West Sussex is a large county on the southcoast, officially the sunniest place in England! It also houses the longest seaside bench apparently. This is a world of pretty seaside resorts from Victorian resorts like Bognore to beautiful sandy beaches at the more remote West Wittering.
Inland, you’ll find lots of pretty villages and parts of the South Downs National Park, which stretches from Winchester (Hampshire) through to East Sussex. The Weald & Download Museum is where the BBC series The Repair Shop is filmed (called the most wonderful program ever by Stephen Fry). Alas you do have some urban sprawl here. Although Horsham is an affluent town, it’s home to many pilots who drive to Gatwick Airport, a very busy place that has led to motorway gridlock.
On a positive note, the good climate means there is less frost than most other areas of England. So it’s a thriving melting pot of veg box schemes, farmers’ markets and grow-your-own organic food culture! And good for just sitting in the garden too, soaking up the sunshine!
The South Downs National Park has over 3000km of walking routes, stretching from Winchester 100 miles to Eastbourne in East Sussex. For experienced walkers only, the northern routes are inspired by local writers inculding Jane Austen, who was born here.
One of the best 16 places on earth to see the night sky, it’s home to lowland heath (rarer than rainforests – Woolmer forest is the only place in England to house all 12 native amphibians and reptiles). And although we’ve lost 80% of England’s chalkland – 4% is here to help the rare Adonis blue butterfly.
