What's on inHampshire

The rolling chalk downs and lush agricultural valleys that have inspired so much great English literature still loom large over the county of Hampshire and still attract hikers and bikers, walkers and tourists to the region to this day. But Hampshire offers so much more than its downs, from the stunning cathedral city of Winchester to the world famous woodlands and heaths of the ancient New Forest. Sat on the south coast, Hampshire is also famous as being the birthplace of the Royal Navy and the maritime history of Portsmouth and Southampton is also one of the highlights of the region.

Indeed history is everywhere across the county, Hampshire having been attracting visitors to its chalk down lands since before the Neolithic era (as evidenced by the numerous forts such as the one at Winklebury.)It has also been invaded by the Romans, the Jutes, the Saxons and the Normans. After the Norman conquest the county became popular with the Norman Kings who declared the New Forest a hunting forest. From the 12th century onwards the ports grew in importance and fishing and shipbuilding joined the already established wool and cloth trades as the chief economies of the county. As such there are hundreds of historic sites to visit, particularly the castles and forts constructed over the centuries to defend the Solent region. These include the Roman built Portchester Castle, watching over Portsmouth harbor, and forts built by Henry VIII such as Netley Castle, Calshot Castle, and Hurst Castle at the mouth of the Solent. Other historic sites include Southampton docks, which have welcomed ships from the Mayflower to the Titanic, and the Royal Navy Harbour at Portsmouth.

Ultimately though, people come to Hampshire for the incredible variety of attractions and scenery, from the seaside resorts, the national parks of the South Downs and the New Forest, the wonderful motor museum at Beaulieu, and the stunning cathedral at Winchester. From Southsea Castle to the Isle of Wight, Hampshire has simply too much to see!