in this blog: a (secret) gorgeous beach just a train ride away from London?
Trip to Chichester and West Wittering and London fun with friends
When we learned that our dear Minnesota friends were being sent on an ex-pat assignment to Switzerland just a few months after we were scheduled to depart, it seemed too good to be true. God's Great Providence! We have really enjoyed sharing our stories and experiences together.
For you fans out there, these are the same friends we visited at Christmas time:
http://adventureswiththelarsons.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/christmas-dreams-after-few-days-in.html
This past week we had a moms and kids week. Their international school in Switzerland and ours here in London both finished last week. What a better way to kick off the summer vacation than a visit to a beach? Spain, Italy, The French Riviera, Portugal...yes, all of those wonderful beach destinations crossed our minds (ha, ha, but not our budget or time limits). But we opted for something near, easy, and simple to combine with a bit of time in London. I'm convinced my friend Janna knows more about England than I do, since her children attend a British School in Switzerland. She is the one who heard about this great beach. But shhhh, don't tell anyone, because it's a bit of a secret, an undiscovered gem. Actually, to be honest, I think it's more accurately a preserved area, so the mass commercialization you get with other beaches just doesn't apply. There are lots of retirees, no big hotels, no big restaurants, just a wide open, lovely, clean, hard-to-get-to beach. West Wittering, just south of Chichester in West Sussex.
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http://www.westwitteringbeach.co.uk/
The first day they were here in London, the kids just wanted to be together, and the moms wanted to have some shopping time! So the kids went to some museums and parks with a sitter. Janna and I went to Covent Garden (some of our favorite stops were Cath Kidston, Neal's Yard, Busaba Eathai for lunch, Orla Kiely, Monmouth Coffee). On our way home with the kids, we went into....Harrod's. Reluctant to set foot in this place for the past 18 months, I now see why. It does suck you in. And I admit it, it's fun, and though I'm frugal, we happened to be there at the one time they have a sale, and things that were on sale were actually a great deal. So - confession time - we decided we had to go back, the last night they were here, just the two of us, for a couple of hours to ourselves...and we both emerged with the iconic green bag.
BUT, back to our beach story.
We planned this little vaycay long ago, and to our shock, the weather was perfect. We booked our stay at The Beach House in West Wittering, one of really only 2 or 3 choices in the area. We took a train out of Victoria and in 1 hour and 44 minutes we were in Chichester, which is one of the oldest settlements in the country, with many historic buildings, a well-preserved town wall dating to the 3rd century, and the famous Chichester Cathedral, which is the only cathedral in England visible from the sea.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichester
A short bus ride following our picnic from Tesco in Bishop's Gardens brought us right to the front of The Beach House. Simple, tidy, and staffed with friendly locals, it's got to be the best option if you want to be near the beach. We'd consider trying to rent a house next time, but this is a great starting point if you don't know the area. There are three small shops on the street that give you options for snacks, toiletries, reading material and beach products. The Beach House itself is well-known for its restaurant, which offers delicious food at quite reasonable prices.
Breakfast was included in our stay and we ordered off a generous menu.....
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| The Full English for breakfast!! |
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| The "Healthy Option" breakfast - fruit topped with greek yogurt, honey and granola...my favorite! |
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| back patio at the Beach House |
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| the 15-20 minute walk to the beach |
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| Entrance to the beach - it's a natural preserve & a protected area |
The name "The Beach House" can be a bit misleading because we might expect it to be right on the beach, but it is indeed about as close as you can get, because the area is a nature preserve. You've got to make the 15-20 minute walk through fields along a road (you can drive your car but pay for parking). I wouldn't recommend it with toddlers or young preschoolers! We had a 5 year old who did great, but any younger than that and you'll need a stroller for sure!!
The last day, with check-out at 10:30 am and rain in the forecast, we needed to pick an outing in the area (from many choices). The Weald and Downland Open Air Museum was lovely, a happy choice for our span of kids' ages, and something we could never in a million years find in the US.
http://www.wealddown.co.uk/
They have restored real buildings from the southern part of England, some of which date back to the 13th century. Many of them have cheerful volunteers who will show you the building techniques of the time, the way a flour mill works (they have a functioning mill on site), the blacksmith's shop, the cuisine of the Tudor times....these are just a few examples. Our allotted 2 hours wasn't enough! We had to make a dash down the country road to the bus stop to head back into Chichester for our train to London.
One of the most interesting things that happens when our group is traveling together is when we are asked, "So, where are you from?" or "How long are you visiting here?" to which each child has a different answer. One might say we are from London, another will say we are from the US, still another from Minnesota, etc. And then you add the Swiss Family into the mix and people are really confused. So it takes a hearty conversation to explain.
Did I mention we did this entire trip on public transportation?
Two moms and six kids!?
What a great way to jump start our summer vacation!!
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