South Downs Way

RSPB site at Pulborough Brooks is nearby.

Petworth House National Trust,

South Downs National  Park nr Graffam,

Amberley Museum and Heritage Center,

Weald and Downland Museum,

Arundel,

Chichester

Goodwood Motoracing/Horse racing circuits.

To name but a few, google them and see if anything grabs you.

Many thanks BigH and Lontano,

All the girls are members of the National Trust so Petworth House is definitely on the list - (and now I know why we are going, I assume !)

Amberley sounds like a pleasant and interesting place based on a quick browse in Waterstones when I bought Sheet 121 of the OS Map and I see its on your list Howard.

Thanks Lontano for suggesting the two eating places. There will be seven of us including our 5 year old grandson,  As a couple or a foursome, we would definitely visit, but I wouldn't wish our large(ish) group to upset other dinners.Will we be compatible, as a group, at either of these places.

Again, many thanks

Cheers

Don

I have been in a group of about 18 people at the Horse Guards in Tillington - just ring as far  ahead as you can to sort out the details.

Also the Pallant House Gallery in Chichester is excellent it specializes in 20c English art but is quite varied in the work it shows. The old House part of the gallery is interesting in it's own right and the new extension is brilliant.

Just clarified a few details with Mrs D.....

We are staying just outside Graffham, in a courtyard of B&B properties behind a Pub. The girls have stayed there before and thought it would be nice to rent three places for a few days. They didn't think the pub was that great, so I gather we will pay a visit to Petworth/Tillington for at least one evening meal, if not more. (thanks for adding to Lontano's suggestions Derek)

And yes, Petworth House is already on the itinerary, I am told !!

Cheers

Don

That's settled then. Mrs D doesn't drink, so we might just squeeze into a couple of cars and enjoy the evenings.

cheers

Don

also

Checkout Parham House - an Elizabethan property with large grounds.

And also check out if any local private gardens are open under the NGS scheme - there are some very excellent gardens in West Sussex - let you see where the rich and powerful live.

Don,

Also strongly recommend for food:

The Duke of Cumberland Pub in Henley south of Fernhurst which is probably the best situated pub in the Downs with a stunning garden - expensive for food but very good quality

The Halfway Bridge at Lodsworth -lovely old pub also with superb food - I used to refer to this as my favourite pub in England however the ownership recently changed and I haven't been since but it's very near Petworth

The Three HOrseshoes at Elstead - not brilliant for food but a lovely beamed pub with probably the best views of he downs from the best beer garden I have found.

Arundel Castle is stunning

Harting Down is on the South Downs Way and affords magnificent views and you can drive up to the car park there if anyone's elderly or feeling lazy!

The South Downs are a magnificent area of the country - just meandering down lanes and bridleways and getting lost in the beauty of it all is an afternoon well spent.  I fell in love with the place and eventually moved here because of it.

I also recommend a very obscure but wonderful little book - 'A272 Ode to a road' which is a treasure trove of places to see and do along the A272 which crosses East-West across the Downs for nearly 100 miles.  It's cheap to buy and a superb lavatory book if you know what I mean!!

Have a great trip!

Jonathan

If you get to Harting Down then go to Uppark House - it was severely burnt in the early 90s but has been beautifully restored using the traditional skills. See

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/uppark/

If you fancy  Thai food then "The Hamilton Arms" at Stedham halfway ish between Petersfield and Midhurst is very good (and even acclaimed by Giles Coren as well as us folk that do go there)

I have had some good food at the Elstead pub mentioned above.

If you fancy a trip down motor racing history go to the Royal Oak at Hooksway this is where Stirling Moss and friends used to drink (so the legends go) it has a good selection of different real beers.

However this is getting a bit to the west of your Petworth centre.

The book on the A272 is written by a Dutch couple  - which is probably quite appropriate as the most frequently seen vehicle seen on the road in the summer is a Dutch car towing a caravan.

Thanks for all the advice and guidance, we all had a wonderful weekend.

Friday - gentle amble around Petworth Park, then a browse through a few places in the village itself. For dinner we popped into the Foresters Arms in Graffham, which was only a 5 minute stroll from our B&B. The food, ale and wines were really delightful.

Saturday started with a walk up to the South Downs Way above Graffham. Really delightful, even though the top of the Downs were covered in mist and hill fog. The morning was spent at the Weald & Downland Museum where many aspects of early rural life and crafts were brought to life by actors. We popped into the Amberley Museum in the afternoon followed by a brisk walk along the seafront at Bognor, before returning to the Halfway Bridge for Dinner. Again the food and ale were excellent.

Sunday saw much clearer skies so I wandered along the South Downs Way from the A285 to Amberley, joined by the rest of the family who enjoyed the short walk from the car park to Bignor Hill and its panoramic views of West Sussex. We spent much of the day on the beach and at the funfair in Littlehampton which only came 2nd on our grandson's "best of" list (after the Shire horses at Weald & Downland). We called into Uppark house on the way back home.

Once again guys, many thanks for the great suggestions, and apologies that we didn't have long enough to visit all those other pubs and restaurants that were recommended. Next time.

Cheers

Don

The SDW is great; for another visit strap on the rucksack and walk the 100 miles from Eastbourne to Winchester. And you can always divert to Emsworth!!

It had crossed my mind, although after the two short sections I walked, I rather felt Winchester to Eastbourne might provide the more picturesque vistas ?

Chnaging the subject, or at least the walk, I often spend a couple of hours on part of the Wayfarers walk between Kingsclere and Shallbourne. I have a vague recollection that the southern end of this trail is Emsworth. I'll take more carefull note next time.

Cheers

Don