Walks

From the moment you begin your Walk at the original entrance to the area of Portsea Island known as Old Portsmouth, you will be transported back to the sights, sounds and smells of the early days when Portsmouth was founded, and travel through the streets and alleyways to the impressive fortifications of our military and naval defences.

Prepare to be presented with a rich history of some of our famous and infamous residents and their sometimes unexpected antics. Pompey is made up of the suffering of a people who have overcome centuries of being under siege, rising up to reinvent themselves as a global trading nation, maritime and industrial giant and more recently a focus for retail and leisure activities.

In response to constant attacks on our naval fleet during the early 1800’s, plans were drawn up to connect the manufacture and storage of munitions and our arsenals in London with the Royal Navy Dockyard in Portsmouth.

Walk along the route of the last section of the canal from Langstone Harbour to the site of the basin at Arundel Street, now in our city shopping centre district. Discuss the planning, construction and route of this massive undertaking which was completed in 1823, as you walk in the footsteps of engineers, navvies and the locals, who weren’t always impressed!

Memorials remind us of the famous past history of events related to Portsmouth and some of the amazing people who have been born here or made it their home. We are given a snapshot of a different time, when circumstances have brought about an act of valour, an event of significance or a person who has made a difference to the lives of others.

Walk along and spot as many memorials as you can and hear enough about each memorial to make you want to know more. You may want to complete the circuit yourselves on other occasions depending on how far you get. A wealth of knowledge and information awaits!

Beer & Spirits have been a staple part of the diet of Portsmouth from the earliest times, as a means to obtain clean boiled water through to the demon drink which impacted the lives of so many. Walk and talk and drink (in moderation) as we tell the story of local brewing to keep the town and the military watered.

Stopping at a selection of hostelries along the way, hear the story of how the city grew into the public house’s capital of the world!

When the railway network was at its height in 1880’s, a branch line was created to serve the growing seaside resort of Southsea, spurring off from the mainline to Portsmouth Harbour at Fratton Station, the short lived line opened in 1885 as Southsea, and closed as East Southsea as the First World War began in August 1914, unable to support themselves financially.

Walking the route, you will relive the route and the surrounding area of developing Southsea.

Solent Original Walks were proud to provide the official Historical Walk which accompanied the events of the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Southsea on 3rd August 2024. The Battle of Southsea was a significant historical event that unfolded over the course of a four-day struggle between the Portsmouth Corporation and the town’s residents over public access to the beach via Southsea Common. The 150th Anniversary project stands as a testament to the power of collective action and public protest in preserving cherished communal spaces.

To keep the extensive efforts of the project alive moving forward, you can now book to experience the details of this largely unknown aspect of Portsmouth’s rich heritage by attending The Battle of Southsea Walk as experienced at the anniversary event. The Walk and the accompanying Historical Drinking Poem will be read out loud to all who attend (bring your tankards to the Barley Mow!) and if you couldn’t attend the anniversary, you can still learn all about this slice of local history ensuring it will not be lost for future generations.

For more information check out www.battleofsouthsea.org

Solent Original Walks are proud to work with Seekers Create to recreate the Cockleshell Heroes Historical Walk around the Eastney and Southsea area, following the locations where the heroes of Operation Frankton trained for their audacious mission to sink enemy shipping in Bordeaux harbour during the Second World War.

The Walk relives the story of the men and their activities leading up to the mission. “Of the many brave and daring raids carried out by the men of combined operations command, None was more courageous or more imaginative than Operation Frankton.”Mountbatten of Burma.

We will remember these Royal Marine heroes and their outstanding achievement and sacrifice which helped turn the tide of the war.

Solent Original Walks are pleased to work alongside Portsmouth City Council to provide an historic Victoria Park Walk around this iconic park originally opened in 1878 in central Portsmouth, and following the multi million pound refurbishment programme which has built upon the vibrant and rich history to revitalise the People’s Park, making it a more inclusive space for growth and community wellbeing preserved as a park for generations to come into the future.

The Walk covers the origins of the land, the city fortifications and the design and original landscape concept for the Park. From the opening ceremony and wartime uses including the British Restaurant, and visiting the Memorials contained within the Park. Come and see this wonderful open space through fresh eyes and see how it is being revitalised.

This walk was created in conjunction with, and supports the work of the Friends of Hilsea Station, and Community Spotlight CIC.

Covering the history of Hilsea Gas Works and Portsmouth Airport, the walk takes in the former Hilsea Halt station, and the wartime use of the surrounding railway sidings and the Army Barracks at Gatcombe Park and Hilsea Lines.

This walk takes around 2 1/2 hours, and the paths around the Lines can be muddy at times, with a break at the Casemates studio around halfway.

This walk was originally created for Shaping Portsmouth as a Mental Health Walk and Talk. Following Nelson’s death at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, the impact on the lives of his family and those close to him, is described with a consideration of the likely mental health issues of those involved. With subject matters of an adult nature discussed, including suicide prevention, addiction and family legacy, this walk is recommended for those aged 16 and over, at parents or carers discretion.

Following the route of Lord Nelson, the Vice Admiral of the White, as Commander of the British Fleet at Trafalgar, as he made his last walk through parts of Old Portsmouth to join HMS Victory in the Solent, this is both thought provoking and of historical relevance.

In association with Matt Wingett, celebrated local author, specialist bookseller, publisher and the creator of the annual Holmes Fest event, you are invited to tour the streets which young Arthur Conan Doyle walked over 140 years ago, and find out how his life in Portsmouth inspired Sherlock.

Starting from the A Bar by the Camber Docks, you will be taken through Old Portsmouth to Southsea. On the way, you will hear some of his adventures in the town in sporting, medical, military and fictional contexts. You’ll discover:

• where he got into a bout of fisticuffs on his first day
• the site where the real Dr Watson once lived
• why he was involved in real deaths, a stabbing and disasters in the city
• the pub where he attended an inquest
• how the town gave him place names for his characters
• the place where he met his wife to be
• how tragedy threw him and his first wife together
• the place where he met his “Platonic mistress”
• Where he spent his last night before leaving the town in 1890

This is a ticket only two hour walk with limited numbers per event, and following confirmation of future dates, you will be directed to book through Eventbrite, with refunds available up until 7 days before the event.

Follow the unsolved mystery of the disappearance and secret activities of frogman Lionel ‘Buster’ Crabb around the Soviet naval cruisers visit in 1956, which became a sensational Cold War spy mystery.

Follow a Walk around the Harbour, Gunwharf and Old Portsmouth areas, where Buster worked, trained and ultimately undertook his fatal mission. Hear the evidence for the outcome which will not be known until official files are available in decades time.

The interest in the Pompey story, goes across the generations of local fans and supporters now living around the world. Walk and talk about Pompey from the earliest club set ups around Portsmouth, to the current version slowly making its way back to the top of the football pyramid.

Visit places of interest around the Fratton Park ground, and hear stories of players, management and supporters who have helped create the history of our iconic club.

Meet members of the Pompey History Society, keen to share their knowledge and expertise of all things Pompey, and the local history that has shaped the club and keeps us at Fratton Park, as you walk the streets thousands of fans have before you.