Walks from Arundel

Beginner-friendly: A beautiful, varied walk with a number of sights along the way and the experience of seeing Arundel Castle gradually emerge on the horizon. Arundel itself is a romantic little town that’s worth exploring and appreciating if you have the time. Visiting the castle and its grounds would require a day in itself. Simply follow the river and cross over when you get to Arundel. You can’t go wrong! There’s only one place to have lunch en route (the George) and it can be busy on weekends, so reserve a table to avoid a wait — book for 2.5 hours after your arrival at Amberley to allow for a leisurely pace with time to dilly-dally and appreciate sights on the way. Book for 3 hours after your arrival for a slow pace or extra contingency! (or just pack lunch).

Waterway: nine tenths along the River Arun.

Arundel Castle

Arundel

Time: 3h30–7h

1 lunch spot: the George (1h30–3h30 in)

1 end-of-walk reward: the Eagle

Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Low hills, river valley, water meadows, woodland, parkland, riverside paths and an attractive hilltop town.

Time: 5h

Warnings: Flood risk in meadows.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

River path, wooded estate tracks, open downland, chalk hills, coastal plain and seaside seafront loop.

Time: 4h30

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Historic town, landscaped parkland, chalky South Downs ridges, steep escarpments, riverside water meadows and thatched village.

Time: 5h30

Warnings: Chalky paths slippery wet.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Beautiful views; A beautiful peaceful walk; lovely meandering walk. A peaceful, mostly flat walk following the River Arun along the levee bank, on uneven ground that can vanish beneath overgrown reeds and weeds. Mainly dry sun-baked earth when dry, but muddy and slippery after wet weather. Three steel kissing gates and no stiles. The route passes close by Ford railway station, allowing the walk to be split there.

Waterway: almost all along the River Arun.

Time: 2h30–4h30

1 lunch spot: the Ship & Anchor

Warnings: Under the A259 road bridge there is often a large muddy puddle, and the spot can flood, in which case go up the bank and around. The path can vanish beneath overgrown reeds.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A varied route running mostly on residential roads at the Bognor end before heading inland through crop fields and woods and then following the River Arun from Ford to Arundel. Field sections can be muddy with bridges; the riverside path can be very overgrown with stinging nettles and uneven ground. A lot of construction work in this area means the ground may differ from older maps.

Time: 4h–8h30

Lunch: A shop and possibly other facilities at Yapton, around the half-way point.

Warnings: The section between Ford and Yapton can be blocked by high fencing around building land (a closure notice with no viable alternative has been reported); be prepared to divert. The road crossing before Felpham has no crossing point or island and needs a long wait for a gap. At the Bisham solar farm a deep, steep-sided drainage ditch runs alongside the path with no obvious crossing. The A259 Bognor by-pass must be crossed.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Low hills, river valley, water meadows, woodland, parkland and riverside pub.

Time: 3h30

Warnings: Flood risk in meadows.

Source: A shorter variant of Arundel Circular – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Parkland, riverside path, South Stoke hamlet and return along River Arun.

Source: A shorter variant of Arundel to Amberley – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Low hills, river valley, water meadows, woodland and riverside paths into town without Arundel Park climb.

Warnings: Flood risk in meadows.

Source: A variant of Arundel Circular – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Full main walk plus return route over South Downs via Amberley to Arundel.

Warnings: Very long; fit walkers only. Avoid midsummer.

Source: A longer variant of Arundel to Amberley – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

River path, wooded estate tracks, open downland, chalk hills, coastal plain, seafront promenade and town streets.

Time: 5h

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Source: A longer variant of Arundel to Goring-by-Sea – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).