Running routes around Southampton

This post from the 'Walking to SMS from Portswood':

Well I for one would like to say a bit thank you for that, I reqularly use it as part of my running route now, so much better than the old dirt track.

... has prompted me to ask about any routes that some of you may run in Southampton? I've just moved back down from Winchester which was an excellent place to run with a whole heap of great routes in every direction. Southampton seems rather depressing by contrast, especially starting in the City Centre (right by the station) which is where I'm living now.

T'other night I ran up and round the common and back, just over 7k, but I need routes between 8 and 12k to continue my training.

So, those of you who do run, where do you go?

Anything you can involve a lap round the common in is a good one, particularly in summer. Hill Lane is decent to run up, good size pavements either side. From the station, up Hill Lane, right down Archers Road then left into Northlands Road all the way to the Avenue. You can either do a lap of the common itself (part Cowherds and the boating lake) which will bring you back out on Hill Lane or extend it and do The Avenue up to the roundabout, back down Burgess Road to Hill Lane and back down. I used to do similar with a gym running club fairly often.

Pretty much what I did t'other night - I went up to the civic centre, up London Road, onto the common, past Cowherds and lake, round the top, behind the cemetary, out onto Hill Lane and back down to the Station.

It's just so uninteresting though. The common is fine I guess, I was just spoilt by the routes around Winchester.

Pretty much what I did t'other night - I went up to the civic centre, up London Road, onto the common, past Cowherds and lake, round the top, behind the cemetary, out onto Hill Lane and back down to the Station.

 

It's just so uninteresting though. The common is fine I guess, I was just spoilt by the routes around Winchester.

What about past Ocean Village, over Itchen Bridge, through Peartree Park, down Athleston and over Northam Bridge, do a right past the river tramp and run along the new boardwalk thing there along the river to St Denys, up through Empress rd and the skag heads/ brasses, through the parks (dodging the rapists) and home.

Certainly "interesting" and about 10k I reckon!

Ta, will look at that.

Why on earth people would want to run on city streets dodging pedestrians and heavy traffic on the roads is beyond me. From Regents Park I jump into my car and drive to the eastern edge of the New Forest and run there. It's a ten minute drive as long as I don't go at rush hour.

Pretty much what I did t'other night - I went up to the civic centre, up London Road, onto the common, past Cowherds and lake, round the top, behind the cemetary, out onto Hill Lane and back down to the Station.

 

It's just so uninteresting though. The common is fine I guess, I was just spoilt by the routes around Winchester.

Why not take in the Sports centre and then go round the outside of the Municipal Golf Course?

Why on earth people would want to run on city streets dodging pedestrians and heavy traffic on the roads is beyond me. From Regents Park I jump into my car and drive to the eastern edge of the New Forest and run there. It's a ten minute drive as long as I don't go at rush hour.

I don't have a car. I will get the train on occasion but thats not always feasible/affordable on a regular basis, hence wondering what other people do. I couldn't agree more about running in the city, i don't want to do it but don't have much choice.

Parkrun at 9.00 on Saturday mornings on the Common. A fast 5k.

Sports Centre for a bit of hill work.

Parkrun at 9.00 on Saturday mornings on the Common. A fast 5k.

 

Sports Centre for a bit of hill work.

Recommend that one and there is also one at Fleming Park across the old golf course - runners of all ages and sizes abd abilities at both. Common one gets about 200 runners.