Hampshire, England

Lee-on-the-Solent put-in

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Launch — One of Gosport Borough Council's public slipways on the Lee-on-the-Solent seafront, running down from Marine Parade East onto the Solent's shingle-and-sand foreshore.

Parking — The nearest public car park is Gosport Borough Council's Elmore Car Park on Marine Parade East (PO13 9BJ), around 250 m along the seafront; long-stay, with a 2.2 m height barrier and no overnight sleeping in vehicles. Charges apply daily, 8am to 7pm.

Access — The seafront here lies on the Solent Way long-distance footpath, running along the shore between Lee-on-the-Solent and Gosport. Paddle sports on this water fall under King's/Queen's Harbour Master Portsmouth's published guidance for the Dockyard Port.

Season — Lee-on-Solent Sailing Club runs a racing programme, including open meetings, off this seafront through the sailing season.

Regulations — The water lies within the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth, under King's/Queen's Harbour Master (KHM/QHM) Portsmouth. A 10-knot speed limit applies to all craft within half a nautical mile of shore, outside the designated personal watercraft area off Lee-on-the-Solent; no KHM licence is required for unpowered craft. The Browndown Rifle Ranges and Browndown and Rowner Military Lands byelaws that once covered the adjoining shore have been revoked.

This slipway sits on the shingle shore between Lee-on-the-Solent and Browndown, a former Ministry of Defence firing range that is now a biological SSSI beach. The water here is the Solent, the tidal strait between the Hampshire mainland and the Isle of Wight, on the stretch of coast running on toward Gosport and Stokes Bay; Cowes and the island are visible across the water.

Downstream, southeast, the shore runs past Browndown's shingle beach toward Stokes Bay and Gosport; upstream, northwest, it runs on toward Hill Head. At low water the foreshore dries out across a broad expanse of sand and shingle, uncovering rock pools, before the tide returns within a few hours.

The adjoining Browndown shore is a nationally important shingle and grass-heath habitat, a 66.5-hectare biological SSSI supporting a range of specialised invertebrates, including rare bees, wasps and true bugs. The inshore water itself sits within the wider Solent and Southampton Water Ramsar site and Special Protection Area, and Bird Aware Solent asks paddlers on this stretch to keep a low profile near roosting and feeding birds and to use recommended entry and exit points.

Nearby

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Bluebird Cafe

Cafe on Marine Parade West in Lee-on-the-Solent, along the seafront from the launch.

Kingfisher Caravan Park

Touring caravan and camping park on Browndown Road, open to the public; tourers open year-round, statics 15 February to 3 January.

Website

Conditions to check

Tidal flow

Tidal streams here are strong and complex, with a pronounced 'young flood stand' at spring tides: an extended high-water period with a double high-water peak, followed by a markedly quicker ebb. Referenced to High Water Portsmouth.

Source

Boat traffic

The eastern Solent off Lee-on-the-Solent carries Portsmouth-bound commercial shipping alongside recreational sailing and motor traffic.

Shallow or rocky

The foreshore is shallow-sloping sand and shingle that dries out substantially at low water.

Source

Other launches nearby

1 launch within 199m

199m south-east

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