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South Downs to the Sea

Rolling chalklands & the ‘Roman Riviera’
 
Idyllic countryside | Fertile valleys, varied woodland, and soft seascapes.
Field-to-fork cuisine | Fresh, local produce is on the menu throughout your holiday.
Kingley Vale | Discover the magical yew groves of this National Nature Reserve.
Historic interest | From panoramic Iron Age hillforts to a stunning medieval cathedral.
Chichester Harbour | This unspoiled coastline is a haven for wildlife.
What is included
  • 6 nights
  • 1 dinner
    2 picnics
    6 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • taxi from/to local railway station or to collect car
  • South Downs to the Sea
    Rolling chalklands & the ‘Roman Riviera’
  • Summer meadows in full bloom
  • Devil's Humps
  • 'Field-and-forest-to-fork'-inspired menu at The White Horse, Chilgrove
  • Beacon Hill
  • Views over Goodwood racecourse
  • Bosham Quay
  • Walk the Six Harbour Villages trail
  • Itchenor
  • Bosham's independent art and crafts centre
  • Walk the city walls in Chichester
  • Chichester cathedral
  • Bishop's Palace Gardens
What is included
  • 6 nights
  • 1 dinner
    2 picnics
    6 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • taxi from/to local railway station or to collect car
 

Holiday information

 

A walking holiday in the South Downs

Combine leisurely walks through the unspoiled and varied landscapes of the South Downs with stays at high-quality accommodation and visits to hill-top forts, Bosham Quay and the cathedral city of Chichester. This self-guided walking holiday includes luggage transfers.
Humans have been walking in the South Downs for centuries, all taking in the views that found Virginia Woolf “overcome by beauty more extravagantly than one could expect.” Characterised by rolling chalk countryside, and presenting an enticing tableau of fertile valleys, varied woodland and – as you move towards the coast – soft seascapes, our chosen portion of West Sussex makes for idyllic walking country.

This unspoiled swathe of southern England is also rich in culture and history: from Bronze Age burial mounds and panoramic Iron Age hillforts in the South Downs National Park, to the ‘Roman Riviera’ of Chichester Harbour – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Here, reminders of Roman occupation are as abundant as the many thriving nature reserves and pretty waterfront villages; the walled city of Chichester has a particularly strong connection to the past: as well as the Roman walls and bathhouse, you will find graceful Georgian town houses and a stunning medieval cathedral – the only English cathedral visible from the sea.

To complement the far-reaching views and fascinating history, we have chosen three high-quality places for you to stay: two fine country inns and a charming hotel offering excellent service and delicious, locally sourced food.
 

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Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on almost any day of the week, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.

    You should always be prepared for wet weather, whichever month you are travelling.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 8 8 11 14 17 20 22 20 20 15 11 8
    mm 65 48 47 51 48 45 49 47 43 70 65 67
  • Arrival in Chilgrove
    Night 1: at the White Horse Inn (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of walking.
  • Circular route from Chilgrove: 12.5km (8 miles), 4hrs; ascent/descent 270m
    Today’s walk to Beacon Hill is a favourite of ours, with enough – but not too much – of a challenge. From Beacon Hill, on a fine day, views extend from the Weald in the north to the Isle of Wight in the English Channel. There’s also an Iron Age hillfort here (archaeological evidence suggests that the down was first occupied around 3000 BC), as well as a former telegraph station. This was a link in the shutter telegraph chain (1796-1816) which connected the Admiralty in London to its naval ships docked in Portsmouth and Plymouth. After being replaced by a semaphore station, ‘Telegraph House’ was the home of the famous Beacon Hill School run by the renowned philosopher, Bertrand Russell. Also featuring on today’s walk are the Devil’s Jumps – Bronze Age burial mounds whose name owes much to local legend.
    Beacon Hill
    Circular route from Chilgrove: 12.5km
  • Chilgrove to East Lavant: 12.5km (8 miles), 4hrs; ascent 200m/descent 250m
    You begin with a steady uphill section, but then are rewarded with a descent through Kingley Vale, a National Nature Reserve and the highlight of today’s walk. You arrive along a wooded ridge intersecting with the top of this horseshoe-shaped dry valley, where first you encounter several Bronze Age burial mounds or ‘barrows’ known as the ‘Devil’s Humps’ (not to be confused with the Devil's Jumps that feature on the Beacon Hill circuit), before descending through some magical, Tolkien-esque yew groves that boast curiously shaped specimens over 500 years old. Picking up the West Sussex Literary Trail, you eventually reach the attractive village of East Lavant, where your next two nights are spent at the Royal Oak Inn.
    Kingley Vale
    Chilgrove to East Lavant: 12.5km
  • Choice of routes from East Lavant: 12.5-18.5km (7.5-11.5 miles)

    Circular route via West Dean Gardens and The Weald & Downland Living Museum: 12.5km (7.5 miles), 4hrs; 210m ascent/descent
    This circuit takes you along the picturesque Lavant Valley to West Dean village, then passes the eponymous gardens and The Weald & Downland Living Museum (where The Repair Shop is filmed) before ascending St Roche’s Hill to The Trundle – an Iron Age hillfort overlooking Goodwood racecourse. You finish with a descent along Chalkpit Lane with views over Chichester Harbour. If you would prefer to linger longer at either the beautiful and unusual West Dean Gardens or the outdoor museum of rural life – or even both – you can use the bus to reduce the walking and make the most of these highly recommended sites.

    Halnaker to East Lavant, starting by taxi: 18.5km (11.5 miles), 6hrs; 350m ascent/360m descent
    This longer route through rolling countryside begins with a taxi transfer to nearby Halnaker (pay locally). Walk through a splendid ‘tunnel of trees’ and up to Halnaker Windmill (a Sussex landmark) before continuing along the line of a Roman road then descending to three pretty hamlets alongside the River Lavant to reach Singleton. The final part of your route is the same as the first option, taking in St Roche’s Hill and The Trundle before descending with views towards the English Channel. You can shorten this walk to 13km (8 miles) by taking the bus to Lavant from Singleton.
    West Dean Gardens
    Halnaker Windmiill
    Circular route via West Dean Gardens and outdoor museum: 12.5km
    Halnaker to East Lavant: 18.5km
  • East Lavant to Bosham: 10.5km (6.5 miles), 3.5hrs; ascent 30m/descent 130m
    Today you leave East Lavant and head south towards Chichester on the Centurion Way. This walking and cycling trail was once the Chichester to Midhurst Railway line, although it is now some years since the last train ran and the tracks were removed, and even longer since the Romans marched nearby – the Centurion Way is so-named as it crosses the course of a Roman road. From the Centurion Way, you have the option of detouring into the historic centre (see Day 5 below). The second half of this easier walk includes a boardwalk path through strikingly tall reeds before hugging the Fishbourne Channel, then following field paths across to Bosham, where your final nights are spent at the Millstream Hotel. NB we have not provided an elevation profile for this route because it is on the flat.
    From pretty East Lavant...
    Route through the Fishbourne reed beds
  • Choice of routes from Bosham: 14.5-16km (9-10 miles)
    Bosham itself has an attractive quayside, an arts and crafts centre with many small, independent boutiques, and an impressive Saxon church that is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The village is also well placed for further exploration, lying within the Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and just a few miles from the city of Chichester.

    NB we have not provided an elevation profile for these routes because they are on the flat.
     
    Circular route via Itchenor & Dell Quay*: 16km (10miles), 5.5hrs; ascent/descent 40m
    Explore picturesque waterfront villages and peaceful farmland paths on this walk around Chichester Harbour. This unspoiled stretch of coastline, with its twisting creeks and rich range of habitats that include saltwater marshes and tidal mudflats, is a haven for wildlife, attracting large flocks of wading birds and wildfowl. The birdwatching opportunities are a real highlight of the route, as are the fantastic views across the water and the varied terrain. This area is also very popular with the sailing fraternity, and as you pass through the different villages, you’ll spot boats of all shapes and sizes bobbing in the marinas.
    *The walk involves a ferry crossing. From 1 May to 30 September boats run daily, but only at weekends during the rest of the year
     
    Chidham Peninsula: 14.5km (9 miles), 5hrs; ascent/descent 30m
    This route from the hotel takes you into the peaceful area to the west of Bosham Channel. There is a lovely sense of remoteness as you stroll by wetlands and the edge of the inlets, with no shortage of good opportunities for bird watching, especially around Cobnor Point Nature Reserve at the southern end of the peninsula. From here, the route swings north to follow a path along a levee, offering views towards the South Downs, before following field paths across the peninsula back to Bosham Channel. You can opt to add on a 1.6km (1 mile) detour to take in the sleepy village of Chidham. Note: there is stretch along the shore in the middle of the walk that is impassable at high tide for about an hour, but there are benches where you can wait and watch the world go by.

    Explore Chichester
    Alternatively, catch a bus from Bosham to nearby Chichester. This compact cathedral city is charming to explore on foot, and a particularly interesting perspective can be gained from the Roman walls. Constructed in the 3rd century AD, these are the best-preserved ancient defensive walls in the south of England, and walking along them you will enjoy fine views across Chichester’s historic centre and to iconic sights such as the impressive Cathedral, 16th-century Market Cross and legendary Priory Park cricket ground.
    Chichester channel
    Chidham to Cobnor Point Nature Reserve
 

Accommodation

You stay at two high-quality inns – or ‘dining pubs’ – of character, followed by a traditional 4-star hotel set within its own gardens.
 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    White Horse Inn, Chilgrove
    'Feature': 01 Mar - 31 Oct 2025 £19
    Royal Oak Inn, East Lavant
    'Feature': 01 Mar - 31 Oct 2025 £17
    'Feature': 01 Mar - 31 Oct 2025 £18
    The Millstream Hotel & Restaurant, Bosham
    Premium: 01 Mar - 30 Apr 2025 £16
    Premium: 01 May - 30 Sep 2025 £8
    Premium: 01 Oct - 31 Oct 2025 £16

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Royal Oak Inn, East Lavant (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Mar - 31 Mar 2025 £94 £188
    01 Apr - 31 Oct 2025 £106 £212
    # Easter & other bank holidays: supplements apply over the Easter weekend, as well as the May Day, Whitsun and late summer bank holiday weekends; please contact us for details
    The Millstream Hotel & Restaurant, Bosham (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Mar - 30 Apr 2025 £98 £179
    01 May - 30 Sep 2025 £145 £285
    01 Oct - 31 Oct 2025 £98 £179
  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.

    Connecting travel options - via Chichester Station

    Outward route Price per person Latest
    arrival time
    taxi Chichester station to hotel (0h20) included flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Chichester station (0h20) included flexible
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 12 reviews
  • Anon
    16 September 2024

    Weat Dean Gardens were an unexpected highlight. Our lunch there was the best meal of the week. 
    Mussels at the Bulls head in Fishbourne were excellent. 
    The display of Roman finds at Fishboumène looks a little tired and could do with some investment. 
    The Millstream hotel was our favourite for food and comfort. 
    The two pubs we stayed in were ok, and the food limite. The second pub was in crisis with shortages of kitchen staff. On the last morning the manager and the barmaid cobbled together a breakfast for us, but most of the cooked options were off the menu. They did very well under difficult circumstances. 
    this was our first grade 1 walk, and a little too easy for us, but the countryside is lovely and we were blessed with good weather. 

  • Mr J Josephs
    Bromley
    12 September 2023

    The South Downs provide splendid walking country with beautiful views, nature, and not too strenuous days. The three hotels were comfortable, hospitable and the food excellent. The 360° views from St Roche's and the amazing yew forest of Kingley Vale were real highlights.

  • Mr P Thornborow
    Loughborough
    11 September 2023

    We enjoyed visiting Fishbourne as we passed, a lot to see and a very useful lunch stop. Taking the detour also helps you find the footpath to Bosham when you retrace your steps to the road! If you opt for the Chidham Peninsula walk, Chidham Point is amazing, with oak trees coming down to the shore.

  • Anon
    20 June 2023

    After several holidays abroad with Inntravel this was our first one in the UK. As usual all the arrangements worked smoothly. The hotels were of an excellent standard, each with their own plus points but all staff were helpful and friendly. We particularly enjoyed the Cavendish in Baslow and the Millstream in Bosham. In Baslow the Italian restaurant Il Lupo was very good but the portions are large. Walks in the Peak district were good and varied and we loved having time to explore Chatsworth. The weather was unexpectedly hot for June.

    The Sussex Downs was a completely new area for us, very interesting and quite mixed walking. The Weald and Downland Museum was wonderful followed by the excellent walk to The Trundle with great views of Goodwood. The Yew trees in Kingley Vale were very impressive and unexpected. The walk on Chidham Peninsula was also very good with lots of activity on the water to see.

    We found it very useful to have the GPX files to download before the holiday.

    INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our two walks Chatsworth & The Peak District and South Downs to the Sea 

  • Mrs J Smith
    Totnes
    19 June 2023

    Our holiday was an excellent choice.  The walks were of a sufficient length to allow us time to visit nearby attractions such as the Weald and Downland Museum and Fishbourne Palace.

    The White Horse provided a wonderful start to our trip; the staff were very welcoming and we enjoyed all the meals there (apart from one of the packed lunches.)

    Disappointingly, The Royal Oak at East Lavant is now under the same auspices of Butcombe Pubs and Inns as The White Horse and sadly the menu there was more or less identical to the previous venue.

    However, we can't praise The Millstream at Bosham too highly as the staff and the restaurant were truly excellent. It provided us with a delightful end to our walk.

    Thank you once again for a memorable trip.

  • Dr C Pantin
    Stoke-on-trent
    10 May 2023

    Resuming Inntravel holidays after lockdown break, we found the same high standard. Thank you.

  • Mrs V Smith
    Cheadle
    26 September 2022

    The walk was very interesting for us, as it was an area which neither of us had really visited before. Highlights were the part of the descent through Kingley Vale on day 2, with its magnificent yew groves, and also having our lunch on top of St. Roche's Hill on Day 3 - the clear weather that day enabled us to enjoy the wonderful view down to the coast, and Chichester in particular. Picnics were a bit of an issue as we weren't prepared for there being no shops at all in East Lavant or Lavant (possibly should have read notes more carefully..) but, having walked from East Lavant to Singleton, can thoroughly recommend the West Dean Stores, where we managed to pick up fruit and crisps ( and a Guardian!) as well as enjoying a coffee.

    Altogether a varied and interesting walk.

  • Anon
    19 September 2022

    The highlight was the walk through Kingley Vale yew trees.  Never seen so many in one place before. We thought this holiday was very well planned, with a contrast of scenery from Beacon Hill views, the wonderful Kingley Vale and then the flatter walk to Bosham via the reed beds. None of the walks were too long, or too difficult - they were just right.

  • Larry O
    19 September 2022

    It is hard to select highlights for this trip since everything was perfect - the accomodations, the meals, the transfers, and, most importantly, the walks.  It was remarkably easy to follow the walking routes using the GPS files provided and the Komoot app. Thanks!

  • Anon
    19 September 2022

    We loved our walking tour. 

  • Anon
    16 September 2022

    The ancient yew tree forest was incredible to see. And the Inntravel write-up on the yew trees was very informative. The history and the current significance of these lovely trees is fascinating. As a cancer survivor who has been treated with Taxol (produced from the yews), this walk was extremely meaningful and moving to me. 

  • Mrs M Caller
    London
    01 August 2022

    I have been on many Inntravel walks before - but this definitely surpassed expectations. It was one of the best ones I have done.The key was pretty villages, lovely places to stay and great food. It was worth upgrading the rooms. 
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • Yes, absolutely. Over the years, we have arranged a great many holidays in the UK for customers living in the USA, Canada, Australia and beyond.

    If you've never travelled with us before, it's worth reading the web pages which explain how we can cater for customers who live outside the UK. The main thing to bear in mind is that our tour operator's licence doesn't allow us to book flights that originate outside the UK, and nor are we able to book rail travel in the UK, so we can't make travel arrangements for you, other than pre-arranging taxis between the local railway station and the accommodation – see the ‘prices & travel’ section for the options available.

    For practical information about travelling to the UK, see the 'what do I need to know about travelling to England, Scotland and Wales?' question.
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
  • Unfortunately not. The Inntravel team includes many dog owners, but the extra considerations – such as whether taxi firms accept dogs for transfers to the start of walks, whether routes cross private land on which dogs are not allowed, and proximity to a vet’s – would add another layer of complexity to what are already quite complex holidays.
  • As a minimum, you will need a passport to enter the UK; requirements vary according to your nationality. It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. You’ll need to check requirements on the website of your own country’s government or that of the British government. Our essential travel information page provides links to websites where you can find out about the applicable requirements, along with general official travel advice.
     
    English is the most widely spoken of several official languages; in Wales, for example, Welsh has equal status. The currency is the British pound (Scotland issues its own bank notes, but Bank of England notes can be used in Scotland and vice versa). The UK follows Greenwich Mean Time during autumn and winter, but switches to British Summer Time (GMT + 1) from late March until late October.
 
Images courtesy of Visit Chichester.org (© VC)
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South Downs to the Sea. 6 nights
Price from
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