| Canal Walks: Arundel to Portsmouth |
- This walk follows the line of the Chichester Ship Canal and the Arundel to Portsmouth
Canal for much of its length. Mostly it is on public footpaths across private land but with short sections on roads and lanes.
This route provides easy, interesting walking, where a rich variety of wildlife can be seen. The main route goes from Birdham
to Ford with a spur from Hunston to Chichester. The distance from Birdham to Ford is 12½ miles (20 kilometres); Chichester
to Hunston is 1½ miles (2.4 kilometres).
|
| Start |
- Birdham, SU 858 041 (4½ miles/6km south of Chichester)
|
| Finish |
- Ford, TQ 003 038 (2 miles/3.5km south of Arundel, ¾ mile (1km) north west of Littlehampton)
|
| For use by |
|
| Nearest
Towns |
- Chichester, Barnham, Yapton,
Arundel.
|
| Terrain |
- Mostly very flat on public footpaths but with short sections on
roads and lanes. The section from Birdham to Chichester via Hunston is surfaced but other paths can become wet and muddy and
good footwear is recommended.
|
| Average time
to complete |
- 9 - 10 hours approx, can be
split into shorter walks. Download the leaflet (see under "More information") for details.
|
| Highlights |
- Wildlife (birds, dragonflies, plants, water voles). Chichester Marina, Original brick bridges
at Yapton and Barnham Mill.
|
| Transport
|
- Bus routes cross the line of the canal at several
points and there are three railway stations (Chichester, Ford, Barnham) less than a mile from the canal.
For details
of public transport visit our public
transport pages, or call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33.
|
| Maps |
- OS 1:25,000 Explorer series: 120 Chichester, South Harting and Selsey, 121 Arundel and Pulborough.
OS 1:50,000
Landranger series: 197 Chichester and the South Downs. - and don't forget to visit the iMap.
|
| More information |
- The leaflet, Arundel to Portsmouth Canal Walks, last updated in 2004, is no longer
available in print, but can be downloaded from our
publications page.
- More information about the canal can be obtained from: Chichester Ship Canal Trust, Canal Basin,
Canal Wharf, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 8DT, Tel: +44 (0)1243 771363, http://www.chichestercanal.org.uk/
- Another
useful website that gives information about the Waterways of Sussex is: http://www.sussex.co.uk/waterways/
|
| Other useful information |
- Linking the River Arun to Portsmouth, the canal was opened in 1823 and ceased trading
in 1855. In its brief history it only once made a profit, due to high tolls and fluctuations of water levels. The Birdham
to Chichester section has been restored and is owned by West Sussex County Council and managed by the Chichester Ship Canal
Trust.
|
01243 777100
