So our last trip in October was supposed to be our final one for the year but we just couldn’t resist another trip – the Winter is a long time to be without our caravan ventures! But this trip was a mistake! We were a bit disappointed with the quality of the last trip so decided to book a luxury final adventure to Concierge near Chichester, but the advert was really close to an advert for Bunn holiday camps! £130 for 3 nights and no refunds – I only realised my mistake a few days ago so we were committed. Still – big camp site, lots of facilities, swimming pool, entertainment, restaurants – you never know it might be great….
We set off in rain and arrived in a misty drizzle. The Man sorts the outside and I make the van cozy and homey, put the kettle on and get the place warmed up. I have to help the Man put the awning up and this was a bit of a challenge in the gale force winds – apparently there is a storm approaching so severe it will be the first named in the UK – so welcome Abigail!
We decided to explore and set off to walk to the beach (which is described as a stroll in the brochure). Thirty minutes later after walking through row upon depressing row of tin boxes (static caravans) we came to the ‘Embassy Suites’, pool and beach. It was pretty awful. The grey skies, rain and wind didn’t help… but it was awful. My plans for a daily morning swim in the swimming pool were dashed and we decided that we’d have to ditch our plan to eat out for one night. We walked back and got lost in the monotony of thousands of faceless empty caravans but eventually found our way back to the comfort of the Van, warmth and wine.
Saturday 7th November
We were buffeted all night by Abigail, but the awning stood the test and was still viable when we un-battened the hatches in the morning. The rain gave us an excuse for a very lazy morning. We still needed to venture out to the shower blocks but they weren’t too bad – at least they were an improvement on our last trip. I feel that a site’s shower blocks are quite a good indication of the pervading atmosphere and ‘culture’ of the site. Cleanliness and efficiency are important but the shower experience can be made a misery by too few hooks! This one has two; not quite enough to hang clothes and towels!
Rain or no rain we had to go out. So Chichester was the plan for today. A wander around the town and a walk round the ancient city walls.
The town was lovely and I would have loved to have been able to explore it more comfortably in better weather. A number of streets fanned out from the Chichester Cross in the centre and of course the Cathedral dominates the West side.
After a wander around the town we walked the City walls. It is 1800 years since the walls and gates were first built around the Roman town of Noviomagus Reginorum. Today they are the most intact circuit of Roman town defences in Southern England. More than 80% of the original structure has withstood the test of time and virtually the whole of the circuit is publicly accessible.
Sunday 18th October
The winds have died down and no rain so things are looking up. It is beaches day today. We set off to explore West Wittering and East Wittering and then went on to Pagham Harbour.
West Wittering was divine and you can see the appeal from Londoners and the Chichester city dwellers but I wouldn’t fancy tackling the trip at the height of the season. Access was by one road that would down to the beach and ended in a large area for car parking – very reasonable at £2, but I can imagine the frustration of the Summer traffic jams. It was briefly considered as a desired retirement destination, especially the handful of houses whode back gardens actually opened up onto the vast sandy beach! But the congestion and high real estate price tags were a bit off putting. Still we can still enjoy a Winter walk along this sublime beach.
It had everything. Miles of soft golden sand, dunes, beach huts and Sunday trippers wind surfing, hang gliding and kite flying. Dogs abounded on the beach and the fresh winds and watery sun blew away the Winter cobwebs and got us ready for the Beach Café. Alas, they missed a bit of a trick here, serving up glutinous coffee and walnut cake. Chips and burgers could be had through a strange arrangement of an outside grilling area but I’m sure Winter walkers would have been glad of some hot soup, crusty bread, crumpets and toasted tea cakes.
From here we went to explore East Wittering, which as beaches go is the West’s poorer cousin, but has a busier and more accessible shopping area. After a wander around we still had time before the sun went down so we drove a short distance to have a look at Pagham Harbour.
The RSPB (rspb.org.uk) says that Pagham Harbour is a glorious and peaceful nature reserve, one of the few undeveloped stretches of the Sussex coast, and an internationally important wetland site for wildlife. It’s a big, sheltered inlet that fills and empties with each tide, with wild ducks, geese and wading birds flitting to and fro. With a wealth of wildlife, beautiful landscapes, and a rich historical heritage, it is a great place to get away from it all. There is something of interest all year round. Resident species include little egrets, ringed plovers and lapwings. In spring and autumn, all sorts of migrant birds pass through. In the summer, lapwings and little terns breed, and butterflies flit along the hedgerows, dragonflies patrol the ponds, and lizards bask in the sun. Autumn and winter brings a waterbird spectacle, with up to 20,000 ducks, geese and waders feeding and roosting across the reserve, including large numbers of Brent geese and pintails.
It was a lovely walk, breezy and refreshing with lovely views and practically deserted. We walked for about 45 minutes before the light started going then made our way back to the Van for tea and crumpets.
A glorious sunset the previous evening had highlighted a windmill just across the fields and I regretted not taking the camera out to try and capture it. So this evening I set out to try and find it before the light was gone. Alas there was no spectacular sunset but I found the windmill and managed a few shots, albeit in the gloom of a November evening!
Me, the man, our dog, and a van 