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Name: | Ports Down (boundary) [Fort Southwick] |
Hill number: | 5531 |
Height: | 122.6m / 402ft |
Parent (Ma): | 2909 Butser Hill |
RHB Section: | 42: South-East England & the Isle of Wight |
County/UA: | Hampshire, Portsmouth |
Catchment: | Minor Rivers only (South) |
Class: | Current County/UA Top (CoU) |
Grid ref: | SU 62638 06901 |
Summit feature: | ground c.25m E of concrete track to reservoir |
Drop: | 0m |
Col: | 122.6m SU 6263 0690 |
OS map sheet(s): | (1:50k) 196 (1:25k) OL3 119 |
Observations: | higher man-made ground inside fort |
Comments: | Tump summit is c.40m north, hill 19622 |
Change log: | show changes for this hill entry |
GPS data: | show GPS entries for this hill |
Notes: |
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N.B. Some hill summits are on private property or on land where there is no public right of way. Permission should be sought from the landowner where access to a hill summit is through private land.
Please report via the contact page any logs you see below which describe or encourage acts of trespass. Please quote the hill number and hill name.
Logged Descriptions (logged by 105 users) | By | Date of Ascent |
PaulOnFoot | 27/01/2024 | |
David S | 14/09/2023 | |
Parked at gates to access road for a quick visit. | Minto | 03/07/2023 |
Parked in the most easterly of the two small pull-ins on Portsdown Hill Road at SU 6240 0689 (both on S. side of road) - Dropped down to path & E. along field boundary until opposite reservoir gates - Across road & up concrete track for about 30m & then through lush vegetation & some twisted old trees to summit GR. | gerrybowes | 20/06/2023 |
With E. Obtained permission to visit trig point within Fort Southwick (thanks to Fort Southwick Company Limited especially Emma and Steve). Fantastic coastal views from summit shared with the llamas on a hot summer day. Then went to Ports Down (boundary) hp along track outside fort. High point seems to be in dense, impregnable bushes just to east of tarmaced track. Continued up track to also claim Tump. | Beeliner | 19/06/2023 |
Drove up to the Fort to tick off an easy UA Top. | cjwilliams | 06/05/2023 |
After a 5k race in Gosport. It was about 9pm so I just parked in the entrance to the reservoir track and wandered up in the dark. | Wheelsy | 11/04/2023 |
SteveG | 11/12/2022 | |
daveyf2001 | 25/11/2022 | |
DC11main | 23/07/2022 | |
AD1978 | 20/03/2022 | |
Ben Rinnes | 04/12/2021 | |
Walked up the back of the hill from Crooked Walk Lane and then along the road in front of Fort Southwick. Fabulous views over Portsmouth and Gosport. | ThomasJoseph | 23/10/2021 |
juetay | 05/06/2021 | |
Drive by | Basingstone | 28/05/2021 |
sglennon | 10/05/2021 | |
Matt | 22/04/2021 | |
Parked in Portchester TC shoppers car park (free) and walked up road/paths from sea level then followed paths along the ridge top to E. Great views of Portsmouth and well beyond, could see all of IoW, Southampton Water, South Downs and into Sussex. | Siimo | 17/01/2021 |
Parked in layby to west and walked back along top of field to avoid road. Up track to reservoir, then Ports Down (summit GR usefully cleared of vegetation) and UA top. | PGCE | 03/11/2020 |
Parked in lay by to west. Evan stayed in the van. High point seems to be in dense, impregnable bushes to east of track. Wandered further up to top of concrete track to claim Tump. Wandered around the reservoir and on top of it to do all possible contestants for the highest point! Got soaked. Solo. | Dangerous Dave | 04/10/2020 |
bwm | 01/09/2020 | |
Manuel Pereda | 31/08/2020 | |
andrew brown | 20/07/2020 | |
Parked close by in a pull in that suggested CCTV was in operation to deter fly tipping, walked back to the tarmac track leading to the high point. I found the grid reference in the grassy area containing the underground reservoir on the other side of hedge. The view from here was very good for a UA top especially from on top of the reservoir itself the Solent and the Spinnaker tower can be seen. | WAYNE ROWLETT | 26/10/2019 |
mart0797 | 07/09/2019 | |
Herbert Anchovy | 04/09/2019 | |
From boat at Port Solent, a pleasant evening stroll to a superb viewpoint over Portsmouth. land very disturbed around grass covered reservoir. Retunred via Horsea Island bing. | Denise | 28/04/2019 |
Alan Whatley | 24/03/2019 | |
AngusDog | 09/03/2019 | |
Impromptu bag on way to ferry terminal and ferry to Caen. 
Also dubious bag but best I could manage on day given high point looks to be on MOD property. 
Parked in lay by to the west amongst fly tipping then walked up west boundary of reservoir and around North to find route all way round.. 
Not possible so returned on well trodden path through hole in fence round reservoir and ended up on access track on the east boundary. Ground clearly higher on east side of track and although managed to battle through undergrowth to get higher was confronted by high fence preventing further progress. | mntainman | 13/01/2019 |
Walked up from Portchester station - top is difficult to distinguish as a lot of the features could be man-made, but is probably somewhere on the track to the covered reservoir. Also went to Fort Nelson, which is well worth a visit. | Richard | 29/12/2018 |
Nomad Perkins | 17/11/2018 | |
mnixon | 23/09/2018 | |
arjh | 17/08/2018 | |
dickiewren | 09/08/2018 | |
A relatively short walk from home however I parked in the layby as I was heading to Wickham. Car sales outside the fort which is also park and ride for QA. | Buck | 24/03/2018 |
On a dark night..... | Nick | 30/09/2017 |
Swindon Bagger | 10/09/2017 | |
ngthack | 15/08/2017 | |
Parked in messy layby and got as close as I could. No access to the trig itself. | mcc | 10/07/2017 |
carole engel | 12/02/2017 | |
ijpowell | 26/10/2016 | |
Parked in the messy layby then walked round to this top and then was granted permission to access Fort Southwick trig plus conduct a llama welfare visit for the health llamas. | Dugswell2 | 07/09/2016 |
Like others, parked in the messy layby. Splendid views of Portsmouth Harbour. Fort seemed pretty impregnable on this morning. Also 4/9/19 when I revisited as I Hadn't been into the reservoir compound on previous visit. | Herbert Anchovy | 17/07/2016 |
Chimp | 17/07/2016 | |
Last top of a long day. (325 mile round trip)Climbed on top of Reservoir. Good views. Nice fort. | electricratman | 10/04/2016 |
Great view! | bolton | 09/01/2016 |
clique | 01/01/2016 | |
1/7 First climb of wet and windy day. All small due to inclement weather (Fort Southwick/Butser Hill/Wheatam Hill/Gibbet Hill/Telegraph Hill/Black Down/Linch Down/) | Fergalh | 14/11/2015 |
Portchester circular (via ROW from NNW). | Smudge | 06/11/2015 |
Campbell Singer | 06/09/2015 | |
Same as NM. 
Also went up steps and inside Fort and wandered around car park. Much of land here looks man made. steps up to flag pole mast gave a good vantage point. Llama's on grass verge with some sheep seemed a bit incongruous. | PeterD | 12/08/2015 |
andrew brown | 04/06/2015 | |
From Layby easy enough, visited Nelson Memorial on the way past. | rhalstead | 18/04/2015 |
Nice view of Portsmouth. | arranc | 16/03/2015 |
Thick mist: after 4 hours from home in pouring rain. | GordonAdshead | 26/02/2015 |
Kevgbl | 16/09/2014 | |
matthewgibbs | 06/08/2014 | |
A day trip | mcallmar | 25/04/2014 |
stevanio | 01/02/2014 | |
Parked in rubbish strewn lay-by a little to the west then gap by gate-post saved climbing over the locked gates. Interesting area. | Newton Maximus | 13/01/2014 |
walked with Bonzo on the way to the IoW | mr bounce | 25/07/2013 |
Martin R | 07/05/2013 | |
P at ROW. Along rd and up track then on to top of res. | chrisbien | 21/04/2013 |
Parked in small lay-by to west of fort. No problem with access into the fort up the steps in through the pedestrian arch, no one around to stop us. Never seen a submarine conning tower at a unitary top before! Lots of options for top, impossible to tell which (if any) of the mounds within the fort itself are natural. Walked around outside too to be on safe side. | Hillsidenick | 22/11/2012 |
Jacqdaw | 22/11/2012 | |
DARRENG | 11/11/2012 | |
Stopped off here whilst visiting several county tops in Hampshire/Dorset Area | magirob | 10/10/2012 |
A diversion on my way back from Isle of Wight to the Midlands. Easy parking just to west on north side of road then a wander around the high points. Great views down into Portsmouth and back over to the Isle. Will have to come back fro the trig one day on a weekday I guess when NHS car park is open. | Father Ted | 18/08/2012 |
Parked just west of the track and then walked up to the high point of the track. Walked along boundary in field but ground in fort seems higher. The fort appears to be an NHS car park for staff at the hospital down the hill so that may be a possible route - become an NHS worker. | chriswatson | 16/06/2012 |
JamesRodliff | 01/06/2012 | |
Easy parking. Very short stroll. Great views over Portsmouth if not misty. | destaylor | 19/05/2012 |
Mark Sims | 15/05/2012 | |
Climbed from Portchester | Sprog | 08/04/2012 |
Scruffy top, interesting view of Portsmouth | simon and co | 31/01/2012 |
Halfdecent | 14/08/2011 | |
veganvixen | 14/08/2011 | |
Not the first time up here. Barbed wire replaced since last visit. | stevebiswalkin | 15/05/2011 |
Walked up Crooked Mile Lane from Southwick and then a footpath to top of hill behind fort. Everything hidden away behind fences and gates. | Overthehilljill | 30/04/2011 |
nicolajane | 28/03/2011 | |
Phil M | 04/03/2011 | |
Stewart | 12/12/2010 | |
jonglew | 06/11/2010 | |
Date is an estimate, did several times as did park and ride for work from here | fnem | 01/06/2010 |
siabod | 14/04/2010 | |
On way to Brittany Ferries Xmas mini cruise! Apparently there's 150,000 tons of fuel oil for the Royal Navy beneath your feet here!! The covered reservoir is higher than the tarmac but, like the trig, this looks outside the UA boundary! | signyred | 24/12/2009 |
walked up the track to the resr and then visited the trigpoint, great views for very little effort. | asbown | 19/11/2009 |
Adrian | 19/09/2009 | |
Coxswain | 27/05/2009 | |
geoffreycurnock | 26/10/2008 | |
Condoverman | 31/07/2008 | |
KIWI 07 | 31/07/2008 | |
Foot Sore | 31/07/2007 | |
stevent0809 | 26/06/2007 | |
Came here trying to get to trig point in Fort Southwick | desperate dan | 01/11/2006 |
Where boundary crosses concrete track to covered resr. May be higher points within gorse opposite or within Fort or fenced off area - all inaccessible. Good view of Portsmouth harbour and Spinnaker Tower. | webmaster | 06/04/2006 |
griefmiester | 05/12/2005 | |
like many neaby trigs largely inaccessable | Rhayader_wander | 19/05/2005 |
Closest accessible point to trig is in reservoir compound adjacent to Fort - freely accessible through gaping holes in fence. Fort (and trig) itself appears impregnable! | wheresthepath | 14/05/2005 |
On a big half term tour from Sheffield (after my first half term of teaching in my NQT year) of southern Marilyns, Sub-Marilyns, Clems (from a paper copy of his beautifully handwritten list) and county tops from all sorts of lists old and new, ending up at L's parents at Ditchling. Injured foot preventing me from doing KIMM this year. | Chris Pearson | 23/10/2002 |
Visited gorsy mound; unable to access trig which is in MoD (MI6?) fort (and manmade) - but got trig in 2010 :-) | RHW | 08/09/2002 |
kaizerlard | 23/10/2001 | |
Inaccesable to public. Surrounded by Fort. | jondudley | 01/02/1998 |
Sainesy | 01/06/1996 | |
RichardPH | 01/04/1990 | |
papagenos | 01/01/1990 | |
snixon | 10/09/1960 |