The ferry from Gosport town pontoon to Portsmouth Harbour station is a five-minute crossing that offers one of the best views in the Solent. As the boat leaves the Gosport side, you get a clear view of Royal Clarence Yard — the oldest victualling yard in the world still in use by the Royal Navy, its Georgian warehouses stretching along the waterfront. As you approach Portsmouth, the Historic Dockyard opens up to the north, with the masts of HMS Warrior and HMS Victory visible above the dockyard walls.
On a bright day the crossing is frankly exhilarating — gulls overhead, naval vessels in the harbour, the Spinnaker Tower rising white above the Gunwharf Quays. The ferry runs every few minutes throughout the day and costs a couple of pounds. It is a far better way to arrive in Portsmouth than by road.