Walks near Chichester by train

Beginner-friendly: Just follow the coast and come back along a straight walk. It’s almost too simple! Flat, short and plenty of choices for lunch. Chichester Harbour is a little-known National Landscape. Its protected saltmarsh landscape feeds an abundance of birdlife. It’s a major recreational harbour but somehow has a romantically melancholy and isolated air — you can imagine sea shanties being composed here.

Coastal: three fifths along the coast.

Chichester Harbour (1h15 in)

Bosham (1h30 in)

Fishbourne Roman Palace & Gardens (2h30 in)

4 lunch spots: Bosham (1h45 in) — the Anchor Bleu, Timberley's, Marwick's, or the Berkeley Arms

2 end-of-walk rewards: the Bull's Head Pub, or the Woolpack Inn

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

Beginner-friendly: No coast or river to follow, but pretty straightforward long lines nonetheless, and Watt’s Chapel provides a lovely reward for reaching the midpoint of the circuit. The lunch stop is a simple café in the vicinity of Watt’s Chapel, so no messing around with booking a table in advance.

Watts Chapel: Beautiful Arts and Crafts creation of Mary Watts (1h45 in).

Watts Gallery (1h45 in)

St Catherine's Chapel Ruins (30 mins in)

1 lunch spot: Watts Gallery café (1h45 in)

5 end-of-walk rewards: the Withies Inn, Ye Olde Ship Inn, the Britannia, the White House, or the George Abbot

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

Similar walk: Walking Post (inc. GPX).

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 (3h15 in)

Arundel (3h in)

1 lunch spot: the George (1h45 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.

Highly recommended: Open chalk ridge, South Downs escarpment, wide well-marked paths, exposed hilltops, riverside estuary path and suburban road walking near finish.

Hilly: half on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.

1 lunch spot: Columba's Kitchen (4h in)

2 end-of-walk rewards: the Buckingham Arms, or the Crabtree

Warnings: Very exposed in wind.

Source: Trains2Green.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Highly recommended: Remote heathland, pretty lakes, sandy bridleways, ancient woodland, heather and gorse commons and a dramatic natural amphitheatre.

Woodland: a third under tree cover.

The Sailor's Stone (National Trust; 3h15 in)

Devil's Punch Bowl (National Trust)

Lunch: Nowhere to eat en route — pack lunch!

1 end-of-walk reward: the Harper's Steakhouse

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Highly recommended: River valley, forest tracks, sandy bridleways, open parkland, country houses and wooded valleys.

Woodland: a third under tree cover.

Mother Ludlam's Cave: Sandstone cave associated with local folklore (1h30 in).

Godalming: attractive market town (5h45 in).

1 lunch spot: the Barley Mow, Tilford Green (2h15 in)

5 end-of-walk rewards: the Cyder House Inn, the Rose and Crown, the Richmond Arms, the Fox & Finch, or the Star

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club and Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Recommended

Woodland: a fifth under tree cover.

Highdown Gardens (30 mins in)

Cissbury Ring Hill Fort: The most historic hill on the South Downs (National Trust; 3h45 in).

2 lunch spots: the Black Horse (3h in), or the Gun Inn (3h in)

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

Reverse direction: Railwalks.

Recommended: Quaint village, woods and hilly.

Hilly: a quarter on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.

Ditchling (45 mins in)

South Downs National Park: Ditchling Area (National Trust; 1h30 in)

Ditchling Beacon: One of the highest points on the South Downs with near-360-degree views (National Trust; 1h45 in).

4 lunch spots: Ditchling (45 mins in) — the White Horse, the Nutmeg Tree, or Ditchling Village; plus the Jack & Jill (3h in)

1 end-of-walk reward: the Hassocks

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Source: Trains2Green.

Mixed oak, beech and chestnut woods, bridleways, streams, open countryside, horse paddocks and a final climb into a market town.

Woodland: half under tree cover.

2 lunch spots: Fernhurst (2h30 in) — the Red Lion Pub, or the Fern Café

1 end-of-walk reward: the Harper's Steakhouse

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club and Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Linear countryside walk on bridleways and country lanes through woodland and an arboretum, finishing along the Wey Navigation towpath.

Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.

Hydon's Ball and Heath: Memorial to Octavia Hill overlooking the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (National Trust; 1h15 in).

Winkworth Arboretum: National Trust arboretum with over 1,000 species of trees and shrubs, noted for autumn colour (National Trust; 1h45 in; 2h to visit).

Busbridge Lakes: Ornamental lake gardens with rare waterfowl.

Hydon's Ball: Hilltop viewpoint with an Octavia Hill memorial and views toward the South Downs.

Wey and Godalming Navigations: Historic navigable waterway opened in 1653, now owned by the National Trust.

Phillips Memorial Park and Cloister: Riverside park with a cloister commemorating Titanic radio operator Jack Phillips.

Godalming: attractive market town.

4 lunch spots: Godalming — the Rose and Crown, or the Star; plus Winkworth Arboretum café (1h45 in), or Winkworth Arboretum Tea Room (National Trust café serving hot drinks, sandwiches and snacks, with mostly outdoor seating)

Warnings: A new housing estate at Tuesley has been built over the footpath with no signage; walkers can cross the estate to reach the road. Can be muddy.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club and Walking Post (inc. GPX).

Open fields, holloways, mixed woodland, old churches, riverside path along the River Wey, and historic market town. Quiet and isolated.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Watts Chapel: Beautiful Arts and Crafts creation of Mary Watts (1h30 in).

Godalming: attractive market town (3h15 in).

2 lunch spots: the Tea Shop (1h15 in), or the Withies Inn (1h45 in)

4 end-of-walk rewards: the Star, Godalming Delights (great ice cream), the Fox & Finch, or the Richmond Arms

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Fields, wooded valley, pine woods, heathland common, stud farms and canal and riverside path into a historic town.

Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.

Abinger Roughs and Netley Park: Hidden woods with ancient trees and flower-sprinkled grasslands, just off the North Downs and Pilgrims Ways (National Trust).

Shere (30 mins in)

4 lunch spots: Shere (30 mins in) — the Dabbling Duck Café (excellent), Hillys Tea Shop, or the William Bray; plus the William IV (1h in)

3 end-of-walk rewards: the Britannia, the White House, or the George Abbot

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club, Surrey Hills National Landscape and Blackwater Valley Nature Walks.