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Visiting Arundel
Arundel is a quaint town with a lot to offer. Stroll down picturesque streets filled with quirky old buildings, visit independent shops including a fabulous array of arts & antiques, take a visit to the castle, the ancestral home of the Dukes of Norfolk for over 1000 years, take an outdoor swim in a heated pool at the Lido, discover nature at the Arundel Wetlands centre, or have an ice cream after rowing a boat out onto Swanbourne Lake. This summer the Arundel Festival runs from the 17th to the 26th August, there's lots of free activities & street performers in the town and bookable theatre, music, and even an 'It's a Knockout' team experience.
There are so many places to eat in Arundel, from Michellin recommended restaurant, The Parson's Table to The Partner's Cafe a small cosy place to get a cracking breakfast, and there's everything in between, food from around the world, great steak, historic pubs... it'll be hard to choose, you'll have to follow your nose!
You can take a scenic train ride from Bosham (the nearest station to Oakwood West) to Arundel, and really enjoy all that the town has to offer. The last train from Arundel to Bosham leaves just before 11pm.
Pubs with Play Areas near Chichester
It's not always easy to find a pub that suits everyone, good food, big garden, play area for the children... here are a few of our favourites.
Finish up your summer holidays in a quintessentially British manner, with a cold drink and hot chips in a sunny pub garden. Head to one of these pubs with great play areas and keep the kids entertained whilst you relax. The Horse and Jockey in Denmead has a stream babbling through the large garden, and a great obstacle course. The White Hart, also in Denmead, has a tree lined garden and a big climbing frame. The King's Head in Wickham (pictured below), is close to Wickham water meadows, perfect for a splash on a hot day and has a good play area in another lovely garden. The Lamb Inn at West Wittering is a perfect place to stop off on your way back from the beach. All the pubs have children's menus, tempting food for adults too, cold beer on tap, and great gardens perfect for a chilled end to your weekend fun.
Purple Heath & The Serpent Trail
Head north a little way and in late summer you will find the heaths around the Serpent Trail ablaze with purple heathers. The Serpent Trail meanders for 65 miles, and there are lots of places that you can pick it up to explore the heath land. Take a look at this excellent resource from the South Downs Park, with maps, animals and plants to spot, including a fascinating insectivorous Sundew plant and a rare sand lizard. Dogs are welcome, there's lots for children to enjoy, including sculptures, beautiful benches, low heathland paths, and quiet ponds. It's particularly wonderful at this time of year, there is a route guide for a 5.5 mile stroll here starting from Stedham, near Midhurst.
Outdoor Plays at the Weald & Downland Museum
You may know the Weald & Downland Museum as the home of The Repair Shop, the BBC tv show. It is also a wonderful living history museum set into hundreds of acres of rolling Sussex countryside. On evenings in the summer they have outdoor theatre events, this year, finishing the season, they have Peter Pan, As You Like It, & The Hound of the Baskervilles. Bring a chair or blanket, and a picnic, and enjoy immersive theatre in a fabulous setting. Get tickets here.
Victorious Festival
The Victorious Festival in Portsmouth, on the beautiful Southsea seafront, is on the August bank holiday weekend every year. It's a three day music festival, with a massive kids areas, and a comedy stage. It's family friendly, and you can get day tickets or weekend tickets. There's a great line up and the last few tickets are still available for this year.
Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars
When you are out and about, keep an eye open for Cinnabar Moth caterpillars. They are distinctive and if you can find the bright yellow flowers of Ragwort, a very common wild plant, you may well find the last of this years black and yellow striped caterpillars on them. They absorb toxins from the ragwort making them unpleasant snacks for any creatures. Kids love spotting them, sometimes you can find masses of the caterpillars on the yellow daisy like flowers. Some will be changing into vibrant black and red moths by now.
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