Hayling Island
Walked February 2023
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This 9.69 mile (15.5km) walk follows the route of the old "Hayling Billy" railway line. There is free parking on the right just after the bridge onto the island.
Shortly after the start, deviate to the right to follow the path along the old oyster beds, now a haven for sea birds. It loops round and re-joins the main path a little further on.
Continue to enjoy the views of Langstone Harbour.
If it is low tide and you fancy a little challenge, it is well worth taking the path into the field on the right after about 4km. You can then dip down onto the foreshore and follow this to the tip of the island. A certain amount of dipping under jetties is need and the shore is very stony.
Towards the tip of the island, it is possible to see the remains of the "Mulberry Harbour" which was floated across to France to facilitate the D Day Landings in 1944.
After a break in the café or pub, continue along the sandy beach on the southern side. Just before the promontory into the sea, follow the path back inland and onto the Hayley Billy path back to the start, admiring the Theatre in the former station on the way.
2023-02 Hayling Island.pdfMulberry Harbour
Mulberry Harbour
"Just off shore at Ferry point a large concrete structure serves an ominous reminder to part of Hayling Island’s role in World War two. Prior to the D-Day landings of 1944, the area around the Ferry Boat Inn was used to construct sections of Mulberry harbour, the massive floating harbour that was towed to France as an integral part of the landings.
One of these cassIons developed a fatal crack and was eventually abandoned on a sandbank in Langstone harbour. As an obstacle to shipping the cassIon was refloated and towed to safety on Sinah sands where it was again sunk.
In 1960, the Mulberry unit was purchased by a London metal merchant with a view obtaining its steel reinforcements, the terms of the tender requiring that no debris remain on the seabed. It is assumed that the cost of removing the reinforcements under this condition was prohibitive as the Mulberry unit remains on Sinah Sands until this day."
Source: https://hayling.co.uk/history/mulberry-harbour/
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