Six Places for Exercising in Southampton

(That aren’t the Common)

Article by Matt Burgess

Illustration by Milena Muszynska (@printed.at.2am)

Picture this. You’ve been living in Southampton for a few months, or a few years. You want to go for a run or a walk, or just want to spend some time outdoors. The obvious place to go is of course the common, but that just feels a bit… well, samey. If this is you, we’re here to help.

Don’t get me wrong, Southampton Common is great. It’s rare to have such a big area of green space right on a university’s doorstep and when you’re there, it’s really easy to escape city life. But there are only so many times you can do the classic park-run loop without feeling like you need something different. Here are a few easy-to-reach suggestions if you’re looking to break away from the norm. Whilst there’s plenty to explore yourself in each of these areas, I’ve included some suggested routes and information on how to get you started.

Riverside Park:

This is an obvious alternative, especially if you live at Wessex Lane. Riverside Park is a great place to go for some waterside views. It’s around 2km from top-to-bottom, so there’s plenty of space to roam up-and-down and if you’re feeling especially adventurous, you can carry on up into Itchen Valley Park. You might also see the university rowing team in action. The only downside is because it’s long and thin, coming up with loops is tricky.

By bus: U1A to Wessex Lane Halls. Parking: Small car park on Woodmill Lane, parking at Itchen Valley park.

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Ocean Village:

Another watery alternative, just a slightly less green one. Ocean Village still has some good wandering potential though, as well as some places to stop for a bite to eat (or a film), and good views over Southampton water. Being near the city centre, it’s also within easy reach of everything there and you can head down to Mayflower Park, another small park on the waterfront. If you’re running there, the plod through the industrial wastelands of St Marys is just about worth it, I promise. By bus: U1C to the town quay.

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City Centre:

A bit left-field, I know. During lockdown 2.0, when everyone was flooding the common for their government-sanctioned exercise, the city centre was actually the place to be for quiet running. Now the shops are back open, going down there during the day would probably result in a lot of people slaloming, but it’s still a great place to be for an early morning run. There are three parks around the Guildhall area, and the routes around Westquay and Southampton’s old town are also great for some urban trail running.

By bus: U1C or U2C to anywhere between Giddy Bridge and Westquay.

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Lordswood:

One of Southampton’s lesser-known green spaces, probably because it’s a bit out of town. Lordswood is the place to go if you just want to get away from it all and find some nature. The area contains miles of forest trails and is also next door to the athletics track, ski slope, and sports centre. Whilst it’s a little way from Portswood and Southampton centre, those of you living up at Glen Eyre are actually only a km from its edge. Most paths are good quality, however, areas can get muddy during winter or after heavy rainfall, so keep an eye on the weather or bring your wellies if you’re visiting from November to April.

By Bus: U6H to XX (+short walk) or U2B to Chamberlain Halls (+walk).

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Highfield Campus:

Some of the city’s best green space is actually right under our nose. Heading down the steep and slightly foreboding ramp from the redbrick takes you down to the lovely valley gardens, a tranquil area of green space dedicated to rest and relaxation. Whilst a trip around campus probably isn’t enough to sustain a full run or walk (unless you’re mad keen on laps that is), this part of campus backs onto the common, making it the perfect addition to a longer walk round there. It also comes with coffee and food options around campus, which makes for an added bonus.

By bus: Surely you know how to get here, right? 5km

Extreme Commoning:

Ok, this is still The Common, but if you’re bored of the same bits around the flats and carriage drive, there may yet be more to it than you think. In fact, it’s possible to walk around the common without using any of the main paths.

Heading off the beaten track makes for a much more tranquil walk/run and simply navigating your way around makes things much more exciting in itself. Some of these routes can get muddy after rainfall, but still, hold up pretty well for most of the year.

By bus: U1/2C to Northlands Road, or U2C to Avenue Campus (+ short walk under underpass).

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Article by Philip Bennett