West Wittering to Chichester - 25 miles and no hills!

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It felt like we were on holiday yesterday. Ice Cream, boat trip and fish and chips, and a 25 mile ride starting at West Wittering.


We arrived at about 10ish having pre booked a space at the beach car park, which has been introduced since Covid restrictions. The car park can take about 1500 cars, since the beach is massive. The new cafe which has reopened last winter, then had to close, has now re-open for takeaway food. 

The  new cafe

After a cuppa, we were ready to set off on our ride and walking back to the car, I spotted the cows in the adjoining field. They were a bit random, and doing there own thing. Then something hilarious happened, which the following pictures display.

Cows next to the car park. Fair enough!

Seconds later, cows all heading off in a straight line, and making a  row

The fancied that the farmers new toy was there food, but infact it was a
big car lifting crane to move cars out the way who have parked incorrectly!


We left on the road we approached the car park, but veryshortly turned  off into a lane, part of The Salterns Way. This well made track took us around some crop fields, keeping us off main roads









After 3 miles or so, we joined the Itchenor Road and immediately arrived at a harbour. The tide was out, so we walked the length of the gangplank to board the small ferry.


The Itchy Bosom Ferry!






Arriving at Bosham we left down the ramp.

The beach path from the ferry at low tide.

Arriving in Bosham, thankfully low ride meant we could ride all the way through

Traces of the last tide.



you have to hope that the car owner is aware that the ride comes right up here!


Now we make out way to Fishbourne on a pretty road called Taylors Lane, and for the second time in 2 weeks a see a stripy field of red and green. (I saw similar near Marlborough). Still not sure what it is.


John photographing the dead tree next to the stripy field



The route now goes into Chichester and follows the Fishborne Road taking us over a railway line on a clever bridge that we can cycle over, and soon we are on the edge of this park, and see the first glimpse of the cathedral.

If you squint, you can see Chichester Cathedral

We follow the cycle path wigging through Chichester, and then under a bipass and we are alongside the canal.

Joining the canal path

Erigeron Daisies on the side of the canal.


Lovely wild flowers on the canalside. This is Meadowsweet, or Filipendula

Reaching the end of the stretch of canal, and the cathedral still in the skyline in the distance.


Never mind cathedrals!  Look what we found!!


We now do a very short stretch on the very busy B4125, and miss a cycle path on the other side, but jon it as soon as we can, taking us round the back of some fields, to join the B2166 to North Mundum, and then at a junction a right turn to Fisher. This says "no through road", but we are routed around on some good concrete farm tracks, which deteriorate to shingle, then soil. This time of year, thats ok, but definitely a summer ride.





Soon we arrive with this pub on our left. Its the Crab and Lobster at Sidlesham Quay. A beautiful spot, where we spend a few  minutes on the waters edge.


Left?  I think not!





The site of the old mill house, across the road from the waters edge.


I took no more photos until we arrived at West Wittering, mainly because this part was not so interesting, but took us on some back lanes passing loads of commercial nursery sites, and finally into Brackalsham, adn East Wittering. The wind has started to pick up on the last few miles, and we seem to fighting it until the end of our ride. The windbreaks were in high demand at West Wittering.

West Wittering Beach




A lovely ride, and not a hill in sight, quite different to our normal type of route, with the perfect ending!