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Isle of Wight Ferry

Southampton

Self-guided walks for the Curious...

Explore Southampton city centre with two self-guided heritage walks with a treasure hunt theme. Discover Southampton's "hidden treasures" whilst having a fun day out with family and friends!
Southampton is one of Britain's famous maritime cities, a major departure point for ocean-going liners, as well as the many ferries which scurry to and from its port. But Southampton is more than that – it has an Old Town, with remnants of a castle to explore and the walls which surrounded it, a medieval merchant's house, a 12th century city gate, a jaw-dropping Civic Centre and a 15th century Tudor House. It is also renowned for its many parks which run right through the centre, leading to the new and hugely impressive SeaCity Museum.

EXPLOREDISCOVERENJOY

Code Curious20 at checkout for 20% discount on purchases over £12

The Booklet

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Curious About... Southampton

  • An exploration of Southampton's city centre with two self-guided heritage walks with an optional treasure hunt. Completing the treasure hunt keeps everyone actively engaged, and urges you to look up, down and every which-way - so you won't miss out on any of the city's treasures.
    Explore, Discover, and Enjoy!
  • Most clues are chosen for their historical value, so you'll learn about the diverse culture, significant people and extraordinary events which have influenced Southampton in becoming what it is today.
  • This is an outdoor, unsupervised activity - so you can go at a pace which suits you, whilst keeping you healthy!
  • A Curious About walk is a fun and social activity for all the family and friends. Different people can take on different roles - follow the map, identify picture clues, read directions, etc - it's ideal for children from the age of 6, and if you can walk/wheelchair it, you're young enough!
  • The two walks have been designed so that the second one follows on from where the first one ends. Do both, or have a breather and do the second one another day! They both start and finish in the heart of the city - so buses, trains and car parks are easily available to get you there and back.

1. Heritage Walk - 1.5 miles / 2.4 kms
From Dancing Man Brewery (formerly a Maritime Museum) with its stunning views of the Solent, you soon reach Southampton’s city walls, one of the best preserved historical attractions in the UK. Soak up the atmosphere of an important port, dotted with picturesque houses of once wealthy merchants. See a church dating back a millennium, and a gorgeous 15th century Tudor house, before ending at Bargate, a fabulous portal to Southampton’s wealth.
Town Quay Bargate   1.5 hoursOK but diversion maybe needed

2. A Walk in The Parks - 1 mile / 1.6 kms
From the magnificent Bargate, and more of Southampton’s ancient walls, you quickly arrive at the glorious central parks, which give Southampton its unique ‘green’ feel. Past children playing and adults lazing, you arrive at the stunning Civic Centre, before ending your walk back in the parks, amongst stately statues, perfumed flowers, and spectacular shrubs. Time for a picnic perhaps?
Bargate Andrews Park   1 hourOK but diversion maybe needed

Each booklet has a page dedicated to the history of the city and 2 pages summarising each walk with suggestions on what to visit along the way. Walk 1 has 21 clues & walk 2 has 14 - both with detailed directions to follow. There are interesting stories about important people, places & events along the way; detailed instructions on how to find a clue if you're stuck; and a comprehensive map with the routes marked on.
Buy a booklet by clicking on the Add to Basket button, then either checkout, or continue shopping. Checkout takes you through payments via a quick & secure process managed by a third-party company called SendOwl. At the end of the payment process SendOwl will email you a confirmation email (inc download link if relevant).

Downloads
You have 14 days to complete your download, and up to 3 attempts are permitted. If you buy the print-at-home version you will need to print it on normal A4 paper and the email you receive, with the download link, explains how best to fold the pages to make it into an A5 booklet. If you buy the download to mobile version you will need pdf reading software on your phone or tablet, eg using the Adobe Acrobat App (free).

Printed Copy
The booklet has a flexible cover, which has been professionally printed. The inside pages are printed to order, to ensure that they are as up-to-date as possible. We post booklets out 1st class Royal Mail, usually the same, or next working day. A small postage & packing charge is added.

"Southampton's such a mixture - sea, ancient buildings and open parkland. I'd recommend it to anyone - well done for opening our eyes, and thanks very much. Definitely recommend it to others!"


Latest Revision : May 2023


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Southampton

Places you'll pass along the way - tap an image for more detail