West Sussex - Knepp Estate English safari, biking, castles and lido in early Summer
Itinerary At A Glance
3 night independent itinerary for West Sussex - on the south coast of England
Based on driving from Yorkshire in May
Highlights include a visit to Arundel Castle, cycling the gorgeous green-and-rolling countryside through pretty and historic towns and villages, and the highlight - a Nightingale Safari on the Knepp Estate Rewilding Project
Based on a couple travelling, with a focus on leisurely outdoor and cultural activities, interspersed with time to just relax and soak up the atmosphere
Honest verdict
How well did the place accommodate biking?
Superbly well. We explored on mixed surfaces - on and off-road - using the mountain bike. Parts of Sussex are flatish, but it mostly rolling hills - the best topography for all sorts of biking in my opinion. There is on-road and off-road and mixed, coastal, and country, with lots and lots of small B-roads to choose from as well as trails.
This part of Sussex is wedged between three National Parks/Landscapes - Surrey Hills, High Weald and South Downs. The landscape is just endlessly beautiful and its hard to go wrong. The riding is both aesthetically rewarding and physically challenging, so a delighful mix.
Would I recommend this trip, and to whom?
This is genteel English country, and one of our finest I’d say. There are wineries, art, manor houses, old-fashioned seaside towns revived, gardens, picnic spots….The beauty of it is that this is somewhere people live and work, not just holiday, so there’s a feeling of authentic activity alongside all these more touristic things to do.
I’d recommend this place to anyone who enjoys a combination of modern culture, history and activity, with a slice of luxe living. East Sussex is the most familiar, though my own home county of Yorkshire, and coastal Suffolk have similar vibes.
Would I make another visit?
I could definitely see us returning, specifically for a biking focused trip - perhaps to explore the Sussex coast more than its inland beauty. South Lodge is where I would stay next time.
WHEN
Mid-May
early summer
Expect anything from hot and sunny, to cool and rainy.
LIGHT
Long hours of daylight
Sunrise: 05:08am
Sunset: 20:29pm
16.5 hours of daylight
TRAVEL MEANS
Driving from Yorkshire took 4hr 30mins
ACCOMMODATION
This barn studio in Pulborough
a delightful little self-contained annex
perfectly proportioned for a couple
huge glass wall along one side, flooding the space with light
on a working farm
National Cycle Network Route 2 just behind the house.
Day 1
Drive in the morning, collect groceries, arrive and settle in
Day 2
Early morning Lido: Arundel has an outdoor lido with glimsing views of the castle. Worth it. We chose the earliest morning slot possible - 6:30am. Cool and calming, with a bit of exercise to boot. Advanced booking essential.
Bike ride: An moderate 17km/301m climbing route on a mountain bike, with plenty of ups and downs for a physical challenge, and predominantly done on single-track country lanes. Very do-able on a hybrid also.
Lunch: The Cafe at The Old Workshop. We devised the loop around landing here in the middle, for a small lunch and cake. Absolutely brilliant. We sat out in a suntrap courtyard, and everything we had - including the cakes - was made on premises to a very very good standard.
Brewery: pre-dinner beers at Langham Brewery taproom courtyard
Dinner: at the residence
Day 3
Farmers Market & Breakfast: in Arundel town centre, there is a lively and extensive Farmers Market every 3rd Saturday of the month. We were lucky enough that our trip perfectly co-incided with this monthly schedule. Picked up delicious cheese, seasonal asparagus, pastries and Hen-Of-The-Woods mushrooms.
Visited Arundel Castle: straight after the Farmers Market, headed up to the castle which is right there in the centre of town. This makes Arundel Castle unique if nothing else - this is a castle surrounded by a pretty town and you can easily visit both together. The castle itself is very impressive and wildly historic, having been there since the 11th century
Nightingale Safari at Knepp Rewilding Project: The highlight of the trip, the whole thing I built it around. I am no birder, but this looked to be an interesting option that was available at the time we were planning to be there (of course, many of the wildland safari options depend on animal activity at that time of year).
And what an experience. I really can’t say enough how magical and memorable this was.
We started with a communal dinner (about 30 people were on this activity), followed by a short presentation about the nightingale and its migratory patterns and threats, and then a trample through the rewilded land, in the dusky darkening sky, led by a guide, to see if we could find one of the singing males. We did. We all stood there, collectively transfixed and silent for 20 minutes, listening to this tiny bird belt out his tune in hope of attracting a mate. Rival males mimicked each other with a parody of each others’ song, a little like saying “anything you can do I can do better”. Bewitching.
A perfect crescendo for our trip.
Day 4
Drove home
Tastes of Spring
