Chichester!! Trips and places to go

[FusionChefGeoff]

We're off next week and I'm usually too stressed packing to get day trips sorted and we usually have a lovely relaxing, if quite boring week away but I'd like to expand our horizons this time!!

DS8 and DD5 and we're staying at the campsite in Selsey but happy to drive up to an hour or so for a trip.

So good adventure parks / outdoor walks. Not massive fans of National Trust etc unless v good for kids. Maybe some indoor museums (if open??) or other diversions if weather is crap. Doesn't necessarily have to be a 'wow' or big ticket thing eg theme park just some advice from locals or those in the know would be great.

[Laska2Meryls]

Wea

[Laska2Meryls]

Weald and Downland open air museum is good .. if you like old buildings and country crafts ..They usually have kids activities .

[Laska2Meryls]

Also Arundel Castle and the Amberley chalk pits museum. ( Again country crafts and industries.. has a little train)

[Laska2Meryls]

And Tangmere aviation museum. And if they are old enough Chichester water sports center at the old quarries in Westhampnet

[FusionChefGeoff]

Great ideas thanks so much - open air museums sound good as long as the weather holds out! Will check out water sports but I think they're a bit young for that

[abstractzebra]

Chichester Marina is nice for a walk.
Depends how much you like walking but you can start in Chichester if you're keen!

[plixy]

If you are happy to drive you could do Spinnaker tower in Portsmouth, about 30 mins away. There's also lots of walks on South Downs. Littlehampton & Bognor are about 30'mins away. They have great beaches, Littlehampton also has harbour park which has rides for kids and crazy golf.
You would need to check what's open at the minute but there's loads to do.

[CherryPavlova]

To be fair, just getting to Chichester from Selsey can take an hour.

If it wasn’t too hot I might do a day at Fishers Farm Park, if it’s open. Then maybe Southsea for an ice cream, a walk and the Sealife centre, if it’s open.
The Historic Dockyard with a boat trip and action stations plus Spinnaker tower.
I think Weald and Downland may be a little dull for your ages but Arundel is nice. You can get boats on the river.
A day trip to the Isle of Wight is possible but it’s the getting from Selsey into Chichester that’s going to be the deciding factor. Same with a trip to Brighton.

[zzzebra]

Marwell Zoo, Paultons Park (with Peppa Pip World), and Portsmouth Dockyard are all reasonable drives.

[TeenPlusTwenties]

Fishbourne Roman Palace.

Manor Farm Country Park & Staunton

Paulton's Park near Romsey is quite a trip from Selsey but your DC would be a good age for it. You'd need to book in advance this year I'm guessing. It's definitely a whole day place.

[firsttimekat]

Eartham woods is lovely to explore, we spotted a deer last time we went.

[Laska2Meryls]

Oh yes Fishbourne Roman palace is fab !

[Lonecatwithkitten]

West Wittering beach, but you need to book parking there are still slots for the end of the week.

[Ratonastick]

Fishbourne is fantastic. It’s so well preserved and just amazing. And there is a floor tile with a dog’s paw print preserved for 2000 years. The thought of some roman builder cursing the little sod always makes me laugh.

[eddiemairswife]

Go to Fishbourne and get souvenirs. They are bound to do the Romans in History at some time.

[FusionChefGeoff]

Oh this is great thank you so much. I'm shocked at travel time into Chichester though . I've just booked a click and collect from the Tesco Extra which I think is on the right side for us?!

Top tip about parking at West Wittering thanks going to do that now I think!

[CarolNoE]

Chichester ship canal, lovely 75min trips but sadly suspended at the moment. However, a nice walk plus bird spotting just to past an hour or two if you are in Chichester. About 10/15 minute walk from the shipping streets, opposite the train station/ Cineworld/Premier Inn. The Novinium museum in Chichester centre may have opened. If you have bikes the Billy Line track is an old railway track from Havant down to Hayling Island is a good ride. Enjoy your break.

[Lackadaisically]

If you like roman things fishbourne is good or there is one farther out in duncton I think. I always loved the duncton one. Much quieter and the mosaics are meant to be some of the best in the country.

Definitely the Weald and downland open air museum. Lovely lovely place.

I used to live in Selsey and it never ever took me an hour to get to Chi! 30 minutes is more like it. (If you took the wittering Road in mid summer then maybe as that can get rammed)

The wittering beaches are probably the best in the area and sandy unlike Selsey. But the roads to get to them can get very very very very busy.

Not haute cuisine but there is a American themed restaurant tucked away behind the train station. It's called Smith and Western. Might be fun with little ones. Lots of cowboy hats and western music and cacti painted everywhere. They have quite a few covered outdoor tables as well. To find it you literally pull into the train station car park and just keep driving past the station.

You can walk around the walls in Chichester and there is quite a good play area in Priory park.

In Chichester I would aim for the market place car park as the easiest to get to from Selsey with the most chance of a space, just double check which days the market is actually on as it cuts the carpack down to half the size and can get very busy!

There is a wonderful second hand bookshop in Chichester it's called Kim's and it's on south street opposite a bar called trents. The kids section was on the first floor in the front room.

[PickAChew]

Well, if you gan another stop on the Metro...

Aah, that Chichester.

[CherryPavlova]

Yes Tesco is fine, if A27 is flowing. Allow plenty of time.

West Wittering is lovely but gets completely booked up. We have a season ticket so get access at all times, but rarely go in day as you’d need to get up early to miss the queue - one road in and out. We sometimes get to A27 exit towards Wittering and if it’s queuing up to there turn around as you can be sat in a car for an hour and a half. It’s often better to drive further because it’s quicker.
I think Fishbourne may be closed - check the website.
A walk around the walls, a play in Priory Park and a surprisingly child friendly Cathedral is a nice way to spend an overcast day. You could even picnic in Bishops Palace gardens.
Charlie Harper’s is a nice child friendly independent cafe. Not too expensive. Good pottering type walking at Chichester marina and lots to look at; the cafe is lovely but not cheap.

[CherryPavlova]

Agree Smith and Western but haven’t been there for years.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

@CherryPavlova they have halved capacity at west wittering apart from season tickets do much less queuing this year.

[Lackadaisically]

Having already said that an hour to Chi seems a long time I mentioned it to my DH who grew up in Selsey and he said no way. 20-30 minutes seems more like it.

I have also remembered one of my favourite walks near Selsey. As you drive out of Selsey just after the ASDA roundabout there is a sweeping and quite tight left hand bend, right on the bend there is a junction. If you keep going down that road you get to st Wilfred's church. There is a RSPB car park there and some lovely paths that lead along the water. I always liked to go through the churchyard on the main path all the way to the end where there is a stile to a foot path. If you go right it leads you down to the water. It's really really pretty and probably has blackberries at the moment.

There is also a nice walk up to halnacker Mill. Pretty much just a hill but a windmill and some stunning views at the top.

Trundle car park near goodwood is another great place to start a walk. It's near the Weald and Downland Museum as well. There are also great views from up there.

[Palmtree]

How about Butser Ancient Farm; it's just over 30 minutes from Selsey. We went yesterday and it's lovely. You have to book your arrival slot, but can stay as long as you wish. Check out the website for further info.

[PercyKirke]

Bosham if the weather's nice. Lovely village by the harbour side