Ports
Cork is the Republic of Ireland's second city, and provides a energetic stop-over when sailing via the far south of the island. A riverside university town, Cork hosts a number of large festivals throughout the year, such as the month-long Midsummer festival in June and July. The endless pubs down Barrack Street provide a mix of traditional fiddle music and more modern bars.
The Gosport peninsula has 17 miles (27 km) of waterfront on Portsmouth Harbour and The Solent and is a maritime playground for all. Until the last quarter of the 20th century, Gosport was a major naval town. The pebble beach at Stokes Bay slopes steeply into the sea which is great to see. It offers fine views of the shipping going in and out of Portsmouth and Southampton and the many pleasure craft from the many marinas along The Solent and the Isle of Wight.