Amesbury Walkers

SOUTHAMPTON CITY WATERFRONT AND HERITAGE TRAIL


BWF PT No: 244 - 12km


Walk Organisers: Rene and David Pilbeam,172 Salisbury Road, Totton, Hants, SO40 3LQ.

Tel: 02380 863338, Email: renepilbeam@yahoo.co.uk

Walk Fee: £1.00. Embroidered badge available £2. Cheques made payable to Amesbury Walkers.

Start: Crosshouse Long Stay Pay & Display Car Park, SO14 5GZ [GR Map OL22  431113].

Alternative starts highlighted in bold text.


Please note that a temporary closure has been placed on this PT until further notice.


With the ITCHEN ROAD BRIDGE on your left, exit the car park, passing BTC ROWING CLUB, along CROSSHOUSE Rd. TL into CANUTE RD. Continue ahead and shortly TL into Channel Way. Follow round to OCEAN VILLAGE MARINA through gateway on your right. Pass the SOUTHAMPTON ROYAL YACHT CLUB to follow Marina to Cineworld. Follow Ocean Way round to your left passing Savannah House and at TJ at end, TR to main road (back on Canue Rd). TL where it passes into Platform Road. At 2ns set of Traffic Lights: BEFORE crossing next Rd, look L to see CALSHOT LIGHT SHIP. Cont to lights and facing the CANUTE CASTLE HOTEL, X to opp side of ROYAL CRESCENT RD.  Cont ahead, over level crossing. STOP AND LOOK OPPOSITE to see the OLDEST BANK IN SOUTHAMPTON 1835.


Q1 What is the name of the 1st large building on your left?   


Cross over and continue ahead. (Good views of SOUTH WESTERN HOUSE on R.) TL into OXFORD STREET opp Genting Casino. Walk along OXFORD ST, passing cafes and restaurants to reach and turn into ORCHARD PLACE.  X to other side and on reaching bend at next corner, TR & cont ahead crossing QUEENSWAY and in approx. 20mtrs at AL PRESTIGE CARS LTD, X over RD  to  passage way  (behind Ocean Boulevard walkway sign) into LOWER CANAL WALK. Nr end on your L is gate into WORLD’S OLDEST BOWLING GREEN. (On right, parts of the Southampton walls) Cont to main Rd, TR. (A SHORT DISTANCE AHEAD THERE ARE TOILETS IN RED FUNNEL TERMINAL) YOUR route goes thru PORTCULLIS ARCH.


TR into BACK OF THE WALLS and walk to end and TL to lights. X to other side and X lights to Co-op side. TR and take next, very close, walkway thru to MEDIEVAL MERCHANTS HOUSE. X Rd and TR along CASTLE WAY. Shortly TL into CHURCH LANE to find ST. MICHAELS CHURCH AND TUDOR HOUSE MUSEUM. Turn L into BUGLE ST passing the The Duke of Wellington PH and walk to end and TL passing DANCING MAN BAR, formerly OLD WOOL HOUSE. Then go L up steps over mound &  X Rd into RH path of TOWN QUAY PARK. Immed on your Left you will find a Memorial Plaque.


Q2 What is the name of the last ship on the LH side?


Continue thru park and exit onto QE2 Mile (High St) and TL. Continue to Co-op lights and X to other side. Cont. ahead passing on your right, HOLYROOD CHURCH RUINS the DOLPHIN and STAR HOTELS, to reach THE BARGATE.  After passing thru Arch, X Rd and TR. Walk down Rd to X VINCENTS WALK and take 2nd entrance into HOUNDWELL PARK. Follow path thru THREE parks, crossing TWO roads, to reach statue of RICHARD ANDREWS.Go str on to the Peace Fountain and exit other side. TL and with the rock garden on your R,as it ends, TR and follow path and exit PARK to main Rd. TL to view the TITANIC MEMORAL.


Q3 Who is the memorial in memory of?


Cont ahead for approx. 80m then X to CENOTAPH MEMORIAL. Go around back to enter WEST WATTS PARK. At statue TL towards FOUNTAIN in front of ART GALLERY AND LIBRARY.   X over and TL taking next R into WEST MARLANDS ROAD, to visit GUILDHALL SQUARE.


Q4 OVER THE GUILDHALL DOORS, WHEN WAS THE FIRST STONE LAID FOR THE ART GALLERY, SCHOOL OF ART AND LIBRARY?


Retrace steps back to FOUNTAIN and cont ahead for approx. 80m to ( SEA CITY MUSEUM )at end on left. Cont straight on, down path thru grassed area to traffic lights. X and TL and walk on to pass BBC SOUTH TODAY and RADIO SOLENT STUDIOS, where you TR down sloping walkway. Cont ahead to TL into BLECHENDYN TERRACE GARDEN area. Walk thru garden and at exit on R


Q5 The photo of the railway bridge is from whose collection?


Exit Park TL and go over SOUTHAMPTON RAILWAY STATION footbridge. X over lights and cont str on following path thru disused car park to lights.  X road and TL. Follow pavement/cycle path(PASSING NATIONAL EXPRESS on your L) for approx. 400m to WELCOME shop, where you X over. TR then TL thru bollards and keep to LOWER WALKWAY thru pedestrian area. Go up steps to main road. X over at lights and TR and X over Rd. TL in front of Old Walls and TR after 2nd bus stop and immed.TR up steps to walkway on top of the walls. Continue over walls and descend steps. NB…

(IF YOU FIND THE STEPS LOCKED then cont behind steps str across car park and go thru archway on R. Retrace your steps back across to other side (WEST QUAY/ M&S) and TL to go thru another archway, down slope, TR and head for old walls opposite. You are now at, where you would have been, if the gate had not been locked!). Follow walls on R into FOREST VIEW.  Pass thru railings and TL passing JUNIPER BERRY and then TR into UPPER BUGLE ST. Take next L into HAMTUN STREET to view Mural on LH wall.


Q6 What is the name on the sails of the 2ns ship on left hand side?


Retrace steps back to UPPER BUGLE STREET and TL to TUDOR HOUSE. TR down BLUE ANCHOR LANE.


Q7 On information board down Blue Anchor Lane. West Quay and Biddles Gate. In 1489a new lock was made, at what cost?


Exit archway TL and after the PIG IN THE WALL go thru archway. NB.(WESTGATE TOWER MUSEUM (which is through the archand up stone steps on your right) is very interesting and free entry when open at weekends.)  TR and passing WESTGATE HALL, go under footbridge and (NB IF THE BOAT SHOW IS ON IN SEPTEMBER THEN IT IS TICKET ONLY ACCESS INTO MAYFLOWER PARK) IF SO, THEREFORE GO up brick steps on your L into park area and go to ***  OTHERWISE  TR down slope to Rd. TR and at traffic lights cross over to enter MAYFLOWER PARK.  TR to follow grass area around to the water’s edge, hopefully passing cruise ships in dock. On opposite shore you will see the ROYAL FLEET AUXILARY dock. Continue along water’s edge to piece of old City Wall. Cross over rd  and go across grass to gate where you entered the park. GO back over the traffic lights and back up Cuckoo Lane slope. At top, TL and immed. R up brick steps to park area. ***TR and exit park by path at No8 Street Lamp, down slope to Rd.


TL and X over BUGLE STREET and at lights X to FERRY side of road. TL and cont to RED FUNNEL Bldg. (Toilets) TR into TOWN QUAY. Cont along to HYTHE FERRY Terminal, enter and walk thru to see if you can spy any cruise ships in dock? Cont around and out other end. TR and keeping on RH side to go back to main Rd. X at lights and TR. Cont ahead and after BOWLING GREEN X at lights and enter park. Take path to centre Memorial and cont on path behind it to X paths. TR and X over main Rd. TL and walk str on.


Q8 On your left is SOUTH WESTERN HOUSE. What shape is the highest window on grey tiles at the top of the building opposite you?


After 2nd set of lights and str after THE ADMIRAL SIR LUCIUS CURTIS, TR into OCEAN VILLAGE.  Follow pavement round and WITH CARE CROSS RD to  SIGN POST BY CO-OP.  Follow sign to RSYC along MARINA to end.

At YACHT CLUB TL and go thru walled exit.  TL into Channel Way (not signed) then X to other side. Walk to end and TR back into CANUTE RD and follow Rd back to CROSSHOUSE Rd and CAR PARK


WELL DONE! Thank you for doing our Southampton PT. Your experience and comments are always welcome. Have a safe journey home.


ROUTE UPDATED: 26 Nov 2023