Hampshire

Hampshire

Places in Hampshire

Portsmouth

Portsmouth

Portsmouth is a waterfront city defined by its naval heritage. Highlights include the Historic Dockyard, home to the HMS Victory, Mary Rose, and HMS Warrior. Visitors can also take in views from the Spinnaker Tower, shop at Gunwharf Quays, visit the Southsea seafront, or travel to the Isle of Wight.
Winchester

Winchester

Winchester is a cathedral city in Hampshire and England's ancient capital. Visitors are drawn to the magnificent cathedral, Europe's longest medieval cathedral and the final resting place of Jane Austen. Other highlights include the Great Hall's Round Table, peaceful water meadows, and independent shops, all surrounded by the rolling hills of the South Downs.

Places of Interest

The Watercress Line

The Watercress Line is a heritage railway running through the Hampshire countryside between Alton and New Alresford. Visitors can ride restored steam engines in vintage carriages across scenic chalk downlands, featuring one of the steepest climbs on any preserved line. The railway also offers dining experiences and ale specials for a nostalgic escape.

Known officially as the Mid Hants Railway, the Watercress Line is a beloved heritage railway that winds ten miles through the Hampshire countryside between Alton and the market town of New Alresford. Opened in 1862, it got its nickname from the local watercress that was once shipped along the route to London markets. After closing in the 1970s, a team of passionate volunteers brought it back to life, eventually reconnecting the line to the national network at Alton.

Nowadays, visitors can ride in vintage carriages pulled by restored steam engines through scenic chalk downlands, stopping at quaint stations like Ropley and Medstead & Four Marks. The climb between these two points is one of the steepest on any preserved line, which really puts the locomotives to the test. Beyond the daily trains, the railway hosts a variety of special events—including dining experiences and ale specials—offering a nostalgic escape back to the age of steam.

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