Hurst Castle Hampshire – Stunning morning of beautiful photography

I wanted a morning of photography. Not a really early morning, just a morning. Hurst Castle in Hampshire was my chosen destination. I’m not sure why, but I thought I would have plenty of opportunity.

From the car park to the castle, the walk is around 2 miles. There is, however, room to park at the start of Hurst Spit, which shaves about half a mile off the walk.

The Video

Here is a video of my morning photography walk out to Hurst Castle in Hampshire.

Once across the small wooden bridge, the heavy shingle quickly takes its toll on your legs. Crunching uphill, the sea comes into view, and I see my first photo opportunity. Already, I know bringing my filters was a good idea.

I stand on top of the spit and survey the sea before me. The tide creeps in and out in a calm, controlled manner. Occasionally, though, waves stretch their legs and crash over the rocks, which are about to become my first subject.

As I continue wandering along the spit, heading towards Hurst Castle, the sky above Hampshire is forming. Big, detailed, and defined clouds. Random patches of blue sky creep into the landscape. The earth’s ceiling could indeed be the star of this photography show.

I join the line of mainly couples, with their dogs, heading east. My photo senses are awake and ready for any composition that may turn even the slightest moment into a photograph. I have walked this spit before, not with photography in mind though. However, this time, it feels different. As I wander along, the sea wind battering my right-hand side, I realise the room to walk is narrower than last time.

I distinctly recall it being the width of a normal road, not the width of a path. I tread carefully, wondering how much longer before the elements remove what is left.

The rough seas to my right are the opposite of the calmer water to my left. Chalk and Cheese. Boats bob and their masts sway in the calmer waters. Mainly white, but the odd coloured ones punctuate the scene.

These immediately catch my eye as I take in the view before me. Among the commonplace white hulls, a few alternatives stand out—the yellow and red boats commanding attention.

Hurst Castle in Hampshire, things start to look up

So far, the walk has been far more rewarding than the images I’d captured. But that was about to change. Gradually, my attention shifted skyward. Large, white clouds, pierced with shards of blue, began to dominate the scene, demanding notice—and a more dominant place in my frame.

By the way, if you are keen on following the route on Alltrails, then you can find it by following this link (affiliate link, no cost to you if you click this link).

This next image is all about the sky, because, let’s be honest, the composition is average. That will change though.

This next photo is one of my favourites from the morning’s efforts.

The composition, the sky, and the colours all come together to make a whimsical, pleasing summer/autumnal image that I really like.

By now, I am closer to the castle, but the wind has yet to abate. It crosses my mind to do a long exposure to try and capture the movement in the clouds. This proves to be impossible, the tripod not being able to maintain a steady stance.

But that doesn’t stop me from continuing to look. I briefly turn my attention to the reason for my visit to this part of Hampshire, Hurst Castle. It sits, rather forlornly I must say, beneath the ever-changing sky. The water leads the eye directly to the subject.

A few more shots from this elevated position before I decide to wander around. To me, the lighthouse is more aesthetically pleasing, and I am looking forward to photographing that. I can see from here the bright sun is lighting up the bright white tower, almost as if an internal light illuminated the whole thing, not just the top.

Before I move on, I must share this one. I love the simplicity of it. Some may say the composition is off, with the horizon going straight through the frame, but, to me, it balances just right with the boat slightly off centre.

Moving on to the lighthouse.

The moody skies are slowly easing west. The sun is chasing, but the wind pushed them away. My final images of the lighthouse are also ones I really like. For once, I enjoy my composition in both of these. The first is a six-image photo stack, ensuring sharpness from front to rear.

The second is here because, well, look at that sky!!

Two hours of photography come to an end, and I am relatively happy with my results. The walk itself is a pleasant one, despite the wind.

It was nice to just get out with the camera, no pressure, just a gentle (windswept) stroll along the spit, picking off the odd shot here and there.

These photo walks are becoming a firm favourite of mine, and I have done them in the past. Do not be surprised if you see more appearing. With that in mind, if you’d like these delivered straight to your inbox, why not sign up for the monthly newsletter?