Fishbourne Meadows
Chichester
On this walk, children will enjoy paddling in the river, crossing the wooden footbridges and viewing the large colony of swans that reside here in summer.
Fishbourne Meadows is a popular place to have a paddle
The Basics
Time: 40 mins each way
Distance: 2.2 km each way /1.4 miles each way
Terrain: Flat coastal paths, meadows, boardwalks, some narrow bridges, gets muddy in winter.
Pushchairs: This route is not suitable for pushchairs as the terrain is rough, uneven and narrow.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome on this walk.
Refreshments: The Crown and Anchor Pub at Dell Quay.
Toilets: There are no public toilets on this walk.
Public Transport: The 700 Coastliner stops on the A259 in Fishbourne. From there, you could walk down Mill Lane to Fishbourne Meadows and join the walk at section three below. Fishbourne train station is also a few minutes walk away; walk down Salthill Road and turn left at the A259 and join Mill Lane on your right.
Parking: If you want to walk from Fishbourne to Dell Quay, then park at Fishbourne Church Hall (Postcode: PO19 3 XT - W3W: ///sculpture.jolt.robot). If you want to walk from Dell Quay to Fishbourne, there is a small amount of parking at the side of the road on the approach to the harbour (Postcode: PO20 7NE W3W: ///likening.character.tougher).
View of Chichester Harbour National Landscape
Starting in Fishbourne, follow boardwalks and bridges across Fishbourne Meadows, where you can access the shallow river water. From here, the walk winds its way through The Chichester Harbour National Landscape to the little sailing hub of Dell Quay, where the Crown and Anchor pub is situated perfectly for waterside views and seafood refreshments.
The Route
We decided to start our walk in Fishbourne, so that the pub would be halfway along before we turned back.
Exit the church hall car park through the gate next to the stile in the corner. Follow the path along the side of the church hall garden and exit through another gate. Take the path ahead, crossing a field, and continue until you reach some boardwalk. As the boardwalk exits the field through a gap in the hedge, it will split. Take the right hand split, following the right-hand boundary of the field. Pass the education centre on your right and continue forward to the first bridge.
After enjoying the river, cross the bridge and turn left and almost immediately cross another bridge and go out the gate, leaving Fishbourne Meadows.
Follow little board walks across the marshy ground ahead of you. The water of Chichester Harbour will be to your right. After a little plank bridge takes you over a particularly wet spot, the path will veer around to the left and then go over a little wall with a drainage chute. Go over this and then drop down and go through a wooden kissing gate and onto a long section of boardwalk.
Go through another kissing gate at the end and continue straight ahead, walking along the sea wall. The water will now be directly to your right. Continue to another kissing gate and walk through an open paddock. Go through the gate at the opposite side and then simply stick with the same path as it takes you past the sailing club and boat yard of Dell Quay and on to the Crown and Anchor. Retrace your steps home.
If you park at Dell Quay, simply reverse these directions, and we suggest walking as far as Fishbourne Mill Pond, just beyond the bridges and along the river, before retracing your steps.
If you want to make the walk longer, you can walk up Dell Quay Road, turn right at the footpath and continue to Chichester Marina and The Boat House café.
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Did you know?
Cows graze the meadows at certain times of the year. They eat some of the plants that grow strongly, making space for species that would otherwise be crowded out.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try this one at Itchenor, which also has views of Chichester Harbour
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