Calshot

Facing the Isle of Wight from Hampshire on the mainland, prevailing south-westerlies blow cross-shore to Calshot's seafront, yet this enormous sandspit works in any wind direction. Summertime is particularly good, as sea breezes accelerate up the Solent for some amazingly windy afternoons. 'Bramble Bank’ beyond Southampton's busy shipping lane can receive reasonably big waves, while elsewhere conditions vary from super-flat to small swell. Calshot is one of the South Coast's valuable few spots for offshore northerlies too. Even then, sailing remains very safe – on neap tides the large shallow-water lagoon stays knee to waist-deep all day long!