Fishbourne and Bosham Circular Walk

6.2 miles (10 km)

This circular walk explores the area around Fishbourne and Bosham in the Chichester Harbour AONB. On the scenic 6.2 mile route you will visit Bosham Quay, Fishbourne Meadows and the Chichester Channel.
The walk begins in Fishbourne, a historic village situated at the uppermost eastern reach of the harbour.... The village is famously home to the Fishbourne Roman Palace, the largest residential Roman building discovered north of the Alps, which dates back to the first century AD.
Here the route explores Fishbourne Meadows, an important nature reserve consisting of unspoilt, damp grazing pastures and reedbeds. These meadows are fed by natural chalk streams, creating a unique habitat for a wide array of wildlife, including water voles, southern marsh orchids, and a vast population of butterflies during the summer months.
Part of the path follows the edge of the Chichester Channel, a major tidal stretch of water that forms the central artery of the harbour. As you walk along the raised sea wall, you get sweeping views across the saltmarshes and intertidal mudflats. This area is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), serving as a vital winter feeding ground for thousands of migrating wading birds. Walkers can easily observe curlews, oystercatchers, little egrets, and dark-bellied brent geese foraging in the shallows when the tide recedes.
The trail then leads you into the historic village of Bosham, one of the oldest and most photographed settlements in West Sussex. Bosham Quay has a rich maritime history and is even depicted on the famous Bayeux Tapestry, as it was the place from which King Harold sailed for Normandy in 1064. The quay remains a bustling sailing hub today, lined with classic houses, an active sailing club, and Holy Trinity Church, which features a Saxon tower. Visitors must take care near the shore, as the high tide regularly floods the coastal road and the lower parts of the quay.