Hamble Le Rice – 10 Best Things To Do & Ultimate Guide
Thinking of visiting Hamble Le Rice and want to know more?
We have lived in Hamble Le Rice for over 8 years and love where we live. As a family we travel and live abroad for six months a year, however, home for us is, and has always been Hamble Le Rice. It’s a fantastic village on the River Hamble that has three marinas and two yacht clubs – perfect if you’re into sailing like we are. We all sail, paddle and swim in the River Hamble, and we also enjoy fun activities like crabbing on the foreshore, walking the local trails and spending time with our friends and family. Cliched as it sounds, there really is something for everyone!
We’d love you to come to Hamble Le Rice and experience it for yourself. We’ve put together our guide to tell you more about what makes the village so amazing, a bit about its history and then X fun things to do there. Hopefully, we’ll see you there soon!
10 Best Things to Do in Hamble Le Rice
1. Take a walk through the village
There are lots of great walks to enjoy in Hamble and most of them are dog-friendly. This is great as we have a dog and love exploring our local area. Most people new to Hamble start by walking through the village itself and of course, head to the foreshore to take in the waterfront on the River Hamble. From there you can also walk right along the shore and, towards Hamble Common which then takes you around the peninsula towards Southampton Water. Or, you can head back towards the main part of the village and onto the Hamble airfield.
2. Relax on the foreshore
As soon as it’s dry (sunny or not) you’ll find people relaxing on the foreshore. This is where the High Street meets the The Quay road. There’s a little car park there which is great if you’re thinking of bringing a paddle board or kayak with you, but it does get very busy in summer! Its the perfect place to sit and watch the world go buy, on a summer day you’ll see lots of people on the water, paddling, swimming or sailing. And on the foreshore itself (the small beach), kids playing and families hanging out. We love nothing more than to head there (whatever the weather) with the kids scooters to burn off some energy and then top them up with an ice cream from The Beach Hut Cafe.
3. Go crabbing
The foreshore is packed in the summer with families armed with crabbing nets and packets of bacon having a go at crabbing. And yes, we’re one of those families! Crabbing is very simple, you pop some bacon on the end of a crabbing line and wait for the crab to “bite” with its claws. Then you slowly lift it up and put it into your bucket of water with some more bacon to nibble on until you release it back into the water. Cam, our son, who is just three years old a bit of a pro at crabbing, and loves it so much that we’re there a few times a week in the summer.
You can buy crabbing gear from The Beach Hut Cafe, and if they have run out then the Post Office on Coronation Parade as you come into Hamble also sell them. As well as a crabbing line, net and bucket, you’ll also want to pick up a pack of bacon, there are a couple of Co-op’s to head to, just bring some scissors or a knife to cut it up with.
Top tip from a local: We tried crabbing the winter once. It didn’t take us long to discover that the crabs hide in the mud in the winter to keep warm!
4. Have some paddling fun
If the weather is right, as in sunny and not much breeze, then paddling on the Hamble River from the foreshore is a good fun family activity. You can’t hire them in the village so you’d have to bring your own. We often take ours down there, pump it up in the car park and then head upriver (paddle towards the left once you’re in the water) which takes you to The Jolly Sailor. When you get there you can tie up your board and pop in for a drink or bite to eat. It’s about a mile long and takes around half an hour. We love kayaking with our kids!
If you don’t have your own board then you can hire one at The Paddle Centre at Swannick Marina, and then paddle to Hamble and then back.
Top tip from a local: Always check the tide times before you go paddling. You’ll want to paddle around one hour before high tide and one hour after. That’s because this is when the tide is at its weakest. If there’s a strong breeze and tide then you can get taken along the river. You’ll then find it’s hard work to paddle back to where you started from.
5. Sailing, of course!
Most people know Hamble as one of the main places in the UK for sailing. Interestingly, we live part of the year in Antigua where Carl sails. And lots of people in Antigua have heard, worked in, or know someone from Hamble. If you’re into sailing then Hamble is one of the best places to head to and get onto a boat to give it a go. It won’t surprise you to hear that it’s got three marinas and two yacht clubs. Plus there are more marinas further up River Hamble at Swannick and Bursledon.
If you’re new to sailing there are several schools to head to, we’d recommend Hamble Point Sailing School. For those of you with some experience then you can join one of the many Facebook pages looking for crew. And there are usually places on race, cruising or delivery crews. Or there are ones, where you can say that you’re looking for a place on a boat.
Carl loves dinghy sailing in Hamble River and has a membership at River Hamble Sailing Club. He sails twice a week in the Foxer racing with his friends. It’s great if you want to launch your own dinghy or want to have dinghy sailing lessons. There are also a could of other dinghy sailing clubs outside of Hamble in Netley that sail o Southampton Water.
6. Enjoy some great walking
If, like us, you’re really into hiking and walking then there are some great circular routes that you can enjoy. This means that they start and finish in Hamble Le Rice. One of the most popular is the one that takes you over the Hamble River to Warsash. It then heads back to the village via the Hamble airfield. There is also another great one that goes from the village along the foreshore to the Common. And if you follow it along the waters edge you’ll get to Royal Victoria Country Park and back through the village. Those are two of our favourites and what’s great is that you can take dogs on them too!
7. Eat at the local pubs and restaurants
Hamble Le Rice is well known for its fun and diverse food and drink scene. I used to work at The King and Queen and it’s where Carl and I met each other. Depending on what you are looking for, there’s pretty much something for most tastes. There are fantastic cafes such as Jenny’s and The Beach Hut. Through to full-on restaurants such as Thaiger Lounge or River Rat. And if you’re looking for delicious pub food then you won’t go wrong with either The Bugle and The King and Queen. Finally, if you’re looking for waterfront views then there is Banana Wharf in Port Hamble Marina. There’s usually a good post-work drink vibe there on a Friday evening.
8. Wildlife spotting
Being on the River Hamble means that there are usually lots of chances to see different wildlife both on the water and off of it. Down on the foreshore, there are different birds and some local swans. If you walk through the common then you’ll also find animals such as deer to spot too.
9. Take the pink ferry to Warsash
When you head down to the watefront in Hamble Le Rice you are bound to spot the brightly painted pink Hamble ferry shuttling passengers over to Warsash and back. There’s been a ferry crossing here since 1493, though I’m pretty sure the original one wasn’t pink! It’s a lovely way to cross the river and you can then walk along the path from the ferry shelter up the river. Turn left when you get off of the ferry and walk up to Swannick. There’s a circular walk that you can do that then takes you back to Hamble Le Rice.
10. Play on the beach
There are a few beaches in Hamble Le Rice. There’s the small one on the foreshore next to The Beach Hut which is good fun and perfect for families. You’ll often find us down there playing because it’s a combination of sand and shingle so you can use beach toys there. It’s also free fun in Hampshire, which we like a lot! You can swim in the water there as I’ve been in cold water swimming there quite a few times. However, you’ll need to be aware of the tide and the boats in the area as they can both make it a little unsafe unless you’re a confident swimmer.
Further along the coastline near the Royal Victoria Country Park, there are some other small beaches to enjoy. These have pebble beaches and also aren’t ideal for swimming as they’re tidal. We’ll often take our dog for a walk there as it’s nice for him to be able to go for a swim.
Where is Hamble Le Rice
Hamble Le Rice is a small village is a peninsula on the south coast of England. It’s southeast of Southampton and surrounded by Netley, Butlocks Heath, Bursledon, Southampton Water and the River Hamble.
Its great location on the River Hamble is the reason that it’s so popular with sailors, water sports enthusiasts and walkers. Most of the “action” in Hamble Le Rice is focused on the older part of the village running down to the waterfront. It starts at one end of the High Street at the Church of St Andrew. Runs towards the main square with some local shops. And then down to the waterfront where you’ll find both The Quay Road and Rope Walk. There’s a lovely old cobble road down to the waterfront which really takes you back in time (however, watch out, cars do come along it!). Our son loves nothing more than bombing down the cobbles on his scooter!
Outside of the older part of the village, there are some other great places to head. Such as the marinas, the common which is full of wildlife along the beaches to Royal Victoria Country Park.
Is it Hamble Le Rice or Hamble?
You’ll probably have heard of the village by two names, Hamble Le Rice and is shortened name of Hamble. On the official road sign at the entrance to the village you’ll see Hamble Le Rice which is its correct name. The meaning of the name comes from the rise of land above the River Hamble, “Hamble the Rise”. Which slowly became Hamble Le Rice. However, when you speak to anyone that lives there and it’s simply called Hamble as we all drop the “Le Rice”.
Whilst we’re at it, another little quirk of Hamble is the name of the river that runs past the village. If you follow river naming protocol, then it should be the Hamble River (like most others such as the Avon River, Beaulieu River). However, it’s actually called the River Hamble.
A Brief History of Hamble Le Rice
The early settlement of Hamble Le Rice
Historically, the Hamble estuary welcomed everyone, from the invading Saxons and Jutes to the Danes. The rise of land, on the western bank of the the River Hamble was the perfect position for a settlement. This was the beginning of Hamble Le Rice. This was also the perfect landing place for early Christian missionaries, as they crossed from Europe.
By the 12th century, Bishop Giffard of Winchester had established a cell of Benedictine monks at Hamble Le Rice. Interestingly, at Lent the monks at Hamble would provide 20,000 oysters to the Priory at Winchester. In return, they were clothed and provided with 21 loaves of bread and forty three flagons of ale a week. The oysters were gathered from the massive oyster beds that flourished for hundreds of years out in the Hamble estuary. We have to assume that the oysters weren’t all delivered in one go, because that’s an awful lot of oysters to eat in one sitting!
It’s early shipbuilding history
It was perfect for mariners because as early as the 13th century boats could unload catches from near and far. By the
14th century boat building was well established when the Hamble supplied 7 ships and 117 mariners for the Battle of Crecy.
During the 1377 French raids on the southern shores they saw the defences at Hamble as being an easy target. It didn’t take long until they had rendered them useless. When King Henry V decided to retaliate he chose the Hamble boatyard of William Soper. They made a considerable part of the construction of what was to be his greatest ship, the ‘Grace Dieu’. Today she lies in the fine mud of the river.
A busy fishing port
The Hamble estuary was once a great fishing port, so you can easily imagine what it once would have been like when it was alive with the fishermen and families. Families who made their trade from landing all manner of fish, lobsters, scallops from far and wide.
It became a shipbuilding force to be reckoned with
Hamble once rivalled nearby Portsmouth as a naval dockyard of immense size. Earlier I mentioned the building for King Henry V of the great ship Grace Dieu. In the reign of King William III, two large warships were built in Hamble. Historically lots of boat-building yards plied their trade on the banks of the river, pushing their slipways out into the waters of the river. King George II also commissioned a number of warships to be built of the yards of Hamble Le Rice.
The area is a favourite still amongst mariners and the whole scene at the quayside is filled with boats of all shapes and sizes. Boat yards and repair shops can still be found up and down the Hamble River today!
From the sea to the sky
Hamble might be famous for its boat building however, it is also the setting for some extraordinary aircraft engineering history at the beginning of the 20th century. It started in 1912 when a prototype seaplane was engineered at Hamble Point. Then in 1915, Fairey Aviation established a factory for the manufacture of seaplanes. The A.V Roe factory was established in 1916 and by 1929 was sold to Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. They then established the Air Service Training (AST).
AST then provided aviation training for both civil and military pilots The Hamble airfield then became the home of an aircraft training centre during the second world war for planes including the greats, like the Spitfire, Lancaster Bombers and Wellington.
Nearby Attractions To Hamble Le Rice
Visit Manor Farm Country Park which is great for families as kids can get close to the farm animals and then burn off energy in their Play Barn. It’s one of the best things to do with kids in Hampshire!
Take a high speed boat over to the Isle of Wight for the day. It’s possible to take a motorboat and get to the Isle of Wight from Hamble in under 20 minutes. There are quite a few yacht charter companies in Hamble that can arrange to take you there either in a motorboat or a sailing yacht. We’d highly recommend getting boat to Colwell Bay and enjoying a long lunch at The Hut.
Spend an afternoon in the Royal Victoria Country Park. We live near to the walk that takes you from the village into the park. And head there a few times a week because we think it’s fantastic! There is so much to do, there’s a steam train, a few cafes, several play grounds as well as the beach. And if that’s not enough, then it also host a mini festival called Big Eats each year too!
Final Thoughts On Hamble Le Rice
We absolutely love where we live. We’re lucky enough to travel between different towns and countries,. However, Hamble Le Rice is really such a great village that we couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. There are so much fun things to do and see there. Choose from crabbing, to paddling to sailing, plus a beautiful village to walk through and nature to enjoy. We really hope that you visit and see for yourselves!
