Things to Do at Hms Warrior

HMS Warrior stretches 128 meters along Portsmouth's historic waterfront, her black iron hull and towering masts a stark reminder of Victorian naval power. Built in 1860, this was the world's first iron-hulled armored warship, carrying 40 guns and capable of 14 knots under steam - revolutionary technology that made every other warship obsolete overnight. Walking her restored decks, you can smell the coal smoke that still clings to the engine room and feel the vibration of machinery beneath your feet. Entry costs £23 (about $29) as part of the Historic Dockyard ticket, and the ship's galley still serves period recipes if you time your visit right. Go straight to the engine room first - it's the most impressive part and gets crowded by mid-morning.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is well-signposted and about a 10-minute walk from Portsmouth Harbour railway station (which has direct trains from London Waterloo). If you're driving, there's plenty of parking on-site, though it fills up quickly in summer. The M275 takes you straight to the dockyard area. Actually, arriving by train is often easier - you avoid the summer traffic and the station is practically next door to the dockyard entrance.