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Looking for somewhere for summer 2022.
Fancy West Sussex, but not somewhere too busy, so a small town base with access to Brighton etc would be ideal.
Good beach preferable.
Is this to live , or holiday in?
I live in Shoreham by Sea - and your descriptor is about spot on.
What else do you need to know.
For the Downs you can go left up Lancing Clump and do the Ring circuit plus many others. Left up Mill Hill or the Hill from Hell, to Devils Dyke and whatever ...
Worthing in 4 miles away. Brighton is 5 miles away- trains every 15 mins to both. Lancing is just over the bridge - there be dragons in Lancing.
2 weeks holiday.
Know the area pretty well as now sadly deceased grannybgoode lived in Goring by Sea - essentially an off-shot of Worthing. Worthing is pleasant enough with some decent hotels and enough to do. If it's for living then Goring is perfectly pleasant with a nice big green and an OK beach however it is pebbles rather than sand unless the tide is some way out. Quiet though.
If I were to live down that way though I'd look for somewhere closer to Arundel and put up with the longer commute to Brighton.
East / West Wittering area used to be a bolt hole for us when we lived in Brighton. Nice beaches etc.
There are no good beaches in either Sussex, full of sodding pebbles and no proper sand.
Witterings then you can ride at Rogate/QECP/South Downs etc before hitting the beach.
There are no good beaches in either Sussex, full of sodding pebbles and no proper sand.
About the only exception is West Wittering, but extremely popular such that the car park is full by 10am on nice days and the queue from Chichester is horrendous. We used to visit it regularly in off-season for dog walking but never in summer.
^ yeah traffic is bad in the summer. Hayling Island is easier to get to then.
I think you had to book the beach at Witterings last summer (or was it the one before?!) cos it got so busy. It is flat though, so you can park Chichester and ride down 🙂
As Dezb says. Park just south of Chichester before traffic queue. Then there is a nice cycle path running past the marina on the west side. Took my son and daughter that way during height of summer last year. Was a lovely day out and the beach is spot on.
Another vote here for Chichester (because I know it not because I think it is better than anywhere else!). As others have said, avoid the drive to The Witterings although one option would be breakfast at Billys on The Beach in Bracklesham (pebble beach but seems popular for surfing) and then go along to West Wittering. As Superfli said - nice cycle trails down there from Chichester. If you're looking for family rides then there is also Centurion Way up to West Dean where there is a village shop/cafe and toolstation. If you're after something a bit more interesting Stoughton Woods downhill just up the road is quite fun.
Sadly won't be taking bikes.
We live in Chichester so maybe a little biased. The Witterings and the harbour area are lovely though as people have said absolutely mental in summer. Some really good walking around the harbour. The Crown & Anchor at Dell Quay and the Ship at Itchenor are both properly nice.
The link below is pretty good for some day walks to the above pubs:
https://www.conservancy.co.uk/page/Walking
If you have kids, you have to castles nearby (although not sure you can visit Amberley?) but Arundel castle is pretty cool, plus theres an outdoor lido in town and I think the do tubing down the river in summer. Brewhouse just south of town does great coffee, beer and pizza and the Norfolk Arms in town is nice as well.
Knepp Wildlands is worth a visit. Big rewilding project, camping and gebnerally rather lovely. Also storks!
lots of the beaches around here do have sand for a couple of hour around low tide, maybe a little more on big tides, but you have to make sure the timing is right for your trip.
I'd suggest trying to get somewhere with a train link to Brighton rather than driving in. its a nightmare on a warm busy weekend day trying to get into town.
There's lots of nice villages around - ditchling (technically east sussex, just), steyning, etc.
Low tide in Shoreham and the beach is very sandy, Rottingdean also has a good sandy beach. But there you go ....
Worthing, Goring have big stretches of sand - at low tide. ESP Spring tides
Sussex really isn’t a place to go and stay for two weeks. Drive through, perhaps stay for a couple of nights, but that’s it! Carry onto to the New Forest and Dorset for destinations worth staying at.
Shame you're not bringing bikes as there is some epic cycling to be done in West Sussex - although more road & gravel than MTB.
I live in the South Downs Nat'l Park (near Petworth) and the road and gravel riding around here is epic. You are within 20mins of the beach if you want, have excellent towns like Midhurst, Chichester, Arundel, Brighton, Worthing, Shoreham etc within easy riding distance.
You also have lots of interesting things/places and stuff to see... such as Arundel Castle, Petworth Park, the Weald & Downland Museum, QECP, the Centurion Way, Goodwood, the Roman Villa at Bignor, Iron Age hill forts up on the South Downs Way, the Downs Link from Guildford to Shoreham, Knepp Castle/wilding, numerous excellent vineyards (Nutbourne, Nyetimber, etc), beachfront cycleways all along the South Coast, excellent cafe's/cake stops and of course all very enjoyable in our tropical, balmy weather down here... (ok, I'm beginning to sound like a travel guide!)
Bring a bike.
Happy to show you around a bit if you decide to come.