National Bus Strategy

The Campaign for Better Transport has produced a report showing that once again funding for buses has decreased, with 243 services around the country having been lost or reduced in the past year. But next year could be different: with the Government promising a National Bus Strategy and new multi-year funding settlement, there’s a chance to set buses on the road to a brighter future.

Follow this link to find out more about the National Bus Strategy and new funding for bus services

RSPB Medmerry

Fish is the Dish

Chichester Harbour October Events

Chichester Harbour Events - October 2019 To reduce our use of the planet's precious resources the printing of our Walks, Events and Activities leaflet has been discontinued. If you are reading this you probably already access our events  using the links in this email or via our website Events calendar, on www.conservancy.co.uk, as it is so easy to do. There will soon also be downloadable monthly lists available on our What's On page. Please note: please check details on 'pay on the day' events as these can be subject to change.

Special Event – our annual Chichester Harbour Trail

Fri 4 to Sun 6 October three days 9am to 5pm A unique, guided, 38 mile linear walk of the beautiful Chichester Harbour shoreline over three days.  We will begin in West Wittering, walk, around East Head and make our way along the shoreline to finish in Fishbourne.  Day 2 will be from Fishbourne to Nutbourne via the peninsulas of Bosham and Chidham.  Day 3 from Nutbourne to Thorney Island via Prinsted and Emsworth, finishing in Northney on Hayling Island.  Our meet points will be near car parks but we will be using the public bus services in between. Detailed arrangements are sent out to walkers a week beforehand. Fee: £60 for all 3 days (sorry, no option for booking single days). Booking essential here

Walks with Talks   Wed 9 October 10am 2 hours Archaeology Walk of Chichester Harbour at Fishbourne An opportunity to meet with James Kenny, Archaeology Officer for Chichester District Council, and join him on a field walk of up to 2 miles hearing about the sites of Roman interest at the top of Fishbourne creek.  No dogs please. Fee: £5 booking essential here Meet: car park to Fishbourne Roman Palace, PO19 3QR, free parking by kind permission. Sat 12 October 10am 2hrs Autumn Hedgerow Fruits and Seeds Features:  a stroll of 1½ miles taking time to look for and identify the fruits and seeds of our local hedgerows and woodland and to hear about their folklore and uses.  With expert enthusiast John Arnott. No dogs please. Fee: £5 booking essential here Meet:  private car park next to Cobnor House, Cobnor Farm, Chidham, PO18 8TE.  Access and free parking by kind permission of Cobnor Estates.

Talks Sat 12 October 4pm 1½ hrs Mud, Rocks and Fossils – The Geology of Chichester Harbour A talk by geology expert David Bone on what lies beneath the landscape of the Chichester Harbour area. Fee: £5. Booking essential here Meet: Harbour Education Centre, on the quay, Dell Quay, PO20 7EE. Roadside parking. Wed 16 October 7pm 1 ½ hrs  Inshore Fisheries and Chichester Harbour We are delighted to welcome Alberto Kavadellas, Senior Fisheries and Conservation Officer from Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA), the regulating authority concerned with fishing activity in Chichester Harbour.  Alberto will talk about the work of IFCA, the area the Sussex IFCA covers, his role and the regulations he works with.  Please respect that this is a general talk suitable for everyone and not an opportunity to discuss individual cases. Fee: £5. Booking essential here Meet:  Harbour Education Centre, on the quay, Dell Quay, PO20 7EE. Roadside parking. Sat 26 October 2.30pm 2 hrs Wildflower Meadow Trial – the First Season Come and find out how our wildflower meadow project has fared in its first season.  Back in May we set up a wildflower meadow trial area kindly loaned to us for the project by the Cobnor Estate.  First of all we will give a presentation on what we aimed to do, what we observed during the summer and what we will be planning to do for the next year.  We will follow this up by visiting the site. Fee: £5 booking essential here Meet: Cobnor Activities Centre, Cobnor Point, Chidham, PO18 8TE. Free parking.

Monthly Walks

Fri 11 October 10am 2½hrs
Harbour Creekies: The Trundle
A 1 mile gentle but hilly walk up our local hill, The Trundle stopping at the top to look over the coastal plain that includes Chichester Harbour.  Complimentary refreshments afterwards.
Fee: £5 on the day or free for Friends of Chichester Harbour, bring membership number. To join the Friends click here.
Meet: free car park to the west of The Trundle (not the one in the triangle by Charlton Down), GR SU872.110.

Sun 20 October 9.15am for 9.30am departure
Harbour Hares: Harbour Views from the Downs
A faster paced 9 mile walk from West Stoke to Walderton, Stoughton and Kingley Vale taking time to stop and view Chichester Harbour from the best vantage points.  Bring money for a drink in Stoughton at the Hare and Hounds and a picnic for a lunch break at the top of Kingley Vale.
Fee: £5 on the day or free to Friends of Chichester Harbour, bring membership number. To join the Friends click here.
Meet: free car park at West Stoke near Chichester, Grid Ref SU824.088

Image Paul Adams

 

 

Special Family Events

Mon 28 October 10.30 am 1½ hrs
Hedge Planting for Families
Come and help improve the natural landscape in Chichester Harbour by helping to plant some ‘baby’ hedgerow shrubs on one of the Harbour’s farms.  Dress for the weather and bring gloves that can get wet and muddy.   Bring elevenses.
Fee: £3 booking essential here.
Meet:  Tournerbury Farm, Tournerbury Lane, Hayling Island, PO11 9DL, we will be on hand to direct you to where to park. 

Tue 29 October 2pm 2hrs
Dairy Farm Experience 
Meet the farmers and explore their dairy farm located within Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, watch the cows at milking time and take a tractor trailer ride.  Afterwards, enjoy an ice cream made on the farm from the herd’s milk. No dogs please.
Fee: £5 (age 2 yrs and over) to include trailer ride and ice cream. Booking essential here.
Meet: Northney Farm, Northney Road, Hayling Island, PO11 0RX.  Free parking by kind permission, look out for the signs on where to park.

 

 

Art/Craft

Sat 19 October 10am 4hrs Appliqué Bird or Boat Create a picture in textiles of a Harbour Bird or Boat under the guidance of textile artist Karen Berry.  All materials supplied. Minimum age 15 years. Fee: £25 to include materials and refreshments. Booking essential here. Meet: Harbour Education Centre, on the quay, Dell Quay, PO20 7EE. Roadside parking.

Solar Heritage Boat Trips

Harbour Discovery trips on our silent solar powered vessel continue until 20 October.  Our bird watching season starts with the first trip on Wednesday 23 October. Or take the three hour Wildlife Explorer trip on 6 October. What better way to see the fabulous species of wildlife that call Chichester Harbour home?! Find a trip to suit you here. Image: Great crested grebes - Shirley Rushmer

 

RSPB Medmerry

Love British Food

The Sea's the Day project has signed up as a member of Love British Food until the end of 2019. The company is the national organiser of British Food Fortnight (21 Sept  - 6 Oct 2019), and aims to get us all to eat more local produce. For Sea's the Day this means eating more locally caught crab and lobster, and supporting our local fishing industries.

Love British Food now has a little bit of information about Sea's the Day on its own website, and has also listed all the restaurants who kindly gave the project recipes to use on our lovely recipe cards.

Follow this link to read all about it and see who has helped support the project: Love British Food

Chichester Harbour August Events

Advance news!

Chichester Harbour Trail - Three day walk Fri 4 to Sun 6 October - 9am to 5pm A unique, guided, 38 mile linear walk of the beautiful Chichester Harbour shoreline over three days.  This time we will begin in West Wittering, walking around East Head and making our way along the shoreline to finish in Fishbourne.  Day 2 will be from Fishbourne to Nutbourne via the peninsulas of Bosham and Chidham.  Day 3 from Nutbourne to Thorney Island via Prinsted and then on to Emsworth, finishing in Northney on Hayling Island.  Our meet points will be near car parks but we will be using the public bus services in between.  Detailed arrangements are sent out to walkers a week beforehand. Fee: £60 for all 3 days (sorry, no option for booking single days). Booking essential here or on 01243 513275

 

Advance news!

Chichester Harbour Trail - Three day walk Fri 4 to Sun 6 October - 9am to 5pm A unique, guided, 38 mile linear walk of the beautiful Chichester Harbour shoreline over three days.  This time we will begin in West Wittering, walking around East Head and making our way along the shoreline to finish in Fishbourne.  Day 2 will be from Fishbourne to Nutbourne via the peninsulas of Bosham and Chidham.  Day 3 from Nutbourne to Thorney Island via Prinsted and then on to Emsworth, finishing in Northney on Hayling Island.  Our meet points will be near car parks but we will be using the public bus services in between.  Detailed arrangements are sent out to walkers a week beforehand. Fee: £60 for all 3 days (sorry, no option for booking single days). Booking essential here or on 01243 513275

Family Activities

Crabbing Competition Fri 2 August  11am 1½ hrs New venue!  In partnership with CYE, join us at high tide for a crabbing competition off the houseboat TS Resolute.  Meet promptly to learn the rules and then off you go.  Prizes for the winners.  Bring a bucket and a crabbing line if you can but we have some to borrow. We will provide bait. Bring a picnic for afterwards if the weather is good. Fee: £4. Booking essential: with CYE at www.cye.org.uk or phone 01243 573375. Meet: Christian Youth Enterprise Activity Centre, off the private road to Cobnor Farm, Chidham, PO18 8TE.  Free parking.Crabbing Competition Wed 28 August  10am 1½ hrs Join us at high tide for a crabbing competition off the quay.  Meet promptly to learn the rules and then off you go.  Prizes for the winners.  Bring a bucket and a crabbing line if you can, but we will have a limited number to borrow.  We will provide bait. Fee: £3 per competitor and £1 all others, cash on the day.  Bring a picnic for afterwards if the weather is good. Meet: Harbour Education Centre, on the quay, Dell Quay, PO20 7EE.  Roadside parking. Mud Hunt Fri 9 August  10am 1½ hrs A fun session starting with mud-themed activities in the classroom followed by a closely-guided walk through the Harbour mud. Dress to get very muddy! Fee: £3 per child. Booking essential online or phone 01243 513275. Meet:  Harbour Education Centre on the quay, Dell Quay, PO20 7EE.  Roadside parking. Stream Walk Fri 30 August  4pm 1½ hrs A short but perfectly formed real adventure - swish through the reeds, squelch through the mud and splash through the water on our adventure into the Harbour itself and up the Fishbourne Meadows stream.  It gets more than knee deep in places. Dress to get wet and muddy, wear footwear that stays on and bring gardening gloves if you’d like to protect your hands. Fee: £5. Booking essential online or phone 01243 513275. Meet:  the end of Fishbourne Road East near the A27 flyover (with the pedestrian underpass), known ‘as the road behind Tesco’, Chichester.  Roadside parking.

 

Walks

Sunset Walk
Sat 10 August  6.45pm 2½ hrs
A walk of 4 miles in the company of Judi Darley, Conservancy walks leader, through the countryside and shoreline of Itchenor, stopping on the shoreline to view the Harbour at sunset.  Dress to be warm sitting on the shoreline at dusk.
Fee: £5 cash on the day.
Meet: outside the Harbour Office, Itchenor, PO20 7AW.  Roadside parking or Itchenor pay and display car park, parking charges apply.

Harbour Creekies:  Cobnor Estate
Fri 16 August  10am 2 hrs
A stroll of about 1 mile of the shoreline and estate of Cobnor Farm in the company of Cobnor’s groundsman Mike.  Enjoy a complimentary coffee back at the car park afterwards.
Fee: £5 cash on the day or free to FRIENDSCH members, to join go to www.friendsch.org
Meet: Private car park next to Cobnor House, off the private road to Cobnor Farm, Chidham, PO18 8TE. Access and free parking by kind permission.

Harbour Hares: 4 Harbour Creeks
Sun 18 August  10am 6 hrs
A faster paced linear 11 mile walk from Chichester to Emsworth passing through Fishbourne, Bosham, Chidham, Nutbourne and Prinsted along the way.  Return by public bus, bring additional money (about £4) or bus pass.  Stagecoach states dogs are accepted at bus driver’s discretion. Bring packed lunch and snacks.
Fee: £5 cash on the day or free to FRIENDSCH members, to join go to www.friendsch.org
Meet: by the Bell Tower next to the Cathedral main entrance, Chichester.  City centre car parks, parking charges apply.

Boating

Try Something New: Gig Rowing
Sat 17 August
Session 1 11.30am-1.00pm adults
Session 2 1.30pm-3.00pm   adults
Session 3 3.30pm-5.00pm  juniors 12-16 years
Come and have a go at one of the fastest growing sports in the Harbour, rowing.  Langstone Gig Club has 4 gigs so can take out several novices at a time with experienced rowers who are club members. Wear old clothes and bring gloves and shoes that can get wet.
Fee: £3.
Booking essential online or phone 01243 513275.
Meet:  Northney Marina, behind the Langstone Hotel, Northney, Hayling Island, PO11 0NG
Free parking. 

Canoe Safari
Sat 24 August  1pm 3 hrs
A fun session in rafted open canoes (no previous skill required) in partnership with Cobnor Activities Centre to both hear about the Harbour’s wildlife and to have a go at canoeing, with qualified instructors. Bring extra footwear to get wet (that stays on, not flipflops) and a change of clothes just in case. Before the activity complete the consent and acceptance of risk form available from the Cobnor Activities Centre website.
Fee: £28 to include all equipment.
Booking essential: with Cobnor Activities Centre at www.cobnor.com.
Meet: Cobnor Activities Centre, Cobnor Point, Chidham, Chichester, PO18 8TE. Free parking.

Image Kath Brett

Solar Heritage Boat Trips

It seems we are in for some scorching weather!  Great chance to grab the family or a friend and get out on the water in Chichester Harbour. Just imagine gliding along on our solar powered vessel, Solar Heritage, with a cooling breeze wafting by, and the beautiful scenery of the Harbour on display. You might like to choose one of our music cruises to add to the atmosphere.  Bring some refreshments to enjoy on the trip if you wish. The easiest way to book is online here or you can phone 01243 513275.

 

Chichester Harbour

Chichester Harbour Conservancy invite you to take part in lots of different activities organised round the harbour this spring.

There is a wealth of things to do in Chichester Harbour both on and off the water from a birdsong walk to a day at the beach, den building to archaeology. Enjoy the Harbour on foot or by bike.  Find out the best places to walk or explore the Salterns Way cycle route. Don't forget Solar Heritage, the solar powered catamaran that has been exploring the furthest reaches of Chichester Harbour for over 10 years.

Please book all activities with Chichester Harbour Conservancy, but first follow this link to find out what you can do when exploring with Chichester Harbour Conservancy

Selsey Walking & Outdoor Festival 2019

The Selsey Walking & Outdoor Festival is now in its 6th year, and will be taking place from 25 May to 2 June 2019.

This is a chance to celebrate the amazing wildlife and stunning natural scenery of this unspoilt tip of the Manhood Peninsula. Situated close to the historic city of Chichester, Selsey offers close access to some of the top wildlife destinations on the South Coast. It lies at the heart of the RSPB nature reserves at Pagham Harbour and Medmerry and via a series of linked paths is only a stones-throw from the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty at Chichester Harbour.An unspoilt fishing town, Selsey boasts a wealth of history and local character, which the walks planned during the week will help visitors and locals to explore. Selsey also boasts some of the finest diving in the UK which can be experienced on the ‘underwater walk’, whilst the flat terrain and designated off-road routes make the festival cycle ride a great family event.

Please follow this link to find out more about what is taking place at the Selsey Walking & Outdoor festival 2019

All events must be booked. You can contact the organisers at selseywalkingfestival@gmail.com, phone 01243 201616 (please use the full number including the area code) or through their Facebook page.

The Future of Seaside Towns Report

The House of Lords Select Committee has recently released its new report on the Future of Seaside Towns, which looks at the regeneration of seaside towns and communities.

The report suggests that the 'one size fits all' approach should be avoided, with transport and housing being two of the key issues. The report states:

'Seaside towns must be inspired to regain their pioneering spirit and evolve to meet present day and future challenges. We are convinced that they can reinvent themselves with a long-term, place-based vision—a comprehensive approach that involves working with a range of partners to address multiple causes of social problem in a locality—that is supported by local leaders and grounded in each town’s unique assets'.

Please follow this link to read the full report on the Future of Seaside Towns