Guided tour of the Fort Widley Cold War Control Centre bunker during Heritage Open Days, led by volunteers from the Peter Ashley Activity Centres Trust.
Fort Widley is opening up its Cold War Control Centre for a couple of guided tours on Saturday 19 September, as part of Heritage Open Days. It's a one-hour look at a bunker that's stayed pretty much as it was in the 1950s, back when Britain was preparing for the threat of nuclear conflict. The bunker is hidden deep within the fort, and it's a rare survivor from that era, so it's a proper time capsule of the Cold War.
One of the oddest things about it is that it was almost never used. It only ever came into operation during the Great Storm of 1987, so for most of its life it's just sat there, frozen in time. The tour runs rain or shine, with staff and volunteers from the Peter Ashley Activity Centres Trust leading you through the underground tunnels to get down to the bunker itself.
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Fort Widley is a Scheduled Monument and a Grade II listed building, and the site isn't suitable for visitors with restricted mobility or for dogs. There are two slots to choose from: 14:00 to 15:00 and 15:30 to 16:30, and entry is free. You'll find it at the Peter Ashley Activity Centre, Fort Widley, Portsdown Hill, Portsmouth, PO6 3LS.
