Southampton's Christmas Family Trail: Reindeer Roundup

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Explore Southampton this Christmas with our free family walking trail!

This year we've created a brand new Christmas trail: Reindeer Roundup. Can you help us solve this year's festive mystery?

Father Christmas needs your help! Someone has accidentally left the reindeer pen open, allowing a couple of reindeer to make a dash for Southampton. Fortunately for us, we’ve got some clues to their whereabouts, and we need your sharp eyes and detective skills to track them down. Follow the clues to each of their locations and write down their names. Then, when you’ve rounded up the whole gang, head over to the final locations to claim your free prize.

When is Southampton's Christmas trail?

From 1st - 31st December, you can follow our walking trail Monday - Sunday from 10am - 4pm. We are expecting all the clue hosts to either be open or to have their clue clearly displayed in their window for you.

Where to get your map

If your child did not receive a free trail map along with our 2023 Christmas Guide from school, you can collect one from one of the following locations:

  • Bluestar Bus Stop
  • IKEA Southampton
  • John Hansard Gallery
  • Leonardo Royal Hotel Southampton Grand Harbour
  • MAST Mayflower Studios
  • Marlands Shopping Centre (information desk)
  • Moxy
  • Red Jet ferry terminal
  • room2
  • SeaCity Museum
  • Southampton Central Library
  • Southampton Central Train Station
  • Southampton City Art Gallery
  • The White Star Tavern
  • Tudor House & Garden

You can also download and print one at home or download it to your phone (it's ready to fill in). Download your trail map here.

How does it work?

Reindeer Roundup Christmas trail route 2

Two separate routes are planned for families to explore which will break up the city into North and South poles. Walk both trails in one day or complete them in two separate outings - the choice is yours!

Start your walk by heading to either IKEA's level 4 main entrance (North Trail) or Red Jet ferry terminal (South Trail). At either location, you will find a wooden reindeer display with the name of the first missing reindeer on it. The reindeers will be displayed either inside a business or in the shop's window. Make sure you write down the reindeer's name in your trail map.

Then, use the clue also displayed on the wooden reindeer to get to your next trail stop. You may want to take a photo of each clue to help you remember where to head to next. If you get stuck on a clue, see below for some hints to help you along the way.

After you've visited each location, head over to one of our end locations to receive your free prize for all your hard work. Prize collection will take place at MAST Mayflower Studios for the North Pole trail and The White Star Tavern for the South Pole Trail, whilst supplies last. Although the trail will still potentially remain up even once all the prizes have been collected.

You will then have the opportunity to enter our prize draw for a chance to win a £50 gift voucher to M&S. See below for more details.

Stuck? Take a look below for hints to our North Pole and South Pole trails

Reindeer Roundup trail reindeer 2

Having trouble finding one of our reindeer? Click on one of our hint sheets below to help you in your search.

Click here for North Pole trail hints

Click here for South Pole trail hints

Still can't find one of our reindeer? That's okay! Click on one of our trail hint sheets above to continue with your trail.

Enter our prize draw

Completed one of our trails? You can enter our prize draw to be in with the chance to win a £50 voucher to M&S. To enter simply fill out our feedback form on the back of our trail map and return it to either the North Pole or South Pole end locations. Alternatively, you can complete our digital feedback form here. For full T&C's click here.

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