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Hilsea Lines Moats

The moat at Hilsea Lines was originally a single body of water. It is now divided by a series of roads and footpaths into four separate areas, covering a total of approximately 5.6 Hectares and generally between 25-30 metres wide.

At the western end, the moat runs adjacent to Hilsea Lido and is over 550m in length and is the most formal with mown grass banks and a concrete edge at water level. It contains almost pure seawater and includes a good variety of sealife including crabs, shrimps and eels. A new bridge has been installed linking the newly renovated Bastion 1 to the recreation facilities of the Lido.

There are two freshwater moats in the centre of the Lines that have natural vegetation on both sides. The first runs between London Road and Peronne Road for approximately 350m and the second between this and the railway line for over 700m. Vegetation has been encouraged and maintained along the north shore of the moat to provide suitably screened fishing swims for Portsmouth and District Angling Society. The Society lease these moats from Portsmouth City Council and stock and maintain them. If you wish to find out more about fishing at Hilsea Lines, you can contact them via our ‘External Links’ to the right of this page. Both moats are of particularly high quality and are good wildlife habitats especially for water birds and insects.

The final moat is separated from the freshwater moat by a dam and runs under the railway bridge arch for over 350m, widening to about 40m and is of brackish water content. This moat has an interesting contrast of habitat to the other moats and has flora and fauna that have adapted to the partially salty conditions.

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