise the 2025 lighthouse exploring trips.
We then approached Southampton Central station. I was happily sprawled out across my two seats, in the mercifully empty train carriage. My laptop was propped up on the little table, charger plugged in. Book, snacks, and an empty coffee cup all spread out on the seat and table next to me.
Suddenly, I hear the dreaded announcement. This train would no longer be stopping at New Milton, as prior delays meant it would be speeding through the small and unpopular stations. Shovelling all of my possessions into my bag and pockets, I stumbled off the train to a nearby bench.
A 20-minute wait later, I was jumping on a much slower train to New Milton. These lighthouse trips always have mandatory delays on public transport. I truly believe that if you want to test your inner peace, it’s worth booking a long train journey in the UK.
Finally, after three or so hours from my boat to Milford on Sea, I was just a short walk to the lighthouse’s peninsula. It’s a shame that narrowboats aren’t sea-worthy or particularly speedy, as I could spare myself a lot of time and heartache.
The history of lighthouses on the peninsula (and bonus castle)
Starting at The Lighthouse bar and restaurant, it’s a 1.6km walk to the end of Hurst Spit. You’ll walk past Hurst castle along the shingle, all whilst having a fantastic view of the Needles lighthouse on the Isle of Wight (depending on the weather, of course).
The oldest building on the spit is Hurst Castle lighthouse, with building commencing between 1541 and 1544 under Henry VIII. This castle then exhibited the first official tower on Hurst Spit, when Trinity House constructed a tower on the southwest side of the castle.
1786: The First Lighthouse
- 1785: Plans for a lighthouse at Hurst Point were initiated by Trinity House after negotiations with Tatnell fell through.
- 1786: A lighthouse designed by R. Jupp was built southwest of Hurst Castle and lit for the first time on 29 September.
1812: The Second Lighthouse
- A new, higher lighthouse was constructed to address visibility issues and provide clearer guidance for ships.
1866-1867: Modern Upgrades
- 1865-1873: Expansion of Hurst Castle required repositioning the lights.
- 1866: The original lighthouse was replaced by the “Low Light,” a white circular granite tower with a red lantern.
- 1867: The High Light was replaced by a new 26-metre tower, which remains the operational Hurst Point Lighthouse today.
1911: Changes to the Low Light
- A new Low Light was built, made of a red square metal structure attached to Hurst Castle.
- The old Low Light was decommissioned and painted grey to prevent navigational confusion.
1997: Modernisation
- Extensive upgrades were completed to adapt to increased marine traffic through the Needles Channel.
- High-intensity projectors were installed, showing red, green, and white directional lights to provide precise navigation and adapt to changes in the Shingles Bank.
PRESENT DAY
- The First Order lens, with sections of varying focal lengths and a red sector for warnings, remains in use.
- The lighthouse is monitored and controlled remotely from Trinity House’s Planning Centre in Harwich, Essex, along with the other England and Wales lighthouses under Trinity House’s care!
What to expect from your visit
Whether you plan to go via public transport or by car, you’re in for a lovely time at Hurst Point. There’s parking aplenty, and the walk along the spit will take you around 40 minutes (one way). I’d ensure that you check the weather before going. There isn’t any shelter, so I could imagine the wrong conditions blowing you off of the spit!
After my walk, I headed to The Lighthouse restaurant for a pint and a vegan burger. It made for the perfect end to a lighthouse exploring day.
Final Words
As mentioned earlier in this post, I am currently planning all of the 2025 Lighthouse Explorers group trips. In the next few weeks, I’ll hopefully be able to start releasing details and you’ll be able to book your tickets! We have some exciting trips ahead of us, and at least one charter boat to go and see a rock lighthouse.
I hope to see some of you in-person! As always, thank you for reading.
Lighthouse Explorers 