← Back🌱 Urban park

Houndwell Park

2 ha

📷 Stanley Howe · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

FamilyPicnicPlay

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome2 ha

Getting here

50.90397, -1.40185

Open directionsv

Google Maps↗Driving directions Apple Maps↗Driving directions Waze↗Live driving navigation Google Transit↗Bus, rail or tram Apple Transit↗Bus, rail or tram

Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦76+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Shoveler and Black-headed Gull
☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
☕Cafe Thrive Southampton — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦76+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Shoveler and Black-headed Gull
☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
☕Cafe Thrive Southampton — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

CaféParkingPicnic spotPlaygroundToilets

Best for

10 activities

Family friendly

Very strong match

playground, café, toilets, picnic area; Urban park — family destination

Free

Picnic day out

Very strong match

picnic area, café, toilets, car park; Urban park — open green space

Free

Playgrounds

Very strong match

playground, toilets, café, parking

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Shoveler, Black-headed Gull, Carrion Crow +73 more · last seen 2026

Free

Wildlife

Strong match

Birds — Shoveler, Black-headed Gull, Carrion Crow +73 more · last seen 2026

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Common Darter, Midge, Ectopsocus briggsi agg. (briggsi/petersi/meridionalis) +21 more · last seen 2026

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

13 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Itchen WayWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

Solent WayWalking route

Named routeListed length 87kmRegional walking route

Hamble Rail Trail RouteWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Itchen Valley Woodland Nature TrailWalking route

Named route

Meadow Nature TrailWalking route2.5 km

Named routeLength 2.5 km

🚴

Cycling

154 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

National Cycle Route 23Cycling route

Named routeRef 23National Cycle Network

Route 246Cycling route

Named routeRef 246National Cycle Network

Eling to Holbury Cycle RouteCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Southampton Cycle Network Route 2Cycling route

Named routeRef S2Local cycle route

Southampton Cycle Network Route 3Cycling route

Named routeRef S3Local cycle route

National Cycle Route 236 - Southampton to LyndhurstCycling route

Named routeRef 236National Cycle Network

🚵

Mountain biking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Itchen Valley Off Road Cycle RouteMountain bike route

Named routeRound tripLocal cycle route

Wildlife to spot

48,069 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

48,069 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds56 species

winter

2026

Shoveler · Black-headed Gull · Great Tit · Blue Tit · Magpie +51

ShovelerSpatula clypeata2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Great TitParus major2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
BlackbirdTurdus merula
WigeonMareca penelope2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
Brent GooseBranta bernicla2025
FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
Great Northern DiverGavia immer2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
NuthatchSitta europaea
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025

🦌

Mammals1 species

winter

2025

Grey Squirrel

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis

🐝

Insects11 species

winter

2026

Midge · Ectopsocus briggsi agg. (briggsi/petersi/meridionalis) · Anthomyiidae · Mocydia crocea · Scaptomyza pallida +6

MidgeCulicoides
Ectopsocus briggsi agg. (briggsi/petersi/meridionalis)Ectopsocus briggsi agg. (briggsi/petersi/meridionalis)
AnthomyiidaeAnthomyiidae
Mocydia croceaMocydia crocea
Scaptomyza pallidaScaptomyza pallida
Stenocranus minutusStenocranus minutus

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

48,069 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds56 species

winter

2026

Shoveler · Black-headed Gull · Great Tit · Blue Tit · Magpie +51

ShovelerSpatula clypeata2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Great TitParus major2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
BlackbirdTurdus merula
WigeonMareca penelope2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
Brent GooseBranta bernicla2025
FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
Great Northern DiverGavia immer2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
NuthatchSitta europaea
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025

🦌

Mammals1 species

winter

2025

Grey Squirrel

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis

🐝

Insects11 species

winter

2026

Midge · Ectopsocus briggsi agg. (briggsi/petersi/meridionalis) · Anthomyiidae · Mocydia crocea · Scaptomyza pallida +6

MidgeCulicoides
Ectopsocus briggsi agg. (briggsi/petersi/meridionalis)Ectopsocus briggsi agg. (briggsi/petersi/meridionalis)
AnthomyiidaeAnthomyiidae
Mocydia croceaMocydia crocea
Scaptomyza pallidaScaptomyza pallida
Stenocranus minutusStenocranus minutus

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Stanley Howe · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

An avenue in Houndwell Park

1 / 22

Events & activities nearby

Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.

Bookable tours

Weather for this location

Next 14 days

Loading local forecast…

Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Riverside ParkUrban park3.7 km→🌱Southampton Sports CentreUrban park4.3 km→🌱Houndwell ParkUrban park0 m→🌱Hoglands ParkUrban park200 m→🌱Hoglands ParkUrban park200 m→🌱East (Andrews) ParkUrban park600 m→