The Ferry Boat is an inn situated on the Western most point of Hayling Island - where the ferry crosses the Langstone Harbour entrance to Eastney (Portsmouth and Southsea).
Late one Saturday afternoon (just after the clocks got their Spring move forward), I suggested to Mr B that we pack up whatever it was we had been doing that day and go somewhere 'for a beer'. We don't have 'a local' and tend to spread our patronage around a bit. The last time we went to the Ferry Boat was years ago and I was put off by the poor quality of the meals (micro-waved TV dinners essentially - no one goes out to eat those), so we haven't been there for years.
Candidates for a late afternoon social drink at this time of year must, in my view, have a good view of a sunset. That cuts it down to the Red Lion at Chalton (perfect sunset over the Downs), The Ship at Langstone (sunset over Langstone Harbour), or - now that I came to think about it - The Ferry Boat (with a sunset over Southsea). It turned out to be a good choice - it has been remodelled outdoors, and now serves great food prepared and cooked on the premises. The early evening was bright but 'crisp', (or 'perishing in the breeze off the water') but there were a few spots out of the air flow and, with the employment of a good coat each, a pleasant couple of hours were had.
That all sounds very tempting.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Gail (who occasionally gets homesick for the English country pub experience. For all its merits, Scotland just doesn't do pubs quite so well. Even most of my Scottish friends will admit this!)
Thank you for the tip, we are missing Osbourne view, which burnt down, often had lunches there.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been to Hayling Island - we lived in Cosham (late 1940/early 1950s) and Mum (dad RAF posted away) would take me + next sister on the bus. I vaguely remember sand and not shingle like Southsea (where some of mum’s aunts lived)
ReplyDeleteCrikey no sand on Hayling beaches these days - all flinty bits except the far Eastern end at the entrance to Chichester Harbour.
Deleteit is a beautiful view, I like those tables outside, but prefer NO coat. ha ha
ReplyDeleteYou would definitely need the coat (and for you Eskimo hoots and hat) here on that day.
DeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteWorth the revisit then. Per Gail's comment, it's generally true. There are one or two places that might have more of that feel, but mostly due to weather and also quite a different pub culture, there's a distinct difference between nations. YAM xx
Tigger would have been right at home there.
DeleteFresh air by the bucketful with pretty skies.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy visiting Wetherspoon's pubs when I visit England in the Summer. I love English bitter and the very reasonably priced food. What's the prices like in the pubs you visit Tigger's Mum?
ReplyDeleteI haven't been on a ferry in years, think the last one was to Waiheke Island in the early 1990s. So much fun.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely way to spend an evening. Especially with that view
ReplyDelete