HMS Victory
 

I am planning to take the train from London to Portsmouth in May to vist the HMS Victory. I would like to know how long the guided tours of the ship last, and also, has anyone been to the ship on one of the "free-flow" days, and if so, was that better than taking the guided tour?

A further question is, are there any good pubs within walking distance between the Dockyards and the Train Station?

The green Michelin suggests 3 hours for the historic dockyard which includes the Mary Rose, Royal Naval Museum as well as HMS Victory. I don't recall how long the guided tour took but it was certainly less than an hour.

Your second question is ludicrous - this is a navy town. There are only about 100 yards from the Harbour Station to the entrance to the Dockyards so I wouldn't expect too many choices.

As Jsmith says, the tour itself is less than an hour but you'll probably want to spend longer to see the Mary Rose and the other things.

The Good Pub Guide lists the George (Queen St. near Dockyard Entrance) as a convenient pub.

If I recall my experience correctly, the wise thing to do when you arrive at the Dockyards is to book a time for your Victory tour. Then visit the other exhibits while you wait.

If time permits, take the harbor cruise. It's quite interesting and it will give you a chance to sit down.

I just returned from my trip to Portsmouth and am happy to report that the tour of the Victory was more than I had expected. I do recommend touring on a "free flow" day if possible. If you are there on one of those days, you have complete access to the ship and can take as long as you want to tour it, checking into every nook and cranny. There are guides posted throughout the ship to answer questions. If you go on a regular day you must tour the ship with an assembled group, and the tours are limited to approximately 1 hour. I was impressed by the size of the ship; it is not accessible by the mobility impaired, as there are lots of steps to climb and small passages to transit.

I also recommend checking out the Warrior, a ship that was constructed during the time of the civil war in the United States, which is a ship even larger than the Victory.

There were two separate places within the naval yard complex where you can buy food to eat and a pint to drink. The prices there were among the most reasonable we found in England

I'm glad you enjoyed the Naval Museum.

I know it is too late for you now, but if others are reading this thread, there are some excellent pubs in "old Portsmouth" near the Cathederal, within a reasonable walk from the harbour. The "Still and West" and "Spice Island" both offer fairly good food, with excellent views of the harbour mouth. and the Spinnaker tower.

Thanks, willit, for the update. I'm heading to Portsmouth this July, so I've made a note of the pubs.