It always surprises me that when I speak to people with boats on the River Hamble and those that live close to it, how many have never travelled further up-river than Bursledon bridge or at most the M27 bridge.
Ok, if you have a yacht or sailing dinghy that you can not step the mast you are not going to get past Bursledon bridge, but for all others, navigation is possible especially on a rising spring tide. How far can you go? Well for canoes and dinghies you can get as far as the Horse and Jockey pub and the bridge on the A3051 at Curbridge on the Eastern branch of the river, and the village of Botley on the Western branch.
These two creeks are only accessible on high tides and it is best to travel up about an hour before first high and then the moment you see the water level start to drop, head back down river asap because its like a giant plug being pulled out and you don’t want to be sitting at the pub for another twelve hours, or do you!
There are plenty of places to land and pick nick as well as dropping the hook for larger vessels. Look out for deer and other wildlife along the banks as well as King Fishers, Herons and Egrets.
The kids are still trying to spot the legendry “Hippocrocadonk” that is reported to live in the reeds in the upper reaches of the Hamble!!!