While it has much in common with Plymouth – the nearest city to me during my childhood on Dartmoor – such as its prominent connection to the Royal Navy, there is nowhere else quite like Portsmouth. I moved to the UK’s Island City from Manchester just over a year and a half ago when I started working at The News. From learning the local lingo to finding out some surprising and sometimes, frankly, bizarre facts about its history, there was plenty of novelty for me to enjoy when I moved here – having only had one brief visit to the city before making it my home.
Here are 13 things I discovered during my first year as a resident of Portsmouth, Hampshire:
9. There's still a Wimpy
Before McDonald's there was Wimpy. And if you've ever been down to the seafront, you might have spotted the still open Wimpy at Clarence Pier. Photo: Dish Detective
10. The great dinosaur disaster
When exploring Southsea Common, I was intrigued by the miniature "Luna Park" dinosaur statue - and it turned out that the story behind it was more bizarre than anything I could have speculated. A 53-foot high ‘Southsea Dinosaur’, visting the city as part of an art tour, burned down in 2011 due to an electrical fault. Photo: Steve Reid
11. The city is being protected against future climate change flooding
The Southsea Sea Defences project is a multi-million pound coastal scheme that is designed to prevent major flooding in the city over the next 100 years. Parts of the Southsea seafront have been closed off since I have lived here while the works take place. Find out more here: www.southseacoastalscheme.org.ukPictured - Southsea Castle and its new sea defence walls. Photos by Alex Shute Photo: Alex Shute
12. Hayling Island
For a country boy, living in the UK's most densley populated city can sometimes get a bit much. So, it was a delight to discover that I could hop on a ferry and within minutes be on rural Hayling Island and enjoy a peaceful walk or bike ride.Pictured is Hayling Island seen from overhead Thorney Island, taken by Shaun Roster www.shaunroster.com Photo: -