Chichester is not only a great place for shopping, but in under 10 miles surrounding it I discovered and explored some beautiful villages. All which are included in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and I can see why! There’s something for everyone, whether you’re a first time buyer looking for some quirky places to socialise, an avid explorer, or a growing family in need of some family friendly places, I’ve got you covered, read on for my adventure.
I recently visited Southbourne, a small village in West Sussex near the border of Hampshire. While heading towards Chichester, I stopped at Mamawu, a delightful café that welcomes everyone, including dogs! It’s the perfect spot for anyone exploring the villages surrounding Chichester. Mamawu offers a variety of hot and cold drinks, breakfast options, cakes, and caters to various dietary requirements. I enjoyed a slice of cake and a cup of tea, which was much needed after my long journey from Wiltshire.
Afterwards, I visited Prinsted beach, which is a beautiful circular trail popular for hiking, running, and bird watching. The trail takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete, but due to the heatwave, I opted for a shorter stroll. If you don’t fancy the walk you can enjoy the stunning views of Prinsted Beach from one of the many benches.
I continued driving towards Chichester to find two beautiful villages, Chidham and Hambrook. These villages were surrounded by lush green spaces and tree-lined roads, making it seem like we were miles away from the city. While exploring Hambrook, I visited the new development, Rosebrook, which was impressive due to its spacious and green environment. It's mindful of the area, and has been balanced well, and it doesn't feel out of place. You can find out more about the Hambrook development here. After that, I headed to The Bosham Inn, a charming pub with a warm and welcoming atmosphere, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.
After refuelling, I headed towards a nearby picturesque village called Bosham. It is so close to Chidham that you can walk the peninsula from Chidham to Bosham Quay when the tide is out. The village is scenic and leads to the Quay, where you'll find two car parks at Bosham Quayside. One car park is right at the front of the water but be careful when you park here as the tide will come in past the designated car parking. The other car park, before the Quay, is a safer place to park. From here, the Quay is a short 5-minute walk passing delightful cafes and a gallery. Unfortunately, the heatwave put a stop to completing the entire trail, as it was too hot. But for cooler days it takes just over an hour to complete. I walked towards the sailing club to the right of the Quay, passing several Quayside stops and a pub. I explored another route back to the car, which took me past a popular spot - The Anchor Bleu pub - towards a church and looped me back out by the cafes I passed en route to the Quay. Finally, no heatwave is complete without an ice cream stop!
My final stop on my adventure was The Crate Cafe in Bosham. It's in an actual industrial crate, making it one of the coolest cafes I've ever visited. The cafe has an open-air feel, with rustic decor and effortlessly cool vibes. It's also dog-friendly! The back of the cafe offers stunning views of the South Downs. To top it off, a horse was roaming around in the field directly behind the cafe, as if it were in the back garden! The cafe serves a selection of drinks, including teas, coffee, cold drinks, smoothies, cakes and lunch options. I can confirm that the carrot cake was delicious! The cafe transforms from day to night, with a bar and frequent pop-up street foods and delicacies on offer. It's a must-visit, and I wish I lived closer!
If you’d like to see more about my day exploring the villages surrounding Chichester, take a look here - astersales (@astersales) | TikTok
West Sussex is one of my favourite places, especially the charming villages surrounding the city of Chichester.
Did you know we have shared ownership homes available in West Sussex? Shared ownership makes getting on the property ladder more achievable by purchasing a share in a property. You can read more about shared ownership here. You won’t need to wish you lived closer; you CAN live closer with shared ownership. Take a look at our available homes in West Sussex here.
If living nearer to city is your preference, we have a selection of 2 & 4-bedroom homes available now for shared ownership sale in Chichester at the Shopwyke Lake development and Lavant View development in Chichester. Here you have the city life closer and the stunning surrounding villages such as Bosham in under 7 miles, Prinsted is approx. 9 miles.
Or you can settle in the stunning village of Hambrook, our gorgeous new 2 & 3-bedroom homes are available for shared ownership sale now at the Rosebrook development, these are just under 4 miles from Bosham where you’ll find the uber cool The Crate Café and scenic Bosham Quay to explore. Need to pop into the City of Chichester? No problem from Hambrook, it’s just over 6 miles to the city.
If that’s not close enough to these fabulous places, we have a new development with a selection of homes for shared ownership sale in Southbourne itself called Priors Meadow! Meaning the delightful café Mamawu will be within walking distance! Dangerous or dreamy - I’ll let you decide! Don’t miss out on your chance to call Priors Meadow home, you can see more about the homes at Priors Meadow in Southbourne here.
