London is really well connected to the rest of the UK, so I’m trying to make the most of it and do as many day trips as possible. Not that there is not enough to see in London, but sometimes I just need to escape the city and enjoy the slower life in the British countryside. Find out why a visit to Chichester in West Sussex was next on my list.
How to get there?
Trains depart from Victoria station and take around 1,5 hours to Chichester. Return tickets start from £17 depending on the time of departure. It’s usually cheaper the earlier you book in advance but sometimes you can also bag a last minute deal.
When you leave the train station, head left towards the city centre. After a quick one minute walk, you’ll see the bus station on the right side. That’s where all the buses depart to the surrounding towns including West Wittering Beach. Either continue walking straight to Chichester to explore the city first or jump on bus 52 or 53 towards Wittering to have a relaxed time at the sandy beach.
1. West Wittering Beach
We jumped on the bus 53 towards Wittering first. It’s about a 20 minute ride before we got off the bus stop West Wittering right next to the pub Old House at Home. Since we were hungry we decided to grab some food in the pub before we headed to the beach. When we entered the cosy pub it was packed with people and we were lucky to get some food as the kitchen was about to close. Besides the usual pub food such as burgers they also did Mac’n’Cheese, exactly what we had in mind and oh boy it didn’t disappoint.
Now we were ready to explore the area. We followed the signs to West Wittering Beach and walked past cute little cottages and an corn field for around 10 minutes until we arrived at the beach. We climbed through the dunes and here it was… West Wittering Beach. Since it was an overcast day, it was quiet and we were one of the few lucky people enjoying the views.
After soaking in the views, we decided to walk along the dunes towards East Wittering. Soon after starting our walk, seaside cottages and brand new homes appeared and we started to imagine ourselves living here. I mean, who wouldn’t like to wake up to the sound of the ocean and those views every single morning?!
The closer we got to East Wittering, the more houses started to appear and the once sandy beach turned into a pebbly beach. After one final look over the ocean, we waved goodbye and turned left to the town centre where we caught the bus back to Chichester.
2. Chichester
Chichester is the only city in West Sussex with around 30 000 inhabitants and is known for its 12th-century cathedral. We first walked along South street towards Market Cross which was built in 1501 to provide shelter for the poor traders. We then turned left to Chichester cathedral. The 84 meter high building has stood in the city for over 900 years and today it’s famous for its ancient and modern art. At the back of the cathedral is the Bishop’s Palace garden. The garden offers beautiful views over the cathedral and it’s a great place to relax between the colourful plants.
Chichester also still has an intact city wall that once was used as an defence of the Romans over 1800 years ago. The Wall trail is just 1,5 miles long, and you’ll get past all the main sights including the cathedral and St. Johns chapel.
Why a visit to Chichester is worth it…
Chichester is a small city with lots of history that can be easily explored in 2 hours. West Wittering beach is a beautiful spot to relax and wind down. The perfect mix to escape the hustle and bustle of London.
Looking for more day trips from London? Check out my posts about Eastbourne & Beachy Head and Brighton.
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