This circular walk in Arundel in West Sussex England is my favourite from this unique town, and has it all. Beautiful Parkland, wooded areas and the River Arun. A riverside pub awaits towards the end, then beautiful Swanbourne lake before the historic town itself.
This route is 6.5 miles
Being a circular walk it can start anywhere between the Black Rabbit pub and the top end of the town – basically wherever you can get parked – but we always try and start at the top of the town near the cathedral.
This walk is average. There are a few steep climbs, and the route back along the river can be very muddy in the winter.
Arundel Circular Walk Start Point
The best start point is at the top end of the town near the cathedral. This is most easily accessed from the A284 (the road up the hill to Whiteways). On entering Arundel from this direction you will likely see cars parked on the right handside. They are likely doing the same as you so park wherever you see a spot. There is a small carpark in the entrance to the park, but you’ll be lucky at busy times.
Leave the main road directly opposite Saint Phillips Catholic Primary School, up the drive towards the park. Once through the car park (don’t curse me if there is a spare spot after all!) you will enter Arundel Park. Continue up the tarmac path until you get near the folly (or is it?) and turn right across the grass before you get to it.
The Hiorne Tower
Seemingly a folly – an extravagant building that serves no purpose. This was in fact built in the late 1700’s by Francis Hiorne, as a showcase of his work in a bid for the contract to rebuild the castle for the 11th Duke of Norfolk. It wasn’t successful and sadly Hiorne was to die just a few years after it’s completion.
Once past the tower you will see the stile leading to the path (pictured in the main photo above) into the valley below.
Arundel Park
You are now in the heart of the ancient Arundel deer park. The north end of Swanbourne lake is just to your south, but this is best left until later when you will walk straight past the southern end of the lake.
From the bottom of the hill you will see a steep climb in front of you (to the left of the track) which will lead you up to another stile at the top. From here it’s straight on, and you will see a wooded area – the Dry Lodge plantation as marked on the OS map.
You need to leave this wood to your right hand side, straight over another stile and left down the track. This will lead you through a gate in the park walls and you should turn right, the river Arun now to your left (it’s a steep drop to the river from the path and you can’t always see it).
The River Arun
The Arun forms a part of ‘London’s lost route to the sea’. To the south it flows into the English Channel at Littlehampton. Back in the day it linked into the Chichester Canal at Ford, taking shipping to Chichester Harbour and on to Portsmouth. To the north it connected to the river Wey, and onward to the Thames, via the Wey and Arun canal, currently under restoration. Please pay the restoration charities website a visit for more information on this project.
West Stoke
You will shortly arrive in West Stoke, a beutiful tiny village on the banks of the river. Beware – following the route on the map below (cutting off the meander in the river) means you have to cross a very narrow, slippery bridge over a drainage ditch to get onto the riverside path. A more sensible route would probably be to turn left when you get to the village down to the riverside. A little longer but less treacherous!
The Black Rabbit
As you start to come back towards the town you will walk straight through the grounds of the Black Rabbit pub. Time it right for a rewarding tipple!
Swanbourne Lake
Next is the Arundel Wetland Centre, one of the WWT centres set up by sir Peter Scott’s (son of Captain Scott of Antarctica). A few hours can easily be spent observing numerous waterbirds, before reaching Swanbourne Lake. A man made lake, by restricting the flow of water off the South Downs on its way to the River Arun. If you’re hungry for more miles then a lap of the lake is a worthwhile option here, as is a trip to their tea rooms, or boating on the lake during the summer season.
Back in Arundel
Mill Road leads back into Arundel Town, a unique place full of independant shops and restaurants. The local tourist information site for more details is at https://www.visitarundel.co.uk/.