Harbour Tours

About

Portsmouth is still the home of the modern Royal Navy and taking the Harbour Tour offers unrivalled views of Britain’s modern frigates, destroyers and helicopter carriers, as well as historic buildings and the dramatic skyline.

The history of the British Navy at Portsmouth dates back 1,200 years to its earliest days under King Alfred the Great in the 860s. This wide natural inlet in the coastline is a flooded river valley protected by a deep narrow entrance on two sides of the dockyard, here and at Gosport, which makes an ideal natural harbour.

Roman and Saxon strongholds were constructed on the northern shore to defend against Viking attacks and to protect trade, but the harbour’s first permanent fort, Portchester Castle, was built after the Norman conquest in 1066.

Portsea Island, at the entrance to the harbour, was used as a mustering station for armies during the wars with France, and by the late 12th century a small town had grown on the south-western corner of the Island to accommodate workers and to service troops. In 1194 King Richard I granted this town, known as Portsmouth, a Royal Charter to construct a dockyard, and in 1212 King John protected the new dockyard with a great wall.

On the 45 minute Harbour Tour you will see many of the fortifications that were built to protect Portsmouth over the centuries, in particular the Round Tower at the harbour entrance and the Solent forts which formed the centre of a string of fortifications along the coast during the Napoleonic Wars.

Please note that Harbour Tours may not operate every day during the winter months. Navy ships in port will vary daily.

From Gunwharf Quays:

Generally we operate the off peak season between 1115 hours and 1415 hours.  The off peak season tends to be December through to February (inclusive).

Throughout the summer the first tour is usually 1115 hours, they will run at quarter past the hour usually until 1615 hours.

From Portsmouth Historic Dockyard:

Generally we operate the off peak season between 1130 hours and 1430 hours.  The off peak season tends to be December through to February (inclusive)

Throughout the summer the first tour is usually 1130 hours and the last at 1630 hours, and at half past the hour inbetween. 

During busy periods extra tours may operate in addition to the above.