Port-hopping on Two Feet
For those who prefer to travel car-free, there are some great port-hopping experiences available by public transport. These allow for exciting day trips or short breaks around the British Isles. Here are our top 3 port-hopping itineraries by public transport.
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Rail, Sail and Away – English Islands
1) Beach hopping on the Isle of Wight – Southsea to Ryde Yarmouth to Lymington
The hovercraft to Ryde
The Isle of Wight is a rail-sail favourite, with rail services connecting all south coast ports going to the Isle of Wight: Portsmouth Harbour for Wightlink to Ryde Pier, Southampton Central for Red Funnel to Cowes, Lymington for Wightlink to Yarmouth and Southsea for Hovertravel to Ryde. Through tickets for the train and ferry journey can be brought from Southern Rail and South Western Rail. It makes for a great day-trip from the South of England especially if combined with a visit to the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard or activities in the New Forest.
For a unique experience take Hovertravel from Southsea to Ryde, the only scheduled passenger hovercraft service in Europe. It takes just 10 minutes to cross the Solent.
At Ryde Transport Interchange you can get the Southern Vectis bus to most places on the Isle of Wight or take the train from Ryde to Newport and catch the bus from there.
Needles Experience Credit: Visit Isle of Wight
Highlights:
- Isle of Wight beaches such as Shanklin, Ventnor, Freshwater Bay, Compton Beach and Sandown
- Osborne House – holiday home of Queen Victoria and family
- The Needles Experience
- Dinosaur Expedition Centre
Return to Lymington on the mainland via Yarmouth and hire a bike to discover the trails of the New Forest National Park, before heading back on the train from Lymington.
2) Traffic-free Isles of Scilly – from Penzance to St Marys
Take the train to Penzance and then the 2h45 crossing on the Scillonian to St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly – the largest island and a good base to explore the archipelago. Known for their unspoilt white sandy beaches, crystal Atlantic waters and abundance of wildlife; including seals, dolphins, whales and rare sea birds, which are often visible from the ferry deck, the islands are just 28 miles from the mainland but feel a world away.
From St Mary’s Quay boats hop over to the other islands in the archipelago. Get to the quay around 09:30 and catch the boat to Tresco to visit the sub-tropical Tresco Abbey Garden, home to many exotic plants that wouldn’t survive in other parts of the country. Hire a bike and cycle round the island.
On Bryher hike the rugged cliffs and sandy beaches on the coastal path, or hire a kayak from Hut 62 to see the island from the water. At the Spring low tide event it is possible to walk between Tresco and Bryher.
Swimming with seals Credit: Visit Isles of Scilly
Snorkel with seals in St Martin’s and sample the local wine at St Martin’s Vineyard. The most south-westerly observatory in the UK is on the island, a designated Dark Sky Discovery Zone and is open to the public on Friday afternoons Apr-Oct.
From St Agnes, walk over to Gugh at low tide to see the Bronze Age Obadiah’s Barrow. Take a Boating Wildlife Safari (Weds) guided by the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust and see resident seals and sea birds, with the addition of Puffins, Manx Shearwaters, Guillemots, Razorbills, Shags and Fulmars during the breeding season (April to end of July) and maybe the appearance of dolphins, porpoises and sun fish.
See London’s landmarks in one day
Connect to Uber Boat by Thames Clippers River Bus from major London train stations: London Bridge, Blackfriars or Waterloo, or take the bus or the Underground and spot all London’s major landmarks with a one-day or, better still extend with a two-day hop-on hop-off ticket.
Westminster Pier
A great base to see the London Eye, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Horse Guards Parade, St James Park and Buckingham Palace. Head down The Mall to Trafalgar Square to see the fourth plinth and the National Gallery before boarding at Embankment Pier and heading towards Bankside. From the river you will see the National Theatre and Southbank Centre, the Tate Modern, the Millennium Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and St Paul’s Cathedral.
Bankside
Alight at Bankside to walk along the South Bank, visit the Tate Modern – the permanent collection is free of charge and a great opportunity to see the fantastic Turbine Hall, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and St Paul’s Cathedral. Stop at Borough Market for a bite to eat and then hop back on the River Bus at London Bridge City pier to cross the river to Tower pier.
Tower
Visit the Tower of London – a fortress, a royal palace and a notorious prison, and hear the stories spanning 1,000 years of London’s history. Walk up onto the famous Tower Bridge for views of the old City Hall and the Shard. Board the River Bus at Tower Bridge and head to Greenwich pier, passing the Mayflower Pub in Rotherhithe, the site commemorating where the Pilgrims started their journey to the New World, past Canary Wharf and onto Greenwich. The Cutty Sark and Old Royal Naval College are clearly visible coming into the pier.
Greenwich
You can easily spend a whole day just in Greenwich, visiting the Painted Hall in the Old Royal Naval College (the UK’s Sistine Chapel), the Royal Observatory where Greenwich Mean Time is measured from in Greenwich Park, Greenwich Market, the Cutty Sark – the historic tea clipper – and Queen’s House. Return to Greenwich pier to take Uber Boat by Thames Clippers to North Greenwich.
North Greenwich
Hop off at The O2 for outlet shopping, to climb the iconic roof at Up at The O2 and for the IFS Cloud Cable Car to Royal Docks. Continue on to Woolwich to go through the Thames Barrier, London’s retractable flood defences built to protect the city from high tides and storm surges. Head back to central London to connect with overground and Underground rail service.
Other Rail-Sail port-hopping journeys you might like
Caledonian MacBrayne Five Ferries: Glasgow – Ardrossan/ Troon (Rail), Ardrossan/ Troon – Brodick (Arran), Lochranza (Arran) – Tarbert (Kintyre), Tarbert (Kintyre)- Portavadie (Cowie), Colintraive (Cowie) – Rhubodach (Bute), Rothesay (Bute) – Wemyss Bay, Wemyss Bay-Glasgow (Rail)
Isle of Man & Northern Ireland: Heysham/Liverpool – Douglas, Douglas – Belfast*, Belfast – Cairnryan (*Douglas-Belfast available in Apr-Sept)
Ireland: Holyhead – Dublin (Irish Ferries and Stena Line), Rosslare – Fishguard, Belfast-Cairnryan (Rail sail tickets include UK rail journey and ferry ticket.)