Arundel

The town is very pretty and the exterior of the castle is outstanding. In a Trip Report a couple of years ago I'd mentioned I thought the interior was kind of bland, but someone else loved it. It may make a good base as well if you have a car for daytrips to Portsmouth and Fishbourne Palace which were highlights for us. We spent 2 weeks going from Salisbury to Canterbury with a lot in between.

I spent 3 nights in Arundel last year and loved it.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/3-perfect-days-in-arundel-england

I walked along the river each day, enjoying the swans and the views up to the castle. I walked around Swanbourne Lake and beyond it to the Arundel Wetlands Centre.

I had just spent a week in Chichester and took buses from there to Fishbourne Roman Palace and West Dean Gardens, an Uber to Goodwood House.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/chichester-a-week-off-the-well-trodden-path

There's more to do from Chichester, but Arundel was delightfully relaxing.

Allan, I read the trip report if the one who loved it - right after I posted this, lol. I think I’d love it personally, but the draw for me isn’t just the Castle …Arundel just sounds like a lovely place to spend a day

My base is actually Tunbridge Wells - which I should have specified in my OP: I’ll edit it if I’m stil able

Sounds like you had a great trip!

Thanks!

The town is very pretty and the exterior of the castle is outstanding.
In a Trip Report a couple of years ago I'd mentioned I thought the
interior was kind of bland, but someone else loved it. It may make a
good base as well if you have a car for daytrips to Portsmouth and
Fishbourne Palace which were highlights for us. We spent 2 weeks going
from Salisbury to Canterbury with a lot in between.

CW, I literally read your trip report after I’d posted here - and it only confirmed how much I want to spend a day there. I’ll need to catch an early train to make the most of it, but at least it’s easy,

The lake is calling to me …the walk sounds wonderful.

Is there a river, too? Love it - I love being around water, so I’ll be in heaven

I almost feel like staying overnight, there’s so much to do. I technically could…

Maybe I’ll look into it…the Swan Hotel where you stayed sounds perfect, although being above a restaurant would make me wonder as I’m a light sleeper

I saw this place - looks good for afternoon tea

https://www.cockburnstearooms.co.uk/afternoon-tea/

Thanks!

I spent 3 nights in Arundel last year and loved it.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/3-perfect-days-in-arundel-england
I walked along the river each day, enjoying the swans and the views up
to the castle. I walked around Swanbourne Lake and beyond it to the
Arundel Wetlands Centre. I had just spent a week in Chichester and
took buses from there to Fishbourne Roman Palace and West Dean
Gardens, an Uber to Goodwood House.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/chichester-a-week-off-the-well-trodden-path
There's more to do from Chichester, but Arundel was delightfully
relaxing.

Is there a river, too?

Oh yes, the river runs through the center of town to the lake in one direction. From the path that runs alongside it, there are views uphill of the castle.

My room at The Swan was above the pub end of the restaurant. I never heard a thing.

Fishbourne station- very close to the Palace- also has an hourly stopping service (mainly London Victoria to Portsmouth via Arundel trains).

You used to be able to take boat trips from Arundel to Littlehampton on the coast but those ended maybe 8 or 9 years ago. But you can still walk the 5 miles or so along the river- and Littlehampton also has a station. Half way down that walk is another railway station called Ford- also used by the above stopping trains and others on the Coastway line.

The River Arun used to be navigable further upstream, linked into the Wey and Arun Canal then the Wey Navigation then the River Thames. So it was possible to go by boat from London to Littlehampton.
The Wey Navigation is still open and in service, and there is restoration work on the Wey and Arun Canal.

Oh perfect!

Glad to hear it - I’m going to try and book a room now!

This looks like a wonderful afternoon tea as well

https://www.swanbournelodgetearoom.co.uk/ice-cream-kiosk

Anytime I’m by the water, I’m more mellow ..

Kim’s Bookstore is calling me, lol

Thanks!!

Is there a river, too? Oh yes, the river runs through the center of
town to the lake in one direction. From the path that runs alongside
it, there are views uphill of the castle. My room at The Swan was
above the pub end of the restaurant. I never heard a thing.

Stuart, very informative - thanks!

Shame those ended….

5 miles is way too much for me, but even a mile or so is perfect ..on a nice day, it doesn’t get much better

You used to be able to take boat trips from Arundel to Littlehampton
on the coast but those ended maybe 8 or 9 years ago. But you can still
walk the 5 miles or so along the river- and Littlehampton also has a
station. Half way down that walk is another railway station called
Ford- also used by the above stopping trains and others on the
Coastway line.

I was brought up in Portsmouth, lived in that area till I was about 30, and have never been to Arundel. I’ve driven past loads of times, of course. Until this forum I don’t think I’d ever heard anyone talk about it as a place to visit.

I do like seeing some love for places other than the Cotswolds and I’ve decided that I should probably go to Arundel sometime!

Golden Girl,

I just booked 2 nights at the Swan Hotel because I thought a day trip might be nice

I need to look into, but I’m considering Portsmouth…would that be a nice day out?

I’ve seen people show Arundel love on Reddit. On the UK Travel board there, they constantly are puzzled by Americans’ obsession with the Cotswolds. I don’t think they understand that we are not like Europe - we get very, very little vacation time. So, it’s easy to understand why we as a whole would be attracted to the Cotswolds - it allows them to spend time in London while still experiencing British charm and loveliness. We have to work years to get 1-2 weeks vacation…it’s just not feasible for most of us to spend time in London & THEN get to less touristy areas further away. Most of us need to maximize our time - especially if it’s likely that it’s our only time

I was brought up in Portsmouth, lived in that area till I was about
30, and have never been to Arundel. I’ve driven past loads of times,
of course. Until this forum I don’t think I’d ever heard anyone talk
about it as a place to visit. I do like seeing some love for places
other than the Cotswolds and I’ve decided that I should probably go to
Arundel sometime!

I need to look into, but I’m considering Portsmouth…would that be a nice day out?

Portsmouth is an extremely interesting day out if you’re even slightly interested in ships. The Historic Dockyard has Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory, which is fantastic - you can take guided tours on board. I must have visited five or more times on school trips and again as an adult.

Then there’s the Mary Rose - the Tudor ship that capsized in the Solent and was raised from the sea bed in the 1980s. It’s absolutely fascinating.

The Historic Dockyard is right by Portsmouth Harbour station.

Portsmouth also has a seaside resort called Southsea - a long flat promenade with a shingle beach (there are some tiny patches of sand, and as a local I always knew where to find them). It’s like a much less raucous Brighton. There’s a funfair and a pier and all the usual British seaside stuff.

In Southsea you’ll find the D-Day Museum, complete with the Overlord Tapestry (essentially the idea was to do a modern Bayeux tapestry, but about the D-Day landings). And there’s a small Tudor castle right on the promenade, where Henry VIII was said to have witnessed the capsize of the Mary Rose.

Well worth a day of anyone’s time.

. So, it’s easy to understand why we as a whole would be attracted to the Cotswolds - it allows them to spend time in London while still experiencing British charm and loveliness. We have to work years to get 1-2 weeks vacation…it’s just not feasible for most of us to spend time in London & THEN get to less touristy areas further away.

I do get that, but the New Forest, Dorset, West Sussex/South Downs and parts of East Anglia are lovely and charming and easy to get to from London! So it’s not that we’re puzzled why people go to the Cotswolds instead of, say, the Yorkshire Dales. But why the Cotswolds instead of other lovely parts of the south. Anyway, perhaps we’ll never know.

Golden Girl,

I love anything to go with the sea - and I mean, HMS Victory & the Mary Rose? Wow!!!!

Portsmouth is an extremely interesting day out if you’re even slightly
interested in ships. The Historic Dockyard has Nelson’s flagship HMS
Victory, which is fantastic - you can take guided tours on board. I
must have visited five or more times on school trips and again as an
adult. Then there’s the Mary Rose - the Tudor ship that capsized in
the Solent and was raised from the sea bed in the 1980s. It’s
absolutely fascinating. The Historic Dockyard is right by Portsmouth
Harbour station.

How fun! Shingle beaches are hard on my feet, but I have great water shoes for that, lol

Portsmouth also has a seaside resort called Southsea - a long flat
promenade with a shingle beach (there are some tiny patches of sand,
and as a local I always knew where to find them). It’s like a much
less raucous Brighton. There’s a funfair and a pier and all the usual
British seaside stuff.

Wow, that’s incredibly interesting ! I’m going to have to return - there’s just too much to see!

Any restaurant recommendations?

Thank you!

In Southsea you’ll find the D-Day Museum, complete with the Overlord
Tapestry (essentially the idea was to do a modern Bayeux tapestry, but
about the D-Day landings). And there’s a small Tudor castle right on
the promenade, where Henry VIII was said to have witnessed the capsize
of the Mary Rose.
Well worth a day of anyone’s time

.

That’s true

Well TBH, I think many of my fellow Americans are lazy when it comes to planning their trips. I see so many posts asking “what should I see? What should I do?” It’s obvious that haven’t bothered to do a lick of research to find out what might interest them. So, they hear about the Cotswolds, & that’s that

The funny thing is, my parents’ British friend suggested the Cotswolds when she knew I was visiting for an extended period, lol

I do get that, but the New Forest, Dorset, West Sussex/South Downs and
parts of East Anglia are lovely and charming and easy to get to from
London! So it’s not that we’re puzzled why people go to the Cotswolds
instead of, say, the Yorkshire Dales. But why the Cotswolds instead of
other lovely parts of the south. Anyway, perhaps we’ll never know.

Any restaurant recommendations?

I haven’t lived there in 30 years, so I’m not great on this. But friends like a place called The Briny, which is right on the promenade. https://www.thebriny.co.uk/

In my day it was called the Prom Café and served sandwiches. In the summer holidays as a teenager I ran a seafront ice cream kiosk and we were allowed to get free sandwiches there at lunchtime.

But it’s gone quite fancy now, and looks really nice.

BTW also in Portsmouth is the small but very “quaint” area of Old Portsmouth. And near the Historic Dockyard is Gunwharf Quays. It’s an outlet shopping centre but it’s a very nice location with a whole bunch of decent chain restaurants with waterside views. There’s also the Spinnaker Tower.

If you do get to Arundel (well worth it) also consider a visit to Amberley Museum a transport and industrial museum set in an old chalk quarry. There's lots to do and see there including steam train rides, bus rides, old industrial buildings and crafts. There's even a nature trail to follow...

I reckon if you asked British people to suggest an area of the country where you can visit cute villages then the Cotswolds would be the most common answer. It’s just very well known, probably becasue it’s close to London so more often gets mentioned in the media.

GG

What a lovely memory!

The Briny looks good - and it having water views is chef’s kiss for me

I don’t just want to go in & out of museums without seeing the city - so definitely I’m leaving time to explore

There could be an issue:

I booked Arundel for April 26/27.

I was planning to go to Portsmouth on the 27th, but it’s a Sunday, and I guess that Sunday they’re doing work on the train line.

When I plugged in the 27th to see his many trains there are and how long the ride is, it says that essentially all the trains will be replaced by buses. Taking buses to and from Arundel/Portsmouth will add a great deal of time that I don’t have

I can’t rebook because I booked for the best rate - so it’s inflexible. I’m stuck.

How long would the bus take to/from? Maybe it helps that it’s a Sunday & the roads might not be so busy? I hope?

Thanks!

Wasley, I’ve booked 2 nights in Arundel!

I had kid of skipped over the museum when reading about it, but…steam train rides?! Love it! But, it’s outside Arundel - I’d have to take a taxi, I assume?

Thanks!

If you do get to Arundel (well worth it) also consider a visit to
Amberley Museum a transport and industrial museum set in an old chalk
quarry. There's lots to do and see there including steam train rides,
bus rides, old industrial buildings and crafts. There's even a nature
trail to follow...

I took the train from Arundel to Amberley.

Getting there:
• This is a quick, 1 stop journey on the train from Arundel. The Museum entrance is directly across the road from the Amberley station and then a short walk to the visitor center. It's 2 for 1 if you arrive by train.

Helen, no doubt. I’d always wanted to go there myself, but ultimately not more than the other places where there are more historical places of interest (among other things). Plus, it’s hard to base yourself in the Cotswolds without a car.

I reckon if you asked British people to suggest an area of the country
where you can visit cute villages then the Cotswolds would be the most
common answer. It’s just very well known, probably becasue it’s close
to London so more often gets mentioned in the media

.

CW,

Thank you ! That’s perfect!!!

I took the train from Arundel to Amberley. Getting there: • This is a
quick, 1 stop journey on the train from Arundel. The Museum entrance
is directly across the road from the Amberley station and then a short
walk to the visitor center. It's 2 for 1 if you arrive by train.

I was planning to go to Portsmouth on the 27th, but it’s a Sunday, and I guess that Sunday they’re doing work on the train line.
When I plugged in the 27th to see his many trains there are and how long the ride is, it says that essentially all the trains will be replaced by buses.

It's only a 20 minute rail replacement bus ride down to Barnham on the Coastway where you pick up a train to Portsmouth. It is a bit frustrating that you have a 30 minute wait bus to train at Barnham, rather than a direct connection, but at least not bus all the way.

Arundel has no local buses on a Sunday.

It's probably not worth the time or the walk but on the outskirts of Barnham you used to be able to see remnants of the Arundel to Portsmouth Canal (part of the wider waterway network mentioned above) - of which the Chichester Ship Canal was also a part. This was built due to the Napoleonic wars to provide a secure route to Portsmouth away from any issues with the French at sea. Commercially it wasn't a great success and is long, long closed. The section at ChichesterShip Canal and Chichester Harbour is still interesting in a minor way although you would have to be pretty keen on your inland waterways to make it a must see.

The Royal Military Canal from Folkestone to Hastings in Kent (which does still exist in water) was also part of our Napoleonic defences and was fortified again in World War II as a defence line against an expected German invasion.

Stuart, thanks!

I’ll just get off to an early start so that I’m in Portsmouth as early as possible

The other option would be to leave my luggage at the hotel on the 28th, go to Portsmouth, return to Arundel to pick up my luggage and then return to Tunbridge Wells

But I think that doesn’t really make sense

I love your insight & knowledge - fascinating!

It's only a 20 minute rail replacement bus ride down to Barnham on the
Coastway where you pick up a train to Portsmouth. It is a bit
frustrating that you have a 30 minute wait bus to train at Barnham,
rather than a direct connection, but at least not bus all the way.

If you're looking for a restaurant recommendation then www.abarbistro.co.uk is a nice little restaurant in Old Portsmouth very close to the Historic Dockyard.

There's also the Still and West in Old Portsmouth, a Fullers pub in a fantastic location at the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour, www.stillandwest.co.uk. It's very popular so booking is advised.

JC, thank you!

I’ll look into the first - I looked into Still and West earlier due to a recommendation. It’s hard to beat such a water view!

If you're looking for a restaurant recommendation then
www.abarbistro.co.uk is a nice little restaurant in Old Portsmouth
very close to the Historic Dockyard. There's also the Still and West
in Old Portsmouth, a Fullers pub in a fantastic location at the
entrance to Portsmouth Harbour, www.stillandwest.co.uk. It's very
popular so booking is advised.