Travel

by Katie Isham. Somewhere in a nearby magical land, in a kingdom behind a Co-Op, where the grand towers of industry watch over the landscape, there is a pathway from the suburbs to the shore. It may not have grand beginnings but it opens out onto one of the greatest escapes along Southampton Water.  Head

words and pictures by Katie Isham. A Suburban Safari should be a chance to explore another side to favourite locations; to make time to appreciate the beauty in the everyday steps taken. But also, provide joy in finding a hidden surprise amongst the familiar. And most significantly, to observe life, in all its forms, along

by Katie Isham. This time of year is synonymous with the bluebell explosion of the British woodland. You’ll find local enclaves at Manor Farm, Victoria Country Park, further out into the New Forest and of course, in the Old Cemetery on The Common. But for now, come explore the rural route leading from Botley to

by Katie Isham. Start this exploration in the centre of Romsey, the market town northwest of Southampton. Don’t worry though, we’re not staying amongst the hustle and bustle of the town centre. We’re heading out to the suburbs.  From the centre, travel east along The Hundred, one of the most dramatic road names in a

by Katie Isham. When everything is busy and life is loud, there are few better places to go wander than around the walls of a thirteenth century monastery, especially when the roof is now cobalt blue skies pouring down from heaven to light your walk through the crumbling walls.  Netley Abbey is a treasured part

by Katie Isham. Safari today not to a specific place, but to a moment, a fleeting moment at that; a slice of existence right now, to the glorious zeitgeist of blooms and blue skies before the March winds rally and leave our loves strewn across the ground to become mulch. Buckle up, we’re going magnolia

by Katie Isham. This may seem like a rural safari, but we’re just ahead of the curve. The suburbs are coming. Out on the periphery of Southampton, on the other bank of the River Hamble, housing estates are multiplying, stealing space from green fields for our ever-increasing population. The ceramic looking structures are new additions,

by Katie Isham. In the east of Southampton lies Bitterne village. Not what one would usually think of as a village, but still more than worth a visit. It may not have the popularity of the city centre or the cool kid chic of Portswood, but Bitterne is a vector of variety. Join me to

by Katie Isham. It’s time to go get lost in the trees again. Is there anything more wholesome than pulling on some wellies and going wandering in the woods until you a) get lost b) lose a welly in a muddy puddle c) get lost, lose a welly, get found and go home for a

by Katie Isham. Okay all, admittedly, it’s pretty grim right now. Grey days and even greyer moods. Even the sun seems to have gone into hibernation. Despite the days getting longer, the lack of sunshine is shrouding life in abject winter gloom.  Ocean Village is a locale of Southampton often linked to summer days. Those

   by Katie Isham. Short days of January call for a short walk. Time is tight and we must make the most of our precious daylight hours when we’re not constrained by work or that seasonal existential dread exacerbated by the current state of the world that keeps us holed up on the sofa.  Take

by Katie Isham. After all the panic / excess / stress / chaos (delete as appropriate) of the festive period, the time is right for some outdoor indulgence. Nothing beats getting outside for some big space, big air and big colour. Consider this a preventative attack on the January Blues: let’s counter the blues with

by Mike Daish. I got up quite early and decided to have a morning walk to Eling.  I had a very quite walk there and only saw one other person, we wished each other a merry Christmas while passing. I took a seat near the Anchor pub and sat by the waters edge watching two

by Katie Isham. Fake furs on folks. We’re going further afield this week. In a way. Who knew there lies a whole magical kingdom within the suburbs of Bitterne Park?  Some creative, imaginative kind souls have designed a walking trail to cast light on the tales of Narnia from the glowing windows of Southampton homes.

by Katie Isham. When the days are cold and short, it’s time to make the most of the sunlight hours whilst you can and head on down to one of the country parks within the Southampton postcode. Is there any better way to warm yourself up on a blisteringly cold day than by tramping through

by Katie Isham. As the autumn days tumble into winter, you could do worse than kick some leaves on a walk around one of our city centre’s fine parks. We’re spoilt for choice in terms of green spaces within the walls of Southampton, so maybe it’s prudent to combine a park outing with a chance

by Katie Isham Just off an industrial estate in the western corner of Southampton, there’s an entrance to a beautiful magical kingdom. Not where you’d expect to find some magic, but believe me, it’s there. Tucked away past the plumbing merchants and self-storage, you’ll find a safari worthy of any suburb. Testwood Lakes is a

by Katie Isham. On the eastern bank of the River Itchen, nestled in a bend of the waterway that cuts a beating heart through the city, is a nature reserve. It truly is a reserve for nature at its simplest. Hidden away from the road and any through traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, Chessel Bay

by Katie Isham. September is a busy time. Everyone has so many things to do yet the days are dwindling to do them in. So join me this week for a power walk though some pines. But just because it’s a shorter walk, doesn’t mean it’s any less exciting or important. Sometimes, we need that

by Nathan Goldsmith. As summer turns to autumn, I take on the third and final part of the Itchen Navigation from Southampton to Winchester (parts 1 and 2 here and here). This part of the walk is the shortest (around 4 miles) and begins from Shawford Station, following the route from Shawford Down to Twyford

by Anna-Maria Bauer. They say you never unlearn how to ride a bike. Maybe that is because most people, once they know how, don’t let nine years go by before they get back on the saddle. Nine years? Well, I blame it on the Vespa. She says it was convenience.  The handlebars are too flexible,

by Katie Isham. Guys, I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but I think autumn is upon us. The days are dwindling, the blackberries are plumping and the schools are back in session. I know it’s been particularly hot this week, but don’t let that fool you: that mercury is about to drop. So I say,

by Katie Isham. If you’ve followed these Suburban Safaris for any distance, you’ll know I have a fondness for the friendless. Of course I love a picture postcard view and a garden in splendid bloom. But I often find the real jewel in the ugly. Or what may be considered “ugly”.  Now, don’t get me

by Katie Isham. If I told you that this Suburban Safari visits Valley Gardens, would you know where we are? I’m not sure many residents of Southampton could point it out on a map. But I guess that’s the thing with secrets; there’s always an element of secrecy.  Small disclaimer – Southampton University, please don’t

by Nathan Goldsmith. I’ve been spending a lot of time in Brighton – where my partner lives – and the New Forest – where I work – recently, and so coming back to Southampton to stretch my legs when I get a chance feels like a real treat. Following on from my previous column (Walk:

by Katie Isham. Parks and boats are a staple of life in Southampton. This wander will show you the best the city centre has to offer. No longer must you choose between waves and flowers. Here you can enjoy both. With a bonus of some historical sights as well.  Sandwiched between the High Street and

by Katie Isham. Slap-bang in the middle of Sholing, there sits a park. At first glance, it’s a basic public amenity. A big wonky trapezium of grass where people can walk their dogs, footballers have somewhere to play on Sunday mornings and youths have a location to loiter aimlessly during the long summer sunsets of

by Anna-Maria Bauer. We see the first one in the small car park, in the middle of the New Forest, that is more of a heathland here. It stands very close to the bonnets, fearless, one horsepower among many. Its rich brown coat shines almost as much as the bonnet of the silver cars. Its

by Katie Isham. Southampton is famous for its docks. They spear the heart of the city and have provided employment, transport and stories for centuries. The docks are a constant source of activity but it’s a place few of us residents get to see up close. This week I took a wander through Redbridge Wharf

by Katie Isham. For a walk that’s under two miles long, this loop makes you feel like you’ve been on a hike through several different landscapes and even navigated a few eras. The sort of walk where, by the end, you’re surprised to remember some of the sights from the beginning. Just the sort of

by Katie Isham. Could it finally be summer? What better to do on a summer’s day than to wander by the seaside?  However, for a city on the coast, Southampton only has a few spots to actually be beside the seaside, and even then, there’s no sand for comfort. We Sotonians are built of tougher

by Anna-Maria Bauer. Paths are created by walking. I have heard this phrase so often that I normally don’t even think about the meaning when I say it. But then, I started walking and had to admit to myself: It’s true. The first step was taken a year ago. The flight ticket to Australia had

by Nathan Goldsmith.   “The spring is sprung, The grass is riz. I wonder where the boidies is. The little boids is on the wing. Naa, dats obsoid; The little wings is on the boids”   There are different variations of this poem – and a number of different people said to have written it

by Katie Isham. Don’t tell too many people but, a mere skip from Southampton General Hospital, tucked away at the back of a 1960s housing estate, down a road guarded by the endemic sight of Tesco that used to be a pub, there’s a gateway to a hidden woodland. These woods may be named after

by Katie Isham. Well, everyone else is doing it, so I suppose we’d better jump on the bluebell bandwagon! If you glance at social media, the whole country has been skipping through ancient woodland in the last few weeks. Bluebell photos  have been outnumbering Line of Duty theories, and that takes some doing.  Yet despite

by Katie Isham. Meet you at the bridge?  Fellow eastsiders will be all too familiar with the hassle of crossing the mighty River Itchen to get into Southampton city centre. And as a teenager, it was a trek comparable to crossing the Sahara. But cross it we did, every Saturday to migrate to the teenage

by Nathan Goldsmith. Bursledon has always been a place that has meant a lot to me. It’s a place I’ve journeyed to since I was a child – with my family and family friends – and now, exploring on my own or taking my friends with me, I still feel that childhood buzz. Crabbing on

by Katie Isham. Restrictions are lifting, travel is allowed and so the time has come. We’re visiting the Solent shoreline.  A trip to the beach is not just about the destination: it’s about the feeling of space you get by the sea. It’s that feeling you get nowhere else, and after another long lockdown, we

by Katie Isham. The recent Spring Equinox has lifted me out of my winter slumber. I took this as a shot in the arm (not the one I’m after, but this’ll do for now) to take a more positive view. Time to fling open the doors and spend an afternoon sprucing up the garden.  But

by Katie Isham. Last weekend I went on holiday. Hold on, you might scream, we’re in lockdown. How did you wangle a holiday? Okay, you got me; I didn’t actually go on holiday, but I felt like I did for an hour.  I embarked on a fifteen-minute drive (hedonistic, I know) to the town of

by Katie Isham. If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise. Or not. You’re sure to find trees. Don’t roll your eyes – I saw that. Of course there are trees, but over at Telegraph Woods there is a colony of beautiful, breathing, heaving trees to meet; you’ll feel

by Katie Isham. What better way to spend Valentine’s weekend than by rekindling your love for an old favourite? Sometimes in life we take for granted what we have. We take for granted the beauty we wake up to. We take for granted the sights we see every day. We don’t always take the time

by Katie Isham. At the risk of ruffling some feathers, this Suburban Safari includes minimal movement. In fact, it’s best to stay as still as possible for the duration. You may be permitted a twitch or two.  When was the last time you spent a solid hour in your garden? I know it’s not really

by Katie Isham. In the current lockdown and amid rising fear in this wave of the pandemic, we are torn. Torn between staying away from other people or finding some space outside to get some fresh air.  Obviously we all want to stay safe and distance ourselves from others as much as possible, but it’s

by Katie Isham. On New Year’s Day, I’ve taken to undertaking a “Big Walk”. One involving a big drive followed by a long walk, preferably by the sea, incorporating a stop for a hefty calorie intake before going home to warm up in the way you can only when you’ve been outside cavorting with nature

by Katie Isham. In a year as dark as 2020 has been, it’s no wonder people are keen to bring light into their lives. The streets of Southampton are ablaze with twinkles; this is the year everyone has raided The Range for more rope lights and flashing neon than you’d find in Vegas. Southampton has

by Katie Isham. Pulling on my walking boots I felt like I was embarking on a legitimate walking mission. Not many Suburban Safaris have necessitated this level of commitment. Yet for this adventure, I dug the old clunkers out the bag for life and laced them up with bits of dried mud to remind me

by Katie Isham. At least once a week I treat myself to a walk to work through Woodmill in Southampton. Sometimes more when the roadworks are rampant. But it’s never for very long. So I thought I would give myself time when I wasn’t racing the clock for a short wander along the River Itchen. 

by Katie Isham. As Halloween is almost upon us, I thought it would be apt to go on a spooky Suburban Safari – a Cemetery Safari if you will. And the largest, and if I may dare to say, the most dramatic cemetery in the city is Southampton Old Cemetery.  Located in the south-west corner

by Katie Isham. There are a good few Country Parks adjoining our fair city, so I thought it was time to visit one of them. I’ll be honest with you, I’m not usually a fan of a Country Park. It’s a little too prepared for my tastes. You have a brown sign to lead you

by Katie Isham. The days are getting shorter (and wetter by the current forecast) so it’s time for a snappier safari. Sometimes you don’t have whole day to wander and discover; sometimes you want to escape the daily grind and pop to a nearby location where you can immerse yourself in nature and treat yourself

by Katie Isham. Join our travel writer on her close to home expeditions. Southampton is bisected by the glorious River Itchen and so it’s a city of two halves. The mighty East Side and its marginally less mighty cousin, the West Side. I couldn’t possibly disclose which side I hail from for fear of impartiality.

by Katie Isham. Join our travel writer on her close to home expeditions. I don’t know about you, but I get a little antsy if I haven’t visited some type of shoreline for a while. So it was time to dip into the joys the Southampton Water can offer – although I draw the line

by Katie Isham. Join our travel writer on her close to home expeditions. As I mentioned when first embarking on the Suburban Safari venture, a holiday is just a break from the routine. Doing something different for enjoyment. It could be relaxation, or it might be exploration. In an ideal world, it would be a

by Katie Isham. Somewhere nestled between where the tarmac triceps of the M27 and the M3 lock in an arm wrestle, is an unexpected oasis of calming activity.  Lakeside Country Park, Eastleigh, is a mere mile from the M27’s junction 5, but it seems like lightyears away from the angry driving of reality. If you

by Katie Isham. Join our travel writer on her close to home expeditions. I love travel. My summer months are usually filled with adventures: far-flung holidays, long weekends immersed in a festival, a few days by the coast, or up-at-the-crack-of-dawn day trips to bustling cities. This year, my passport is languishing in the kitchen drawer whilst