Southbourne and Nutbourne
Emsworth
Children will enjoy exploring the shoreline and visiting the highland cows and horses at the farm shop.
Edit 18/02/26 - Please note the cows are having a few days rest in a back field. You may not be able to see them. Please check with Southbourne Farm Shop about their return if you are travelling specifically to see the cows.
Views across Chichester Harbour
The Basics
Time: 50 minutes
Distance: 3 km / 1.9 miles
Terrain: Easy, flat shoreline paths and fields that can be muddy in winter. Short section by a busy road.
Pushchair: This route is not suitable for pushchairs.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome on this walk and everywhere at the farm shop site, except for the shop itself.
Refreshments: Southbourne Farm shop has a coffee trailer, Our Little Place, selling drinks, paninis and cakes (closed Mondays).
Toilets: There are no public toilets.
Public Transport: The 700 Coastliner stops on the A259 - alight at The Travellers Joy or take the train to Nutbourne station and take a five minute walk down Stein Road, crossing the A259 at the bottom.
Parking: Park at Southbourne Farm Shop if you are planning on using their services (Postcode: PO10 8JN - W3W: ///couriers.social.winning) or there is a small amount of free parking available beside the start of the footpath at the bottom of Farm Lane (Postcode: PO18 8SB - W3W - ///nanny.billiard.sponsors)
A bench with a view
What I love about a walk in Chichester Harbour National Landscape is that the views change entirely depending on whether the tide is in or out. Whichever you get on this walk, both will be stunning. The walk is an easy circuit from Nutbourne Farm, along the foreshore and back through farmland. If you wish, you can also start this walk from Southbourne Farm Shop and enjoy light refreshments and the animals. The two options are described below.
The Route
Starting from Nutbourne Farm parking area:
Find the footpath marker and information boards at the side of Farm Lane. Take the footpath as it begins its journey with a wall on your left and a marshy field on your right. You will then enter a crop growing field and should walk with the hedge to your right towards the coast.
When you reach the shoreline, turn right and follow the coast path with beautiful meadows on your right and the sea water to your left. The path will bend left where there is a low concrete wall and will then bring you to a wooden bench. The path will then veer right along a longer coastal stretch.
At the end of this straight section, you will reach a prominent corner where a well placed bench gives views to Thorney Island. Turn right here as the path bends. Just before the path bends again, you will see a footpath sign taking you down through the hedge and then away from the coast.
Follow the path through an opening in the hedge and with a paddock to your left. Turn right with the path as it goes under a few trees to emerge into a large crop growing field. Turn left and follow the path up the edge of the field, walking away from the coast. Stick with the path at the top of the field as it turns right, still following the perimeter. At the corner of the field the path will bring you to a gate with a large yew tree and some other dead trees.
Go through the gate and then keep straight along the path. You will pass by a property with a large orchard before the path will narrow as you squeeze around a garden wall and then emerge at the end of Farm Lane. There are some pretty cottages and a bridge over a stream to finish the walk back to your car.
Starting from Southbourne Farm Shop:
Exit the farm shop at the road and turn left. Walk along the verge for a few metres before turning left down the footpath beside a Union Jack flag. The path initially squeezes narrowly between garden fences. When you reach the field, go straight on, keeping the hedge to your right. Soon bend to the right. At the next corner, keep left, staying in the field and keeping the hedge to your right. Follow the path to the coast.
Bear left when you reach the water and follow the coastal path to a corner with a bench. Bear left and then walk in a straight line to the next corner and another bench. Bear left with the coastal path once again and then bend right. The path will straighten out again and you should look for a footpath on your left running perpendicular to another bench and a ‘caution’ notice.
The footpath will leave the coast and enter a field. Walk with the open field to your right, the hedge to your left and some chalet homes ahead. Continue until you reach the lane.
Turn left at the lane and walk past a series of cottages. When the tarmac turns to gravel, turn left by Thistledown. The path will pass between garden fences, then continue straight. After a red corrugated iron barn behind the hedge to your right, take the next footpath, also to your right. This path will bring you back to the A259, where you should cross to the pavement and turn left to make your way back to the farm shop.
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Did you know?
Chichester harbour provides feeding grounds for internationally important numbers of ringed plovers, grey plovers, redshanks, black-tailed godwits, dunlins, sanderlings, curlews and greenshanks.
The inland area that this walk encompasses was once a tidal millpond. Seawater flooded the reed bed and then as it emptied, it provided power for a local grain mill.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try this one at Prinsted or try connecting the two walks to make one longer one.
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