Home swapping: exploring the delightful South Downs

Home swap holiday exploring the delightful South Downs

"We've just returned from a lovely two and a half week home swap holiday in the South Downs, West Sussex. We swapped with Timothy and Louise, it was their first time home exchanging but they were really friendly, relaxed and easy to communicate with. Their home was stylish, spacious and we were very comfortable and throughly enjoyed our stay.

We were very close to the beautiful West Wittering, East Wittering and Bracklesham Bay beaches. We cycled the more or less car free route along the canal to Chichester and on the lanes to explore Medmerry Nature Reserve and the west side of Pagham harbour. We also did lots of walking and trail running! Our coastal potters were from the doorstep and round to West Itchenor, between East and West Wittering, around Chidham peninsula, and around Thorney Island. Inland we had a great time in the woodland and on the downs around West Dean, Kingley Vale, Walderton, North Marden, Eartham Wood and Amberley, and following the river Arun.

If you like to be outdoors and away from the crowds you are spoilt for choice - plus the footpaths were very well maintained and clearly signposted. An added bonus was that all the chapels and churches that we came across were open to and welcoming of visitors, it was so nice to be able to explore them, and (on some days) to get out of the cold, or just enjoy a rest on a bench in the graveyard. Add to that the liberal scattering of earthworks, forts, cross dykes and tumuli, for all fans of the Bronze Age and Olde Stuffe.

Plus some wildlife... we are not very patient or observent, but did see a barn owl, fox, polecat, goldcrest and loads of kites and dark-bellied brent geese! The spectacle of clouds of gulls following the farmer's tractor (enjoyed from bed with a morning cuppa) was also great.

Chichester itself is very walkable and interesting to explore (Cathedral, museum, city walls, gardens), we also went by train to Portsmouth (though were too mean to pay the entry fee to the naval museums!). The public transport provision is good - a bus every 15 mins to Chichester from very close to the house, and trains linking the main sites along the south coast.

All in all a really great trip, thank you Louise and Timothy!"

- Sue & Dave (Lancaster, UK)