Walks near Bognor Regis

Seafront promenade, Pagham Harbour and countryside routes

The Bognor Regis area offers a genuinely good selection of walks, from the flat and easy seafront promenade to the nature reserve paths around Pagham Harbour and the longer routes that head north towards the South Downs. The flat terrain of the coastal plain makes walking accessible to people of all abilities, and the coastal setting provides views and sea air that enhance any walk.

The seafront promenade is the most popular walk in the area, and for good reason. The paved path runs along the top of the sea wall for miles, connecting Aldwick in the west with Felpham and beyond in the east. The walk can be as short or as long as you like, and the views across the English Channel towards the Isle of Wight are a constant companion. On a clear day, the light on the water is beautiful, and the combination of sea air and gentle exercise is one of the most accessible health benefits of coastal living.

Pagham Harbour, to the west of Aldwick, provides a completely different walking experience. The harbour is a nature reserve managed by the RSPB, and the paths around its edges pass through saltmarsh, mudflats and shingle beach. The birdlife is the main attraction, particularly during the migration seasons when wading birds and wildfowl gather in large numbers. The walk around the harbour from the visitor centre at Sidlesham to Church Norton and back is approximately four miles and takes in a variety of habitats and landscapes.

The countryside north of Bognor offers gentle rural walking on the flat coastal plain, with field paths, lanes and bridleways connecting the villages of Yapton, Barnham, Walberton, Eastergate and Aldingbourne. These walks are quiet and unspectacular in a pleasant way, passing through farmland with views of the South Downs ahead and the occasional village pub providing a mid-walk refreshment stop.

For more ambitious walks, the South Downs are accessible by car from Bognor in under half an hour. The Downs provide chalk grassland walking with panoramic views across the coastal plain to the sea. Slindon Estate, managed by the National Trust, has marked trails through ancient woodland and open downland. The South Downs Way national trail crosses the area and provides long-distance walking that can be tackled in sections.

Arundel offers a walking destination that combines town and countryside. The riverside path along the Arun, the parkland around the castle and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve all provide walking within a few minutes of the town centre. The walk from Arundel up onto the Downs via Whiteways Lodge is a classic Sussex route with outstanding views.

Dog walkers are well catered for in the Bognor area. The beaches allow dogs during certain seasons and times, the parks have open spaces for off-lead exercise, and the rural paths provide plenty of room for dogs to run. The seafront promenade is popular with dog walkers year-round, and the early morning dog-walking community is one of the more sociable groups in the area.

All the walks in the area are on level or gently undulating ground, with the exception of the Downs routes, which involve some climbing. This makes the Bognor area particularly suitable for older walkers, families with pushchairs and anyone who wants to walk without the physical demands of hill walking.