February 1st - I Must Take the Green Goddess for a Drive

Today will be only the second time that I have taken the Mog out since we moved in November.

With only an hour to go to sunset I would just enjoy another short run along the Coast Road to Gosport and back taking what I call the Scenic Route through all of the old Military establishments to Portsmouth Harbour.

As Usual, I have my Camera on its Lanyard around my neck but forget to make it accessible until I make a stop. 

As I drove through Gosport I noticed ahead an area that, in my youth was a Military base called St Georges Barracks. 

Being curious, I drove into the area and while confronted by some high Speed Humps, I was able to get right inside, only to find that the whole areas had been or was been developed into homes and apartments.  

Inside the Main Gate at Flagstaff Green 

 Some of the Original Georgian Buildings 

Columns at the side of the Main Gateway 

 Part of the redevelopment looking out towards Portsmouth  Harbour with the Spinnaker Tower in the background.

Between the Apartments on the Way Out.

Just around the corner is 'Rolling Bridge' which crosses Forton Lake to Priddys Hard where the 'Explosions Museum is located. 

http://explosion.org.uk/

 Due East, the Naval Dockyard can be seen in the distance.

  Looking across the Harbour to the North East and Portsdown Hill  

 Due West towards the head of Forton Lake the ribs of an old sailing barge are rotting in the mud.

On the pathway to the Footbridge is this lovely Mosaic Memorial to the women who worked in the Armaments Factory  - 'Gunpowder Yellowed Skin of Women Who Worked at Priddys Hard' 

Leaving the Area on the Right are the old Officers Quarters 

 The Officers Quarters Main Gate and Clock Tower

 On the left is one of the many new Marinas and Boat Stacks bordering the Harbour.

 The low building in the centre is the Gosport side entrance to the Portsmouth Foot Ferry

The Spinnaker Tower seems dwarfed by this one of the two tall Apartment Blocks.

 One of Two old Sea Buoys at the entrance to Haslar Marina on Haslar Creek 

Traversing the New Bridge over the Creek 

 Difficult to see Submarine HMS Alliance, set high on stilts at the Submarine Museum. Once known as HMs Dolphin, my father was based there as a wartime submariner, at a time when I was just a twinkle in a Matelots Eye!

http://www.submarine-museum.co.uk/

 Haslar Creek

 In the distance is the Tower at the Famous Royal Naval Hospital. Haslar 

http://royalhaslar.com/

At Stokes Bay I just had to pull over and point the bonnet for yet another Sunset over the Island.

 Leaving Stokes Bay the road passes the Diving Museum based in the old Napoleonic Fort called No 2 Battery. 

http://www.divingmuseum.co.uk/

 The Old Fort Main Entrance Gate to the the Museum which opens again at Easter 2015.

Entering the Eastern edge of Lee on the Solent

 I pass the home of Ann's Cousin who, facing South East, is in one of the best locations for spotting Ship Movements along the Solent and from Portsmouth Harbour.

 More East Lee homes and the Old Ship Pub

 Heading to the Village Centre where there once stood a Pier with Tower, Cinema and Ballroom

The Red Roof Building on the left is where once there was a Coastal Railway Terminus from Gosport disbanded in the 1930's

 Central Lee with just a few Shops and Cafes. The Main Shops are one road back inland.

 Looking ahead from West Lee the coast curves around to Hill Head in the distance where I will eventually complete this run out.

 The road suddenly swings to the right, down a dip, across the old slipway from Daedalus (was HMS) and up the other side. 

The old Naval Airfield where Flying Boats used to be launched many years ago.  

While still an Active Airfield it is also the home of the Hovercraft Museum 

http://hovercraft-museum.org/

 This quick Shot out of my Side Window catched one of the massive Cross Channel Hovercraft which some of you may well have use when crossing from Dover to France. The Channel Tunnel and Improved Ferry Services did for these machines.

My last shot taken as I pass Monks Hill, or Monkey Hill as we knew it, I turn away from the coast to wind my way to Hill Head via the Village of Stubbington to complete my run.

I hope that you enjoyed the trip.