Length: 18.5 km (11.5 miles)
Toughness: 3 out of 10 Mostly flat along the coastline then inland harbours
Senior Railcard Holders
London Victoria: 09-35 hrs Southern service to Bognor Regis & Southampton Central CJ 09-42, EC 09-53 hrs
Arrive Southbourne: 11-14 hrs
Younger walkers with railcards
London Victoria: 10-05 hrs Southern service to Bognor Regis & Portsmouth & Southsea CJ 10-12, EC 10-23 hrs
Arrive Chichester: 11-37 hrs Change trains
Leave Chichester: 11-52 hrs Southern service from Brighton to Portsmouth Harbour
Arrive Southbourne: 11-59 hrs
....and meet up with the oldies at lunchtime
Return
Chichester to Victoria: 09 & 39 mins past the hour
Rail ticket: buy a day return to Southbourne
My apologies for the split start, but the earlier train is better for those who prefer a more leisurely pace: the youngsters, who have to wait until their railcards come into play at 10 am, can catch us up during the latter part of the morning or at the lunch pub.
Leaving Southbourne railway station we head for the coast to enjoy a lengthy walk along the coastal path through bends in the coastline. We then head inland over fields to Chidham: do stop here to visit the Parish Church of St Mary - to look at the lovely, amusing dolls made from teasels and placed on the frieze to the north wall. Onwards then along field edges before you take a sweep of Bosham Channel which takes us into Bosham, for lunch at the Anchor Bleu pub. Picnickers usually find a spot on the nearby coastal wall.
After lunch we walk beside the waters edge before heading inland, once again, to the village of Fishbourne. From there the walk proceeds to the city of Chichester. The Cathedral's visiting hours were reduced immediately after Covid but are now back to their pre-pandemic times: a visit is highly recommended. Tea can be taken in the Cathedral's cafeteria (if still open); otherwise, refreshments can be enjoyed at the nearby Wetherspoons pub, the Dolphin & Anchor.
This usually makes for a most enjoyable summer's "seaside" outing and well worth the long(ish) train journeys.
T=1.37
Walk Directions are here: L=1.37
6 comments:
It’s not just the younger walkers that need a later train. Some of us have to connect by train and cannot travel legally before 9.30 to get to the departure station. Additionally my train service to Clapham Junction has been cut 50%.
I’ll be at CJ for the later train having boarded my 4 carriage half a train.
Marion for info - you can travel "legally" before 09-30 hrs - you just need a different rail ticket.
Planning these walks 'aint easy and I regret I cannot always accommodate everyones specific travel needs - much as I would like to.
Well I made the earlier suggested train as it was 3 mins late at CJ. Only 4 others 1 who had paid an additional £10 fare as she was unable to use her Network Card. This was her first walk with the group as she normally organises her own walks using our book. Welcome and hope to see you again. Another used the ticket office at Victoria and was charged £22 instead of £12 with an over 60s travel pass and Senior railcard. En route we met a Clog member from Haywards heath who had caught a later train and finally all made the recommended pub in Bosham at 2.20pm. Two had a very nice lunch but we noted that the Book 1 route was recorded at 9.5 miles and we were using walk notes 2 miles longer hence the late lunch arrival. Luckily the pub is very popular with local tourists and the kitchen stays open until 2.30pm. In the afternoon we met a walker who had missed the later train departing CJ and had travelled to Bosham station to find us.
One left for Chichester without stopping as she wanted to see the Cathedral. Three left at Fishbourne to catch a bus to Chichester hoping to catch earlier trains but only managed a late arriving bus to catch the 5.39 for Victoria after a very tiring humid day.
Did anyone catch the later train? We saw no one else all day from that train.
It is simply not possible to achieve this extended route for a comfortable lunch stop in Bosham but The Old house at home would have been perfect timing especially with the Chidham churchyard for picnics. We did not walk slowly indeed one was reported to be a member of the long distance walkers
n=6
Eleven of us did this walk on Wednesday 25 August 2021, taking the same scheduled "early" train. I recall about six of us were in time for lunch at Anchor Bleu, with others joining us for a drink. The Cathedral closed early so we adjourned to the Wetherspoons for walk-end drinks. We had a good day and I hope the six of you on today's walk enjoyed your day.
Well I made the earlier suggested train as it was 3 mins late at CJ. Only 4 others 1 who had paid an additional £10 fare as she was unable to use her Network Card. This was her first walk with the group as she normally organises her own walks using our book. Welcome and hope to see you again. Another used the ticket office at Victoria and was charged £22 instead of £12 with an over 60s travel pass and Senior railcard. En route we met a Clog member from Haywards heath who had caught a later train and finally all made the recommended pub in Bosham at 2.20pm. Two had a very nice lunch but we noted that the Book 1 route was recorded at 9.5 miles and we were using walk notes 2 miles longer hence the late lunch arrival. Luckily the pub is very popular with local tourists and the kitchen stays open until 2.30pm. In the afternoon we met a walker who had missed the later train departing CJ and had travelled to Bosham station to find us.
One left for Chichester without stopping as she wanted to see the Cathedral. Three left at Fishbourne to catch a bus to Chichester hoping to catch earlier trains but only managed a late arriving bus to catch the 5.39 for Victoria after a very tiring humid day.
Did anyone catch the later train? We saw no one else all day from that train.
It is simply not possible to achieve this extended route for a comfortable lunch stop in Bosham but The Old house at home would have been perfect timing especially with the Chidham churchyard for picnics. We did not walk slowly indeed one was reported to be a member of the long distance walkers
Post a Comment