Full route for Paddington Trail Walk in Southampton

At the start of the work you need to turn left out of the main entrance at West Quay shopping centre and head along the Above Bar Street precinct, passing Palmerston Park on your right-hand side.

Continue over the busy crossroads, and straight ahead past the shops and the Guildhall on your left. At the junction with Commercial Road, proceed across and diagonally into Watts Park.

Once you past the curious ‘Enclosure’ sculpture, take the right-hand path that leads you to the next pedestrian crossing at the B3024.

Take care crossing here (road improvement work going on) by the White Building, and head down residential street Polygon. Follow the curve all the way around until it turns into Handel Terrace, a much quieter street beside a school.

The Polygon (Image: Echo)

Once this road ends, turn right until you reach Morris Road on your left. Go up this suburban street until turning left along Devonshire Road.

Once you arrive at the Central Baptist Church building, turn and head up Henstead Road towards the distinctive Bedford Arms pub.

Turn right down Bedford Place through the small shops, bars and restaurants that characterise the area until you rejoin the busy B3024.

Cross back into East Park, pass the war memorial on your right and then exit onto Commercial Road. Head right following the outline of the civic buildings until you reach the Sea City Museum.

If you decide against a museum visit, retrace your steps back to Commercial Road and continue until turning right down West Marlands Road, which will take you through the calming environs of Guildhall plaza and past the Central Library and Guildhall.

Once you pass the Stage Door bar, turn left up Civic Centre Road, and get across the pedestrian crossroads before heading into Palmerston Park opposite.

Walk at a glance

• Start: West Quay shopping centre, Above Bar Street, Southampton, SO14 7NN
• Distance: 6.8 kms
• Time: 1hr 46 mins
• Difficulty: Easy
• URL: explore.osmaps.com/route/23491796/
• Map: OS Explorer OL22 New Forest
• Toilets: Yes (West Quay shopping centre)
• Nearest Pub (and café): Duke of Wellington, Bugle Street, SO14 2AH
• OS Maps App rating: 5

Follow the main path as it descends through the park. The autumnal shades of the many different types of trees are impossible to miss and will bring a tranquil feel compared to all the urban walking you’ve done so far.

Keep progressing to the circular bench feature, and then choose the slightly right path that takes you across Pound Tree Road towards the Houndwell Park play area (ideal if you’ve got kids with you).

Continue past the Charles Mellet drinking fountain, then wander on the diagonally right path full of Victorian street lamps until you reach the park exit.

Leave the park by turning right and head up to the Bargate, then straight all the way down High Street until you reach Holyrood Church. Then turn right and head towards the distinctive spire of St Michael’s Church.

Make for the pedestrianised area beside the church building, and you can have a nose around the Old Tudor House and Garden on Blue Anchor Lane.

Continue past it along Bugle Lane, beyond the Catholic Church on your left and you will arrive at the Duke of Wellington pub.

Follow the alley beside the pub which will reveal a 14th century Medieval Merchant’s House to explore. Then head down French Street towards the Isle of Wight ferry port ahead.

Before you reach the main road at Town Quay, take a left through the picnic area near St John’s School, where you can take a rest on the benches in Town Quay Park.

Press on across the next road into Winkle Street and you can pick up the City Walls route through the medieval part of the city.

Arundel Tower and medieval walls Southampton

Once you come out through the stone archways onto the main road, you can carry on along Vokes Memorial Gardens and then back through Queen’s Park if you wish, or just cross Town Quay and take the opportunity to stroll up past the Southampton Town Quay ferry port.

This location offers a unique panoramic view of the massive cruise liners, the Isle of Wight across the Solent and the cranes at the commercial docks.

Retrace your steps and cross Town Quay one more time at Dancing Man Brewery, before following the road around by the city walls at Western Esplanade.

There is a lot of engineering work taking place in The Arcades here, so head straight up the Esplanade until you arrive at the open air auditorium outside West Quay.

Climb the steps onto the upper level and you will see people gathering around the Paddington Bear bench, as he sits relaxing with a marmalade sandwich directly facing the Waterstone’s Café.

Take the time for a selfie or two, and then back into West Quay to mark the end of the trail.

This route is one of 25 Paddington Bear Trail routes created by Ordnance Survey around the UK and Ireland to celebrate the new Paddington 3 film coming out in November.

Written by David Jones, Senior Press Officer, Ordnance Survey

Three tips to navigate with OS Maps App:

1. The red triangle on the OS Maps App is your friend. Hold your phone out in front of you like a torch, and if you turn 180 degrees, so will the triangle. That points you in the direction you need to go.

2. Don’t slavishly follow the red line on the route. Remember, in OS Maps App, this line is only a navigational guide. Pay close attention to the pathways (denoted by black dotted lines on the map). In practice these are the markings you’ll need to make your way around on the ground.

3. Keep an eye on the app whenever approaching forks in the route. Use common sense - if a suggested path looks untrodden or in bad condition, then stay on the main one.

Download OS Maps App from the Ordnance Survey shop. Full annual subscription is available for £34.99.