This walk starts and ends with a bus journey and explores Shoreburs Greenway, one of the delightful green areas within the City boundaries. The walk itself takes about one and a half hours

Take the number 11 or 11a bus from Bassett Green Road to Woolston. From the bus station go down the hill to the traffic lights and turn left into Victoria Road.

When you reach the shore, just before the Southampton Sailing Club, cross Jurd’s Lake car park and follow the path of the “Golden Jubilee Butterfly Walk”.

The path continues across Archery Road and after a few yards, you take a sharp left turn. The path descends and then rises to a small clearing with a giant oak tree.
Take the right-most path which passes in front of the oak. At the footbridge, cross to the east side of the stream and fork left. Continue in a northerly direction along the path beside the stream until you emerge into Portsmouth Road.

Go along Spring Road through the railway arch and you will notice Miller’s Pond on your right.
Follow the tarmac path to the right, in front the pond. Where the tarmac ends continue straight on until you come out into Botany Bay Road.

Turn left and a few yards along the road, enter the footpath on your right and continue ever in a north-easterly direction. There is one road to cross, South East Road, but continue on.

When you come to the children’s play area, with swings and slides, cross to the west side of the stream and follow the tarmac path to the north. Do not recross the stream when the tarmac path crosses, but continue on the grass. You will need to be on this side of the stream to exit into Bursledon Road, which you will eventually reach via a limestone scalping path. Walk along the road towards Southampton. Just past the third turning on the left, North East Road (from which your bus will come), there is a bus stop.

Catch the number 6 bus back to Swaythling. Buses depart at about 5 minutes to the hour until 16.58 (not Sundays, so take a bus to the City Centre).

On this walk we look at the sites considered for park-and-ride (p&r) in the report “Strategic Park and Ride Opportunities for the Southampton Area”. It takes about one hour.

Go down Bassett Green Road, under the railway arch and, just past the Fleming Arms, turn onto the Monks Brook Greenway.

Walk along the path. The vegetation beside the railway line has been recently cleared.

Where you see the gas holders, cross the railway line by the public footpath which then runs along the south side of Ford’s car park. This car park is the first of the p&r sites.

Go along Wide Lane and under the M27. As you climb the bridge over the railway you see on your left the playing field that is the most favoured site for p&r.

Continuing to the roundabout, ahead are two more p&r sites on the opposite side of Wide Lane to the railway station. One is on part of the University Sports Ground and the other on the King Edward VI School fields. Now retrace your steps to the Monks Brook Greenway and continue along the path.

Cross the new bridge over Monks Brook into the field beyond, also a p&r site. Follow the path along the east and then north side, pass through the tunnel and come to the field used by travellers in the summer and another p&r site. (Yet another is on the other side of the M27.)

Walk southwards along the Stoneham Way side of this field to the fence. The rough ground beyond, plus part of the adjoining BTC sports ground, is our last p&r site and is within the area reserved for a bus depot and park-and-ride in the City’s draft Local Plan. Go along this side of the field until there is a gate. Pass under the bar into the BTC ground and exit though a gap in the fence into Stoneham Lane and so return home.

On this walk we explore some local fields. The walk takes about one hour.

Go along Leaside Way to St George=s School and along the footpath to the right of the school entrance. You will see that the new hall has been completed. Go into the second playing field behind the school. The field on your right has recently been fenced but there are two gaps. You will find one about half way along the fence. Follow the path around the M27 side of the field out into Stoneham Lane. Go under the M27 and turn into the road leading to the Trojans= Club. Just past the Trojans’ Club, cross Therapeutics car park, and walk along the bank by the astroturf pitch. The route round this playing field skirts the south side of the Eastleigh and District Angling Club pond. Exit the field into the road and return to Stoneham Lane. After passing under the M27, go over the stile on the left and walk clockwise around this now disused playing field. When you reach the Stoneham Lane side, about 50 yards from the south end find a path that leads through a gate into the lane and return home.
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This walk skirts the Townhill Park House grounds and then returns via Mansbridge. The walk takes about one hour and a half.

Go down Bassett Green Road and under the railway arch. At the roundabout go along Mansbridge Road, over the old bridge and past the White Swan. Just after Haskins Garden Centre, you come to Cutbush Lane on the right. Go along Cutbush Lane until you come to the West End Parish Playing Fields. If you have never seen Townhill Park House which now houses the Gregg School, you might like to continue a bit further along the lane to have a look and then return to the playing fields. Cross the playing fields, go up the slope in the southwest corner and along the path between some brambles. Once through the brambles follow the path to your left which leads towards the largest Scots pine tree. You will then see the boundary fence of the Townhill Park House grounds on your left. The undergrowth will become too thick to walk beside the fence. So from the pine tree go straight ahead and after about 30 yards the path descends to a boggy track through a clump of bamboo. By careful stepping, you can avoid getting your feet wet. Go straight ahead and then follow the feint track which climbs up to the drive leading to the now closed entrance to the house grounds. Go down the drive until you come to the top end of River Walk, then turn right into Riverside Park. Walk along the path until you come to the River Itchen. Proceed north along the path by the river to Man=s Bridge. From this point retrace your steps back home.
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This walk takes us on a circular route via the Wide Lane Playing Fields and Stoneham Lane. The walk takes about one hour and a quarter.
Go down Bassett Green Road and under the railway arch. Just after the Fleming Arms enter the northern section of the Monk’s Brook Greenway and walk along the path. Just before a little bridge over a drain, you will see on your right a path leading to a stile and some steps to a pedestrian crossing over the railway line. Taking this, you emerge in Wide Lane on the south side of the Ford Employees’ Car Park.
Go along Wide Lane, under the M27 and past Southampton Airport Station. Continue a little further along Wide Lane to the car park of Southampton University’s Wide Lane Playing Field. Enter and go clockwise around this splendid playing field following the south and then west boundary. In the north west corner find a path that leads out to the byway Doncaster Drove, south of the Concorde Club.
Go over the bridge, cross the main road and enter old Stoneham Lane. Go along Stoneham Lane past North Stoneham Church. After passing under the M27 enter the field on your right and cross it diagonally. While crossing the next playing-field to the west you will see on your left St George’s School. Go to the left of the basket-ball pitches and pick up the path that skirts the School and leads out to Leaside Way and so back into Bassett Green Road.
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This walk takes us to North Stoneham Church, through Home Wood to Bracken Hall (formerly Fred Woolley House). The walk takes less than two hours.

Go north along Stoneham Lane. To avoid the traffic you can walk in the playing fields as far as the M27 underpass. After the underpass comes the Wellington Sports Ground and beyond that, North Stoneham Church.

Immediately after the church, turn left onto the farm road. This goes round the Park Farm farmhouse. After the breaker’s yard comes a high brick wall of an old kitchen garden. A little beyond the end of this wall, round a bend, you will see a white five-barred iron gate on the right. A few yards before the gate, on the same side of the road, is the start of a footpath. This will take you all the way to Bracken Hall after about half a mile. Near the beginning, the path has woodland on the left and a meadow with cows on the other side. Later, it runs through attractive mature woodland. After skirting Bracken Hall, go down the road and cross the bridge over the M27. At the Chilworth Roundabout return home along Bassett Green Road.