Make Quay quarters’ luxury holiday cottages your base for a walking holiday in Chichester and around Chichester Harbour.

There’s plenty to see and do close to Quay Quarters and our luxury holiday cottages are particularly popular with walking enthusiasts, history buffs and nature lovers. It’s time to book some time away and don those walking boots!

The ancient West Sussex city of Chichester with its striking Cathedral, Roman walls and Georgian architecture is a lovely place to wander around on a lazy Sunday morning. You can take in the busy high street or head for the quieter green spaces of Priory Park or Bishop’s Palace Gardens and chose from a plethora of coffee shops and tea rooms for a refuel along the way. Why not promenade the Chichester Ship Canal where you might spy kingfishers and herons? You could even take the town path route which runs from the canal basin back to Chichester Harbour just down the road from our dog friendly self-catering holiday cottages.

Chichester Harbour, Chichester Marina and the surrounding coastal villages – from Dell Quay and Bosham to Fishbourne and Emsworth – are all close to Quay Quarters. The coastal paths around our luxury holiday cottages are perfect for a stroll in the sunshine, when there’s water sports action to watch among the waves and picnics to be had in the sand dunes. As the waters get cooler they attract migrating waders and along with them birders and walkers with an eye for nature.

Walking tours in Chichester, Sussex and Hampshire

Should you fancy a stroll around Chichester it’s worth seeking out the Chichester Tourist Guides (ChTG), a Blue Badge and Green Badge awarded group that offer an array of informative organised walking tours in West Sussex and beyond.

There’s a Chichester city walk to please everyone, from Chichester City Highlights – an easy walk that gives a taste of everything this celebrated Roman city has to offer – to Herons, Peregrines and Golden Cockerels – a look at the Cathedral’s history and some of its most-loved residents, the nesting peregrine falcons.

The Art and Sculpture Discovery, with its tour of public art – including a stop at Pallant House Gallery – and inspirational places favoured creatives from William Blake to Philip Jackson, offers a treat for the culture vultures which Chichester’s Architectural Heritage gives a whistle-stop tour through time via the city’s bounty of interesting buildings.

For those who want to explore a little further afield, ChTG offer day trips that take in the area’s coastal heritage and links to aristocracy including Goodwood House and Arundel Castle. When you venture further west to Hampshire there’s a veritable treasure chest of Royal Naval History to be discovered in Portsmouth and Southsea while there are more literary links, from Rudyard Kipling to AA Milne, to be revealed further along the South Downs to the East.

Walking in and around Chichester Harbour

The West Sussex and Hampshire coastlines offer some of the finest walking in the South East. There are more than 50 miles of public footpaths in the local area, many of which run close to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and permit wonderful views out across the Harbour towards the Solent and inland towards the city of Chichester and the South Downs.

Whether it’s people-watching, nature-spotting or weather-wondering, there’s a plethora of sights and intrigues to keep walkers on their toes. As well as attracting up to 10,000 pleasure craft during the warmer seasons, Chichester Harbour is a wildlife hotspot. The unique juxtaposition of tidal creeks and mud flats, marshland, fertile farmland, woodland copses and sand dunes bring an array of flora and fauna to this area. Plenty of overwintering birds such as Brent geese as well as rare and protected species – from seals to water voles to barn owls – choose this rich and pleasant area as their home.

With picture-box villages such as Bosham and Emsworth with fascinating coastal heritages to discover and plenty of footpaths along the sea walls and through the surrounding lanes, churchyards and fields there are an array of free self-guided walks available for keen roamers. Our five favourite walks, which are easy to reach from our luxury holiday cottage and B&B accommodations, are listed below:

1. Chichester Marina to Dell Quay 7.5km / 4.5 miles

2. Itchenor Circular 6km / 4 miles

3. Chidham Circular 8km / 5 miles

4. West Wittering Beach & East Head 6km / 4 miles

5. Thorney Island Circular 13.5km / 8.5 miles

Further information and more walks in and around Chichester Harbour can be found on the Chichester Harbour Conservancy website.

While out having a stroll, don’t forget to stop off for refreshments at some of our much-loved local haunts. A pint of real ale or a glass of wine is a must at the Crown and Anchor if wandering from Quay Quarters to Chichester Marina via Dell Quay. The Boat house Cafe is perfect for a beverage and bite once you’ve reached your destination. On your way back, why not snap up a seafood supper with knockout views over the water? But if having a walk in the Witterings, a trip to Samphire could offer up a culinary crescendo to culminate your wander.

Our luxury holiday cottages: A base for your walking holiday

Quay Quarters is the perfect base for your walking holiday. Whether you want to explore Chichester Harbour, which is just a stone’s throw away, or Chichester city centre which is a 10-15 minute drive, you’ll be perfectly placed and in the lap of luxury.

Should you choose to stay in our luxury bed and breakfast accommodation, after a relaxing night in the main farmhouse and one of our delicious full English breakfasts, you’ll be primed for a good hike and ramble along the shoreline.

We also offer dog friendly holiday cottages, making it a breeze to bring Fido on vacation with you, and our luxury holiday cottages are a real home from home. With high quality linens, flat screen TVs and comfy garden furniture that provides views of our stunning rose garden, you can put your feet up after your walk and sleep incredibly well after taking in all that fresh sea air.

To book your walking break at Quay Quarters today, please contact us for availability and prices. We’ll be happy to give you more info about local walks and places of interest when you get in touch.