Arundel 29 years on.

The Black Rabbit

29 years and two months ago, Hanna and I were married at the Wildfowl Trust where we both worked.  
In those days we worked pretty much all the time and loved every minute of it. The Trust and the outrageous, whacky people of Arundel gave us all the social life we needed and gave us the opportunity to be creative all the time. They were golden years.

Arundel Cathedral

We left soon after to work for the RSPB in Scotland and only returned once, for the funereal of our wonderful boss, Andrew Dawnay. I can't imagine why we didn't go back more, but they say you can never go back without being disappointed. Times change, people move on and wind farms, shopping malls and by-passes get built.

We could not find a chance to mark our wedding anniversary yet this year, but we took the opportunity to go back to Arundel and celebrate with our grandson Jake who is at Chichester University studying music, room cleaning and feeding one's self. Some readers may remember the site as Bishop Otter Teacher Training College. He seems to be doing well there and we watched him rehearse and then perform Handel's Messiah with other students and a few dozen older folk who perform just for fun.

Castle from the Black Rabbit.

I had forgotten just how beautiful West Sussex is. After leaving the London Orbital (M25) we headed past the Royal Horticultural Society at Wisley Gardens, then on past Guildford and over the crest of the chalk near the Devil's Punch Bowl, on the North Downs. From there, on proper old roads and narrow sunken lanes, we dropped down into the Weald through endless, autumn woods and postcard villages of stone, flint and brick, finally climbing back onto the chalk of the South Downs above Arundel.

As we entered our old stamping ground, memories flooded back. In my case this meant bird watching sites, wild flower glades and villages where I had given talks, while Hanna reeled off a long list of pubs she could remember, such as The George and Dragon, The Norfolk Arms, The Swan, and The Shoulder of Mutton and Cucumbers.

Arundel Castle

Dropping into Arundel is like visiting a fortified hill-town in the Dordogne or Castile. The castle looks very English like a small version of Windsor, but the Catholic Cathedral is French and the little town huddles on a spur surrounded by unspoiled wooded hills and marshy valleys that have not been wrecked or smeared with concrete in the traditional English way. In fact, it was not just as we remembered it, but even better. The South Downs has become a National Park.

The Old Dairy

So which pub should we go to first? It had to be the Black Rabbit at Offham, at the end of the lane that runs past the Wildfowl Trust. It has great views of the river and the castle and plenty of space for a family to gather. You can even sit round a fire outside to enjoy the view while you eat. We were made really welcome and had a good meal, real ale and all for a moderate price. You really go there for the location though. It's just magnificent.

We stayed in a little flat above the Bay Tree Restaurant on Tarrant Street, right in the heart of town among the antique shops. Apart from the steep stairs, you couldn't fault it.

Maltravers Street, where
Hanna used to live.

We had an evening out with Jake in Chichester which is an old walled cathedral city. The shopping area near the cathedral is pretty generic and you need to do some research to find a good place to eat: We haven't found one yet. However, just outside the town there are hundreds of fine pubs in pretty villages along the coast or in the downs. We explored more of these in the daylight, popping into Church Norton on the edge of Pagham Harbour where we hoped to see small birds such as black redstarts and firecrests. We didn't see any small birds at all, but on the estuary we found brent geese, curlews, oystercatchers and other waders. The spire of Chichester Cathedral could be seen to the north, and the grandstand of Goodwood Racecourse on top of the downs. A surprise was the distant view East along the coast to where there was a white pagoda-crowned palace stretching for about a mile. This turned out to be the new seafront at Littlehampton, where we lived for a couple of years.

We tried the Crab and Lobster at Sidlesham, but were turned away. It was too posh for us anyway; it always was. So 'where-to for lunch?

Shady characters,
outside the Sportsman.

Our favourite pub used to be the White Horse at Sutton but we were wary of going back there. It's become a food-pub and the people we knew have all gone, so we went to Houghton to try the George and Dragon but that was full.

We pushed on to Amberley and I suddenly remembered a pub that sits out of the way, along a ridge way on the north facing scarp of the downs. We used to go there for a pint and then stand on the narrow terrace looking out over Amberley Wild Brooks towards Pulborough Brooks and the circle of surrounding hills. In winter we would spot Bewick's swans and white-fronted geese from the terrace and in summer we would see hobbies and glow-worms.

We soon found the place; it's called the Sportsman. As we pulled up Hanna was really doubtful because of a dubious looking group of scruffy men sitting outside. It's a long time since she has seen proper walkers! The pub is very popular with groups who walk the South Downs Way. It was busy, but we were soon seated near a roaring log fire, drinking local beers and chatting to other visitors. When our Sunday roasts arrived we moved to the conservatory where the view is truly breathtaking, like looking out of an aeroplane window. Far below we made out scattered groups of dark fallow deer and flocks of birds. I can't do it justice.

Wildfowl Trust

We spent the last couple of hours of daylight at the Wildfowl Trust which has changed, but only for the better. There is more to see and do with more wild areas and less ducks in pens. You can even go on an electric boat trip through the reeds to look for water voles.

I'm sure we will be going back to see Jake soon and perhaps I'll concentrate less on the pubs and more on the wildlife. Don't bet on it though.