High Tide

The film opens with a white car on a straight road driven by Peter Curtis (Ian McShane) who has just been released from prison. Unknown location

Having turned off onto a quieter road he finds that a red car is following him and after overtaking is in no hurry to get away. Unknown location.

After resting up for a while he sets off again only to find that the red car is once again in his mirrors. Unknown location.

Shortly after, he pulls up at the ‘Compton Arms Hotel’ asking for a quiet room having driven all night. The ‘Compton Arms Hotel’ was converted to a Travelodge in the 1980’s. It is still a Travelodge, Stoney Cross, Lyndhurst, Hampshire but with a number of changes.

I was neither equiped to lay on wet grass or prepared to lay in the road gutter to achieve the angle.

Later that day, in the afternoon, he took tea in the garden, troubled by the fact that a ‘Mr Matthews’ (Terence Rigby) had booked into the hotel just after him and was in the next door room. Indeed, was watching him from a hotel window. Soon to emerge, presenting himself and seeking the ‘truth’ concerning the death of the man for whom he had just served a prison sentence.

One can see how the changes may have morphed over the last 45 years or so.

Recounting events, he tells of the arrival of a van that came shortly after Evan Maxwell (Malcolm Terris) died essentially as a result of a weak heart. Unknown location.

Peter continues his journey to stop at another hotel. 'Crown Manor House' Hotel, High Street, Lyndhurst, Hampshire

I had to content myself with the pavement compared to where the film camera was able to nestle.

Once registered he goes for a walk in the Town….. High Street, Lyndhurst, Hampshire looking west.

Was there really that break in the traffic?

………reflecting on the Matthews interest in what the dying man might have uttered. High Street, Lyndhurst, Hampshire looking west. From the junction with Romsey Road.

That's more like it, an unbelievably busy junction.

Further along on his journey to Cornwall, to buy a boat and sail, he gives a lift to a young couple who’s motorcycle had broken down. They appear to have had a row and after dropping the chap off Peter agrees to take the girl on with him. He realises that the dying man had said ‘High Tide’ and that there was a connection with the registration of a car he had owned at the time of the accident. He telephones Duncan, ….UPL 952K. High Tide at 9.52am, but where? Lymington High Street, with 118-119 seen through the telephone box. (SD)

A visit to the local paper to find where the two facts coincided four years ago, revealed, Yealmouth. 114 High Street, Lymington, Hampshire

Presumbly H&S made them replace the step with years of history.

Peter looks at his map book and decides that if he goes to Yealmouth he may find out why Evan Maxwell ‘was hurtling down’ four years ago without telling his friends. Looking west up the High Street to St. Thomas the Apostle church.

I am quite pleased with the rushed end result, notwithstanding the strange looks I received risking life and limb.

The next Day he found his boat and meets up with the girl, Celia (Wendy Morgan), that he gave a lift to some days back and they agree that she will join him on his sea going trip along the coast. Peter was surprised that there was nobody there to see at least one of them off! Circa 2 – 4 Quay Road, Lymington

Without the option of a waterline shot I opted for a similar land side view point.

After sailing day and night they moor up. Peter goes for a wander. They clearly haven’t travelled far, they are still in Lymington. Quay Road, from Quay Hill looking south.

Amongst the many changes down there that wall has been preserved.

As he wanders he passes ‘The Bird Cage’, Ladies fashions at 7 Quay Street, Lymington.

Retail preferences have changed.

About to turn, he sees a telephone box tucked into a corner, where Celia is making a call. Quay Hill, just as it turns into Quay Street.

I left believing that the telephone box must have been a prop.

His eyes skirt past as he enters Quay Street 'Solitaire' were at 7 Quay Street.

A momentary break in tourist traffic.

A green Rover car passes Peter but at that moment he is not aware of its relevance. High Street looking towards Captains Row.

More colourful even without a green Rover car.

Until he sees Celia and the car pulling up beside her. I am inclined to think that the background shop is 117 High Street but if a ‘local’ remembers where the electrical shop was so much the better.

There still remains a space to spot to pull up and 'pass the time of day'.

Confronting her as to “what are you up to?”, Peter finds her gone in the morning. Unidentified location.

He sails off without her, not knowing that he is being watched……perhaps by more than one person. Lymington Harbour

Lymington Harbour viewed from the Town Quay. A matching shot from my visit in October 2025. SD

Three days later he reached the end of his journey. Is this the edge of the Great Mew Stone mentioned in one comment of the film?

Peter moors up at the films ‘Yealmouth’ and goes ashore. Outside ‘The Dolphin Inn’, 1 Riverside East, Newton Ferrers, Devon looking south across Newton Creek.

In the local pub Peter is befriended by Cyril Tomlinson (John Bird) who invites him to dinner and to meet his wife Helen (Kika Markham). “It was a good meal and a good evening”. Unidentified location.

The following morning he rows his dinghy to see what was only visible or accessible at 9:52 AM on the day of Maxwell’s death. And then he sees it, a desolate waterside old house. Unidentified location.

He decides to visit the house again, but this time by foot, closed up, but not derelict. His visit is interrupted by Fenton (Michael McKevitt) who looks after the place, with a gun and a black Labrador dog, like his that was killed by Maxwell. Peter tries to find out more about the house.

Having bumped into Cyril on his return, later that evening Peter has dinner with him and Helen once again. He makes a hasty exit when he realises that there is the potential of an affair with Helen.

Despite all, Peter was in no hurry to go, and it would seem that Helen was in no hurry either.

Having a ‘hair of the dog’ the following morning Peter learns that Helen used to live in the old house and that it was her fathers.

Mentally reviewing all the facts as he walks along the cliff path he is about to meet with Helen who knows his background, is not prepared to tell him anything and advises him to ‘go away’. Unknown location

“It took four double whiskies and an hour or more to say goodbye to Cyril the following morning". Cyril starts up Newton Hill making his way home.

Peter didn’t leave that night and whilst asleep Celia climbs aboard to warn him of the dangers his involvement is threatening him. In the morning he prepares to leave.

Realising he needed fuel he made his way to the shore, only to find Celia’s body floating in the water.

He realised that he couldn’t leave now, so found an old smugglers cave where he could call ‘home’ and then made his way to meet up with Helen at her home. Eventually Cyril leaves.

Peter runs to knock on the door and Helen tells him all, but resolving the whole story entails him taking her to France. Anymore would spoil the ending.