ROUTE PLAN No.1 The River Arun, West Sussex
Introduction
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This has to be my favourite Sussex River trip as it passes through fabulous countryside, an RSPB nature reserve, through a pass in the South Downs, past Arundel castle which is truly magnificent and on to the sea at Littlehampton. |
Maps
Ordnance Survey Explorer 121 (1:25,000) Pulborough to Littlehampton
Ordnance Survey Explorer 133 (1:25,000) Upstream from Pulborough
Or
Ordnance Survey Landranger 197 (1:50,000) Chichester and the South Downs
See a Google Map of the route
Access Points
The best access point is on the slipway by the old road bridge in Pulborough GR045185. You can park inexpensively in the railway station carpark which will be even more handy if you come back by train.
Other access points are:
GREATHAM GR 031162. Lovely old road bridge over the river.
BURY GR 016130. By the church there is an old ferry landing.
Journey
It’s best to plan the journey to take you either to Amberley, Arundel or Littlehampton depending on how fit and ambitious you are. The main London-Littlehampton railway line intersects the river at these points and there is easy places to get out. Pulborough to Littlehampton is a little over 6 hours hard paddling. You can go upriver or down river as most of it is tidal. The non-tidal part is from Pallingham lock upstream of Pulborough to not far below Pulborough. If you want a leisurely wildlife spot then the bit between Pulborough and Amberley is mainly an RSPB nature reserve. If you prefer history then Amberley has a castle and Arundel has a HUGE castle.
Tides
High water at Pulborough is Dover +4 hours.
High water at Bury is Dover +3 hours.
High water at Arundel is Dover + 1 hour 30 minutes.
At Bury the flood tide runs for four hours before high water and ebbs for 8 hours.
Other
There is a café in the Antique shop next to the old bridge in Pulborough if you need a good breakfast before you set off.
There is a café by the river in Amberley and a really nice pub up the hill a bit nearer the train station if you fancy lunch or supper while waiting for your train. It’s the Bridge Inn (BN18 9LR 01798 831 619).
There is a wonderful pub right on the river at Offham between Amberley and Arundel (nearer Arundel). It’s the Black Rabbit. (BN18 9PB 01903 882828).
And Loads of stuff in Arundel.
